Talked with a Canon Rep about availability of 5D-don't blame your store

I attended a Canon sponsored promo for the 5D at a local camera shop in the SF Bay area on Saturday. The rep told me Canon USA doesn't actually know when and how many 5Ds they are getting. I asked him if he thought it would be days, weeks, or months before it is widely available, and he said months. So don't blame your store for not knowing when your order will be filled.

It doesn't take a marketing MBA to realize that there is a demand for this camera and to have capitalized on the Holiday season they should have had a better distribution plan.

People want HD. Whether to watch or record, they want it. This camera is perfect for prosumers like myself who want to document this christmas with not only a high iso performing DSLR from canon, but one that could shoot amazing videos as well.

I am SO over my 40d and it's 1.6x crop factor. I could never budge on the 5D with it's lack of updated software.

So this camera is... well perfect for me.

I called best buy and they said they're receiving calls about this camera left and right.

Argh!

--
Migs
http://www.migsvuitton.com/blog

With the world economy the way it is, it would take some kind of genius to understand the market. The dow is up and down like a 1,000 point is 100 points...maybe $2700 is $270. Canon is probably trying to figure out how to manufacture the camera asap within a budget. This camera isn't going to sell like this forever so what if you ramp up manufacturing to acommodate the demand and then have to slow it down. What is the cost? its full frame camera its not like the sensor is going to be used in the main stream?
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patrick tom

patrick c tom said:

This camera isn't going to sell like this forever so what if you ramp
up manufacturing to acommodate the demand and then have to slow it
down.

Click to expand...

Two words: Nintendo Wii.

Three holiday seasons in a row - sold out across the world. Nintendo chose not to ramp up production capacity, no telling how many millions they have lost now due to that decision. You're right, no product, no matter how popular, will stay in demand forever. Those who cannot capitalize when it IS in demand, however, are doomed to failure in the long run.

I think you are totally right on regarding capitalizing on the camera for the holidays. I believe the pressure on Canon from the retailers both big and small is enormous. I can only imagine it is just as great inside Canon given the economy.

Working as a business guy in the consumer electronics industry myself I will say that I think Canon's problem is sheer factory ramp and output issue. Or possibly other regions outside the US are getting more cameras but that I don't think is the case given what we are seeing on these forums.

I think Canon is going to try to ship as many 5D2's as they possibly can between now and Xmas (the margin on them must be pretty good compared to the lower end cameras) although it obviously won't be enough.
carlos

Mikee said:

It doesn't take a marketing MBA to realize that there is a demand for
this camera and to have capitalized on the Holiday season they should
have had a better distribution plan.

People want HD. Whether to watch or record, they want it. This camera
is perfect for prosumers like myself who want to document this
christmas with not only a high iso performing DSLR from canon, but
one that could shoot amazing videos as well.

I am SO over my 40d and it's 1.6x crop factor. I could never budge on
the 5D with it's lack of updated software.

So this camera is... well perfect for me.

I called best buy and they said they're receiving calls about this
camera left and right.

Argh!

--
Migs
http://www.migsvuitton.com/blog

Click to expand...

--
http://www/pbase.com/cbcarbaj

hoover blank said:

hoover blank said:

This camera isn't going to sell like this forever so what if you ramp
up manufacturing to acommodate the demand and then have to slow it
down.

Click to expand...

Two words: Nintendo Wii.

Three holiday seasons in a row - sold out across the world. Nintendo
chose not to ramp up production capacity, no telling how many
millions they have lost now due to that decision. You're right, no
product, no matter how popular, will stay in demand forever. Those
who cannot capitalize when it IS in demand, however, are doomed to
failure in the long run.

Click to expand...

Did you ever stop to think that the fact it is sold out everywhere has actually ADDED to demand? It's Marketing 101.

And yeah, I'm sure Nintendo is doomed for failure. Last I heard they have had some of their best years ever, even when "not being able to meet demand".

--
Christian Wagner
http://www.lifevicarious.com
448 Days Around the World

Demnand and supply are academic, but what is so curious is canon's rather obvious inertia when it comes to supplying the demand and seeming refusal to accelerate supply. people won't wait for ever, and it seems that this camera is rushed, lots of people reporting dissapointments and now even flaws with their cameras..

let the besta testers do their thing!
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dipak49ers/sets/

Can't have your cake and eat it too. Canon has a couple of flaws to deal with in this camera, AND huge demand. If they try to go faster in filling the demand I'd bet quality would suffer.

I'd rather wait an extra month or three and have Canon be sure the camera is right. I have a feeling that I'm going to be using this for several years.

True, all good points from everyone above. It's just a little frustrating. I can see this being "hard" to get but the fact is, right now it's almost impossible... unless of course you were on the board when someone mentioned Best Buy had a few units.

Yes, the economy isn't that great right now, but upgrading has been in the back of my mind even when the economy was alright... so it's not like I'm just gonna drop 3g's randomly out of no where.

But yes, everyone is not me and in my situation so I'll end my rant here

ehlarson said:

Can't have your cake and eat it too. Canon has a couple of flaws to
deal with in this camera, AND huge demand. If they try to go faster
in filling the demand I'd bet quality would suffer.

I'd rather wait an extra month or three and have Canon be sure the
camera is right. I have a feeling that I'm going to be using this for
several years.

Click to expand...

--
Migs
http://www.migsvuitton.com/blog

Yeah, but I do blame the store (in this case Amazon) for complete screw-ups like sending Body only to those that ordered Kits.

I think Nintendo has a bigger market cap than sony. It's been that way for at least a year now.