DATE CODE

I bought a used 100-400mm and I was wondering how old it is but it has no date code.
All it has is numbers on the barrel near the mount end, It has 225024 anyone know how old this is from these numbers.

It may of had a repair done that removed the original baffle at the end of the lens that had the age possibly. I have seen a few repaired lenses that had the original baffle removed with one with no date code. Could be why.

Invertalon wrote in post #14198641
It may of had a repair done that removed the original baffle at the end of the lens that had the age possibly. I have seen a few repaired lenses that had the original baffle removed with one with no date code. Could be why.

Do you have any idea what those numbers mean on the barrel 225024

Serial.

FYI lenses do not expire.

This same question came up recently with a 70-200mm f/4.0

Sometimes they are hard to see.... You have to look VERY carefully..... But 100-400mm date codes are usually printed on so it should be more visible.


70-200 f4

msowsun wrote in post #14199309
This same question came up recently with a 70-200mm f/4.0

Sometimes they are hard to see.... You have to look VERY carefully..... But 100-400mm date codes are usually printed on so it should be more visible.



70-200 f4

Thanks Mike I used a magnifying glass and found it.
Oct. 2000

Black Bart wrote in post #14201694
Thanks Mike I used a magnifying glass and found it.
Oct. 2000

Why was it so hard to see? Was it stamped into the plastic like the example above, or was it printed?

It's printed on the one that I have.

Mike, you're the man! My prob was the reverse, 100-400 date code clearly visible, 70-200 I had struggles with.

msowsun wrote in post #14201755
Why was it so hard to see? Was it stamped into the plastic like the example above, or was it printed?

Badly worn and hard to see.
I bought this about 2 years ago the guy I got it from said it belonged to his dad and he died and he wanted to sell it.

He didn't know how old it was but the price was good so I bought it.
It is old but don't show wear on barrel so I doubt that it was used much.

Glass and paint is very good and it works fine just old like me.