[subsea]

Interesting story about Canon killing off many of its DSLR lenses outside the US without warning. Even in the US many of the remaining lenses are in very short supply:

https://www.popphoto.com/gear/canon-discontinues-dslr-lenses/

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Last edited by subsea; 02-23-2022 at 02:09 AM.

[Digitalis]

Saw this coming, which is why I made my switch to Nikon many years ago. Nikon will probably continue to produce DSLR lenses considering the D6 and D750 are still well within their expected service lives. Since there is little to be gained by going mirrorless with longer lenses (Which are Nikon's Forte) I suspect their telephoto lenses will retain their value for some time to come. But Canon, with their tendency to throw the baby out with the bathwater*, I expect Canon to find some way to discourage older EF lenses being used on current cameras.

* their switch from FD to EF mount wasn't exactly a customer friendly move back in the day.

[Rondec]

It has been clear that part of the switch to mirrorless is to sell more expensive versions of lenses to people who already own a given lens in an older mount. As long as the adapters continue to work, it isn't as though you have to rush out to be a new lens, but certainly over time Canon will stop fixing the lenses and they certainly could make it that the level of auto focus or other features available with EOS lenses on their MILCs isn't at the same level as native mount RP lenses.

[surfar]

The important ant news is the BIG WHITES are being leaked.

800mm f5.6 and 1200mm f8 in RF mount.

EF is done.

[Pål Jensen]

Not surprising. Canon business model is to have the largest system out there. Hence, they have no interest in spreading themselves to thinly over more than one lens mount.
Pentax is opposite selling several different lens mount simultaneously.

[IsaacReaves]

meh - good riddance, I say. Same $#!@, different decade.

I've never quite understood why DSLR lenses were so giant compared to SLR film lenses, but Canon was among the first and most consistent about marketing the idea that big glass == better pictures. Seldom did they offer real explanations of the optical design considerations that went into making the white series and L series lenses, just that your old SLR tiny lenses weren't up to task, and you were going to pay dearly for new generation glass if you wanted to remain competitive as a professional photographer. As a result, there are tens of thousands of "pro" photographers running around with sports zoom glass that have no idea why they're lugging that much gear around. *angry old man shakes fist in the air* Now they're pulling the same stunt with a new generation of photographers that will just take their word for it, much as we did in the 90's and early oughts when the arms race for big glass really took off.

[pimpim]

Saw this coming, which is why I made my switch to Nikon many years ago. Nikon will probably continue to produce DSLR lenses considering the D6 and D750 are still well within their expected service lives.

Considering supply chains are strained, any company will try to focus on a small range of the highest margin products. I would think it likely Nikon also halts any effort around their DSLRs and respective lenses soon.

[ChristianRock]

People like to criticize Canon's business practices and lack of backwards support, but don't they own more than 50% of the market now? That means most people agree with what they do.

I don't use Canon and I love Pentax's support of older lenses, but I think it's hard to argue with Canon's results.

[zapp]

The camera is just an add-on to big telephoto lenses. Canon does not need in house competition. The step was obvious. Mirrorless is getting serious or complete.

[house]

People like to criticize Canon's business practices and lack of backwards support, but don't they own more than 50% of the market now? That means most people agree with what they do.

That's not how it works. Like with everything else peoples choices aren't made like that from a free critical position. Owning 50% of the market means they have considerable leverage against consumers.

[KiloHotelphoto]

Saw this coming, which is why I made my switch to Nikon many years ago. Nikon will probably continue to produce DSLR lenses considering the D6 and D750 are still well within their expected service lives. Since there is little to be gained by going mirrorless with longer lenses (Which are Nikon's Forte) I suspect their telephoto lenses will retain their value for some time to come. But Canon, with their tendency to throw the baby out with the bathwater*, I expect Canon to find some way to discourage older EF lenses being used on current cameras.

* their switch from FD to EF mount wasn't exactly a customer friendly move back in the day.

Canon EF glass works even better on the mirrorless bodies than it does on the DSLR ones. Also the gains for wildlife and telephoto lenses on mirrorless is huge, animal eye AF is incredible. It's not perfect, sometimes it will grab a nose or an antler point but it's really good for most animals overall and for birds it's really good.

Nikon will be discontinuing its DSLR body and lenses also. They just released the 400 2.8 Z with built in 1.4 TC that looks amazing, I hope others start doing that with 400 and 600 primes.

[btnapa]

their switch from FD to EF mount wasn't exactly a customer friendly move back in the day.

I am old enough to remember that whole ordeal. I would guess that most of the younger generation have no idea what you are talking about. Plus, Canon is counting on people having a short memory and not remembering how they got screwed!

In any case, once the DSLR sales go down and eventually out, unfortunately, the lenses have to follow too. I would not be surprised if they move to special order only on the pricier long lenses. The same way they did with their 1200mm lens.

[Michail_P]

They have been giving it all to their mirrorless lineup. That’s a good choice for Canon, considering their camera bodies. For them, DSLR is history. Almost any decision could be assumed as controlled with that large number of customers. They must have read the game.

[Digitalis]

Also the gains for wildlife and telephoto lenses on mirrorless is huge, animal eye AF is incredible.

I'm talking in terms of optics - which is the only thing that really matters when all is said and done. With telephoto lenses optical compromises are negligible considering the flange distance of most DSLRs was shorter than 50mm. With flange distances of 30mm and shorter a 500mm f/4 lens with a standard design is only going to be fractionally smaller and lighter than a DSLR lens with the same design parameters.

The only advantage in going mirroless isn't eye AF* it's the shorter backfocus that makes things easier for lens designers to make fast wide angle lenses. That's it. Eye AF could be incorporated into a DSLR if manufacturers put the R&D into it, Nikon's 3D Tracking mode as used in the D4~D6 is already on that path.

*that's a mere reflection of modern technology and software development.

[clackers]

Eye AF could be incorporated into a DSLR if manufacturers put the R&D into it, Nikon's 3D Tracking mode as used in the D4~D6 is already on that path.

Well, yes, the K-3 III has it, and by extension, so too will the next K-1. And next 645 if the financial spreadsheet says releasing a successor to the Z would get its money back plus 8% within a couple of years, I guess.