Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM & Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L USM II Discontinued

[Sporgon]

Meanwhile I have have the money set aside for an R5 and they are in stock everywhere and I just can't do it. Yes the R5 is a great camera but I still don't get on with EVF's despite trying hard to...

I really sympathise with this point of view; I fully appreciate all the advantages of AF that the new Canon mirrorless cameras bring, and when I start using an EVF I think "Hey this isn't so bad, in fact I quite like it really........" but then when I go back to the OVF my immediate reaction is "this is so much better". Maybe the answer is to have one of each

The rapid discontinuation of EF lenses, some quite ubiquitous, sends a strong message that Canon aren't going to ever make a 5DV unless their rivals and customer base drive them to do it. In the meantime the 5DIV is pretty competent, and how would you improve it significantly at this time assuming that not everyone wants more than 30mp ?

 

[cayenne]

Welcome to the trials and tribulations we had in the 1990's Fd to EOS era, at least we now have EOS-RF compatibility and adapters unlike back then when the FD was a true dead end.

I was actually thinking of this reply before I saw your post, but it really coincides with my thoughts....

The funny thing is, that with mirrorless cameras (I have a couple now, the Canon R is coming for me at some point too)...one of the really FUN things I've found about them is, the adaptability for older, vintage manual lenses.

If it has manual focus and aperture, you are pretty much assured of being able to use it on ANY modern mirrorless camera as that there is surely an adapter for it.

Even the old Canon FD lenses....you can now use them on most any camera, even the RF mount, whereas it wouldn't really work with EF.

Hell, I've been keeping an eye out for a Canon 85mm F/1.2 FD lens for a few of my cameras, that thing was a VERY good lens and still is by most standards from what I read about it.

But that makes me wonder what will happen to the EF line? Most of them don't have manual aperture, and some of them have focus by wire, not mechanical.

What happens to the market for these a decade or more from now, when the newer cameras stop bothering to put in protocols to electronically change the aperture and focus?

Mirrorless cameras are making lenses 50+ years old viable options again....somehow, I don't see the fine EF line faring so well over the coming decades.

I dunno..will someone bother to take the glass out of them to do something, or rig and rebuilt the lenses so you can focus and change aperture manually?

At least, that's my thoughts.

If that's the case, it might be prudent that while you can feel safe saving and using them with your RF cameras for the next 5-10 years...around that time, you might need to seriously consider unloading them and getting what money you can with them, unless you plan to keep your EF cameras going till the just wear out.
And when that happens...well, those EF lenses might look good on a shelf or camera museum, but they may not actually work on anything, which is a shame...they are good glass.

Just my $0.02,

cayenne

 

[Ozarker]

Bound to have begun sooner rather than later. I’m sure the pandemic and resulting supply chain issues played a part. My sights are firmly set on RF glass in the future anyway.

Now I won’t get flamed anymore for saying there will be no 5D Mark V in the future.

 

[Del Paso]

Hi Cayenne!
I wouldn't worry too much, since, thanks to companies like Novoflex, EF lenses can be adapted to other non-Canon cameras, Sony, Leica SL, Panasonic etc...

 

[Ozarker]

I was actually thinking of this reply before I saw your post, but it really coincides with my thoughts....

The funny thing is, that with mirrorless cameras (I have a couple now, the Canon R is coming for me at some point too)...one of the really FUN things I've found about them is, the adaptability for older, vintage manual lenses.

If it has manual focus and aperture, you are pretty much assured of being able to use it on ANY modern mirrorless camera as that there is surely an adapter for it.

Even the old Canon FD lenses....you can now use them on most any camera, even the RF mount, whereas it wouldn't really work with EF.

Hell, I've been keeping an eye out for a Canon 85mm F/1.2 FD lens for a few of my cameras, that thing was a VERY good lens and still is by most standards from what I read about it.

But that makes me wonder what will happen to the EF line? Most of them don't have manual aperture, and some of them have focus by wire, not mechanical.

What happens to the market for these a decade or more from now, when the newer cameras stop bothering to put in protocols to electronically change the aperture and focus?

Mirrorless cameras are making lenses 50+ years old viable options again....somehow, I don't see the fine EF line faring so well over the coming decades.

I dunno..will someone bother to take the glass out of them to do something, or rig and rebuilt the lenses so you can focus and change aperture manually?

At least, that's my thoughts.

If that's the case, it might be prudent that while you can feel safe saving and using them with your RF cameras for the next 5-10 years...around that time, you might need to seriously consider unloading them and getting what money you can with them, unless you plan to keep your EF cameras going till the just wear out.
And when that happens...well, those EF lenses might look good on a shelf or camera museum, but they may not actually work on anything, which is a shame...they are good glass.

Just my $0.02,

cayenne

I’m with you. Using my old Takumars, Mamiya/Sekors, etc. was made fun thanks to focus peaking on the R. My eyesight is too bad to do so on a DSLR. I loved the 5D Mark III, but hated manually focusing old lenses with it.

 

[Del Paso]

I’m with you. Using my old Takumars, Mamiya/Sekors, etc. was made fun thanks to focus peaking on the R. My eyesight is too bad to do so on a DSLR. I loved the 5D Mark III, but hated manually focusing old lenses with it.

Also using vintage lenses (Leica M & R).
This was my reason - manual focusing was awful with 5 DIII - for buying the EOS R. Yet, unlike you, I don't use focus peaking: far too imprecise for my taste - I use the wonderful-magnificent EVF loupe.
But I still prefer using DSLRs...having oversize hands and disliking battery-grips.

 

[privatebydesign]

Even the old Canon FD lenses....you can now use them on most any camera, even the RF mount, whereas it wouldn't really work with EF.

Hell, I've been keeping an eye out for a Canon 85mm F/1.2 FD lens for a few of my cameras, that thing was a VERY good lens and still is by most standards from what I read about it.

I always preferred the FD 135 f2 over the 85mm f1.2, so much so that I kept it!

 

[GMAX]

I have a serious question:
What will happen with the prices for used EF gear with the ongoing discontinuation of EF lenses. Will they suddenly crash or will they go up since there is still a market and very few lenses left to buy. I own the wonderful EF 100-400mm which I eventually will sell as soon (or far in the future) the RF 100-500mm is available at a reasonable price...

Had the same thoughts to sell my 100-400 ii for the 100-500 too, but declined because of flexibility. This EF-lens works perfect with my 1DXiii, 5DIV, 5DS, as well as with my R, R6 and for some more reach even with the M6mii. Combination with 1.4x iii and 2.0x iii is great without a lot of limitations (besides 2.x and AF with the DSLRs). The RF100-500 seems to be a great lens, but no need for me to buy with my current setup. Answering your question: Don't think that the price for the 100-400 will suddenly crash in the near future.

 

[David - Sydney]

I have a serious question:
What will happen with the prices for used EF gear with the ongoing discontinuation of EF lenses. Will they suddenly crash or will they go up since there is still a market and very few lenses left to buy. I own the wonderful EF 100-400mm which I eventually will sell as soon (or far in the future) the RF 100-500mm is available at a reasonable price...

RF replacement lenses are significantly more expensive than EF versions eg RF100-500mm vs EF100-400mm. Good second hand EF copies going for roughly half their new price in Australia so there will still a reasonable demand for EF lenses from a cost perspective. Finding a second hand EF100-400mm is hard and they are keeping their value so people are still buying that lens new.
I am surprised by the EF70-200mm f4 II being discontinued though. It could be that there is a bottleneck of the RF70-200mm manufacturing process meaning that they expect it to be a high volume seller meaning they can't see a batch of EF70-200mm happening for a long time. Even if this was the case, formal discontinuation would seem premature.

 

[EOS 4 Life]

An EOS 5D Mark V, unfortunately, doesn't make sense from a business standpoint. They want you over to the RF mount, if they produced a 5D5, that would take people away from the EOS R system for years.

I have never understood this line of reasoning.
Canon just wants to sell cameras and lenses.
They have no reason to cry every time someone buys a DSLR of EF lens.
The only rationale for not making a 5D Mark V is if Canon thinks it is a poor investment for them.

 

[EOS 4 Life]

Meanwhile I have have the money set aside for an R5 and they are in stock everywhere and I just can't do it. Yes the R5 is a great camera but I still don't get on with EVF's despite trying hard to...

R5 is my first Canon DSLM and I have learned to love the adaptable mount.
I would not sell it but I would buy a 5D V even if it were identical and every way to the R5 other than the OVF.

 

[Bdbtoys]

This was funny.

Saw title...
said to self, @Canon Rumors Guy should really make a running list to the left...
looked to left, saw list...
read post, and smh.

Pretty much sums up my day today.

 

[gcrimmins]

I suspect that Canon has not manufactured any EF lenses for a while now, and they are being discontinued as they run out of existing stock.

 

[miketcool]

Worth remembering is that for a year now, some resources have been hard to come by for lenses and cameras. The pandemic has caused logistical problems in manufacturing. I’m sure this is a factor in accelerating the discontinuation of lenses. Perhaps some of these early ones share parts from a supplier with limited capability.

 

[Mr Majestyk]

Seriously?! The 2018-released and generally wonderful Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM II?!

Wow. If true that is a remarkable statement of intent that EF is fully done and dusted. I mean the writing has very clearly been on the wall but discontinuing such a new and well received lens is shifting things up a few gears. The powers that be must feel very good about how the R series has gone and confident about its future.

As someone who has sold all my EF mount cameras and gone mostly RF, I’m not best placed to complain, but I’m still a little shocked.

I would buy the EF version any day over the RF version and that's both f/4 and f/2.8 lenses. If I buy the R5 I'll be keeping all my EF glass as there's basically no RF glass I care for at this stage. Maybe if and when they release new lightweight 300 f/2.8 and 500 f/4 I migth swap my EF versions, or release that 100 f/2 macro I'l sell the old 100L.

 

[unfocused]

Canon discontinuing a popular and recently released lens? Sorry, but I'd like to know the source.

Two famous sayings come to mind:

"Trust but verify" – Ronald Reagan (Actually a Russian Proverb that Reagan adopted and made famous.)

"If your mother says she loves you, check it out" – sign on the wall of the City News Bureau in Chicago.

 

[SnowMiku]

These EF lenses are dropping like flies. I thought most of the EF L lenses would have at least a few more years left, but I think with the problems of COVID-19 it made Canon change plans and are discontinuing these sooner rather then later so they can move on to full production of RF.

They only need to make two APS-C RF cameras to out-phase the crop DSLR's, they could make the R7 and something to replace the xxD, maybe call it R70. The rest of the entry levels can stay as EF-M as the Mx and Mxx.

 

[privatebydesign]

I (egoistically!) just couldn't care less. I just hope they will not discontinue servicing the "old" lenses too soon.

Canon always previously suggested support for seven years after the lens is dropped, then the remaining parts are sold to third parties and it is down to luck on if the parts are available. Having said that some items have not been serviced even within that 7 year period, again I believe it depends on parts availability.

 

[mclaren777]

It's becoming more and more clear that Canon is never going to make the 5DV.

 

[dtaylor]

The thing that bums me out about this is the possibility of wanting a lens but not having the money until after Canon discontinues it. There is the used market but still. I wonder what the plans are at Sigma and Tamron because each of them has a lens on my wish list.

Even though it wasn't on my wish list, the 70-200 f/4L IS II hits home. I would have guessed that was a popular lens. As good as it is, maybe Rebel buyers never look at it and 5D/1D buyers grab the f/2.8 instead?