Maybe Art is trying to dump his 800mm before the anouncment of the new 800mm. He does have sources the rest of us do not.

Amazingly you do not see the "should I buy the 800mm or the 600mm II?" question often. It is usually should I buy the 500mm II or 600mm II. The 800mm seems to have been lost in the shuffle.

Canon also jacked the price up on the 800mm pre release of the 500mm II and 600mm II. Probably because Canon marketing didn't want a longer lens to be cheaper than the 500mm II. When I bought my 500mm over four years ago the 800mm was selling under $10K. In my mind this price jump made the 800mm less desirable, it kind of felt like price manipulation.

If and when it comes a new lighter 800mm f/5.6 with improved IQ will be all the rage with birders. Especially since the fast fps bodies seem to be going FF (1D X).

But what is more interesting is which direction will the 7D go? Will the next version be a big step up in performance, with a crop sensor and body that competes and compares with the full frame 1D series body for wildlife dollars? Or will the next version of the 7D be aimed at the pro-sumer market, and just not reach the level of performance of the 1D's. Or possibly now that there is enough processing power to fuel fast FF bodies, and sensor cost is not as much as it once was, will crop sensors be used solely in the consumer bodies.

The question may soon be which is better? A 600mm with a 1D X and 1.4x extender, the 800mm with a 1D X or a 500mm II with a 22mp, 10fps 7D II with a 1D type AF system. But probably not, if Canon only makes FF camera bodies with the 1D features it forces wildlife photogs to buy longer and longer lenses.