After Canon switched to a silver coated rangefinder and stainless steel shutter curtain in the VT Deluxe, two lever advance cameras continuing the L-1 genre were produced on the VT Deluxe theme. These L-1 look-alikes are the VL with a top speed of 1/1000th and the VL-1 with a top speed of 1/500th. Nikon's Secret Prototype Canon Lens Cleaner; Leica Rangefinder M and Screw Mount Serial Numbers LEICA SERIAL NUMBERS: Leica Serial Number data is courtesy of Leica. I've organized it in several ways, editing and color coding the tables to enhance clarity.
How old is your Canon lens? With either the lens' serial number or date code, that question can be answered.
The camera featured a three-mode optical viewfinder. The viewfinder magnification could be changed depending upon the lens in use. This three-mode optical viewfinder was an original Canon design matched to the interchangeable lenses, and this specification was passed on to the future Canon 35mm rangefinder cameras. Canon (and its predecessor Seiki Kōgaku) made various 39mm screw lenses under the Serenar and later the Canon brand name. These were primarily marketed for the company's own rangefinder cameras, but most fit any camera — Leica, Bessa, etc. — that has either such a lens mount or an adapter that provides it. Canon made other lenses for its rangefinder cameras that are not dealt with here. The Canon rangefinders of the late 1940s and early 1950s are Leica-compatible screw-mount cameras. Many were brought to the U.S. By servicemen who bought them while visiting Japan during the Korean war. Typically they were mounted with a 50mm Serenar (later, Canon) lens. Many of them are still in use, and are similar in function to the Leica III. The top speed is 1/500 for the II and 1/1000.
Canon has been transitioning to a 10-digit lens serial number (starting in 2008 with the Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens) and ending the inclusion of a separate manufacturing date code. While date codes and the shorter serial number are still found on some lenses, this inclusion will likely end completely. We loved the date code because it made aging a lens easy. However, now we can age a lens based on the serial number alone.
For information on determining the age of a pre-10-digit serial number lens, see the section on interpreting the old date code below.
Determine the age of a Canon lens based on the 10-digit serial number
To age a Canon lens using the 10-digital serial number, we dissect the serial number as follows:
DD C SSSSSSS
The DD is the key to the date the lens was manufactured - the production date code. The Canon lens date code chart is shown below.
2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
January | 38 | 50 | 62 | 74 | 86 | 01 | 13 | 25 | 37 | 49 | 61 | 73 | 85 |
February | 39 | 51 | 63 | 75 | 87 | 02 | 14 | 26 | 38 | 50 | 62 | 74 | 86 |
March | 40 | 52 | 64 | 76 | 88 | 03 | 15 | 27 | 39 | 51 | 63 | 75 | 87 |
April | 41 | 53 | 65 | 77 | 89 | 04 | 16 | 28 | 40 | 52 | 64 | 76 | 88 |
May | 42 | 54 | 66 | 78 | 90 | 05 | 17 | 29 | 41 | 53 | 65 | 77 | 89 |
June | 43 | 55 | 67 | 79 | 91 | 06 | 18 | 30 | 42 | 54 | 66 | 78 | 90 |
July | 44 | 56 | 68 | 80 | 92 | 07 | 19 | 31 | 43 | 55 | 67 | 79 | 91 |
August | 45 | 57 | 69 | 81 | 93 | 08 | 20 | 32 | 44 | 56 | 68 | 80 | 92 |
September | 46 | 58 | 70 | 82 | 94 | 09 | 21 | 33 | 45 | 57 | 69 | 81 | 93 |
October | 47 | 59 | 71 | 83 | 95 | 10 | 22 | 34 | 46 | 58 | 70 | 82 | 94 |
November | 48 | 60 | 72 | 84 | 96 | 11 | 23 | 35 | 47 | 59 | 71 | 83 | 95 |
December | 49 | 61 | 73 | 85 | 97 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 48 | 60 | 72 | 84 | 96 |
These dates should be viewed as approximations and should be used for your amusement as the estimates are not guaranteed correct. Please send any discrepancies you find. Note that Canon EOS DSLR camera body serial numbers, at least for 2013, do not follow this chart. Also please note that future dates shown in the table are predictions/expectations.
![Canon rangefinder camera serial numbers for free Canon rangefinder camera serial numbers for free](https://www.canonrangefinder.org/images/Nicca_Type_4_top.jpg)
The third digit in the serial number, C, may be a charge/batch type of number. Canon has been using this number to indicate lenses needing specific service-related updates such as firmware.
The remaining digits in the serial number, SSSSSSS, are a uniquely-identifying number of the lens – likely within the production month.
Please note that, while the overall chart is holding out nicely with the lenses we've checked (including several late-2014 models), it is a work-in-process. In part, the numbers might be shifted by a month or so. Again, please send us any discrepancies you find.
Special thanks go out to friend-of-the-site Norbert for his role in the development of this chart.
To determine the age of a pre-10-digit serial number Canon lens bearing a date code
Until phasing out the practice starting in 2008, Canon included a date code beside the rear lens element of many (but not all) lenses (note that some 2012-manufactured lenses retain the date code). The date code (as seen below) is in the form of 'UR0902'. This code is also present on some other Canon products including camera bodies.
The first letter, 'U', indicates that the lens was made in Canon's Utsunomiya, Japan factory. Prior to 1986, this letter is moved to the last position of the date code.
U = Utsunomiya, Japan
F = Fukushima, Japan
O = Oita, Japan
F = Fukushima, Japan
O = Oita, Japan
The second letter, 'R', is a year code that indicates the year of manufacture. Canon increments this letter each year starting with A in 1986 and prior to that, A in 1960 without the leading factory code. Here is a table to make things simple:
A = 2012, 1986, 1960
B = 2013, 1987, 1961
C = 2014, 1988, 1962
D = 2015, 1989, 1963
E = 2016, 1990, 1964
F = 2017, 1991, 1965
G = 2018, 1992, 1966
H = 2019, 1993, 1967
I = 1994, 1968
J = 1995, 1969
K = 1996, 1970
L = 1997, 1971
M = 1998, 1972
N = 1999, 1973
O = 2000, 1974
P = 2001, 1975
Q = 2002, 1976
R = 2003, 1977
S = 2004, 1978
T = 2005, 1979
U = 2006, 1980
V = 2007, 1981
W = 2008, 1982
X = 2009, 1983
Y = 2010, 1984
Z = 2011, 1985
B = 2013, 1987, 1961
C = 2014, 1988, 1962
D = 2015, 1989, 1963
E = 2016, 1990, 1964
F = 2017, 1991, 1965
G = 2018, 1992, 1966
H = 2019, 1993, 1967
I = 1994, 1968
J = 1995, 1969
K = 1996, 1970
L = 1997, 1971
M = 1998, 1972
N = 1999, 1973
O = 2000, 1974
P = 2001, 1975
Q = 2002, 1976
R = 2003, 1977
S = 2004, 1978
T = 2005, 1979
U = 2006, 1980
V = 2007, 1981
W = 2008, 1982
X = 2009, 1983
Y = 2010, 1984
Z = 2011, 1985
The first two numbers, '09', is the month number the lens was manufactured in. Month 02 is February, month 11 = November. The leading zero of the month code is sometimes omitted.
The next two numbers, '02', are meaningless in determining how old a Canon lens is. This is a Canon internal code (that is occasionally omitted).
You now know the manufacture date for your lens - But - You cannot know how long the lens was in inventory, in shipping transit and on a shelf until it was originally purchased (without having the original receipt or a reputable person accurately informing you).
The Canon lens date code in the sample picture indicates that this Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L Lens (I know the lens model because I took the picture - not from the date code) was made in Utsunomiya, Japan in September 2003.
Navigation Menu:
- Canon Rangefinder Cameras - 1▼
- Hansa Canon 1936▶
- Canon S▶
- Canon J▶
- Canon NS▶
- Canon JS▶
- Canon J-II▶
- Canon S-II▶
- Canon IIB▶
- Canon III, IIC, IV▶
- Canon IIIA, IVF, IVS▶
- Canon IIA, IID, IID1▶
- Canon IVSB▶
- Canon IIF, IIS▶
- Canon Rangefinder Cameras - 2▼
- Canon IIAF, IIAX▶
- Canon IVSB2▶
- Canon IIS2, IID2, IIF2▶
- Canon VT, Canon L2▶
- Canon L1, L3▶
- Canon VT Deluxe▶
- Canon VL, VL2▶
- Canon VI-L, VI-T▶
- Canon P▶
- Canon 7▶
- Canon 7s▶
- Canon Finders▶
- Canon Accesories▶
- Canon Rangefinder Lenses▼
- Canon 19mm▶
- Canon 25mm▶
- Canon 28mm▶
- Canon 35mm▶
- Nikkor 50mm▶
- Canon 50mm▶
- Canon 85mm▶
- Canon 100mm▶
- Canon 135mm▶
- Canon 200mm-1000mm▶
- Other M39 Rangefinder Cameras▼
- Minolta-35 Cameras▶
- Minolta-35 Lenses▶
- Leotax Cameras▶
- Nicca Cameras▶
- Reid Cameras▶
- Other M39 Cameras▶
- Other M39 Lenses▶
- Comparison Canon-Nikon▶
Canon Rangefinder Cameras
An Overview of All Canon Rangefinder Cameras 1935-1968
Hansa Canon of 1937 and Canon 7s of 1967
Organization of this canonrangefinder.org Site
This site is devoted primarily to the history and technology of the range of 35mm rangefinder cameras produced by what became the Canon Camera Company. It covers the beginning from its development of the 'Hansa Canon' (or 'Canon Hansa') in 1935 until the end of production of the Canon 7s rangefinder in 1968. These 35mm film cameras featured lenses mounted in a Leica thread mount design, called the M39 (or in near equivalents in the first years of Canon production). Described here also is the wide range of interchangeable lenses and accessories Canon later developed for their cameras.
Other Rangefinder Cameras Covered by thie Site
In addition to the distinguished series of Canon Rangefinder Cameras, this site also has pages describing the Minolta Rangefinder Cameras which featured M39 interchangeable lenses. And a third section is devoted to certain other M39 interchangeable rangefinder cameras of interest to the author.
Origin of the Canon Rangefinder Camera
The company which is now recognized world-wide as Canon began its life as Seiki-Kōgaku Kenkyusho - Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory - or 精機光学研究所. According to the Canon Camera Museum history, the first laboratory of the company '..was founded in 1933 in a third-floor apartment of the Takekawaya Building in Roppongi, Azabu Ward, Tokyo.' 4
The location of the initial Seiki Kōgaku laboratory in the Roppongi district of Tokyo
Goro Yoshida and Early Canon Camera Development
The Canon website history 4 states that Goro Yoshida, an engineer who had worked with motion picture projectors and equipment disassembled and studied a Leica model II in 1932-1933. He found that the camera, which sold for more than six months of salary of a well-paid office worker, was uncomplicated in construction. Yoshida is quoted by Canon:
'I just disassembled the camera without any specific plan, but simply to take a look at each part. I found there were no special items like diamonds inside the camera. The parts were made from brass, aluminum, iron and rubber. I was surprised that when these inexpensive materials were put together into a camera, it demanded an exorbitant price. This made me angry.'
Goro Yoshida in later years
In November 1933, with his brother-in-law Saburo Uchida (1899-1982) and with Takeo Maeda (1909-1977), Yoshida established Seiki-Kōgaku Kenkyusho (Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory) to develop a 35mm rangefinder camera.
They produced a prototype 35mm camera, which they called the 'Kwanon', but which was not commercialized.
a replica of what the Kwanon is thought to have looked like
However Yoshida left the laboratory in late l934 because the approach taken by the laboratory in producing cameras was 'no longer consistent with what he wanted to do'. 4 From the 'Kwanon' initial designs, Saburo Uchida with Takeo Maeda in 1934 and 1935 20 developed the camera which, with the suggestion of outside investors, became known as 'Canon'. After being equipped with a lens and lens mount described below, this first Canon camera was introduced to the Japanese market in February 1936. 1
Nippon Kōgaku and the development of the First Canon Cameras
From its earlies days, Seiki-Kōgaku Kenkyusho which was to become Canon Camera Company had a close relationship with Nippon Kōgaku. Nippon Kōgaku was then the (only) manufacturer of camera glass and later of its 'Nikkor' lenses. The optical company Nippon Kōgaku Kogyo - 日本光学工業株式会社 or 'Japan Optical Industries Co., Ltd.' had been created in 1917 23 during World War I, aided by the Imperial Japanese Navy and the Mitsubishi group. 20 In 1935, Nippon Kōgaku were making lenses for larger format cameras, for telescopes and for military distance range-finders, but were not yet making cameras themselves. The later famous series of 'Nikon' cameras was launched in 1948.
The newly developed Seiki-Kōgaku rangefinder camera needed lenses for its 35mm format. They approached Nippon Kōgaku who had developed a lens appropriate for the 35mm negative size in 1934 and 1935. 20
the 'Nikkor' trademark established in 1932
Development of Nikkor Lenses
John Baird in his most interesting book The Japanese Camera20 wrote of the early development of Japanese lens development. Zeiss of Germany had private know-how and also patents, including patents in Japan on the production of optical glass and of lenses - particularly the Tessar design lens. He writes:
'..the Japanese Imperial Navy and Mitsubishi paid for these [licenses to German patents] as part of their support of Nippon Kogaku [in the early 1930s].. Nippon Kogaku had direct access to Zeiss' designs, producing Tessar-type lenses such as the 5cm 1:3.5 Nikkor for the Hansa Canon in 1934.' 20
The new Oi Plant glass factory was completed in 1933, and a further glass factory expansion by Nippon Kogaku was completed in 1936. 28
Beyond the design and grinding/polishing of lens elements, a major difficulty for Japanese lens manufacture was the lack of domestically produced glass appropriate for camera lenses. Baird further writes:
'..Nippon Kogaku, with the help of the Japanese Navy was able to purchase overseas the basic materials and equipment required to produce new glass in Japan. Even so, the methods involved in the production of high grade optical glass in order to insure a homogenous and bubble-free mixture are very complex.'
a 1935 Nikkor 5cm f3.5 lens for the Hansa Canon
Continuing his history, John Baird wrote:
'..Mr. Ryozo Furukawa worked.. during the period of time when the 5cm 1:3.5 Nikkor was originally designed..He indicated that the first 5cm 1:3.5 Nikkor was completed in December 1934. Made entirely from glass melted at Nippon Kogaku, it was patterned after the Zeiss Tessar.' 20
The another page of the canonrangefinder.org site describes in more detail development of the Nikkor 5cm f3.5 lens.
Nippon Kōgaku provided not only the lens, but also a lens focusing mount as well as the design of the camera's rangefinder. So the Hansa Canon featured Nippon Kōgaku's new Nikkor 5cm f3.5 lens, bayonet-mounted into a Nikkor focusing mount.
1936 Hansa Canon with 50mm f3.5 Nikkor lens removed from the Nikkor bayonet focusing mounting
Introduction of the first Canon camera: the Hansa Canon
This first camera with the name 'Canon', introduced in Japan in early 1936 with the name 'Hansa' on its top plate, and is referred to today as the 'Hansa Canon' or sometimes the 'Canon Hansa'. I prefer the name 'Hansa Canon' as more descriptive. The history of the development and introduction of the Hansa Canon is a fascinating story, and can be read by clicking on the link to the Hansa Canon page of this canonrangefinder.org site
the classic Hansa Canon
Growth of Seiki-Kōgaku
After the successful launch of the Hansa Canon camera in 1936, on 10 August l937, the company was reorganized as a public stock company with the name 'Precision Optical Industry Co., Ltd.' - 精機光学研究所 - which Canon considers as its official founding. 4
Then, following the Hansa Canon launch, Canon sought to expand. In late 1938, the company introduced the Canon S, or 'Standard' model. 1 This new camera included slow shutter speeds and a number of other changes and improvements, described in the page on the Canon S camera
1939 Canon S
Canon S and Later Development of Canon Rangefinder Cameras
Other pages of this canonrangefinder.org website give descriptions of all the later Canon rangefinder cameras, including the Canon S of late 1938. The canonrangefinder.org site then describes all models of Canon rangefinder cameras commercialized until the end of 1968. The distinguished Canon lens line 1946-1975 is also described in separate pages (links are shown below).
Finally in this site, there are pages describing the range of Minolta M39 mount rangefinder cameras 1947 to 1959. These were produced by Chiyoda Kōgaku Seiko K.K. (千代田光学精工㈱) of Osaka, Japan. It produced a series of 8 models of interchangeable lens rangefinder cameras.
Also, over time, pages on other M39 mount interchangeable lens rangefinder cameras of interest to the author will be added.
You can click on the links in the table below to consult these pages of the canonrangfinder.org site.
Hansa Canon of 1937 and Canon VT of 1957
Navigation: Click Below to Jump to Desired Subject Page | ||
---|---|---|
Canon Rangefinder Cameras - 1 | Canon Rangefinder Cameras - 2 | Canon Rangefinder Lenses |
Canon Hansa | Canon IIAF, IIAX | Development Nikkor 50mm |
Canon S | Canon IVSB2 | Canon 19mm |
Canon J | Canon IIS2, IID2, IIF2 | Canon 25mm |
Canon NS | Canon VT, Canon L2 | Canon 28mm |
Canon JS | Canon L1, L3 | Canon 35mm |
Canon S-I | Canon VT Deluxe | Canon 50mm |
Canon J-II | Canon VL, VL2 | Canon 85mm |
Canon S-II | Canon VI-L, VI-T | Canon 100mm |
Canon IIB | Canon P | Canon 135mm |
Canon III, IIC, IV | Canon 7 | Canon 200mm-1000mm |
Canon IIIA, IVF, IVS | Canon 7s | Canon Accessories |
Canon IIA, IID, IID1 | Nicca Rangefinders | Canon Finders |
Canon IVSB | Leotax Rangefinders | Minolta Rangefinders |
Canon IIF, IIS | Other Rangefinders | Minolta Lenses |
Comparison Canon - Nikon Rangefinders | other M39 lenses | |
Go to canonrangefinder.com home page |
Hansa Canon of 1936
Any additions or corrections to these pages would be welcome simply by contacting this site as shown at the foot of this page.
Footnotes: 1 Dechert, Peter. Canon Rangefinder Cameras 1933-1968. Hove Collectors Books. West Sussex, United Kingdom. 1985. ISBN 0-906447-30-5.
Peter Dechert's book is the most important expert source of information regarding Canon Rangefinder Cameras.
2 Kitchingman, Peter. Canon M39 Rangefinder Lenses 1939-1971. A Collector's Guide. Published by Peter Kitchingman. Perth, Australia. 2008. ISBN 978-0-646-48144-9.
Peter Kitchingman's book is the definitive study of the more than three decades of M39 format camera lenses developed for Canon Rangefinder Cameras.
3Nostalgic Canon Camera Book. 懐かしいキヤノン EI Publishing Co. Ltd. Tokyo, Japan. June 2003.
Peter Kitchingman's book is the definitive study of the more than three decades of M39 format camera lenses developed for Canon Rangefinder Cameras.
4 'Canon Camera Museum' history website. https://global.canon/en/c-museum/history/ published by Canon, Inc. accessed in 2019.
5 Rajner, Hans P. (author), John Wade (editor). Leica Copies. Classic Collections Publications. London, UK. ISBN 13: 9781874485056
Hans P. Rajner's book is an excellently detailed and carefully researched study of camera from around the world which used the Leica M39 lens mount and the same lens to film plane distance.
7 Dechert, Peter. Canon Single Lens Reflex Cameras 1959-1991. Historical Camera Publications. Yakima, Washington. 1992. ISBN 1-879561-04-2.
8 Tomlinson, Shawn M. The Film Photography Book. Lulu Pulbications. 2016. ISBN: 9781365263972
9 Sartorius., Ghester. Identifying Leica Lenses. Classic Camera 19. Tokyo, Japan. 2001. ISBN 4-257-12029-0
10 website http://www.nicovandijk.net/rflensmatrix.htm consulted 2019.
11 O'Reagan, Douglas M. Allied Exploitation of German Science after World War II. Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, Maryland. 2019. ISBN 9781421428888
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