Canon today announced the achievement of a new EF lens-manufacturing milestone with the production of the company’s 80-millionth EF lens on August 3, 2012. Production of EF lenses surpassed the 10-million mark in 1995, doubling to 20 million units in 2001.

After reaching the 30 million unit milestone in 2006, Canon celebrated the production of its 40-millionth lens in 2008. Owing to the rapid spread of the EOS Digital series of SLR cameras, production for Canon’s EF lenses then gained momentum to reach the 50 million unit milestone in 2009, followed by the 60 million mark in January 2011 and the 70 million mark in October of the same year.

Now, just over nine months later, the EF lens series has reached the 80 million mark on August 3, 2012, adding a distinguished achievement to the 25th anniversary of the launch of Canon’s EOS system. Read the entire Press Release

Can us loyalists get a special discount or two today?

Yes! Prices are being rolled back to August 20th, 2012 prices!

Hmmm wonder if I should switch systems now, Canon may be getting too trendy

It makes me wonder where all those lenses are. Probably only a fraction are actively used. Probably many are sitting in closets forgotten, which could be good cheap glass if they could be found.

Everyone loves round numbers. The big deal will be when they reach 100,000. Of course, all of our computers, including cameras, run binary, so should we hold out for the 2^17th unit, or 2^20 (if that ever happens)? We're already past 2^16 which was sort of "round" as in 2^2^2^2. Will it be specially calibrated to be Canon's sharpest lens ever?

I wonder what kind of lens the 80000000th was. Probably the 40 STM. The 70000000th was specified as being a 100L Macro AFAIR. This time they're not telling.

Snoopy Lane wrote:
It makes me wonder where all those lenses are. Probably only a fraction are actively used.

Millions upon millions of DRebel+18-55 kit are probably the answer. The 18-55 of various flavour probably amounts to half of these lenses, and I see them everywhere.


Probably many are sitting in closets forgotten, which could be good cheap glass if they could be found.
Many are probably drowned in saltwater, smashed against rocks or mauled by wild animals as well.

Incredible, 80 million is a really strong number. Any idea what Nikon is at?

vsg28 wrote:
Incredible, 8 million is a really strong number. Any idea what Nikon is at?
65 million
http://nikonrumors.com/2011/10/17/65-million-nikkor-lenses-produced.aspx/
But that includes MF lenses of yore: everything since 1959.

It took 21 years to sell 40 mil lenses, and only 4 yrs to sell the same amount. Thank you CMOS, you make this hobby more enjoyable than the old film days.

Snoopy Lane wrote:
It makes me wonder where all those lenses are. Probably only a fraction are actively used. Probably many are sitting in closets forgotten, which could be good cheap glass if they could be found.

Many are on eBay. What use is good cheap glass unless you want to use adapters and manual focus on modern DSLR's?

Canon Australia website says the 80 millionth lens was an EF-S 18-135 F3.5-5.6 STM. That is alot of glass/fluorite

Congratulations, Canon.

Snoopy Lane wrote: It makes me wonder where all those lenses are. Probably only a fraction are actively used. Probably many are sitting in closets forgotten, which could be good cheap glass if they could be found.

Imagemaster wrote: Many are on eBay. What use is good cheap glass unless you want to use adapters and manual focus on modern DSLR's?

He and we are talking about 80 million Canon EF lenses since they were introduced, in 1987. Not Canon FD lenses from before or lenses by other manufacturers. Probably 99% of those 80 million EF lenses are autofocus (about the only ones not are the TS lenses).

Monito wrote:
Congratulations, Canon.

He and we are talking about 80 million Canon EF lenses since they were introduced, in 1987. Not Canon FD lenses from before or lenses by other manufacturers. Probably 99% of those 80 million EF lenses are autofocus (about the only ones not are the TS lenses).

Don't forget the MP-E 65...

BigPurpleOne wrote:
Canon Australia website says the 80 millionth lens was an EF-S 18-135 F3.5-5.6 STM. That is alot of glass/fluorite

http://www.canon.com.au/About-Canon/News-Events/News-Press-Releases/Canon-notches-up-80-millionth-EF-lens

Sydney, 21 August, 2012: Canon has today announced the achievement of a new EF lens-manufacturing milestone with the production of the company’s 80-millionth lens on August 3. The 80-millionth lens – an EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM – was produced just over nine months after the 70-million mark was reached at the end of October 2011.

That's alotta glass n metals n plastics...and profits...I wonder what the orphaned lens count is? I have a closet full

Probably 70 million of the total are the kit optics like the 35-70 3.5-4.5, 28-80, 28-90,18-55, etc.

Most are cheapies and so many others are decentered or defective in some way. I wonder if Canon ever made a million lenses that were sharp in the corners.

EBH

Photon wrote:
Everyone loves round numbers. The big deal will be when they reach 100,000. Of course, all of our computers, including cameras, run binary, so should we hold out for the 2^17th unit, or 2^20 (if that ever happens)? We're already past 2^16 which was sort of "round" as in 2^2^2^2. Will it be specially calibrated to be Canon's sharpest lens ever?
Crap, I was so sleepy I lost a factor of 1000. Sheesh.
Congratulations Canon, I will never poke fun at you again!

EB-1 wrote:
Most are cheapies and so many others are decentered or defective in some way. I wonder if Canon ever made a million lenses that were sharp in the corners.
EBH

For reference:
Nikon - 30 million in Nov 2001, 40 million in July 2007, 50 million in Sep 2009, 60 million in Apr 2011, 70 million in June 2012

Canon - 30 million in Jan 2006, 40 million in Apr 2008, 50 million in Jan 2010, 60 million in Jan 2011, 70 million in Oct 2011, 80 million in Aug 2012

Wonder if Nikon ever made a million lenses that were sharp in the corners.

If corner sharpness is all that important, you may want to consider dumping your Canon gear and go for m43 lenses, most of which are at their sharpest wide-open with decent corners.