Lens or Body Number for Canon Lenses

I am totally mystified as to where Canon puts the number of their

lenses on the lens. My insurance company has asked that I identify

my lenses by their number for my insurance coverage. I am stumped as

to where it could be. I cannot find my invoice or warranty for one

of my lenses. Thank You..

Roger,

 

The serial number is either on the metal lens mount or on the lens black barrel near the mount. Many times it is imprinted with very fine numbers, so small that you may need a magnifying glass to see it(if your eyes are not great). You must look very closely. The number does not jump out at you.

 

//Chuck

Canon EF lens's serial number are either at the bottom of the lens mount (center plastic) or at the edge of the bellow near the mount. You will need good light as some of them is just a black imprint on black plastic.

Note that the serial numbers are all numbers, no letters. Take care not to confuse them with imprinted date/manufacturing codes that may look something like this: "U1140F".

There are two different styles of serial number on Canon lenses for EOS cameras. All early lenses, and more recent high-end lenses, have a serial number of up to six digits engraved or printed clearly onto the lens barrel or bayonet flange. These lenses are/were made at the Canon lens factory at Utsunomiya (?spelling) and also carry a date code consisting of the letter U to designate the factory (cameras are made at Oita, code O), a year letter (2005 is T), two digits specifying the month of manufacture, and two further digits giving the batch number (often 00). The date code is stamped on the black rear face of the barrel, but is usually easy to read.

 

Consumer and budget lenses are made in any of a number of factories, including one in Taiwan, and have a serial number consisting either of eight digits or seven digits followed by a letter. This is stamped or printed in very tiny characters on the black rear face of the barrel, and is very hard to read not only because of its small size but also because you need to get the light at the correct angle to make the number visible at all. These lenses have no date code.

 

In both cases the serial number can also be found on the box, previously on a little card that slipped into the box and was visible through a cutout, and more recently on a sticker that also carries a barcode.

Thank you very much. The information was helpful. I just need to use a magnifying glass to see the numbers. This is a great forum. Roger