Which Canon RF lenses will have the best Cyber Monday 2026 deals?

Question

I’m honestly so over trying to make my old EF glass work on my R6 Mark II with that clunky adapter—the autofocus is just too sluggish for wildlife and it’s making me super anxious every time I head out. I missed a Great Blue Heron take-off yesterday because it just... hunted. Forever. I’ve been digging through some old price history threads on DPReview and some subreddits to see how Canon usually handles their RF 'L' series discounts, but the data is all over the place for the newer stuff. I’m specifically looking at:

RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 (usually stays pricey)

RF 200-800mm (heard stock issues might finally be over by then?)

My research shows that the older RF primes usually hit 20-30% off, but the big telephotos are so unpredictable. I really need to upgrade for my travel/wildlife work, but my budget is capped at $1,800 and I'm trying to save up specifically for the late 2026 sales cycle. I saw one post saying the 200-800mm might never go below 10% off because it’s a 'niche' consumer lens, but that didn't really make sense to me given how they treated the EF equivalents. Which of these Canon RF lenses do you think will actually have the deepest Cyber Monday 2026 deals, or am I just dreaming about that 100-500mm dropping into my price range?

frozenmarmot · Accepted Answer

This question comes up a lot. Search the forum for price history threads and you will see the short answer: L-series glass rarely drops 40% in price. A new Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM will not hit $1,800 by 2026. Even during major holiday sales, that lens usually stays above $2,100. The Canon RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM is the realistic choice for your budget. It retails for $1,899 now. By late 2026, supply will be stable and the lens will be older in its cycle. A standard 10% to 15% discount puts it at $1,600 to $1,700, which fits your $1,800 cap. Quick tip: Monitor the Canon USA refurbished store. They offer significant discounts during holiday cycles that outperform retail sales. This is the only way you might find an L-series telephoto near your price limit.