How can I tell how old my camera is?

So I have some used bodies, and want to know how old they are. Is there a way to tell??

Cut them in half & count the rings

I should imagine the serial numbers will hold the age, ask Canon?

A lot of the camera bodies have a date code (just like the lenses have) stamped somewhere - try looking inside the battery compartment for starters.

Wow that was going to me sarcastic comment.

Are the serial numbers coded some how?

mikegrasso wrote in post #4234278
Are the serial numbers coded some how?

It is written on the plate that’s attached to the bottom of the camera.
Just turn it upside down and you’ll see it.

b1gdaddy wrote in post #4234211
Cut them in half & count the rings

That only works with round things, like lenses. "L" lenses have very pronounced rings.

Bodies, being built like a rock, require carbon dating.

I know that inside the battery compartment of the MkIII there is a date code.

I looked and ther is no date stamp, I guess I just have to call Canon.

20droger wrote in post #4239295
That only works with round things, like lenses. "L" lenses have very pronounced rings.

Bodies, being built like a rock, require carbon dating.

Sorry you can't carbon date the rock used to make Canon DSLR camera bodies, you have to use potassium/argon dating for igneous rock - are not Canon DSLRs (1 series anyway) forged in the fires at the centre of the Earth!. Carbon dating can be used however on 'young' (50,000 years or less) sedimentary rock but this is only likely to be found in non-digital SLRs and P&S cameras - it's a cost thing I suppose.

As for dating the rings in L lenses, a less destructive way would be to drill a core out from one side to the centre - this leaves the lens in one piece and only affects half the image.

PaulB wrote in post #4240341
Sorry you can't carbon date the rock used to make Canon DSLR camera bodies, you have to use potassium/argon dating for igneous rock - are not Canon DSLRs (1 series anyway) forged in the fires at the centre of the Earth!. Carbon dating can be used however on 'young' (50,000 years or less) sedimentary rock but this is only likely to be found in non-digital SLRs and P&S cameras - it's a cost thing I suppose.

As for dating the rings in L lenses, a less destructive way would be to drill a core out from one side to the centre - this leaves the lens in one piece and only affects half the image.

No. They're forged in the fires of Mount Doom, which in Japan is called Fujiyama.

Fujiyama = Fujisan?

20droger wrote in post #4241048
No. They're forged in the fires of Mount Doom,

If they're forged shouldn't someone report it?:p

mikegrasso wrote in post #4234164
So I have some used bodies, and want to know how old they are. Is there a way to tell??

look on your receipts

mikegrasso wrote in post #4234164
So I have some used bodies, and want to know how old they are. Is there a way to tell??

There are sites that can give you the dates the bodies were made betwen aka say 1990 to 1993.
additionally some model bodies may be marketed to different countries using differing model numbers. one such site with more canon info:
http://www.eosdoc.com/​manuals/?q=Bodies

there are other sites too.
I just showed one example not the best not the worst.