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Deciphering Canon Date Codes
In 1960, Canon started to include a code stamped on most lenses and many other products to identify when and where the item was manufactured. Using the English alphabet to identify the year, Canon had to recycle the system starting in 1986. In the "modern age" (starting in 1986), the codes starts with a letter representing the site of the factory, followed by the letter code of the year of production, then followed by the month of manufacture. The final two numbers are an internal code that we have not deciphered.
First Letter (factory):
U = Utsunomiya, Japan F = Fukushima, Japan O = Oita, Japan
Second Letter (year of production):
- A = 1986 or 1960
- B = 1987 or 1961
- C = 1988 or 1962
- D = 1989 or 1963
- E = 1990 or 1964
- F = 1991 or 1965
- G = 1992 or 1966
- H = 1993 or 1967
- I = 1994 or 1968
- J = 1995 or 1969
- K = 1996 or 1970
- L = 1997 or 1971
- M = 1998 or 1972
- N = 1999 or 1973
- O = 2000 or 1974
- P = 2001 or 1975
- Q = 2002 or 1976
- R = 2003 or 1977
- S = 2004 or 1978
- T = 2005 or 1979
- U = 2006 or 1980
- V = 2007 or 1981
So, if your date code is UQ0201, it was made at Utsunomiya in (Q) 2002, during the month of (02) February. Remember the last two numbers (01) do not have any significance for the date or place of manufacture.
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