Here is how to check when/where your Canon SLR/DSLR was manufactured

Edmund · 28th August 2003

This is for those who are interested, it's a bit lengthy, but here's how to tell when and where your camera is manufactured:

Look inside the film chamber (for film SLRs)/the wall of your battery compartment(for DSLRs). There should be an alphanumeric code printed in black ink on the black surface of the chamber/compartment wall. You may have to hold the camera under a strong light to see it. This alphanumeric code is essentially an internal date code used by Canon, possibly something like "U1140F" or "OR0705".

To decipher the date code, you have to read the following carefully and in full:

If your date code is similar to the first type, i.e. "U1140F",

The first letter tells the year the camera was manufactured:
A = 1960
B = 1961
:
:
:
T = 1979
U = 1980
:
:
Z = 1985

The next 2 numbers tell you what month the camera was made. Note that the leading zero for the month code is sometimes omitted.

The following 2 numbers are probably some kind of internal code for determining age.

The last alphabet refers to the name of the factory it was made in.

So for the date code of "U1140F", it would translate roughly to something like
November 1980, Fukushima factory (which was the main Canon SLR factory for about 20 years from the early 70s until 1991)

If your date code is similar to the second type, i.e. "OR0705", (I think ALL Canon DSLR users fall in this category)

Example of printed Date Code in the Film Chamber of an EOS SLR:

Example of printed Date Code in the Battery Compartment of an EOS DSLR:

From 1986, the year code was restarted with "A" again and the factory code moved to the front. Now that Canon SLRs are no longer manufactured at Fukushima, you might for e.g. see a code starting with "O" for Oita factory.

The second alphabet now tells the year the camera was manufactured:
B = 1987 (the first year for EOS range)
C = 1988
:
:
:
L = 1997
M = 1998
N = 1999
O = 2000
P = 2001
Q = 2002
R = 2003
S = 2004
:
:
:
X = 2009
Y = 2010
Z = 2011

The next first one or two numbers refers to the month (Oct, Nov and Dec will have four numbers).

The last two number again refer to some internal code.

So for the date code of "OR0705", it would translate roughly to something like
Oita factory, July 2003

Incidentally, the same type of code is printed on the back of most EF lenses as well, but from around 10 years ago, this code seems to appear largely only on "L" lenses.

alangoh · 29th August 2003

"T" for Taiwan plant???

sprockett · 29th August 2003

eh i checked the REBEL KISS today, but didnt happen to see any code leh.. i saw some leter/numbrs but i dunno if its the one ur tokknig abt...

can provide MACRO pics of wat u are tokking abt? thanks man

Edmund · 30th August 2003

Originally Posted by sprockett

eh i checked the REBEL KISS today, but didnt happen to see any code leh.. i saw some leter/numbrs but i dunno if its the one ur tokknig abt...

can provide MACRO pics of wat u are tokking abt? thanks man

Will try to take some shots and post later.

Edmund · 30th August 2003

I have updated the first post with 2 photos:
First one shows the date code printed in the film chamber of an EOS SLR, second shows the date code printed (deep) in the battery compartment of an EOS DSLR.

28th August 2003	#1
Edmund ClubSNAP Admin Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: ClubSNAP Posts: 2,030	Here is how to check when/where your Canon SLR/DSLR was manufactured This is for those who are interested, it's a bit lengthy, but here's how to tell when and where your camera is manufactured: Look inside the film chamber (for film SLRs)/the wall of your battery compartment(for DSLRs). There should be an alphanumeric code printed in black ink on the black surface of the chamber/compartment wall. You may have to hold the camera under a strong light to see it. This alphanumeric code is essentially an internal date code used by Canon, possibly something like "U1140F" or "OR0705". To decipher the date code, you have to read the following carefully and in full: If your date code is similar to the first type, i.e. "U1140F", The first letter tells the year the camera was manufactured: A = 1960 B = 1961 : : : T = 1979 U = 1980 : : Z = 1985 The next 2 numbers tell you what month the camera was made. Note that the leading zero for the month code is sometimes omitted. The following 2 numbers are probably some kind of internal code for determining age. The last alphabet refers to the name of the factory it was made in. So for the date code of "U1140F", it would translate roughly to something like November 1980, Fukushima factory (which was the main Canon SLR factory for about 20 years from the early 70s until 1991) If your date code is similar to the second type, i.e. "OR0705", (I think ALL Canon DSLR users fall in this category) Example of printed Date Code in the Film Chamber of an EOS SLR: Example of printed Date Code in the Battery Compartment of an EOS DSLR: From 1986, the year code was restarted with "A" again and the factory code moved to the front. Now that Canon SLRs are no longer manufactured at Fukushima, you might for e.g. see a code starting with "O" for Oita factory. The second alphabet now tells the year the camera was manufactured: B = 1987 (the first year for EOS range) C = 1988 : : : L = 1997 M = 1998 N = 1999 O = 2000 P = 2001 Q = 2002 R = 2003 S = 2004 : : : X = 2009 Y = 2010 Z = 2011 The next first one or two numbers refers to the month (Oct, Nov and Dec will have four numbers). The last two number again refer to some internal code. So for the date code of "OR0705", it would translate roughly to something like Oita factory, July 2003 Incidentally, the same type of code is printed on the back of most EF lenses as well, but from around 10 years ago, this code seems to appear largely only on "L" lenses.

29th August 2003	#2
alangoh Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Singapore Posts: 195	"T" for Taiwan plant???

29th August 2003	#3
sprockett Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 270	eh i checked the REBEL KISS today, but didnt happen to see any code leh.. i saw some leter/numbrs but i dunno if its the one ur tokknig abt... can provide MACRO pics of wat u are tokking abt? thanks man

30th August 2003	#5
Edmund ClubSNAP Admin Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: ClubSNAP Posts: 2,030	I have updated the first post with 2 photos: First one shows the date code printed in the film chamber of an EOS SLR, second shows the date code printed (deep) in the battery compartment of an EOS DSLR.