p.1 #1 · what did you guys do with your EF lenses ?
Question - I have some quality EF - L lenses and am thinking of selling and moving over the Leica ( I have th Leica q3-43) or keep using it - but I don’t like the idea of having 2 systems. Trying to get some wisdom from experienced users.
I have EF- L
50 f1.2
24-70 f2.8 II
70-200 f 2.8 II
Of course I would loose money on selling it - one tought I had was to get used Leica SL2 SL2-S or SL3 and get an adaptor and then uses these lenses.
Other would be to sell - of course if I sell I would have to go to EBay as I don’t have enough posts here and I am sure no one would buy this from a person who recently joined.
Another alternative is go give to MPB - and get some cash.
OR - I am sure this one is going to be the most popular - use these lenses with my Canon 5D MK III.
p.1 #2 · what did you guys do with your EF lenses ?
I have superb EF L lenses and that's the main reason I bought the R6MKII even though I've gone with Sony mirrorless system before. Also, I still shoot occasionally with the 5Ds. Having said that if you are not ok with two systems then you might as well trade or sell the EF lenses while they still have a value.
p.1 #3 · what did you guys do with your EF lenses ?
I went to RF camera and I am using it as better focusing EF Camera with a shorter battery life, that can at least offset that shorter battery life by goodies like horizontal levels and instant histogram.
p.1 #4 · what did you guys do with your EF lenses ?
Some EF designs have never been replaced with a RF version or the RF replacement is silly expensive. So I sold off most of my EF lenses but kept a few favorites and continue to use them.
p.1 #5 · what did you guys do with your EF lenses ?
Gochugogi wrote:
Some EF designs have never been replaced with a RF version or the RF replacement is silly expensive. So I sold off most of my EF lenses but kept a few favorites and continue to use them.
I guess it's still cheaper to buy a RF-EF adapter for each of those lenses than buy RF versions.
p.1 #6 · what did you guys do with your EF lenses ?
Still using them with EF-RF adaptors. Since getting the RF25-105 f4L the primes don't see much daylight, but they are still used for photography after sunset. I only converted to RF lenses as the EF ones failed or better coverage RF ones arrived (200-800). Even my 2001 Sigma EX 70-200 2.8 still works a treat on the R6.
p.1 #7 · what did you guys do with your EF lenses ?
Transitioning to mirrorless, I adapted my existing EF lenses to the new R cameras and then slowly added or replaced those lenses with RF equivalents. Four years later and the only EF lens I still regularly use is the EF 200-400 in part because there is no direct equivalent, though the 100-300 with 1.4x TC is close (and optically much better). Also a selection of TS-E lenses, but those get far less frequent use. Everything else that I had in EF now has an RF equivalent that I prefer for various reason. Some are smaller or lighter. Some are considerably better, optically or with respect to AF performance.
The two EF zooms you have will work even better on Canon mirrorless than on Canon DSLRs. I'm not sure what the performance tradeoffs will be if you adapt them to L mount. AF may be slower than if you were to get an R5 or R6II, R6III, etc. Also, the older Leica SL cameras don't have phase-detection AF pixels on the sensor, which means that for some applications with moving subjects, AF performance may not be even as good as the 5DIII (it's something you'd have to test) and I don't know how this might be complicated by adapted EF lenses as opposed to native L mount lenses.
What is driving your interest in the Leica cameras? I mean for me with Leica, albeit the M system, it has primarily been the lenses. If I had the extra cash lying around, I'd buy into the Leica SL system, but not for the cameras, rather for lenses like the APO Summicron line. I wouldn't personally be interested in adapting my EF lenses to an SL camera.
Given your location, when you're visiting Manhattan, you could stop by the Leica store there to try out the SL cameras with your lenses (you'd probably have to bring the adapter) and compare how those perform to the native Leica L mount lenses. I have not been to that Leica store but other ones I've visited have been very easygoing about trying out whatever equipment they have on display.
p.1 #8 · what did you guys do with your EF lenses ?
MintMar wrote:
I went to RF camera and I am using it as better focusing EF Camera with a shorter battery life, that can at least offset that shorter battery life by goodies like horizontal levels and instant histogram.
Same here. I kept them all despite having an RP and R5 and use them all the time. They got better with the adaptors.
p.1 #9 · what did you guys do with your EF lenses ?
lens_payoff_0l wrote:
Of course I would loose money on selling it - one tought I had was to get used Leica SL2 SL2-S or SL3 and get an adaptor and then uses these lenses.
Other would be to sell - of course if I sell I would have to go to EBay as I don’t have enough posts here and I am sure no one would buy this from a person who recently joined.
Another alternative is go give to MPB - and get some cash.
OR - I am sure this one is going to be the most popular - use these lenses with my Canon 5D MK III.
If you keep the lenses and use them on the 5D MKIII you will be shooting multiple systems. Though there are many who shoot multiple systems, it is really up to each individual if they want to.
I shoot multiple systems and still have many EF lenses, do I use them a lot. No, but each still has its uses and can not be replaced by an RF lens or equivalent lens on another system. Some I use for IR because the RF lenses has an IR light inside the lens that may impact the image whereas the EF lens is fine. I use my Tilt shift lenses on my GFX system.
I go by a rule of thumb on lenses if I do not have a use for them I sell them. Otherwise they sit collecting dust. I don't think of it as loosing money as I have had use of them over the years but if it is no longer being used then I may as well get something in return.
p.1 #11 · what did you guys do with your EF lenses ?
The answer will be different for everyone, but if you are really moving to a new system it probably makes sense to do it wholesale (if gradually) and just move on from most, if not all, of the EF lenses.
I know it hurts. I’m on the verge of a long-planned transition from my Canon DSLR system with a group of excellent EF lenses to a Sony system. I may keep one of the less-used but important EF lenses and use it with an adapter, but I’m going to move to native glass on the new system.
Options for the old glass?
- Try to sell on the used market. (Plus: you may get a bit more money. Minus: the usual issues with private sales.)
- Sell to one of the used lens resellers. (Plus: Quick and easy, and you move on. Minus: You won’t get as much for the lenses as you might from a private sale.)
3. Give them to some deserving young, promising photographer or to college/school problem that is still relying on Canon EF gear. (Plus: You do a good thing, and it may be very easy. Minus: You dont’ recover any cash value.)
p.1 #12 · what did you guys do with your EF lenses ?
If the 70-200 is non IS it's a bundle worth roughly 2000 retail on the used market. The 50 1.2 is widely available used in the EF mount. The 24-70 remains a sought after lens and is one of Canon's best lenses in my opinion. If the 70-200 is non IS it is several generations old but still a good lens. It would be a good bundle for someone looking for those lenses and either mirrorless with an adapter or older EF bodies. If it were me I would want to sell them all in one transaction even if I lost a couple hundred doing it that way. A dealer isn't going to give you much for them in my opinion. If you pay the fee you can try to sell them here. The buyers and sellers here are pretty reputable. You would be the unknown I guess here.
p.1 #13 · what did you guys do with your EF lenses ?
I had a collection of L-series, EF-mount zoom lenses in great shape. I even paid Canon to clean each one. Then I tried to sell them here. No one wanted them. They ended getting sold to KEH, B&H, etc.
p.1 #15 · what did you guys do with your EF lenses ?
I sold a couple here on the buy-and-sell, sold a few as a group elsewhere, but I've also kept a couple. I still have the EF 50/1.2L and the 135 f/2L. Also have the EF 15 f/2.8 fisheye with its buzzy focus motor sound. And a Bogen 14 mm f/2.8 manual focus in EF mount. Also still have the EF 17mm tilt/shift, which is a very nice lens though I rarely use it.
I had sold off a few lenses that I might have kept like the 24-70 f/2.8 L II, and my older 70-200 f/2.8 ISL (the first IS version) just before I moved because I wasn't using them much really. I then got sticker shock when I was looking at a new 70-200L and ended up with the f/4 for the RF mount.
p.1 #16 · what did you guys do with your EF lenses ?
I think back in 2001 I paid around CA $2000 for the 70-200L IS v1. The government of Canada inflation calculator tells me that it's the equivalent to about CA $3400 today. Last fall I got a pretty good price on the RF 70-200Z that was not far off that amount and it's a far superior lens. So yes, the 2026 dollar amount will induce sticker shock for those of us who remember when prices were a lot lower (though not necessarily less expensive). But for the equivalent buying power, I do feel I'm getting good value from the new lenses through better optical and AF performance, etc.
p.1 #17 · what did you guys do with your EF lenses ?
The 70-200/2.8 IS was disappointing. Sure it had IS, but IQ was worse in some ways than the older 70-200/2.8. I used both for a while until the 70-200/4 IS, eventually replacing both of them with the f/2.8 IS II later. I have no idea what those old lenses are worth today, but there are plenty of newer 70-200/2.8 designs for EF.
p.1 #18 · what did you guys do with your EF lenses ?
I've added a couple of RF lenses since buying an R body, but I've only sold one EF lens: The 50/1.4. I replaced it with the RF 50/1.8 because I wanted to return to a more compact setup without the adapter doubling the lens size. I have no plans to replace any of my other EF lenses at this time. They all work great.
p.1 #19 · what did you guys do with your EF lenses ?
lens_payoff_0l wrote:
Other would be to sell - of course if I sell I would have to go to EBay as I don’t have enough posts here and I am sure no one would buy this from a person who recently joined.
I was literally in your situation back in 2024: a two year old account with a short posting history and no selling history. I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to sell here. Here are some tips:
1. Have high quality photos.
2. Offer a video call, your Linkedin profile and your cell via private messaging.
3. Be open to payment methods with protection like PayPal goods&services.
In my experience, the quality of buyers here is great, and the trust level is much higher than on other trading platforms, meaning the buyers are quite open to buy from 1st time sellers. You should net more $ on B&S here than on eBay, KEH, or MPB.
I never had a good experience adopting lenses. I tried EF lenses on Sony E bodies, M lenses on Sony and Nikon, F lenses on Nikon Z. All these experiments ended with the same conclusion: there's always a native lens that performs better or/and offers better shooting experience: often a native lens is better optically, is lighter, and focuses faster and more accurate.
p.1 #20 · what did you guys do with your EF lenses ?
lens_payoff_0l wrote:
Question - I have some quality EF - L lenses and am thinking of selling and moving over the Leica ( I have th Leica q3-43) or keep using it - but I don’t like the idea of having 2 systems. Trying to get some wisdom from experienced users.
You posted about 6 weeks ago saying you were inexperienced, for example that you didn’t understand aperture. As you do learn, you may reach a stage where you feel the Q3 is limiting. If this will be fairly soon, it might be better to keep most of the Canon DSLR equipment around until then. The reason is that then you might want to try out different focal lengths and genres and it’s not uncommon to have a false start and sell a lens to get a different lens which is more appropriate for what you end up doing.
I have EF- L
50 f1.2
24-70 f2.8 II
70-200 f 2.8 II
This was indeed an excellent general-purpose kit which would have let you go quite far in different genres and styles.
The item I would sell immediately is the 50mm f/1.2, as there is a much cheaper, if not quite as good, equvalent available in RF, and its main uses are what your Q3 43 is already good at.
Then, if you think it will be several years before you want to move beyond the Leica, sell the rest, but be prepared to buy gear twice as you chop and change. Or perhaps you might find the Leica is all you want or need.
