# Canon Celebrates the Production of 80 Million EF Lenses



## Canon Rumors Guy (Aug 22, 2012)

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<strong>Canon produces 10 million EF lenses in 10 months


</strong>LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., August 21, 2012 – Canon Inc. today announced the achievement of a new EF lens-manufacturing milestone with the production of the company’s 80-millionth EF lens on August 3, 2012. Production of EF lenses surpassed the 10-million mark in 1995, doubling to 20 million units in 2001. After reaching the 30 million unit milestone in 2006, Canon celebrated the production of its 40-millionth lens in 2008. Owing to the rapid spread of the EOS Digital series of SLR cameras, production for Canon’s EF lenses then gained momentum to reach the 50 million unit milestone in 2009, followed by the 60 million mark in January 2011 and the 70 million mark in October of the same year. Now, just over nine months later, the EF lens series has reached the 80 million mark on August 3, 2012, adding a distinguished achievement to the 25th anniversary of the launch of Canon’s EOS system.</p>
<p><!--more-->Canon’s EF lens series was first introduced together with the EOS SLR camera system in March 1987, and over the years has led the industry through the incorporation of a number of innovative technologies, including a number of world’s first such as the Ultrasonic Motor (USM) for use in lenses, Image Stabilizer (IS), a multi-layered diffractive optical (DO) element, and Subwavelength Structure Coating (SWC) anti-reflection technology. Also, since last year, the EF series newly added the EF Cinema Lens series for digital cinematography and the EF-M series for interchangeable lens cameras. As a result, Canon’s current EF lens lineup is comprised of 76 modelsii. In 1987, production of interchangeable EF lenses for Canon EOS-series AF (autofocus) single-lens reflex cameras began at the company’s Utsunomiya Plant. Since then, it has expanded to a total of four production facilities including Canon Inc., Taiwan; Canon Opto (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.; and Oita Canon Inc. in Japan.</p>
<p>Canon will continue to refine its diverse imaging technologies based on its core optical technologies. The Company strives to produce exceptional and reliable lenses and cameras that cater to the varying needs of photographers-from first-time users to advanced amateurs and professionals-while also contributing to expanding the culture of photographic and video imaging.</p>
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## hediz (Aug 22, 2012)

Think I will need one more.... 8)


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## Woody (Aug 22, 2012)

Impressive.

Just a quick recap:
Nikon - 30 million in Nov 2001, 40 million in July 2007, 50 million in Sep 2009, 60 million in Apr 2011, 70 million in June 2012

Canon - 30 million in Jan 2006, 40 million in Apr 2008, 50 million in Jan 2010, 60 million in Feb 2011, 70 million in Oct 2011, 80 million in Aug 2012

In the period of 2011 to 2012, Nikon took 14 months to sell 10 million lenses while Canon took 10 months to accomplish the same. Nikon won't reach the 80 million milestone till 2013.


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## peederj (Aug 22, 2012)

How many L's? How many cheap kits? I imagine most of those went out inside Rebel boxes.


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## Woody (Aug 22, 2012)

peederj said:


> How many L's? How many cheap kits? I imagine most of those went out inside Rebel boxes.



If BCNRanking (for Japanese market) July 2012 chart is any indication, the best sellers are 50 f/1.8 (#1), 40 f/2.8 STM (#2), 100 f/2.8L Macro (#5), 70-300 f/4-5.6L (#11), 10-22 (#15) and 70-200 f/2.8L (#17). The 100 L macro, 70-300 L and 70-200 f/2.8L have been on the charts for many many weeks now.

Canon was the bestselling brand for Japan in 2011 with 21.7% market share. Nikon was #3 with 19.7% market share.


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## kennephoto (Aug 22, 2012)

80 million seems like a lot of lenses, where are all of them? Closets? Have you ever thrown a lens away? Is there a lens landfill.


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## emag (Aug 22, 2012)

".......to celebrate this milestone, Canon is sharply reducing the price on many of it's premium 'L' lenses......."

Just thought I'd add that in, obviously Canon forgot to include that statement in the press release


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## emag (Aug 22, 2012)

um, 'its' not it's. First cup of coffee in hand....


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## neuroanatomist (Aug 22, 2012)

Woody said:


> If BCNRanking (for Japanese market) July 2012 chart is any indication, the best sellers are 50 f/1.8 (#1), 40 f/2.8 STM (#2), 100 f/2.8L Macro (#5), 70-300 f/4-5.6L (#11), 10-22 (#15) and 70-200 f/2.8L (#17). The 100 L macro, 70-300 L and 70-200 f/2.8L have been on the charts for many many weeks now.



It's probably a reasonable indicator except that it ignores the lenses sold as with-body kits, which will include millions of EF-S 18-55mm lenses...


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## DB (Aug 22, 2012)

Just goes to show how both Canon + Nikon have become volume sellers, with the emphasis now on shifting product to new customers (especially new emerging markets), rather than focusing on better new products for existing customers.

It also makes one wonder how many camera bodies have they made to date, they surpassed the 25 millionth mark a few years ago, so must be somewhere between 28 to 30 million camera bodies??

Ergo, the typical DSLR owner has between 2 to 3 lenses in their kit bag on average.


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## neuroanatomist (Aug 22, 2012)

DB said:


> ...the typical DSLR owner has between 2 to 3 lenses in their kit bag on average.



On average. But I bet the distribution not normal - a sharp peak at 1 lens (lots of people buy the body+lens kit and stick with that), and trailing shoulder from 2 on up, meaning if you buy a second lens you're pretty likely to have 3-4 total.


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## Daniel Flather (Aug 22, 2012)

80 Million lenses.

Zero 14-24/2.8L lenses.


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## AmbientLight (Aug 22, 2012)

It is interesting to see how Nikon is trying to keep up regarding lens sales.

I would love to see a comparison of camera body sales and the actual revenue those companies are making. The latter would be the really juicy stuff, but I fear that is not publicly available. At least I have no idea what this would look like.

Since we have learned that some of the best selling lenses are L lenses this is telling quite a lot in the sense that we can expect Canon to reap a healthy profit out of that. Just think about the 70-200mm. Expenses in R&D have for sure been covered long ago, so it is just production cost against sales price. Now that is sweet (for Canon).


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## Woody (Aug 22, 2012)

DB said:


> Just goes to show how both Canon + Nikon have become volume sellers, with the emphasis now on shifting product to new customers (especially new emerging markets), rather than focusing on better new products for existing customers.



I am not sure if I agree with this statement. Two top lenses: Nikon's 14-24 f/2.8 and Canon's 70-200 f/2.8L IS Mk2 are clearly new better products for existing customers.

Nikon and Canon are able to sell large volumes of lenses because of their excellent DSLR bodies, extensive lens collections as well as massive support from 3rd party lens sellers (Sigma and Tamron). Sony and the m43 consortium still have a long way to go in terms of lens selection.


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## Drizzt321 (Aug 22, 2012)

Woody said:


> DB said:
> 
> 
> > Just goes to show how both Canon + Nikon have become volume sellers, with the emphasis now on shifting product to new customers (especially new emerging markets), rather than focusing on better new products for existing customers.
> ...



They are...but they also cost in the neighborhood of $2K+. Not exactly an easy sell for many if not most existing owners. Will I buy the 70-200L IS m2? You betcha! When? After I can manage to save up for it.


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## AmbientLight (Aug 22, 2012)

You are plainly contradicting yourself. I do own a 70-200m f2.8 IS and I will probably not buy the Mark II for some time to come, because I am so very pleased with the lens I've got. Nevertheless there is a tendency to always buy the latest and best gear, so I feel with you . In this case I rather spend my money on other lenses I have not got an older version of.


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## Fatalv (Aug 22, 2012)

80 Million lenses and yet I still wait for the 24-70 f2.8 II... sigh :-\


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## nebugeater (Aug 22, 2012)

Any idea how many FD lens were made during that era by Canon?


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## hmmm (Aug 22, 2012)

Fatalv said:


> 80 Million lenses and yet I still wait for the 24-70 f2.8 II... sigh :-\



80 Million lenses and yet I still wait for the 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS mkII with non-push-pull... sigh :-\


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## Jamesy (Aug 23, 2012)

80 million and 70 million of them are at Neuro's house


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## Bosman (Aug 23, 2012)

Jamesy said:


> 80 million and 70 million of them are at Neuro's house


+1 lol!


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## Sony (Aug 23, 2012)

Jamesy said:


> 80 million and 70 million of them are at Neuro's house


You're right, I guess. That's why I always wait for VON (Voice of Neuro).


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## Ellen Schmidtee (Aug 23, 2012)

DB said:


> It also makes one wonder how many camera bodies have they made to date, they surpassed the 25 millionth mark a few years ago, so must be somewhere between 28 to 30 million camera bodies??
> 
> Ergo, the typical DSLR owner has between 2 to 3 lenses in their kit bag on average.



That figure ignores 3rd party lenses.


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## pakosouthpark (Aug 23, 2012)

yeah yeah just gives us the FF entry level already!!


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## iaind (Aug 23, 2012)

What we really want to know is how many of the 80million are L series
lenses.


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## neuroanatomist (Aug 23, 2012)

iaind said:


> What we really want to know is how many of the 80million are L series lenses.



Lots of them. But not aLL of them.


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## RLPhoto (Aug 23, 2012)

79 million of which lenses are the infamous, 18-55mm Kit lenses and their many variants.


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## Ellen Schmidtee (Aug 24, 2012)

neuroanatomist said:


> DB said:
> 
> 
> > ...the typical DSLR owner has between 2 to 3 lenses in their kit bag on average.
> ...



I have the impression 2 & 3 lenses kits are popular. E.g. two of my cousins bought Canon's two lenses kit (18-55mm + 55-250mm), a guy who bought a D90 + similar pair of lenses + 16mm fisheye(!) from ebay before going to a first photography course, etc. Then I've seen a lot of people buy a kit with one lens, then buy a cheap telephoto, say 75-300mm.

I wouldn't be surprised if the peak was around 2-3, falling sharply at 4.


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## Ellen Schmidtee (Aug 24, 2012)

kennephoto said:


> 80 million seems like a lot of lenses, where are all of them? Closets? Have you ever thrown a lens away? Is there a lens landfill.



I haven't thrown any EF lens away, but I've thrown my film Minolta w/ kit to the trash, as well as a couple of Vivitar F mount lenses.

Glass bottles are recycles in many countries. Are lens glass elements recycled anywhere? Expensive probably has a very long life (I've seen one of the f/1.2 FD lenses in a 2nd hand shop, though it had fungus on one of the elements - the shop owner probably knows there's a good chance somebody will pay to have it cleaned), but there's lots of glass in cheap lenses.


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## Rienzphotoz (Aug 25, 2012)

Drizzt321 said:


> Woody said:
> 
> 
> > DB said:
> ...


Both Canon & Nikon are among the best companies in the world that put in a great deal of emphasis on R&D (i.e. "focusing on better new products for existing customers") ... if they did not, they wouldn't be where they are today ... when Canon & Nikon make new products they incorporate suggestions & recommendations of their customers (many of them are Professional Photographers). The success (of serveral decades) of these two companies is not an accident. The best products in this world always cost much more than run of of the mill stuff and that is the fact of life.


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