Canon celebrates a significant milestone as they announced a record production of 110 million EOS series cameras and 160 million interchangeable RF/EF lenses. The Canon EOS R6 Mark II (released in December 2022) was the 110 millionth EOS series camera produced, while the RF 100mm F2.8 L MACRO IS USM (released in July 2021) became the Company’s 160 millionth interchangeable lens.
The Canon EOS system along with the EF interchangeable lenses was first launched in March 1987 and has carried a range of cameras from entry-level point-and-shoot to professional bodies. In 2018, Canon jumped into the mirrorless system with the introduction of the EOS R series and the RF interchangeable lenses.
The Canon EOS R6 Mark II is an excellent mirrorless all-rounder. Photo credit: Andy Westlake
From Canon:
The EOS Series
The EOS series, a new generation of AF SLR cameras that adopt the world’s first electronic mount system achieving full electronic control of the entire system, was launched with the EOS 650, released in March 1987.
Then in 2003, during the early years of the digital camera age, the Company released in Japan the groundbreaking EOS 300D Digital (EOS Digital Rebel or EOS Kiss Digital in other regions). This entry-level digital SLR camera realized a compact, lightweight body at an affordable price. This move would trigger a massive expansion of the camera market, with Canon claiming the overwhelming lead in market share that same year. With the later release of the EOS-1D Series for professionals and the EOS 5D series, which helped popularize video capture using SLR cameras, Canon has continued to release epoch-making products.
In October 2018 Canon launched the EOS R System, which includes the inaugural EOS R and the EOS R5 – the first camera to feature 8K video recording – released in July 2020 along with the EOS R3 in November 2021, which features tracking of fast-moving subjects and continuous shooting performance, and the compact, light-weight EOS R100, thus expanding the company’s product lineup. In addition, Canon launched the EOS VR System, designed to record video for virtual reality content, in December 2021. With the launch of these products and technologies, Canon is tirelessly pursuing new possibilities for visual expression.
Canon’s RF and EF Lenses
Since the release of the first EF lens, launched alongside the EOS series in March 1987, Canon has produced such EF lenses featuring world-first technologies as the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM with image stabilization in Japan in 1995, the EF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM with a DO lens in Japan in 2001 and the EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM, treated with highly antireflective Subwavelength Structure Coating (SWC[vi]) in Japan in 2008. In 2018, Canon released the RF 28-70mm F2 L USM – a standard zoom lens to achieve the world’s first fast f/2 aperture across the entire zoom range[vii] – and in May 2023, the company released the RF 100-300mm F2.8 L IS USM large-diameter telephoto zoom lens that realizes both high image quality and portability.
Today, Canon boasts 115 lenses in its rich RF and EF lens lineup that comprises such lenses as an ultra-wide-angle 5.2 mm focal length lens, a 1200 mm focal length super-telephoto lens and EF Cinema Series lenses for video production. With a wide selection of lenses for every purpose including zoom lenses, IS-equipped lenses, fast-aperture lenses, macro lenses, VR lenses and even the TS-E tilt-shift lenses, Canon is well-positioned to meet the needs of various users.
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