Dating a Canon EF Lens – Anorak Attack

• guthrij

  Participant

  January 27, 2008 at 6:08 pm

  The serial number is printed on the back of most EF lenses, typically in small white characters on a black baffle in the rear lens mount.

  Since Canon’s SLR lens factory is in Utsonomiya, you might see a date code starting with “UG” for a lens manufactured in 1992, for example.

  From 1986 it would be UA, 1987, UB etc.

  A 1986
  B 1987
  C 1988
  D 1989
  E 1990
  F 1991
  G 1992
  H 1993
  I 1994
  J 1995
  K 1996
  L 1997
  M 1998
  N 1999
  O 2000
  P 2001
  Q 2002
  R 2003
  S 2004
  T 2005
  U 2006
  V 2007

  Previous to 1986 the lens date codes did not include the factory letter. A lens made in 1960 would be:

  A followed by a number

  This continued up to to 1985 ie Z followed by a number.

  I must get out more!