EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM compatibility with EOS 500N

[Joely-Bird]

Hi all.  I recently found my first canon, an EOS film camera an EOS 500 N, similar to the modern rebel digital series. 

I want to know if I can use a 24-70 USM II for my 5D with the old EOS film camera. 

I've seen this question asked the other way around, so I assume that it's possible, but don't want to risk damaging the mirror or lens back.

[ebiggs1]

It works both ways. Any EOS camera can use either of or both EF and EF-S lenses. Rebels can use both.

[deebatman316 · Accepted solution]

The EOS 500N is an EOS film body so it can ONLY use EF NOT EF-S lenses. The EF 24-70mm lens would be a great combo for that and the 5D series (not sure which 5D series camera the OP has). But regardless of which 5D camera they own the lens will function and work correctly on ALL EOS SLR and DSLR camera bodies. They can even be adapted to EOS R Series MILC (Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Cameras).

• EOS: Electro Optical System (What EOS stands for)
• EF: Electronic Focus: lens mount ALL EOS DSLRs & Film SLRs use (original EOS Mount) (Red Circle Mounting Index, 12 o’clock position)
• EF-S: A separate lens Mount designed for APS-C DSLRs NOT compatible and won’t mount to any Full Frame Digital, 35mm Film SLRs or APS-H DSLRs. Note this is a DSLR Crop Sensor ONLY Mount. (White Square Mounting Index, 1 o’clock position)
• EF-M: Lens Mount for EOS-M series Mirrorless cameras. Incompatible with DSLRs or EOS Film SLRs & EOS R Series. (White Circle Mounting Index, 11 o’clock position) (2012-2023, discontinued). 
• RF: Lens Mount for EOS R series Mirrorless cameras. Incompatible with EOS DSLRs or EOS Film SLRs. (Red Oval Mounting Index, 12 o’clock position)
• RF-S: Lens is optimized for EOS R series APS-C cameras. Can be used on EOS R series Full Frame cameras but the image is cropped to the APS-C image circle. Note this is NOT a separate lens mount.
• L: Canon's professional grade lenses only available in Full Frame lenses NO APS-C lenses.
• DO: Diffractive Optics uses Fresnel lenses
• I, II, III, IV, V: Some lenses have multiple revisions such as the EF 28-80 F/3.5-5.6 V USM (ONLY lens to have a Version V)
• Ring Type USM: AF motor type. Provides fast focusing stands for Ultrasonic Motor. Ring Type USM is the original USM AF motor. Shaped like a ring inside the lens. Allows Full Time Manual Focus either Focus by Wire or mechanical.
• Micro Motor USM: Cheaper and slower AF Motor doesn't allow Full Time Manual Focus. Lens uses gears to adjust focus. EXCEPT for the EF 50mm F/1.4 USM lens (refer to Ring Type USM Mechanical Focus override). (1993-2008 retired, replaced by Nano USM)
• Nano USM: Combines STM and USM technology for fast AF. Allows Full Time Manual Focus is Focus by wire. (2016- Present)
• STM: Stepper Motor for quiet AF. Allows Full Time Manual Focus which is Focus by Wire. RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM (First L series lens to use an STM AF Motor) (2012- Present)
• AFD: Arc-Form Drive original EOS AF motor. No longer in use was replaced by Micro Motor in 1993 for new lens designs. No Full Time Manual Focus (Retired 1987-1992)
• Micro Motor: Older least advanced AF motor slower AF used in cheaper lenses. No Full Time Manual Focus. (Retired, 1993-2012) Replaced by STM in 2012.
• IS: Image Stabilization available in the lens.
• IBIS: In Body Image Stabilization available in select EOS R Series cameras.
• Macro: A macro lens with 1:1 magnification
• Compact Macro: Lens is able to focus closer than a normal macro lens.
• MP-E: Manual Focus only electronic aperture control no focus to infinity.
• TS-E: Tilt Shift lens with electronic aperture control no Autofocus. 
• Soft Focus: Lens is designed to provide a creamy bokeh effect.
• PZ: Power Zoom lens. Only 1 lens released with this feature. Only the EF 35-80mm F/4-5.6 PZ lens used this. 
• TTL: Through The Lens Flash metering. Flash system relies on light reflected off the film. NOT compatible with EOS Digital cameras.
• A-TTL: Advanced Through The Lens Flash metering system in EOS film bodies released in 1986. Replaced by E-TTL in 1995. System uses a pre-flash measured by a sensor on the speedlite itself. NOT compatible with EOS Digital cameras. Uses EZ series speedlites
• E-TTL Version 1: Evaluative Through The lens Flash metering system. System uses a pre-flash measured by the camera body to calculate flash exposure. System also relies on AF point selection too. Compatible with EX or EL series speedlites. Replaced by E-TTL II in 2004.
• E-TTL II: Refer to E-TTL Version 1. System was released in 2004 and works similarly to the original E-TTL. But uses focus distance information from the lens. Via a distance encoder in the lens. E-TTL II doesn't rely on AF point selection. Note E-TTL II is IMPLEMENTED in the camera body NOT the speedlite.
• EOS M Series: A discontinued APS-C mirrorless lineup of cameras (2012-2023). Replaced by EOS R Series APS-C cameras in 2023. EF-M lenses CAN NOT BE ADAPTED to EOS DSLRs or EOS R cameras.
• EOS R Series: Originally released in 2018 with Full Frame cameras only. Later in 2023 with APS-C cameras. New APS-C lenses were released. 
• Z: Lens has an optional attachment to allow power zoom. Only the RF 24-105mm F/2.8L IS USM Z lens has this feature.
• Automatic Brightness Adjustment of LED AF Assist Beam: Feature IS NOT SUPPORTED on the R3, R7 & R10 camera bodies.

• AF Assist Beam: An AF Assist Lamp to aid the camera’s AF system in low light or low contrast situations.

• IR AF Assist Beam: A red grid pattern projected by the speedlite to aid an SLR/ DSLR camera’s AF system. Note this red grid pattern IS NOT Infrared. This AF Assist Beam type IS INCOMPATIBLE with mirrorless cameras.

• Intermittent Flash Firing AF Assist Beam: Camera rapidly pulses the speedlite for AF Assist. This AF Assist Beam type IS SUPPORTED ON ALL EX & EL speedlites when used on the EOS R Series. Note speedlites that have a PERSONAL FUNCTION for IR & Intermittent Flash Firing. Always use Intermittent Flash Firing on the EOS R series regardless of the projection method. When set to Intermittent Flash Firing. If a color filter or flash diffuser is used. The camera body emits an LED AF Assist Beam on the EOS R series. Intermittent Flash Firing is DISABLED when a color filter or flash diffuser is used. Speedlites without a PERSONAL FUNCTION between IR and Intermittent Flash Firing. The speedlite WILL use Intermittent Flash Firing on the EOS R series. Note depending on the ambient lighting an AF Assist Beam may be projected by the camera body instead of the speedlite on the EOS R series. This AF Assist Beam type ONLY works on cameras released from 2007-onward. 
• LED AF Assist Beam: Bright white light (on a speedlite) or orange LED light (on an EOS R series camera body) that aids the camera for AF Assist. This AF Assist Beam type ONLY works on cameras released from 2007-onward. 

[Joely-Bird]

Thank you for this incredibly detailed reply! This is a really helpful table!saving this for future reference!

[Tronhard]

"Any EOS camera can use either of or both EF and EF-S lenses"
That is incorrect. 

The EF-S mount was introduced in 2003 for the EOS 300D, all EOS SLR and DSLR cameras before that, used only the EF mount.  All 35mm film cameras use the EF mount only.

[ebiggs1]

"That is incorrect."

"Any EOS camera can use either of or both EF and EF-S lenses. Rebels can use both."

Little too early for you there Trevor. Read more slowly. Let me simplify it for you "either of" means with EOS you can use one of (key word 'one') and both means some can use both mounts. While I don't recommend the use of EF-S lenses on EOS film cameras, that said they can be used. The protrusion into the camera body is relative to zoom length. So you can get away with certain (longer) focal lengths. Canon EF-S lenses have a plastic part  (easily removed) that physically prevents their mounting on 35mm film camera bodies but all that l know of off brand EF-S lenses do not. Even the breaking of the  mirror is over stated unless you have tested this yourself as I have and can prove differently. A common conversion is the EF-S 10-22mm zoom.

[Tronhard]

Ernie, your phrasing was ambiguous as written, live with it.

[Stephen]

be nice, boys!