Will EF-S lenses be discontinued eventually?

[fotoworx]

Will EF-S lenses be discontinued eventually?

Will the advancement in technology and the downward price point of new DSLR's entering the market make FF bodies the norm for entry level photographers and not just the realm of advanced hobbiests and pros in the future?

The 5D Mark II is great, but in a couple of years it's specs will look small in comparison to whats being released and whats on the horizon.

Canon and Nikon have to keep giving consumers more and more for cheaper and cheaper to entice people to upgrade.

Maybe the days of cropped sensors are numbered?

[egordon99]

As long as full-frame gets cheaper, so will crop bodies, so I believe they will ALWAYS be an option.

[timnosenzo]

It's impossible to predict where things will be in 10+ years, but I definitely don't think FF cameras will be the norm any time soon. Currently Canon's cheapest FF camera is $2600, which is $2000 more than it's entry level camera. That's quite a jump.

So no, I don't think crop cameras or EF-S lenses are going anywhere anytime soon.

[nightcat]

Will EF-S lenses be discontinued eventually?

I doubt it. The crop cameras is where Canon makes most of their money.

[gasrocks]

As long as they are able to keep improving the smaller crop sensors and make lenses that are wide enough, maybe they will just drop FF someday.

[Denny G]

Same question was asked five years ago.

EFS still going strong as is the cropped cameras.

Since the first EFS came out ten more have been marketed.

[Layston]

You can't predict what a company like Canon is going to do in the long run. But short term (3-5 years) you are pretty sure that EF-S is still going to be around. They have released too much in that format recently to drop it completely and suddenly. What you will see if and when EF-S disappears is the lack of release of new EF-S lenses and cameras and then slowly they will be harder and harder to source. However with the Rebel (300D), Rebel XT (350D), Rebel XTi (400D), Rebel XS, Rebel XSi, 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D etc cameras all having been released in the last 6 years (the Rebel was released in late 2003), I just can't imagine anything sudden in the way of dropping cropped bodies/lenses. Too much investment in that line for both consumers AND Canon.

[lowcrust]

Over time I can see it disappearing, but not anytime soon.

[sebr]

The answer is more in marketing than in technology. Canon can decide to make entry level DSLR with FF sensor, but they won't be able to be competitive if other continue to sell cameras with crop sensor.

[nureality]

You can't predict what a company like Canon is going to do in the long run. But short term (3-5 years) you are pretty sure that EF-S is still going to be around. They have released too much in that format recently to drop it completely and suddenly. What you will see if and when EF-S disappears is the lack of release of new EF-S lenses and cameras and then slowly they will be harder and harder to source. However with the Rebel (300D), Rebel XT (350D), Rebel XTi (400D), Rebel XS, Rebel XSi, 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D etc cameras all having been released in the last 6 years (the Rebel was released in late 2003), I just can't imagine anything sudden in the way of dropping cropped bodies/lenses. Too much investment in that line for both consumers AND Canon.

Too much? There are what? 7 EF-S lenses? 7 vs. 60+ for EF mount?
(EF-S 18-55, EF-S 18-55 IS, EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS, EF-S 17-85 IS, EF-S 18-200 IS, EF-S 60 Macro, EF-S 10-22)

To put it into perspective, the only format Canon has released less of was the AF FD mount lenses (which had 3).

While I don't see it happening anytime soon, I don't think its unfeasable to see Canon drop the format completely.

[bohdank]

Not anytime soon, imo Other than cost, there are size, xxxD, considerations which are important to a lot of people. The mass market volume cameras/lenses are their bread and butter, although the margins are considerably better on the higher priced models.

EF-S 18-55, EF-S 18-55 IS, EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS, EF-S 17-85 IS, EF-S 18-200 IS, EF-S 60 Macro, EF-S 10-22)

There's also the 55-250.

One thing they all have in common is their low(er) prices, except for, maybe the 10-22 and 17-55, both of which are quite popular, especially the latter. It's not like somene with a crop camera, looking for more quality, can't opt for EF lenses.

[seaside]

Same question was asked five years ago.

EFS still going strong as is the cropped cameras.

Agree. Most camera manufacturers have a cropped body and make lenses designed specifically for them. 3rd party lens manufacturers have a lot invested in the cropped body as well. Wildlife shooters love 'em because of the range they offer.

If lens manufacturers develop a lens for full frame bodies like an 800mm f2.8 IS selling for $1000 then the crop body may be in trouble. But don't hold your breath for that :)

[lowcrust]

If lens manufacturers develop a lens for full frame bodies like an 800mm f2.8 IS selling for $1000 then the crop body may be in trouble.

Actually, the way I see it, it's the complete opposite. If Canon started making EF-S versions on some of their top tier lenses, the mount would get solidified. Maybe in time to a point where the EF mount would be in trouble (at least some of the lenses).

I don't see that happening though.

[NinetyEight]

"Will EF-S lenses be discontinued eventually?"


Yes I'll bet my life on it - may not be for 200 years, but they will stop production sometime! :-)

[macroimage]

I'm not seeing full frame cameras getting cheaper. Canon has only made five full frame digital SLRs. There have been eleven EF-s mount SLRs. All of the rest were crop bodies but EF only.

Look at the pricing on release day. Was a 5D mkII cheaper than a 5D? How about the price of the 1Ds vs 1DS mkII vs 1Ds MkIII?

[Bill Roberts]

"Will EF-S lenses be discontinued eventually?"


Yes I'll bet my life on it - may not be for 200 years, but they will stop production sometime! :-)

Yep... I'll go along with that :)
It's only a matter of time...

[Karl Johnston]

Canon just recently introduced the EF-S line...of course they're not going to discontinue it. The entire objective of their marketing plan with EFS lenses was to make high quality lenses for cheaper prices.

Sigma, tamron, tokina/hoya, ...the other guy:lol:...

All the other manufacturers have invested a lot of money in creating mainly crop-format lenses; they're revamping their older EF line, as of now, but I think in the future you will see much better higher quality primes for EFS.

They're the missing link in the lens chain

[nazpicman]

What they might end up doing is phasing out the mid-range EF lenses and make just the "EF-S" or "L" lines. There are some EF's that could easily be L's quality wise and just need a red ring. They could eliminate the mid-rangers and then bring down the cost of the L's because they would be saving by removing the others from their inventory or moving them into the other two ranges.

[fotoworx]

People crow on about (some quite smugly) how FF is leaps and bounds better than cropped.
FF bodies will become cheaper in time.

I dunno' I can still see a time that EF-S lens may become null and void (I hope not).

[Tom H. Photography]

EF-s will be dropped when Canon or another manufacturer succeed in making a FF camera the size, weight and price of a cropped one. I don't see this happening any time soon. Do you?

[egordon99]

Nope! Because as soon as a FF becomes as "cheap" as a crop-body, the crop bodies will obviously be even cheaper :)

That was my argument earlier in the thread.

So when FF bodies are $500, crop bodies will be $200, and then EVERYONE will have a Rebel and declare themselves a "pro photograher" :lol:

EF-s will be dropped when Canon or another manufacturer succeed in making a FF camera the size, weight and price of a cropped one. I don't see this happening any time soon. Do you?

[jbhswim]

^^^smart man

[DDCSD]

I don't know, maybe some day FF cameras will become "obsolete". Maybe a $1500 300mm f/2.8 EF-S or a $3000 400mm f/2.8 EF-S will appeal more to people than FF pixie dust. ;)


I still want a 5D though. :)

[Stealthy Ninja]

I don't know, maybe some day FF cameras will become "obsolete". Maybe a $1500 300mm f/2.8 EF-S or a $3000 400mm f/2.8 EF-S will appeal more to people than FF pixie dust. ;)


I still want a 5D though. :)

Only someone with a 1DMkIIN and 20D would say that. ;)

[DDCSD]

Only someone with a 1DMkIIN and 20D would say that. ;)

:p:p:p