# New Canon EOS R3 orders may be delayed for more than 6 months



## [email protected] (Mar 1, 2022)

> Canon updated its uniquely-Japanese “Apology and Guidance” announcement, revealing that new orders of the EOS R3 body and also the RF 14-35 f/4 lens can take more than half a year to deliver due partly to supply constraints, but also because of demand “in excess of expectations.”
> A list of products taking merely “longer than usual” to deliver includes the RF 16mm f/2.8, the RF 400mm f/2.8, and – interestingly – the not-yet-released RF 800mm and the RF 1200mm.



Continue reading...


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## John Wilde (Mar 1, 2022)

Crud. How can they announce new products, when they can't even deliver what they have already announced? I suppose it will be another year when there isn't a single new-affordable camera model.


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## Peter Ra (Mar 1, 2022)

Here in Canada some stores have it in stock…like Vistek canada or cameracanada…


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## f119a (Mar 1, 2022)

John Wilde said:


> Crud. How can they announce new products, when they can't even deliver what they have already announced? I suppose it will be another year when there isn't a single new-affordable camera model.



The cheapest camera you can still order from Nikon and Sony are... Zf c ($1100 kit) and a7 III (!). Canon is not a company with a history of going against the tide and they abandoned ships quicker than most of the manufacturers. I'm afraid "afforable cameras" (sub $1000) are gone like forever. Maybe there will be one or two released (and if they do that's great), but I don't _EXPECT_ anything.


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## AJ (Mar 1, 2022)

With only so many chips to go around, there was a theory that Canon would prioritize high-value items. In other words, a chip in a 1200/8 would yield more profit than one in a 16/2.8, and one in R3 more than one an RP. But the 800/5.6 and 1200/8 are already on the backburner, so clearly the prioritizing process must more complicated than simply the retail price.


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## Nemorino (Mar 1, 2022)

AJ said:


> there was a theory that Canon would prioritize high-value items


I just looked at the Canon store Germany:

8 RF lenses in stock and only two of them are L lenses.


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## m4ndr4ke (Mar 1, 2022)

John Wilde said:


> How can they announce new products, when they can't even deliver what they have already announced?


If the development of that product is complete, it makes sense announcing it.
Most likely, they already know they'll have issues delivering it, because the new products will probably require parts that are similar or equal to those in the other products suffering with the global supply shortage.


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## RexxReviews (Mar 1, 2022)

Canon going to bring out 3 new bodies when they cant even produce the ones that are already out LOL.


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## anchorage (Mar 1, 2022)

My R3 arrived yesterday, February 28. I preordered it on September 14th, a couple of hours after preorders were first accepted. If I'm interpreting the serial number correctly, it is surprisingly low - just over 500. Is the number of units produced so far really that low?


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## neuroanatomist (Mar 2, 2022)

anchorage said:


> My R3 arrived yesterday, February 28. I preordered it on September 14th, a couple of hours after preorders were first accepted. If I'm interpreting the serial number correctly, it is surprisingly low - just over 500. Is the number of units produced so far really that low?


Are you simply assuming the last six digits are sequential? If so, my R3 received in late November was produced after yours. And my EOS R ordered about four months post-launch (and delivered the next day) was about the 2000th one produced. I’m skeptical of that interpretation.


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## northlarch (Mar 2, 2022)

Is it just me or are these camera and lens announcements from the Big 3 starting to feel like Kickstarter rollouts? Announce a tease now, get a sense for the market, tease some more, future rollout imminent, “okay! Here it is!,” orders roll in, demand is higher than expected!, we’ll get you that product anywhere from 6 months to a few years from now. I realize there’s a global pandemic and supply issues and inflation, but it sure seems to me like these corporations milk these excuses in times like this to jack up prices, get a sense for the market, have early rollouts, avoid carrying inventory, etc. Reminds me of just-in-time manufacturing, except it’s always late.


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## calfoto (Mar 2, 2022)

anchorage said:


> My R3 arrived yesterday, February 28. I preordered it on September 14th, a couple of hours after preorders were first accepted. If I'm interpreting the serial number correctly, it is surprisingly low - just over 500. Is the number of units produced so far really that low?


Curious - I ordered mine from Canon USA on Dec. 6th and received it on Feb. 2nd - it’s in the 300s serially speaking.

PS - Picked up the 14-35 back in December and have been putting it to good use on the R5


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## anchorage (Mar 2, 2022)

neuroanatomist said:


> Are you simply assuming the last six digits are sequential? If so, my R3 received in late November was produced after yours. And my EOS R ordered about four months post-launch (and delivered the next day) was about the 2000th one produced. I’m skeptical of that interpretation.


My assumption may very well be wrong. A couple of web sites suggest that at least for EF lenses the first couple of digits of the serial number encode the month when the unit was produced and the factory where it was made. The remaining digits reset to zero each month. Maybe this is true for camera bodies as well.


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## unfocused (Mar 2, 2022)

neuroanatomist said:


> Are you simply assuming the last six digits are sequential? If so, my R3 received in late November was produced after yours. And my EOS R ordered about four months post-launch (and delivered the next day) was about the 2000th one produced. I’m skeptical of that interpretation.





anchorage said:


> My assumption may very well be wrong. A couple of web sites suggest that at least for EF lenses the first couple of digits of the serial number encode the month when the unit was produced and the factory where it was made. The remaining digits reset to zero each month. Maybe this is true for camera bodies as well.



I think your assumption is wrong. My R5 and my wife's R5 were both ordered and delivered on the same day (about a year after the R5 was introduced) and have a difference of over 200 in the serial numbers. Mine has a serial number ending in the 1500s, which means that by your calculation only 1,500 R5s were sold in the first year after they were introduced. Not bloody likely. 

My R3, preordered within 10 minutes of orders being taken and shipped on opening day, has a higher serial number than yours. 

Check the dates on those websites you looked at. As I recall, Canon changed it's lens numbering system several years ago and no longer identifies the city where they were assembled.


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## Otara (Mar 2, 2022)

northlarch said:


> Is it just me or are these camera and lens announcements from the Big 3 starting to feel like Kickstarter rollouts? Announce a tease now, get a sense for the market, tease some more, future rollout imminent, “okay! Here it is!,” orders roll in, demand is higher than expected!, we’ll get you that product anywhere from 6 months to a few years from now. I realize there’s a global pandemic and supply issues and inflation, but it sure seems to me like these corporations milk these excuses in times like this to jack up prices, get a sense for the market, have early rollouts, avoid carrying inventory, etc. Reminds me of just-in-time manufacturing, except it’s always late.



The risk they take with that is people jumping ship rather than waiting, a few months of buzz is one thing, 6months + is another story. I think the simplest explanation is the obvious, ie supply issues.


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## bbasiaga (Mar 2, 2022)

northlarch said:


> Is it just me or are these camera and lens announcements from the Big 3 starting to feel like Kickstarter rollouts? Announce a tease now, get a sense for the market, tease some more, future rollout imminent, “okay! Here it is!,” orders roll in, demand is higher than expected!, we’ll get you that product anywhere from 6 months to a few years from now. I realize there’s a global pandemic and supply issues and inflation, but it sure seems to me like these corporations milk these excuses in times like this to jack up prices, get a sense for the market, have early rollouts, avoid carrying inventory, etc. Reminds me of just-in-time manufacturing, except it’s always late.


Have you noticed the pandemic? Lol. Even the grocery stores aren't fully stocked anymore. 

Your 'a few years from now' comment is a bit hyperbolic. But imagine this - Canon, Sony, Nikon see the supply chain issues. Decide to hold all launches for 2, now maybe up to 3 years. What would this forum look like? "Photography is dead". "The big 3 have abandoned us" "Wow the iPhone killed the camera market way faster than we thought it would" "Better sell my gear now and find a new hobby before any more resale value is lost". 
Meanwhile, Canon, Nikon and Sony camera divisions lose income, reduce development, new products take longer to develop and get released in to a market that convinced itself the sector was dead, sales go down further...

Or you can see the development advancing, but you have to wait a few months for your gear. Which is better? 

You have correctly identified that just in time production is part of what caused this situation. When every part is on the critical path (is a rate-limiting part), a supply chain disruption is devastating. Add to that the consolidation to these huge/giga factories, where now parts only come from one place. Lose that and its a big problem for everyone. We've discussed this academically at work a lot . Will the business world change away from JIT and try and look to diversify suppliers to avoid this type of disruption in the future? Time will tell. 

Brian


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## privatebydesign (Mar 2, 2022)

bbasiaga said:


> Will the business world change away from JIT and try and look to diversify suppliers to avoid this type of disruption in the future? Time will tell.
> 
> Brian


Toyota invented JIT, the idea has been bastardized to not account for supply issues. If you don't get the required items in time, your 'just in time' concept failed. Most companies don't manufacture to a true JIT strategy, they manufacture to a 'don't hold any stock of any components' strategy. 

Toyota know this well and have months of stock/manufacturing capacity of some critical items that can only come from one supplier.

The problem with todays supply issues is not the JIT policy, it is the fact that items normally available from several sources are not available from any source, not just microchips.


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## Breizh (Mar 2, 2022)

bbasiaga said:


> Have you noticed the pandemic? Lol. Even the grocery stores aren't fully stocked anymore.
> 
> Your 'a few years from now' comment is a bit hyperbolic. But imagine this - Canon, Sony, Nikon see the supply chain issues. Decide to hold all launches for 2, now maybe up to 3 years. What would this forum look like? "Photography is dead". "The big 3 have abandoned us" "Wow the iPhone killed the camera market way faster than we thought it would" "Better sell my gear now and find a new hobby before any more resale value is lost".
> Meanwhile, Canon, Nikon and Sony camera divisions lose income, reduce development, new products take longer to develop and get released in to a market that convinced itself the sector was dead, sales go down further...
> ...


You are 100% right about the competition from the iPhone. It is better to sell everything before it is too late.
However Mister Canon, let's be serious, how can you announce two super tele lenses and even start talking about a presentation of the R1 at the end of the year when orders for the R3 are still not delivered.
By delivering one R3 per month in France to retailers, most professionals will never wait another 6 months. 
Who can trust Canon if an R1 is announced?


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## kaihp (Mar 2, 2022)

Breizh said:


> By delivering one R3 per month in France to retailers, most professionals will never wait another 6 months.
> Who can trust Canon if an R1 is announced?


As far as I've heard, Denmark has only received two R3 bodies - which were delivered on launch day (Nov 26).

If Canon only delivers 1 body/retailer/month, it'll be a couple of years before I get offered one, and the poor people at the end won't see an R3 for 15+ years. 

I'm starting to consider if a used 1DX3 would be a good choice for me over waiting for the R3. 

With the freeze problems of the R6, R5 and R3, I would think that Canon wants to iron out these problems before putting out an R1.

Personally, I don't think that we'll see an R1 this year. Not even as a development announcement.


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## Breizh (Mar 3, 2022)

kaihp said:


> As far as I've heard, Denmark has only received two R3 bodies - which were delivered on launch day (Nov 26).
> 
> If Canon only delivers 1 body/retailer/month, it'll be a couple of years before I get offered one, and the poor people at the end won't see an R3 for 15+ years.
> 
> ...


Two years ago the MkIII was the top of the line camera. According to the different photo magazines, suddenly it is not worth anything anymore, the R3 is the new reference. 
I think this is pure marketing and Canon's attitude is not very clear about the delivery of the R3.
I really doubt that there is no stock somewhere. 
What is certain is that the best deal at the moment is to buy used MkIIIs, also the prices of used EF lenses are falling.
MkIII is a great camera.


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## VicinoTe (Mar 3, 2022)

Breizh said:


> Two years ago the MkIII was the top of the line camera. According to the different photo magazines, suddenly it is not worth anything anymore, the R3 is the new reference.
> I think this is pure marketing and Canon's attitude is not very clear about the delivery of the R3.
> I really doubt that there is no stock somewhere.
> What is certain is that the best deal at the moment is to buy used MkIIIs, also the prices of used EF lenses are falling.
> MkIII is a great camera.


I'm a pro shooter who has used the 1 series for about 20 years. I have an R3 and in my opinion it has a 5 series sensor in terms of color and tonal quality. At least with JPEGs using the Standard profile, I'm not seeing the pop of the 1 series images. 

I like the controls of the R3 and the autofocus is impressive. But expect a little less than 1 series image quality.


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## privatebydesign (Mar 3, 2022)

Anybody thT


VicinoTe said:


> I'm a pro shooter who has used the 1 series for about 20 years. I have an R3 and in my opinion it has a 5 series sensor in terms of color and tonal quality. At least with JPEGs using the Standard profile, I'm not seeing the pop of the 1 series images.
> 
> I like the controls of the R3 and the autofocus is impressive. But expect a little less than 1 series image quality.


Anybody that can't get their out of camera jpegs looking exactly how they want simply needs to spend a half hour getting it right in the Picture Style Editor utility that comes free with all Canon cameras.

As much control as anybody could ever want do it one time, make some custom Styles, import to your camera, done.


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## Blue Zurich (Mar 4, 2022)

The supply chain constraints just got a lot worse what with a limited availability of neon, which are used in semiconductor manufacturing, being strained by the Ukraine invasion.


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## Breizh (Mar 4, 2022)

Blue Zurich said:


> The supply chain constraints just got a lot worse what with a limited availability of neon, which are used in semiconductor manufacturing, being strained by the Ukraine invasion.


Now it is the war in Ukraine that is the good excuse. Let's be reasonable, long time before the war, Canon could not deliver. All excuses are good.


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## Joules (Mar 4, 2022)

Breizh said:


> Now it is the war in Ukraine that is the good excuse. Let's be reasonable, long time before the war, Canon could not deliver. All excuses are good.


Pointing out that major events can have consequences on global supply chains is perfectly reasonable. What point are you trying to make?


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## Blue Zurich (Mar 4, 2022)

Breizh said:


> Now it is the war in Ukraine that is the good excuse. Let's be reasonable, long time before the war, Canon could not deliver. All excuses are good.


Ukraine is a top source of neon in the world. It was relevant.


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## ShowMeTheEagles (Mar 4, 2022)

Joules said:


> Pointing out that major events can have consequences on global supply chains is perfectly reasonable. What point are you trying to make?


I'm not OP but I think he is saying the camera industry often was slow to timely meet product demand of products well before "supply chain," "world-wide chip shortage," and "Covid" was in the popular vernacular or "Ukraine" was leading the news cycle for day on end. Sure these events spill over into industry, but what was the excuse in relatively mundane times of 2010-2019?


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## Blue Zurich (Mar 4, 2022)

ShowMeTheEagles said:


> I'm not OP but I think he is saying the camera industry often was slow to timely meet product demand of products well before "supply chain," "world-wide chip shortage," and "Covid" was in the popular vernacular or "Ukraine" was leading the news cycle for day on end. Sure these events spill over into industry, but what was the excuse in relatively mundane times of 2010-2019?


How about a tsunami and nuclear plant meltdown in Japan in 2011?


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## ShowMeTheEagles (Mar 4, 2022)

Blue Zurich said:


> How about a tsunami and nuclear plant meltdown in Japan in 2011?



For sure it hurt Canon's bottom line but Canon itself issued a press release at the time stating "all Canon Inc. operation sites and Canon Group companies are expected to achieve a full recovery as of the end of April." Compare that to recent Canon press releases warning to expect long delays. 



Canon to suffer 27% from earthquake – YLovePhoto


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## Blue Zurich (Mar 4, 2022)

ShowMeTheEagles said:


> For sure it hurt Canon's bottom line but Canon itself issued a press release at the time stating "all Canon Inc. operation sites and Canon Group companies are expected to achieve a full recovery as of the end of April." Compare that to recent Canon press releases warning to expect long delays.
> 
> 
> 
> Canon to suffer 27% from earthquake – YLovePhoto


Why the argument? Seems like for the sake of it.

These events are accompanied by losses of life, property and infrastructure. Well documented global suffering, on a human, wildlife and corporate level. I'm sensing there are some who can't accept reasons due to a skepticism of copping out and playing a blame game. 

Do you have a salient point? All I'm hearing is people on the outside ,consumers, saying "Excuses, excuses, give it to me now" (Veruca Salt moment) Press releases of hopefulness are one thing, revisionism based upon them is another. Shit was bad for years... so much for that mundane decade.


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## ShowMeTheEagles (Mar 4, 2022)

Blue Zurich said:


> Why the argument? Seems like for the sake of it.
> 
> These events are accompanied by losses of life, property and infrastructure. Well documented global suffering, on a human, wildlife and corporate level. I'm sensing there are some who can't accept reasons due to a skepticism of copping out and playing a blame game.
> 
> Do you have a salient point? All I'm hearing is people on the outside ,consumers, saying "Excuses, excuses, give it to me now" (Veruca Salt moment) Press releases of hopefulness are one thing, revisionism based upon them is another. Shit was bad for years... so much for that mundane decade.



Argument? *You* asked me about 2011 so I responded to how Canon responded then. And my original post was only to say what I thought OP was trying to say. I see his point. I also realize the current constraints are both real and unimportant "big picture" too. Both can be true, have been true. But there have been camera releases pre-Covid that didn't catch up with demand for month. It's not a new phenomena, just exacerbated now.

Also, I have no skin in the game. I don't own a single share of Canon stock, and do own all the cameras and lenses I need or want at the moment.


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## SteveC (Mar 4, 2022)

The good news about neon, is the "mine" is our atmosphere. Ukraine isn't special for neon (like, for example, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is for cobalt) because they have all the deposits; there are no deposits. Any country on earth can build a neon production plant; it's just that Ukraine was the country that chose to do so.

So a neon shortage won't last long, once people realize Ukraine is off line and conclude it's not likely to come back soon.


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## neuroanatomist (Mar 4, 2022)

SteveC said:


> The good news about neon, is the "mine" is our atmosphere. Ukraine isn't special for neon (like, for example, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is for cobalt) because they have all the deposits; there are no deposits. Any country on earth can build a neon production plant; it's just that Ukraine was the country that chose to do so.
> 
> So a neon shortage won't last long, once people realize Ukraine is off line and conclude it's not likely to come back soon.


Wait, so you’re telling me the futures I bought in a neon mine are worthless? 

Well, at least helium mine still has a chance of panning out.


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## SteveC (Mar 4, 2022)

neuroanatomist said:


> Wait, so you’re telling me the futures I bought in a neon mine are worthless?
> 
> Well, at least helium mine still has a chance of panning out.



Ironically, yes. Though it's generally wells rather than what we'd think of as a mine. Most helium on earth is the result of radioactive decay (to be more precise, it's alpha particles) and is trapped in rocks, often alongside oil or natural gas.

(You probably know this; I write for the benefit of others who may find it interesting.)


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## calfoto (Mar 4, 2022)

Blue Zurich said:


> Ukraine is a top source of neon in the world.


And all along I though it was Vegas...


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## TAF (Mar 13, 2022)

VicinoTe said:


> I'm a pro shooter who has used the 1 series for about 20 years. I have an R3 and in my opinion it has a 5 series sensor in terms of color and tonal quality. At least with JPEGs using the Standard profile, I'm not seeing the pop of the 1 series images.
> 
> I like the controls of the R3 and the autofocus is impressive. But expect a little less than 1 series image quality.



That is an interesting observation. I sold my 5D3 and got an R5, and I am not seeing the pop of the 5D3 in the JPEG's from the R5.

I just assumed it was my still having to adjust setting until I get them to match what I had before.

Perhaps it is something about Canon's mirrorless models that isn't quite the same in the processing chain as the DSLR's?

Do images from the R6 match the 1D3 from which the sensor is derived? That would be a good control test.


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## YuengLinger (Mar 14, 2022)

neuroanatomist said:


> Wait, so you’re telling me the futures I bought in a neon mine are worthless?
> 
> Well, at least helium mine still has a chance of panning out.


Helium? That might give a lift to an investment portfolio!

As for those who are so angry at Canon, well, it reminds me of a guy who doesn't dare get angry at his wife, so he slams the microwave door when nobody's home. In other words, there are SO many things beyond our control in modern living that having one punching bag (in this case, for some, Canon) is therapeutic.


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## kaihp (Mar 17, 2022)

YuengLinger said:


> As for those who are so angry at Canon, well, it reminds me of a guy who doesn't dare get angry at his wife, so he slams the microwave door when nobody's home.


Nonono, the storyline is much longer than that: the CEO is angry with his wife, but takes it out on the VP. The VP takes it out on the Director, the Director on the Manager, the Manager on the line supervisor, the supervisor on the workers, the worker on the kid and the kid on the dog. 
And everyone complains about the dog bites people.


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## Michael Clark (Mar 23, 2022)

anchorage said:


> My R3 arrived yesterday, February 28. I preordered it on September 14th, a couple of hours after preorders were first accepted. If I'm interpreting the serial number correctly, it is surprisingly low - just over 500. Is the number of units produced so far really that low?





neuroanatomist said:


> Are you simply assuming the last six digits are sequential? If so, my R3 received in late November was produced after yours. And my EOS R ordered about four months post-launch (and delivered the next day) was about the 2000th one produced. I’m skeptical of that interpretation.



Recent Canon xD (where 'x' is a single digit number) body serial numbers usually have a 4+4+4 format. The second group of four digits indicate the series (if a part supplier of a significant part is replaced, or a part design is updated they go to the next series number). The first two digits of the first group seem to run sequentially within each second group number. The third and fourth digit of the first group is almost always the same for any particular model number. The third quartet seem to be sequential, but lower numbers (e.g. 1218 or 3257) are much more common than higher ones (e.g. 7942, 5749), at least for xD models (as opposed to higher volume x0D, or xx00D models).

For the 5DMark IV, for instance, the middle quartet seems to ALWAYS end with two zeros. For the first quartet the third digit is ALMOST ALWAYS "2" and the fourth digit is ALMOST ALWAYS "0"

Look at used 5D Mark IV bodies on MPB. There are about 60 listed for sale that have legible serial numbers in the product photos. I saw none that did not have "00" for the seventh and eighth digits. I saw four that did not have "20" as the third+fourth digits:

(spaces added to make the 12 digit numbers more readable as 4+4+4 numbers)

1121 5500 0126
1280 5500 5498
1750 5600 4664
3580 3700 4812

Of the roughly sixty serial numbers, only six end with four digits greater than 5000. Only one has a number higher than 5999 for the last four digits (0220 2100 7942). Greater than 75% (47) of the 60 end with a four digit number below 2800. 40 of the 60 end with a four digit number below 2000.

The second quartet has one number that shows up over and over again: 3800 (with 19 examples, it's roughly one-third of our sample). A few each make up about 10% of our sample: 2100 (6), 3700 (5), 5300 (4), 5500 (7), 5600 (6), 5700 (8). Other groups show up much less frequently: 2300 (2), 2700 (1), 3000 (1).

The "3700" series begins with two digits ranging from '35' to '40' (3520 3700 0801, 4020 3700 3836).
The "3800" series begins with two digits ranging from '45' to '59' (e.g. 4520 3800 0914, 5920 3800 1905). 
The "5300" series ranges from '06' to '08' (0620 5300 2101 , 0820 5300 1811).
The "5500" series ranges from '11' to '14' (1120 5500 0192, 1420 5500 2705).
The "5600" series ranges from '15' to '18' (1520 5600 4664, 1820 5600 0509).
The "5700" series ranges from '05'* to '23' to '30' in our sample (0520 5700 1404, 2320 5700 5134, 3020 5700 0873).
The "2100" series ranges from '01' to '02' (0120 2100 0256, 0220 2100 7942).

Both "2300" bodies start with '06'. Notice this is in the same range as the "5300" series.
The "2700" body starts with '37'. Notice this is in the same range as the "3700" series.
The "3000" body starts with '59'. Notice this is in the same range as the "3800" series.

It seems to me that the first two digits and the last four digits combined make up a unique six digit serial number, with the third through eighth digits indicating production runs and/or minor modifications as the model was revised over time.

*There are some exceptions to the sequence of the first two digits staying within a certain range for each "series", but the only one not noted above with the less used "series" numbers is 0520 5700 1404. That makes me question if I copied the number incorrectly when going through the photos at MPB? If I wrote "0" when I should have written "2", the pattern holds.

These kinds of patterns seem similar to the differences between many Canon bodies' external serial number and the value recorded in the 'maker notes' section of the EXIF info. The internal number is a combination of the first four characters of the hex resulting from the entire external serial number converted to hex, then the remaining hex characters converted back to decimal. [Example: My 50D's serial number is 1520708485. 1520708485 converted to hex is "5AA42B85". EXIF Info reports the number as 5AA411141. DPP shows it as 1520708485. Irfanview displays it as 1520708485 (5AA411141). Hmm... If one converts 11141 to hex, it's "2B85"! If one then converts hex "5AA42B85" to decimal it's the serial number stamped on the bottom of my camera, 1520708485.]


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## Michael Clark (Mar 23, 2022)

unfocused said:


> I think your assumption is wrong. My R5 and my wife's R5 were both ordered and delivered on the same day (about a year after the R5 was introduced) and have a difference of over 200 in the serial numbers. Mine has a serial number ending in the 1500s, which means that by your calculation only 1,500 R5s were sold in the first year after they were introduced. Not bloody likely.
> 
> My R3, preordered within 10 minutes of orders being taken and shipped on opening day, has a higher serial number than yours.
> 
> Check the dates on those websites you looked at. As I recall, Canon changed it's lens numbering system several years ago and no longer identifies the city where they were assembled.



The L lenses still more or less identify the factory that assembled it via the third digit "batch" number, but they no longer use a separate date/factory code to do so, as they did in the past. It's now encoded in the longer 10-digit serial numbers.


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## Michael Clark (Mar 23, 2022)

bbasiaga said:


> Have you noticed the pandemic? Lol. Even the grocery stores aren't fully stocked anymore.
> 
> Your 'a few years from now' comment is a bit hyperbolic. But imagine this - Canon, Sony, Nikon see the supply chain issues. Decide to hold all launches for 2, now maybe up to 3 years. What would this forum look like? "Photography is dead". "The big 3 have abandoned us" "Wow the iPhone killed the camera market way faster than we thought it would" "Better sell my gear now and find a new hobby before any more resale value is lost".
> Meanwhile, Canon, Nikon and Sony camera divisions lose income, reduce development, new products take longer to develop and get released in to a market that convinced itself the sector was dead, sales go down further...
> ...



It's not so much which is "better", because neither option is good. 

It's more, *"Which is not as bad as the other?"*


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## kaihp (Jun 8, 2022)

Here almost 6,5 months after the official launch of the R3, it looks like that deliveries could be picking up this month. I got contacted by both the shops that I have registered my R3 interest with and both have said that they hope and expect to put an R3 camera in my hands later this month.


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## neuroanatomist (Jun 8, 2022)

kaihp said:


> ...both have said that they hope and expect to put an R3 camera in my hands later this month.


So, you'll have one for each hand. That's convenient!


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## kaihp (Jun 8, 2022)

neuroanatomist said:


> So, you'll have one for each hand. That's convenient!


Absolutely! Now, if only my left eye was working as well as my right eye, I could shoot with two cameras at the same time 

More seriously, I have let both shops know that I've placed tentative orders with the other shop, and they are fine with that as long as I inform them where I buy.


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## JohnC (Jun 9, 2022)

I ordered one on or about may15th as I recall. It shipped on the 26th, and I have received it. I ordered Canon direct with a 15% rebate through Rakuten.


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## randym77 (Jun 21, 2022)

I placed an order with B&H in early February. I got the notice that it shipped on June 16. (I've since moved across the country, and had to change the delivery address.)

Fedex claims to have made a delivery attempt yesterday, but I know they didn't. I was home, and they didn't leave a tag on the door. I know the drivers are probably overworked, with the labor shortage and all, but I hate it when they do that.

Hopefully I'll have it today...


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## SHAMwow (Jun 21, 2022)

randym77 said:


> I placed an order with B&H in early February. I got the notice that it shipped on June 16. (I've since moved across the country, and had to change the delivery address.)
> 
> Fedex claims to have made a delivery attempt yesterday, but I know they didn't. I was home, and they didn't leave a tag on the door. I know the drivers are probably overworked, with the labor shortage and all, but I hate it when they do that.
> 
> Hopefully I'll have it today...


No, FedEx has always done this. I dread anything from FedEx. They give you no way to have contact with the drivers, very little control over shipping (most power is with the company who shipped it). Always saying they attempted but don't leave a tag.


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## unfocused (Jun 21, 2022)

randym77 said:


> I placed an order with B&H in early February. I got the notice that it shipped on June 16. (I've since moved across the country, and had to change the delivery address.)
> 
> Fedex claims to have made a delivery attempt yesterday, but I know they didn't. I was home, and they didn't leave a tag on the door. I know the drivers are probably overworked, with the labor shortage and all, but I hate it when they do that.
> 
> Hopefully I'll have it today...





SHAMwow said:


> No, FedEx has always done this. I dread anything from FedEx. They give you no way to have contact with the drivers, very little control over shipping (most power is with the company who shipped it). Always saying they attempted but don't leave a tag.


Whenever I order something that needs a signature I routinely go to the FedEx site and change the delivery instructions to have them hold it at their nearby ship and print center. I get a text message when it is delivered and I drive over to get it at my convenience. Much better than sitting around waiting for it to arrive and worrying about not hearing the doorbell.


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## neuroanatomist (Jun 21, 2022)

unfocused said:


> Whenever I order something that needs a signature I routinely go to the FedEx site and change the delivery instructions to have them hold it at their nearby ship and print center. I get a text message when it is delivered and I drive over to get it at my convenience. Much better than sitting around waiting for it to arrive and worrying about not hearing the doorbell.


I occadionally do that. Although the shipper can choose to restrict that option (for example, when I ordered the ND EF-RF adapter from Red, who were the only ones with stock at the time, I had to call them and have the shipping option changed rather than being able to do it myself).

Usually I don’t worry about it, our regular driver is pretty chill. For example, he usually leaves our wine club deliveries like by the garage like any other package, even though they require an over-21 signature. In fact, there was a box of wine bottles waiting for me outside the garage when I got home today.


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## randym77 (Jun 21, 2022)

I once asked Fedex to hold a package at their facility for me to go pick up. It was 45 minutes away, but after repeated failed "attempts," they were threatening to return it to the sender.

I opened the door to leave, and the Fedex guy was there, about to ring the bell. With my package in hand. 

If I'd left 5 minutes earlier, I'd have driven 45 minutes for nothing. 

Anyways, they delivered my R3 this morning. Woot! Battery is charging...


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## Michael Clark (Jun 21, 2022)

unfocused said:


> Whenever I order something that needs a signature I routinely go to the FedEx site and change the delivery instructions to have them hold it at their nearby ship and print center. I get a text message when it is delivered and I drive over to get it at my convenience. Much better than sitting around waiting for it to arrive and worrying about not hearing the doorbell.



You can usually do that with FedEx Express if the shipper allows it as an option when they ship it. Sometimes I've had to contact the shipper and get them to contact FedEx with approval to hold for pickup. But if you're dealing with FedEx Ground or, heaven forbid, FedEx Home Delivery (which is 100% delivered by contractors) you usually can't do a hold for pickup, at least not in my service area.

I had to have Canon USA contact them three times before they'd let me pick up a lens at the FedEx home Delivery service center on my way out of town last summer after they had failed to deliver it two days in a row. The contractors refuse to drive up my 500 foot unpaved driveway or call me to let me know they're attempting delivery so I can meet them where the pavement ends. If it's not "signature required" they'll just chuck it out on the ground and let it roll down into the drainage ditch and leave it laying there, but Canon seems to send everything "signature required."

Ahh, country living.


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## Michael Clark (Jun 21, 2022)

randym77 said:


> I once asked Fedex to hold a package at their facility for me to go pick up. It was 45 minutes away, but after repeated failed "attempts," they were threatening to return it to the sender.
> 
> I opened the door to leave, and the Fedex guy was there, about to ring the bell. With my package in hand.
> 
> ...



That's why I prefer UPS delivery. There's an app that lets you see where the truck is if you've got a package on it so you can tell when it's getting close. Most days the truck follows the same general pattern through the area and there's a house not too far away from mine that's before me on the route which almost always has packages because he runs a roofing contracting business on the same property as his house. I can go down to the road at the other end of my 500 foot driveway and wait the last 5-10 minutes until they pull up when it's signature required.

Otherwise, I'll just park my car down there with a sign in the window to leave it in the back seat (I leave the back door unlocked). I'm at the end of a short dead-end road and you can't even see my driveway unless you know were to look where the road curves just before it ends. Plus the neighbor lady that lives just before the curve is always working on the flowers in her yard and packing her revolver while she does it.


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## koenkooi (Jun 21, 2022)

SHAMwow said:


> No, FedEx has always done this. I dread anything from FedEx. They give you no way to have contact with the drivers, very little control over shipping (most power is with the company who shipped it). Always saying they attempted but don't leave a tag.


Remember, you’re not the customer for Fedex, it’s the shipper. The shipper is the one that pays Fedex.
This is why customer service of the place you’re ordering from is important, with enough complaints some have started offering better shipping options here in .nl


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## randym77 (Jun 23, 2022)

I much prefer UPS as well. Another time, I asked Fedex to deliver on Saturday instead of a weekday, so I would be home to sign for the package. They agreed. But instead, they returned it to the sender. 

They admitted it was their mistake. The sender tried to get them to take it off the truck and deliver it to me, but it was too late.

I was annoyed, because it was a lens I was hoping to use at an event that was coming soon. Luckily for me, the sender mailed me another one, since he knew the first one was on the way back to him, and I got it in time. No thanks to Fedex.


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## TAF (Jul 10, 2022)

Michael Clark said:


> Plus the neighbor lady that lives just before the curve is always working on the flowers in her yard and packing her revolver while she does it.



My kind of neighborhood.


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