Canon commemorates production of 150 million interchangeable RF and EF lenses

Canon Inc. reached a new lens-manufacturing milestone with the production in January 2021, of the company’s 150-millionth RF and EF series interchangeable lens for EOS cameras: an RF70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM telephoto zoom lens. Production of interchangeable EF lenses for Canon EOS-series AF single-lens reflex film cameras began in 1987 at the company’s Utsunomiya Plant. Over the years, EF lens production has since expanded to a total of four manufacturing bases, including Canon Inc., Taiwan; Canon Opto (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.; and Oita Canon Inc. in southern Japan.

EF lens production passed the 10-million-unit mark in 1995 and crossed the 50-million-unit threshold in 2009. In April 2014, the company celebrated its first-in-the-world achievement of having manufactured 100 million interchangeable lenses.