Determining the Age of a Canon Lens Using Serial Numbers and Date Codes

Determining the Age of a Canon Lens Using Serial Numbers and Date Codes

Canon has been transitioning to a 10-digit lens serial number (starting in 2008 with theCanon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens) and ending the inclusion of a separate manufacturing date code. While date codes and the shorter serial number are still found on some lenses, this inclusion will likely end completely. We loved the date code because it made aging a lens easy. However, now we can age a lens based on the serial number alone.

For information on determining the age of a pre-10-digit serial number lens, see the section on interpreting the old date code below.

Determine the age of a Canon lens based on the 10-digit serial numberTo age a Canon lens using the 10-digital serial number, we dissect the serial number as follows:

DDC SSSSSSSTheDDis the key to the date the lens was manufactured - the production date code. The Canon lens date code chart is shown below.

20082009201020112012201320142015

January3850627486011325

February3951637587021426

March4052647688031527

April4153657789041628

May4254667890051729

June4355677991061830

July4456688092071931

August4557698193082032

September4658708294092133

October4759718395102234

November4860728496112335

December4961738597122436

These dates should be viewed as approximations and should be used for your amusement as the estimates are not guaranteed correct. Please send any discrepancies you find. Note thatCanon EOS DSLR camerabody serial numbers, at least for 2013, do not follow this chart. Also please note that future dates shown in the table are predictions/expectations.

The third digit in the serial number,C, may be a charge/batch type of number. Canon has been using this number to indicate lenses needing specific service-related updates such as firmware.

The remaining digits in the serial number,SSSSSSS, are a uniquely-identifying number of the lens likely within the production month.

Please note that, while the overall chart is holding out nicely with the lenses we've checked (including several late-2014 models), it is a work-in-process. In part, the numbers might be shifted by a month or so. Again, please send us any discrepancies you find.

Special thanks go out to friend-of-the-site Norbert for his role in the development of this chart.

To determine the age of a pre-10-digit serial number Canon lens bearing a date codeUntil phasing out the practice starting in 2008, Canon included a date code beside the rear lens element of many (but not all) lenses (note that some 2012-manufactured lenses retain the date code). The date code (as seen below) is in the form of "UR0902". This code is also present on some other Canon products including camera bodies.

The first letter,"U", indicates that the lens was made in Canon's Utsunomiya, Japanfactory. Prior to 1986, this letter is moved to the last position of the date code.

U = Utsunomiya, JapanF = Fukushima, JapanO = Oita, Japan

The second letter,"R", is a year code that indicates theyear of manufacture. Canon increments this letter each year starting with A in 1986 and prior to that, A in 1960 without the leading factory code. Here is a table to make things simple:

A = 2012, 1986, 1960B = 2013, 1987, 1961C = 2014, 1988, 1962D = 2015, 1989, 1963E = 1990, 1964F = 1991, 1965G = 1992, 1966H = 1993, 1967I = 1994, 1968J = 1995, 1969K = 1996, 1970L = 1997, 1971M = 1998, 1972N = 1999, 1973O = 2000, 1974P = 2001, 1975Q = 2002, 1976R = 2003, 1977S = 2004, 1978T = 2005, 1979U = 2006, 1980V = 2007, 1981W = 2008, 1982X = 2009, 1983Y = 2010, 1984Z = 2011, 1985

The first two numbers,"09", is the month number the lens was manufactured in. Month 02 is February, month 11 = November. The leading zero of the month code is sometimes omitted.

The next two numbers,"02", are meaningless in determining how old a Canon lens is. This is a Canon internal code (that is occasionally omitted).

You now know the manufacture date for your lens - But - You cannot know how long the lens was in inventory, in shipping transit and on a shelf until it was originally purchased (without having the original receipt or a reputable person accurately informing you).

The Canon lens date code in the sample picture indicates that thisCanon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L Lens(I know the lens model because I took the picture - not from the date code) was made in Utsunomiya, Japan in September 2003.