In today’s issue of The West Australian, Camera Electronic has advertised the Nikkor AF-S 70–200 mm f/2.8 VR II lens for $2,538 (after cashback from Nikon). This is the lowest price I’ve ever seen for this lens in Perth. I wouldn’t expect it to ever really fall below this figure, as this is already lower than the price for the equivalent Canon lens. The timing is right for a new version of this lens to be announced, so this could be a sign that production of the current version is ceasing.
Unless you really need the f/2.8 aperture for low light shooting, the f/4 version of the lens is much cheaper, physically lighted, and—by all accounts—an excellent quality lens. It’s been described as one of the best value-for-money lenses in the current Nikkor range, and Camera Electronic currently has it at $1,855.
I also see the Canon EOS 7D Mk II on offer at $1,999 (body only). This is almost as low as the $1,988 advertised in early April—a slight savings on the usual $2,100 price, but a discount is a discount.
Camera Electronic’s newsletter indicates that the Nikkor AF-S 70–200 mm f/4 VR lens is now available at $1,594 until the end of June; a good price for this highly regarded lens, but only a few days to go at this price.