Lens serial codes

[WhoIreland]

ok,so Canon lens codes let us see year of manufacture - e.g. Z denotes 2011

my question is what's "normal" for a new lens ?
i.e. if I go into a store to buy a 85L II , what should I expect to see as the code - 2013 or is 2011 normal ?

I know it doesnt REALLY matter for the lens use, but I do notice when it comes to selling/trading people will try haggle a lot saying the lens is x yrs old etc

 

[pwp]

FYI
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Canon-Lenses/Canon-Lens-Aging.aspx

-PW

 

[Dylan777]

My 24-70 II and 70-200 f2.8 IS II don't have date code. Yes I bought them NEW from BH.

If the lens does have date code(85L), I would expect 2013 date code of course, not 2012 or 2011.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

It depends on the inventory that Canon has, and that the dealer has. If Canon has 5 months Inventory, and the Dealer has 2 months of inventory, the lens might be from last fall.

My 16-35mmL that I bought last July from Newegg had a October 2011 date code, or about 7-8 months old. I'd suspect that's typical for a high end lens that is not a popular new model.

I have bought new lenses that were only 3 or 4 months old.

It would be possible to find one with a 2013 date code, but unlikely, Canon makes lenses in Batches, so you'd have to hit a new batch where the dealer was out of stock and just received them.
For slow selling lenses, a year or two is not uncommon.