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Canon L lens

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Not to be confused with Leica L-Mount.
The 70-200 mm f/2.8L lens

Canon's series of L lenses (Luxury lenses) are a professional line of photography lenses made by Canon. Canon has sold zoom and prime L-series lenses for the discontinued FD lens mount, for the current EF lens mount used on all Canon EOS SLR cameras and for the RF mount used on mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras.

Characteristics

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Canon L series lenses have a distinctive red ring around the lens barrel and the letter "L" after the lens name.[1] Some models of L lenses utilize an infrared reflective heat shield coating.[2] Most L series lenses share a number of common characteristics not found in Canon's line of lower-end lenses: L lenses tend to be more durable, incorporating dust and water-resistant rubber seals on some models, as well as featuring optics of higher quality, with many lenses containing aspherically ground, fluorite or ultra-low dispersion glass elements. Their front elements do not rotate for the proper operation of some filters, such as circular polarizers. L lenses are often "fast", with maximum apertures commonly f/2.8 or f/4, and, with the exception of the RF 100–500 mm f/4.5–7.1L IS USM lens and the RF 1200 mm f/8L IS USM lens, never exceeding f/5.6. Prime L lenses have a much larger maximum aperture, such as Canon's current 50mm and 85mm L lenses with maximum apertures of f/1.2. All current L-series lenses have ultrasonic autofocus motors (USM) with an exception of RF 10–20mm f/4 L IS STM lens, and extra communication pins, except for the specialist tilt-shift lenses which do not provide auto focus.

A gelatin filter holder, on the rear of an EF lens.

Larger sized L-lenses, such as the 70–200 mm, 100–400 mm zooms, and longer focal length primes (300 mm+), usually have an off-white barrel to reduce heat absorption under the sun that may otherwise affect the performance of the lens.[3]

Wide angle L-lenses typically have a gelatin filter holder on the mounting collar of the lens, which allows a gelatin to be installed behind the lens. Some telephoto L-lenses, such as the EF 70-200mm zoom lenses, or the EF 300mm f/4L IS USM do not have rear gelatin filter holders. Super-telephoto lenses such as the EF 500mm f/4L IS USM, or the EF 200mm f/2L IS USM have a rear 52mm drop-in filter holder which can be used to hold gelatin type filters.

According to Canon, its L series lenses:

Incorporating specialized optical materials such as synthetic fluorite, Super UD and UD glass, and large-aperture high-precision aspherical lenses, only lenses that perform to the highest photographic standards are allowed to bear the designation ‘L’.[1]

Lenses

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EF mount zoom lenses

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Name Category Min focal length mm Max focal length mm Max aperture at min focal length f/ Max aperture at max focal length f/ Weight g USM IS Current product
8-15mm f/4L USM fisheye Wide-angle 8 15 4 4 540
11-24mm f/4L USM Wide-angle 11 24 4 4 1180
16-35mm f/2.8L USM Wide-angle 16 35 2.8 2.8 600
16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Wide-angle 16 35 2.8 2.8 640
16-35mm f/2.8L III USM Wide-angle 16 35 2.8 2.8 790
16-35mm f/4L IS USM Wide-angle 16 35 4 4 615
17-35mm f/2.8L USM Wide-angle 17 35 2.8 2.8 545
17-40mm f/4.0L USM Wide-angle 17 40 4 4 500
20-35mm f/2.8L Wide-angle 20 35 2.8 2.8 570
24-70mm f/2.8L USM Standard 24 70 2.8 2.8 950
24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Standard 24 70 2.8 2.8 805
24-70mm f/4L IS USM Standard 24 70 4 4 600
24-105mm f/4L IS USM Standard 24 105 4 4 670
24-105mm f/4L IS II USM Standard 24 105 4 4 795
28-70mm f/2.8L USM Standard 28 70 2.8 2.8 880
28-80mm f/2.8-4.0L USM Standard 28 80 2.8 4 945
28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM Telephoto 28 300 3.5 5.6 1670
35-350mm f/3.5-5.6L USM Telephoto 35 350 3.5 5.6 1385
50-200mm f/3.5-4.5L Telephoto 50 200 3.5 4.5 690
70-200mm f/4.0L USM Telephoto 70 200 4 4 705
70-200mm f/4.0L IS USM Telephoto 70 200 4 4 760
70-200mm f/4.0L IS II USM[4] Telephoto 70 200 4 4 780
70-200mm f/2.8L USM Telephoto 70 200 2.8 2.8 1310
70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Telephoto 70 200 2.8 2.8 1470
70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto 70 200 2.8 2.8 1490
70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM[5] Telephoto 70 200 2.8 2.8 1480
70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Telephoto 70 300 4 5.6 1050
80-200mm f/2.8L Telephoto 80 200 2.8 2.8 1330
100-300mm f/5.6L Telephoto 100 300 5.6 5.6 695
100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Telephoto 100 400 4.5 5.6 1590
100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Telephoto 100 400 4.5 5.6 1640
200-400mm f/4L IS USM 1.4x Extender Telephoto 200 400 4 4 3620

EF mount prime lenses

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Name Category Focal length mm Max aperture f/ USM IS Current product
14mm f/2.8L USM Wide-angle 14 2.8
14mm f/2.8L II USM Wide-angle 14 2.8
24mm f/1.4L USM Wide-angle 24 1.4
24mm f/1.4L II USM Wide-angle 24 1.4
35mm f/1.4L USM Wide-angle 35 1.4
35mm f/1.4L II USM Wide-angle 35 1.4
50mm f/1.0L USM Standard 50 1
50mm f/1.2L USM Standard 50 1.2
85mm f/1.2L USM Medium telephoto 85 1.2
85mm f/1.2L II USM Medium telephoto 85 1.2
85mm f/1.4L IS USM Medium telephoto 85 1.4
135mm f/2.0L USM Telephoto 135 2
200mm f/1.8L USM Telephoto 200 1.8
200mm f/2.0L IS USM Telephoto 200 2
200mm f/2.8L USM Telephoto 200 2.8
200mm f/2.8L II USM Telephoto 200 2.8
300mm f/2.8L USM Telephoto 300 2.8
300mm f/2.8L IS USM Telephoto 300 2.8
300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto 300 2.8
300mm f/4.0L USM Telephoto 300 4
300mm f/4.0L IS USM Telephoto 300 4
400mm f/2.8L USM Super-telephoto 400 2.8
400mm f/2.8L II USM Super-telephoto 400 2.8
400mm f/2.8L IS USM Super-telephoto 400 2.8
400mm f/2.8L IS II USM Super-telephoto 400 2.8
400mm f/2.8L IS III USM Super-telephoto 400 2.8
400mm f/5.6L USM Super-telephoto 400 5.6
500mm f/4.5L USM Super-telephoto 500 4.5
500mm f/4.0L IS USM Super-telephoto 500 4
500mm f/4.0L IS II USM Super-telephoto 500 4
600mm f/4.0L USM Super-telephoto 600 4
600mm f/4.0L IS USM Super-telephoto 600 4
600mm f/4.0L IS II USM Super-telephoto 600 4
600mm f/4.0L IS III USM Super-telephoto 600 4
800mm f/5.6L IS USM Super-telephoto 800 5.6
1200mm f/5.6L USM Super-telephoto 1200 5.6
100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Macro 100 2.8
180mm f/3.5L Macro USM Macro 180 3.5
17mm f/4.0L Tilt-Shift Tilt-shift 17 4
24mm f/3.5L Tilt-Shift Tilt-shift 24 3.5
24mm f/3.5L II Tilt-Shift Tilt-shift 24 3.5
50mm f/2.8L MACRO Tilt-Shift Tilt-shift 50 2.8
90mm f/2.8L MACRO Tilt-Shift Tilt-shift 90 2.8
135mm f/4L MACRO Tilt-Shift Tilt-shift 135 4

RF mount zoom lenses

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Name Category Min focal length mm Max focal length mm Max aperture at min focal length f/ Max aperture at max focal length f/ USM IS Current product
10–20mm f/4 L IS STM Wide-angle 10 20 4 4
14–35 mm f/4L IS USM Wide-angle 14 35 4 4
15–35 mm f/2.8L IS USM Wide-angle 15 35 2.8 2.8
24–70 mm f/2.8L IS USM Standard 24 70 2.8 2.8
24–105 mm f/4L IS USM Standard 24 105 4 4
24–105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z Standard 24 105 2.8 2.8
28–70 mm f/2L USM Standard 28 70 2 2
70–200 mm f/2.8L IS USM Telephoto 70 200 2.8 2.8
100-300 mm f/2.8L IS USM Telephoto 100 300 2.8 2.8
100–500 mm f/4.5–7.1L IS USM Telephoto 100 500 4.5 7.1

RF mount prime lenses

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Name Category Focal length mm Max aperture f/ USM IS Current product
5.2 mm f/2.8L Dual Fisheye 3D VR Wide-angle 5.2 2.8
50 mm f/1.2L USM Standard 50 1.2
85 mm f/1.2L USM Medium telephoto 85 1.2
85 mm f/1.2L USM DS Medium telephoto 85 1.2
100 mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Macro 100 2.8
400 mm f/2.8L IS USM Super-telephoto 400 2.8
600 mm f/4L IS USM Super-telephoto 600 4
800 mm f/5.6L IS USM Super-telephoto 800 5.6
1200 mm f/8L IS USM Super-telephoto 1200 8

Fixed zoom lenses

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The Canon PowerShot Pro1 is the first in the Canon PowerShot family of point-and-shoot cameras to have an L-designated zoom lens ranging from 7.2 to 50.8 mm, equal to 28 to 200 mm in 35mm equivalent focal length. Its maximum aperture changes from f/2.4 to f/3.5, with focus driven by an ultrasonic motor.

Canon lens codes

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On the back of Canon lenses is a six-digit code, which indicates where the lens was manufactured and when.

Example of a code "UV1212"

The first letter, 'U', represents the factory that made the lens. Three possible first letters are:

U = Utsunomiya
F = Fukushima
O = Ōita

The second letter, 'V', represents the year of manufacture

A = 1960, 1986, 2012
B = 1961, 1987, 2013
C = 1962, 1988, 2014
D = 1963, 1989, 2015
E = 1964, 1990, 2016
F = 1965, 1991, 2017
G = 1966, 1992, 2018
H = 1967, 1993, 2019
I = 1968, 1994, 2020
J = 1969, 1995
K = 1970, 1996
L = 1971, 1997
M = 1972, 1998
N = 1973, 1999
O = 1974, 2000
P = 1975, 2001
Q = 1976, 2002
R = 1977, 2003
S = 1978, 2004
T = 1979, 2005
U = 1980, 2006
V = 1981, 2007
W = 1982, 2008
X = 1983, 2009
Y = 1984, 2010
Z = 1985, 2011

The next two digits represent the month the lens was manufactured.

The last two digits are for internal Canon use.

Therefore, the example (pictured) of UV0512 means the lens was made in the Utsunomiya, Japan factory in May 2007.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "THE L STORY | Canon". Canon: EF/RF L SERIES. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  2. ^ "Heat Shield Coating | Canon". Canon: EF/RF L SERIES. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  3. ^ Canon Europa N.V. and Canon Europe Ltd 2002-2015. "Black or White Lenses - Canon Professional Network". Canon Professional Network.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Canon Updates Lineup of EF L-Series Telephoto Zoom Lenses With the Introduction of EF 70-200MM F/4L II USM and EF 70-200MM F/2.8L IS II USM". usa.canon.com.
  5. ^ "Canon Updates Lineup of EF L-Series Telephoto Zoom Lenses With the Introduction of EF 70-200MM F/4L II USM and EF 70-200MM F/2.8L IS II USM". usa.canon.com.
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