Lens serial numbers in Exif

[Peter]

Early EF lenses have no lens serial number tag in Exif (300/2.8L IS). Around 2004-2005, two years before AFMA, Canon added a lens serial number that is partially written in hexadecimal (50/1.2L). The way to decode this is not public, but Canon has used serial number to hexadecimal and then the four last letters back to decimal before. This should be something similar.

Recent lenses (16-35/4L IS and 85/1.4L IS) have the right lens serial number written in Exif.

1. With which lens did Canon start using partially hexadecimal lens serial number in Exif?

2. With which lens did Canon start using lens serial number in plain form in Exif?

https://global.canon/en/c-museum/series_search.html?t=lens&s=ef

3. This one is the hard one. How to decode the partially hexadecimal lens serial number? As an CPS member I have all my lenses' serial numbers written down, but not everyone has done that. If a lens from 2005 gets stolen the and the serial number of the lens is unknown, the only thing left is the partially hexadecimal serial number in Exif.

[Tronhard]

Intesting post.   I am not too worried about the serial numbers appearing in my EXIF data, but I DO have every serial number of every body and lens that I own recorded in a database that I keep for security and insurance purposes - one is lodged with my insurer as well.  

The database records item, make, model, serial #, date of purchase, receipt and purchase price.

[ebiggs1]

" I keep for security and insurance purposes"

I wonder how much a 16 year old lens is worth from insurance payoff. Could be better off buying a new lens. There is likely to be new versions anyway.  All my gear is registered with CPS but that's it, only because they ask for it.

[wq9nsc]

I keep new 1 series camera bodies and more expensive glass (the great white primes) on a special articles policy for a few years and then drop them afterward.  To me, the insurance for nearly new gear is worth the very slight cost as an addition to my existing special articles policy for the expensive telephoto primes and less than 4 year old 1 series bodies but I drop the coverage beyond that time frame. 

As Ernie notes, once most lenses are a decade old then it is usually time for an upgrade if something happens to them.  I will probably make an exception to that for the EF 200, 300, 400, and 800 primes unless Canon or a competitor makes a big leap forward into a mirrorless body without the current shortcomings for sports.

Rodger

[ebiggs1]

"I will probably make an exception to that for the EF 200, 300, 400, and 800 primes ..."

There is always exceptions.  These lenses don't change or update as quickly as do, let's say, more normal lenses. Keeping any sort of track on an ef 50mm f1.8 is fool's play, IMHO. On the other hand, I got my first 28-70mm f2.8L (the first version was a 28mm not 24mm) in about 2003 or 2004 and have updated it three times for instance. So, I don't know how much tracking of serial numbers makes much sense. Of course folks is folks so if it does your thing more power to ya. No harm, no foul.

[Tronhard]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

" I keep for security and insurance purposes"

I wonder how much a 16 year old lens is worth from insurance payoff. Could be better off buying a new lens. There is likely to be new versions anyway.  All my gear is registered with CPS but that's it, only because they ask for it.

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My insurance policy is a good one - it replaces like with like.  So if I lose a Canon EOS 60D they replace it with the equivalent model, in this case the EOS 90D.   The difference in cost for the policy is actually minimal - NZ has relatively low insurance rates for contents particularly - different countries, different situations.

[Peter]

EF 28-300 f/3.5-5.6L IS USM seems to be the first lens with a lens serial number tag in Exif (partially hexadecimal). Released 2004.

EF 16-35 f/4L IS USM seems to be the first one with the same lens serial number in Exif as the one on the lens.

[ebiggs1]

"My insurance policy is a good one - it replaces like with like."

Good luck getting an American insurance company to replace a 60D with a 90D.  The first hurdle you will face is the agent telling you all the reasons why you are not covered.

[Tronhard]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"My insurance policy is a good one - it replaces like with like."

Good luck getting an American insurance company to replace a 60D with a 90D.  The first hurdle you will face is the agent telling you all the reasons why you are not covered.

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One of the MANY, MANY reasons I love living in NZ!

[ebiggs1]