Tips: EOS EF L series lens date codes

   If we buy an L series lens from Canon, surely we will find a line of code on the back of the lens. The code is the code of the year and the place where the lens was made. Now, for buying lenses, especially the used lens .. this code can be very utilized in determining how old is from the lens. The meaning of these codes are as follows.

For example, if a lens has a code UV0207, then it can be interpreted from the information that the age of the lens is as follows. U code shows the location where the lens in manufactured, in this case it is in the Canon factory in Utsunomiya, Japan. The other codes are as follows:

U = Utsunomiya, Japan
F = Fukushima, Japan
O = Oita, Japan

Furthermore, the second letter, “V”, is the yer these lenses were manufactured. The complete guide to these 2nd set of code is as follows:

A = 1986, 1960
B = 1987, 1961
C = 1988, 1962
D = 1989, 1963
E = 1990, 1964
F = 1991, 1965
G = 1992, 1966
H = 1993, 1967
I = 1994, 1968
J = 1995, 1969
K = 1996, 1970
L = 1997, 1971
M = 1998, 1972
N = 1999, 1973
O = 2000, 1974
P = 2001, 1975
Q = 2002, 1976
R = 2003, 1977
S = 2004, 1978
T = 2005, 1979
U = 2006, 1980
V = 2007, 1981
W = 2008, 1982
X = 2009, 1983
Y = 2010, 1984
Z = 2011, 1985

The next two sets of number, “02″, is the month the lens was manufactured. The number “02” shows that the lens was made in February.

The next two digits, “07″, is an internal code of Canon lenses and its meaning does not define its age.

By knowing these codes, you can know at a glance that these old lens is 2 years old,and was made in Japan in February of 2007.

credit by http://oneslidephotography.com/eos-ef-l-series-lens-date-codes/