EF Mount lifespan

I recently started shooting with a couple of old Canon 35mm SLR's (TLb and an AE-1 Program) and purchased a couple of lenses for them. This prompted some research about the different lens mounts and how they work (FD compared to EF) and it made me wonder, would Canon ever kill off the EF lens mount like they did the FD mount? What could supersede what they've created and sold millions of?

Canon just surpassed 90 million lenses sold/manufactured, IIRC. It seems like there is so much of their revenue from their camera department in the glass itself.

Of course, pros and hobbyists in the 80s had to cope with this notion themselves, but I'm curious what the collective opinion here is.

For cryin' out loud...PLEASE for the love of all that is holy, SEARCH!!!!

We've had this silly speculative thread come up within the last week...and tons of times before that.

EDIT: Here's the link (Merry Christmas)...knock yourself out and learn to use search:

https://photography-on-the.net …256261&highligh​t=lifespan

LowriderS10 wrote in post #15402004
For cryin' out loud...PLEASE for the love of all that is holy, SEARCH!!!!

We've had this silly speculative thread come up within the last week...and tons of times before that.

EDIT: Here's the link (Merry Christmas)...knock yourself out and learn to use search:

https://photography-on-the.net …256261&highligh​t=lifespan

Duly noted.

Thanks.

General consensus is yes it will eventually be replaced but not in the near future. If you want something just get it in my opinion. The transition won't be instant either. It will be a long and gradual change. You're not going to wake up, check your news, and find that Canon no longer make or support EF lenses.

I'm sure there would be adapters released to support EF lenses for a long time to come. As the old saying goes 'why fix something that aint already broken'. It would cost a lot of money in R&D for Canon to produce a complete new lens mount that's suitable for every camera they produce. It took them long enough to introduce the EOS-M mount and it's already got an adapter to use current EF lenses.

There is one more factor never mentioned in these threads which can also affect EF mount longevity - consider that Canon might simply go out of business one day (like Kodak).

pulsar123 wrote in post #15403486
There is one more factor never mentioned in these threads which can also affect EF mount longevity - consider that Canon might simply go out of business one day (like Kodak).

Kodak actually never went 'out of business'. They just changed how they do it.
But taking the point you were conveying, think about what would need to change in technology to put Canon out of business.

Maybe cell phone cameras become better than current SLR models? Perhaps mirror-less brings a whole new ball player into the market.

As I'm sure has already been rehashed many times on this issue, there is little reason to replace the EF mount interface. EF was introduced when Canon began producing auto focus cameras and lenses, and they went with a new design over an FD extension because it was easier and more reliable to simply use a whole new mount design.

So, the question is, what new feature would be added to lenses that could not be covered in an EF extension? They're not going to change it just to force people to buy new lenses, because then that creates a complete toss up on their customer base. If I have to buy all new lenses if I buy this new camera, well then I no longer have any reason to stick with Canon, and that shiny new Nikon, Sony, or New Techno-upstart company's offering looks damned tempting...


The obvious answer as to "What new feature" is fairly simple: Medium format. As prices fall on full frame cameras and the general cost of production for a given sensor size is reduced, then chances are good that Canon will look to bring a new line of larger than full frame sensors to market, which would mean a whole new mounting design. (In which case hopefully we can see a full frame 'flex' body, which is easily configured to accept either EF or 'MEF' lenses.)

Edit: To make it clear, I see it as exceptionally unlikely for EF to actually disappear any time in the next several decades. About the only way that EF dies is if the market pushes the low end consumer to small sensor mirrorless systems, and the pro-sumer/professional to medium format. This would mean no new EF full frame bodies produces, and no more need for new EF lenses.

HA! OP = StayLucky...last poster = Luckless

But yeah, Luckless is completely right (I was going to say this too, but it's been said so many times), they switched from FD to EF because there was a hugely compelling reason: namely AF and aperture control from the body. They'll need another massive change (of which there is no sign) to change mounts.

And he's completely right...if Canon came out with a new mount that made the current stuff outdated, I'd likely switch to Nikon...

After reading the responses here as well as the other thread linked in the first reply, I think that IF this were to ever happen, Canon would offer both systems simultaneously, giving users the option to slowly migrate. I sincerely doubt it would happen over night now. With all the rumor sites and forums, word spreads instantly today.

The only thing that worries me is the mirorless full frame cameras....like NEX and rx100 etc. These can force Canon to abandon their lower end DSLRs - i.e. all the way up to 7D,6D or even 5DMk iii.

Alternatively, Canon may find that these new cameras satisfy most of the consumers needs.

Either way, Canon would not be able to hang on to these customers and as a result our investments would seriously depreciate.

I really prefer non-LCD viewfinders. Something about viewing your lens's capture on a computer monitor doesn't feel right. Love the good old light going from the front of the lens to your eye. I will never move to those little trendy NEX's.

Yeah to the introduction back then of eye controlled focus! Bring it back!!!!!!!!!