How long do you expect your lenses to last?

fotoworx wrote in post #9901944
How long do you expect your lenses to last?

You've all read multiple times if you've been a member for awhile that good glass outlives many bodies.

I expect my glass to outlive my body - of course, I'm pushing 70 now so it may not have to last all that long.

tkbslc wrote in post #9902276
While I am sure a well built lens could last over 30 years, the Canon EOS system started in 1987, which is only 23 years ago.

Sorry, I meant FD lenses, old mount. I have an F-1 from the old days. It's almost 35 years old as my brother bought it when he was a teenager and I inherited it when he went all EF system when that came out. I got 5 FD lenses, all amazing still.

NYNCTC wrote in post #9902185
how do lenses die though? mold?

Mold, moisture passing (rust), excessive heating and cooling (leaving them in cars) especially heat, will make the grease that lubricates the aperture fins and mechanisms for the AF etc thin out and leak out of where it is supposed to be, from there friction destroys the rest.

don't leave your great in the rain, or in a hot car with the sun beating down on it, and avoid dirt and dust and you should be fine.

The physical lens will outlive the technology and the system it works with. Eventually a new system will come along obsoleting the current EF and EF-s family of lenses.

-jamie- wrote in post #9902339
Its funny how most electrical items only last about 3 years without dying or going out of date , but some lenses last 30 years .

I've got a couple of Canon FL lenses that are around 40 years old or so. They still work fine, though I can't use them on my EOS bodies. I keep them on display these days. The 50/1.8 FL I is mounted on my Canon FT/QL (which also still works fine). I love the smooth feel of the well-damped focus ring on these older lenses.

Optically, a lens ought to last for a very long time. The electronics, or mechanics may fail before that though. I had a Tamron 28-80 f/2.8 lens in FD mount that literally wore out. It had seen a good deal of use, though.

I would hope that most of my lenses will last me as long as i am using the current EOS system. I don't expect them to lastnearly as long as an FD or M42 mount cause those are just metal and glass, no electronics or motors. Sadly my workhorse lens (Sigma 24-60) is discontinued so if it breaks it would probably end up a paperweight. I'm really not worried about it though, if a lens is really good (85mm f/1.8 for example) parts will be continue to be available, otherwise a newer improved version of the lens will on the shelves and it will be time for an upgrade anyways.

Hopefully they'll last until I'm done with them, lol.

I expect an L lens to last for a good number of years, considering the price. I take care of my gear, and it's used but not abused.

Looking at my L lenses and the way they feel and are made i think they will easily last until the new system/mount of lenses come out. The only thing i could see going in them is the gears/motor inside them.

can't we just use EF mounts forever.... its gonna destroy the resale value of everything when they change again.

dwarfcow wrote in post #9904076
can't we just use EF mounts forever.... its gonna destroy the resale value of everything when they change again.

My guess is that they will introduce a new smaller mount for some sort of mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (like Olympus/Panasonic offer) and keep EF around for the pro stuff (maybe they will cancel EF-S at that point?) and slowly phase out DSLRs that way..

DStanic wrote in post #9904105
My guess is that they will introduce a new smaller mount for some sort of mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (like Olympus/Panasonic offer) and keep EF around for the pro stuff (maybe they will cancel EF-S at that point?) and slowly phase out DSLRs that way..

i don't think dslr are going to die quite that quickly. might just go to medium format and higher pixel density. there is something to be said about a viewfinder that you actually see light through rather than an lcd.

rvdw98 wrote in post #9902481
She said "AF lenses", not specifically EOS.

The first real AF SLR system was the Maxxum line which started in 1985, so still "only" 25 years ago!

There was an AF Lens available for the pentax ME-F in 1981, but not really what we would call an autofocus SLR today - and still only 29 years.

SuzyView wrote in post #9903406
Sorry, I meant FD lenses, old mount. I have an F-1 from the old days. It's almost 35 years old as my brother bought it when he was a teenager and I inherited it when he went all EF system when that came out. I got 5 FD lenses, all amazing still.

Sorry for nitpicking, I was sure you just meant "lenses" not AF lenses

I have some Asahi Pentax prime lenses that are probably 40 years old, and some zooms that must be at least 25 to 30 years old (all manual focus). As far as I can tell, they all still operate fine, although I haven't used my film gear for shooting for quite some time. I do get it out every so often and check the battery, click the shutter a few times, and rotate the lens rings.

Hopefully my new hi-tech gear will last as well...

-howard

I'd expect that my L lenses will last well past the time I do (only 37 now), and assuming I don't become a complete dolt with my kit I'm betting the Nifty Fifty will, too.

My g/f's brother is looking to get rid of some of the old, pre-AI Nikon lenses that their Uncle used decades ago.

fotoworx wrote in post #9901944
How long do you expect your lenses to last?

Untill Canon decides to discontinue its EF mount ... ?