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Do lenses have serial numbers that can be seen without taking the lens apart?
Serial Nos.
- Thread starter Johnytrout
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And where would a serial number be on a Canon lens? The reason I ask is this ...... I am quoting from another persons post..
"" I sold my Canon 30D with all the filters, extra batteries, etc. The camera was serviced last year and the built in flash was replaced. The camera sold for about $20 more than it cost me for the service. I figure that I didn't need it anymore, so I cut my losses. Problem is the buyer contacted me after he got the camera and said the lens would not stay on focus. I don't remember the terminology. He sent it back. I attached the lens to the camera as soon as it arrived and sure enough it moves back and forth very quickly without focusing. It's never done that before, and didn't do it when I checked it out before shipping it. The person that bought it has an address that lets me believe he is in the camera business. Don't know if he buys and sells cameras, or is a photographer or what. I can't help but wonder if this was a trick to switch my lens for a bad one he had. Too bad the lens doesn't have a serial number on it.""
This may benefit others who are thinking of selling equipment
"" I sold my Canon 30D with all the filters, extra batteries, etc. The camera was serviced last year and the built in flash was replaced. The camera sold for about $20 more than it cost me for the service. I figure that I didn't need it anymore, so I cut my losses. Problem is the buyer contacted me after he got the camera and said the lens would not stay on focus. I don't remember the terminology. He sent it back. I attached the lens to the camera as soon as it arrived and sure enough it moves back and forth very quickly without focusing. It's never done that before, and didn't do it when I checked it out before shipping it. The person that bought it has an address that lets me believe he is in the camera business. Don't know if he buys and sells cameras, or is a photographer or what. I can't help but wonder if this was a trick to switch my lens for a bad one he had. Too bad the lens doesn't have a serial number on it.""
This may benefit others who are thinking of selling equipment
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The Canon serial number is etched into the mount.
Nikon is etched and printed on the underside of the lens -if you are looking at it mounted on the camera.
Zeiss and Leica are etched and printed around the front element.
Each manufacturer has their preferred place.
It would seem prudent to take a pic of the serial number before selling and sending it.
Nikon is etched and printed on the underside of the lens -if you are looking at it mounted on the camera.
Zeiss and Leica are etched and printed around the front element.
Each manufacturer has their preferred place.
It would seem prudent to take a pic of the serial number before selling and sending it.
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Not quite as simple as this, unfortunately. Even within one manufacturer's range, the serial numbers can appear in different places from one model to another.
For example:
- Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 - on the barrel, right near the mount
- Canon 24-105mm f/4 - on the mount
- Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 Mk II - on the barrel, about half way down
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Are these all modern lenses? I thought they had put them all in the same place since the last mount change
I don't have any Canon lenses, just Nikon, Sony, Zeiss and Leica, and some third party lenses.
Edit- and Yashica, Pentax, Minolta, Olympus and various Russian... Eek!
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It's not difficult to find the serial
number pick it up and examine it end-to-end rotating it occasionally. It is that simple.
number pick it up and examine it end-to-end rotating it occasionally. It is that simple.
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You thought wrong. They are all current lenses.Are these all modern lenses? I thought they had put them all in the same place since the last mount change
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Was tricky to find the serial number on a couple of my Nikkor D lenses. Carefully etched, just tricky to find with failing eyesight!
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Is there any lens specific information like serial no saved in the metadata?
I seem to remember reading somewhere that you could search online to see if a lens is being used at all, for example if it was stolen you could find if anyone posts a pic with it after.
May well be rubbish, but thought it'd be worth a mention.
I seem to remember reading somewhere that you could search online to see if a lens is being used at all, for example if it was stolen you could find if anyone posts a pic with it after.
May well be rubbish, but thought it'd be worth a mention.
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Most if not all DSLRs will store the lens model in the metadata, at least if it's an own brand lens (eg a Canon lens on a Canon camera).
The lens serial number is mostly *not* stored in the metadata. However I have recently come across a couple of examples where it is - for instance if you use a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM on a Canon 5D Mk III, the serial number of the lens is stored. I don't yet know how prevalent this is, but I plan to find out.