Are Canon discontinuing date codes?

StewartR

StewartR

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I just took delivery of two lovely new Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS Mk IIs. I was making a note of the serial numbers etc for our database, but I can't find any date codes on either of the lenses.

Canon seem to have changed their serial numbering scheme too. The last four 70-200 Mk IIs I bought all had 6-digit serial numbers in the range 11xxxx to 13xxxx, which suggests they were genuinely "serial" numbers. But these latest two have 10-digit numbers, 692000xxxx, which looks to me like the 692 is a product code or somesuch and the last bit is the "serial" part.

Can anyone else confirm / deny that date codes are on the way out?

Is the date code embedded into the new serial numbers, and if so how?
 
Stewart,

My 70-200/II is date coded but it takes a good loupe and the right light to read it. It's in the usual place and is heat stamped not etched as with some lenses. It would appear that they need new dies or more heat.

Bob
 
Perhaps you need to send the serial numbers to Canon Stewart just to check?

In a different line of work, but sometimes grey stock can get substituted for good stock at /good and trusted/ distributors, without them actually knowing about it.

Have seen it happen with large items (such as network switches, in the 10's), and with thousands of small items (like microchips, in the 1k's)

In many cases, a good manufacturer will actually buy back the forged items, to try and work out how the forgeries are being made (and as a good customer service)
 
Last edited:
Canon Bob said:
My 70-200/II is date coded but it takes a good loupe and the right light to read it. It's in the usual place and is heat stamped not etched as with some lenses.
Click to expand...
Cheers Bob.

Is your serial number 1xxxxx or 692000xxxx? As I said, most of mine are of the first type and DO have date codes, but the newest couple are of the second type and don't have date codes.
 
coldpenguin said:
Perhaps you need to send the serial numbers to Canon Stewart just to check?

In a different line of work, but sometimes grey stock can get substituted for good stock at /good and trusted/ distributors, without them actually knowing about it.

Have seen it happen with large items (such as network switches, in the 10's), and with thousands of small items (like microchips, in the 1k's)

In many cases, a good manufacturer will actually buy back the forged items, to try and work out how the forgeries are being made (and as a good customer service)
Click to expand...
They're not forgeries.

I guess it's conceivable they could be grey (ie imported throuigh irregular channels), but that wouldn't affect the serial number / date code because all Canon's "L" lenses are made in the same plant in Japan.

If I can't resolve my puzzle by other means though, asking Canon seems logical.
 
StewartR said:
Cheers Bob.

Is your serial number 1xxxxx or 692000xxxx? As I said, most of mine are of the first type and DO have date codes, but the newest couple are of the second type and don't have date codes.
Click to expand...

Mine has the more typical 6 figure serial number. This lack of date codes has been reported before on newly released lenses (24/1.4II or TS-E24II IIRC)

Bob
 
Just looked at my 3 month old 70/200 f4 IS L = UY stamped
so 2010 yr.
6 figure serial number 37xxxx

Rgds
Matt
 
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