oldest ef lens

ljphil78

ljphil78

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Just a thought really, does anyone know what the oldest lens in the current canon line up is, I keep thinking about getting a 24-105 f4 but wiki says this has been out since 2005 so that's 7-8 years old and I keep worrying about them springing a mk2 on us soon, so that got me thinking what else is in the line up that has been around a few years?
 
The EF system was introduced with the EOS600 in about 1987 I think, so there are lenses that go back to that time. The 35mm f2 has been around since at least 1990 and is still in the current line-up.
 
hyeongsoong said:
just go for it. if a new one come out, it will be mega expensive.
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This is probably the best advice. If you always wait for the next best thing, you'd never buy anything, plus Canon's latest lens releases have been pretty pricey.
 
7-8 years is not that old. There are a few lenses introduced in the early to mid 90s. I believe the 200 2.8 L dates from 91.
 
The 24-104mm f4L I have is dated at late 2005, still works wonderfully with a few specs of dust in the lens.

The 17-40mm f4L is dated to 2003, still works as well as ever, my favourite lens.

85mm f1.8 was marketed in 1996, my lens is dated to around 2008 I think. My sharpest lens.

35mm f2 I bought soon after IS version announced, £190 vs £700 was an easy choice. As said, it's marketed in 1990 and still works wonderfully. Manufactured in 2012.

The announcement date of a lens doesn't matter, what matters is the optical quality of the lens. The 24-105mm is one of the sharpest standard zoom lens with IS (note standard zoom and IS), only beaten by the new 24-70 f4L IS.
 
Yeah, I know it will still work as well if a new version were to be launched, but after the jump in image quality in the 24-70 mk1 and mk2 it just makes me wonder lol. I know the ef mount has been around for a long time, but what I meant was lenses that are still current models and not discontinued, what's the oldest still on sale?
 
ljphil78 said:
......but what I meant was lenses that are still current models and not discontinued, what's the oldest still on sale?
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The EF50/2.5 Compact macro and the EF135/2.8 Soft Focus are the two current (non-updated) offerings from the first year of EF production.

Bob
 
Canon Bob said:
The EF50/2.5 Compact macro and the EF135/2.8 Soft Focus are the two current (non-updated) offerings from the first year of EF production.

Bob
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I had one of those and although it isn't a true macro lens (you need the "lifesize adapter") and the focus is a little slow (no USM and no full time manual focus) it is still a lovely, sharp and compact lens.

I've read that it's Canon's sharpest 50mm and one of their sharpest lenses and that's remarkable when you think how old the design is.
 
It is indeed a little gem of a lens, Alan. I sold mine a while back when I got the Zeiss 50/2 (also half life-size). I kept the Lifesize converter as it works well on other macro lenses to give a kick to the magnification.

Bob
 
I sold mine as I wanted a faster 50mm. I got the Siggy f1.4 and to be honest the Sigma at least matches the Canon f2.5 at every aperture the Canon can match and possibly betters it + the Siggy is faster to focus too but it's bigger, heavier and it doesn't have the close focus ability of the Canon lens.

I regret selling mine.
 
Wow, not seen the 135mm soft focus before, wouldn't have thought they would shift many of those in these Photoshop days lol, how about zoom lenses? Some of those look like they were styled a few years ago?
 
The "oldest" lenses were once the top of the range models, the optics used by pros to earn a living. Being older doesn't diminish their performance one bit.

Additionally, even if they decide to announce a mk2 version soon, it will still take some time to reach suppliers and the cost straight after release is likely to be very high.
 
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