[Rover]

The Canon 100mm f2.8 L IS USM Macro is not really more expensive than the Nikkor 105mm f2.8 VR Micro, which phased out the 105mm f2.8 non-VR predecessor.  So it is the same difference there, really. The Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM still lives happily in the Cano line-up... It was not phased out.

My bad. I was under the impression that when the 70-300L was introduced, the non-L has ceased to be produced and only the old stocks were being sold.

 

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Canon started to freshen up its line-up with the 24mm f2.8 IS USM, 28mm f2.8 IS USM and 35mm f2 IS USM before they even started to freshen up the L lineup... And before Nikon started to bring their f1.8 models. The difference between what Canon did and Nikon is that Canon started with f2.8/2 with image stabilization, and Nikon with f1.8 primes.

 

Nikon had a lot of catching up to do, with bringing AF-S primes, and even a 35mm f1.4 with AF. Not sure why you see the Nikon line up as being far ahead. Yes, their 20mm f1.8 is a better lens than the ageing Canon 20mm f1.8 USM.

 

But, this is a Pentax thread.... Yes, Pentax has a lot of work to do still, to give the upcoming (....) FF model a viable lens lineup. 

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Nope, you're only partly right: the first Canon L refreshes came long before the IS/non-L trio: the 14/2.8 and 16-35/2.8 were updated in 2007; 24/1.4 in 2008, 70-200/2.8 IS in 2010, the big telephotos in 2011, and the non-L lenses updates before the IS trio (June 2012) were numbered at precisely zero... so the direction at that point seemed clear. But Canon still has nothing like Nikon's new 1.8 units (the 35/2 IS being the only similar thing, and 50/1.8 STM being optically identical to the previous version). BTW, Canon's 20mm is f/2.8, not f/1.8, and pretty crummy at that.   EF 28/1.8, I wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole either, so I hope that my opinion about Nikon being ahead in consumer segment may be more clearly explained now.

But if we're to return to the subject of Pentax - I sincerely wish them luck, because I like the underdogs... and some competition can never hurt. We live in exciting times photography-wise.