Future end of mirrorless compatibility with EF lenses?

[dpsaiz]

At what point do you believe mirrorless cameras will no longer be compatible with EF lenses? 

Or do you believe that all future canon mirrorless cameras will continue to be compatible with EF lenses?

I believe that at some point Canon will decide that beginning with a given model of mirrorless camera they will decide it will no longer be compatible with EF lenses.

I further believe that some mirrorless cameras will no longer recognize an EF lens by way of a firmware update.

I am wondering out loud.

What do you guys think? What are your thoughts?

[Tronhard]

I think that is hard to say right now, simply because we don't know what limitations, if any have been imposed on the RF interface and firmware - although, I guess one could argue there is one already: that is that while RF native will work with those R-series cameras with IBIS, EF lenses not so much.  What I will say is that EF and EF-S lenses' days of manufacture are numbered and while there will be a market for both the bodies and lenses amongst those who prefer that platform, the R platform is expanding and the RF lens roadmap is also doing the same to make RF native lenses more compelling and applicable.
I would not buy another EF or EF-S lens at this point unless there was a very compelling reason for doing so, even though I still retain several DSLR bodies.  All and any future lenses will be RF units.

[dpsaiz]

My guess is when the R1 is introduced it may not, by design recognize EF lenses. 

As more and more RF lenses are introduced and more EF lenses are discontinued I can see the push for less compatibility with R cameras.

[Tronhard]

I am not prepared to speculate specifics, but we shall see...

[Peter]

"Or do you believe that all future canon mirrorless cameras will continue to be compatible with EF lenses?"

I would just go Sony with EF adapter instead. Because of that alternative I don't think Canon will drop EF.

[dpsaiz]

If that were to occur what would be the incentive to buy RF lenses? At some point Canon would want to to buy RF lenses exclusively for their R cameras. 

Additionally there may be more functionality added to RF lenses that would make continued use EF lenses a bad move. 

My guess would be when the last DSLR is discontinued then the remaining EF lenses would likely discontinued about the same time.

[Peter]

"At some point Canon would want you to buy RF lenses exclusively for their R cameras."

Canon already has good RF lenses (compare EF800/5.6 vs RF800/5.6) and as you can see in this forum people recommend new Canon owners to go full RF because that is the future. No need for Canon to stop EF compatibility.

But I went this year FD instead of RF ^^

[dpsaiz]

We have quite a few EF L lenses and we don't have the resources to buy all RF. Our cameras are Canon refurbished which saved us a few dollars all of our EF lenses and our four RF lenses are refurbished. 2x RF 35mm f/1.8 IS STM and 2x RF 50mm f/1.8 STM.

If we had the cash we would have bought all RF for the R cameras. Time to play the Lotto. 

[John_SD]

"I believe that at some point Canon will decide that beginning with a given model of mirrorless camera they will decide it will no longer be compatible with EF lenses.

"I further believe that some mirrorless cameras will no longer recognize an EF lens by way of a firmware update."

A lot of people believe a lot of things. As far as a I know, no one on the site is a seer. You will need to visit DPReview for those kinds of  "guarantees." You seem very concerned about the future of EF glass and want answers. Just buy yourself an EF to RF adapter and you've got yourself covered as much as possible. By all accounts, they perform wonderfully. But don't buy into anymore old glass. Mirrorless is not only the future, but is increasingly the present. Look, even the horse and buggy faded into history. Eventually, DSLRs and old glass will mostly be found in the museum. Time marches on. 

[deebatman316]

Apparently RF Mount communication is based on older EF Mount communication with extra communication lines added. So I don't see Canon completely cutting off future EF Mount support via an adapter with RF Mount cameras. I'm not sure about the now discontinued EF-M Mount. It may just be EF Mount communication with a different mount without added features of the RF Mount. What people have to remember is that EF Mount communication was based on technology from 1987. Camera hardware wasn't as powerful then compared to the new RF Mount of 2018. Even to a lesser degree the EF-M Mount of 2012.