Canon Nomenclature?

[Martin-123]

Hi, Does anyone understand the Canon nomenclature for cameras and lenses? ... or can anyone direct me to an explanation, please? TIA.

 

[JustUs7]

Hi JustUs7.
Thank you for your considered and constructive reply. I have no wish to make this a conflict so I will reply in likewise fashion.
I thought my question was quite specific. I’d like to understand Canon's system of naming cameras and lenses.
There are EOS R, EOS M, EOS RP, and EOS Ra, just at a quick glance among the mirrorless ones. (I know what EOS means), followed by a single or double digit number. The number seems a quite straightforward sequential increment except when it jumps to, eg, the EOS R50
Likewise there are EF lenses, EF-S, RF, RF-S, EF-M and L-series.

I am not asking anyone to tell me the differences between these cameras or lenses as I can obviously look that up myself, but I cannot find an explanation of the nomenclature. Unfortunately, Canon have adopted the modern marketing technique of telling you what you can use a product for instead of (when I was a lad), telling you what the product does (or is). Since the applications of cameras and lenses overlap to a very large degree, there are few clues to the nomenclature's rationale in the marketing copy, (I'd rather not spend hours trying to compare and analyse the narratives). I was hoping someone could point me towards something like the following example that Wikipedia offer on Mercedes nomenclature...

Until 1994, Mercedes-Benz utilized an alphanumeric system for categorizing their vehicles, consisting of a number sequence approximately equal to the engine's displacement in liters multiplied by 100, followed by an arrangement of alphabetical suffixes, indicating body style and engine type.

• "C" indicates a coupe or cabriolet body style (for example, the CL and CLK models, though the C-Class is an exception, since it is also available as a sedan or station wagon).
• "D" indicates the vehicle is equipped with a diesel engine.
• "E" (for "Einspritzung") indicates the vehicle's engine is equipped with petrol fuel injection. Also used for electric models and plug-in hybrids.
• "G" was originally used for the Geländewagen off-road vehicle, but is now applied to Mercedes SUVs in general (G, GLA, GLC, GLE, GLK, and GLS).
• "K" was used in the 1930s, indicating a supercharger ("Kompressor") equipped engine. Three exceptions : the SLK, SSK and CLK, where K indicates "Kurz" (short-wheelbase) (though the SLK[66] and SSK had a supercharger).
• "L" indicates "Leicht" (lightweight) for sporting models and "Lang" (long-wheelbase) for sedan models.
• "R" indicates "Rennen" (racing), used for racing cars (for example, the 300SLR).
• "S" Sonderklasse "Special class" for flagship models, including the S-Class, and SL-Class, SLR McLaren, and SLS sports cars.
• "T" indicates "Touring" and an estate (or station wagon) body style.

Thank you to anyone who can provide this info.

I think Canon came out and said the R stands for reimagined or revolutionary or some such marketing lingo. M was their first venture into mirrorless. Maybe D was Digital?

The numbers are straight forward except when they aren’t.

In the single digits, the lower the number the better the camera. They’re all full frame except the 7 which is like the highest level consumer APS-C. On the level with all single digit cams. Just the smaller sensor for more PPD (Pixels Per Duck).

Except the M’s. The M’s are all APS-C. Even the single digit ones. And they’re released in order. Except when they aren’t. M, M1, M2, M3, M5 are all successor models and each better than the previous until the M6, which is worse than the M5. Followed they the M6II, which is better than both the M6 and M5, except no EVF. Then there the M100 and M200 which are successor models all very stripped down. Then the M50 stuck in the middle but somehow the M50II is better than the M5.

In the double digits and triple digits the cameras get better as the numbers get higher. And they’re all APS-C. Except the R10 and R50 - so who knows there either. Used to be the 10 begat the 20 begat the 30 …… begat the 90.

The R and RP were exceptions just because they were more or less test bodies to see if they would commit resources to this direction. The R5 and R6 were the first real dives into that particular product line showing a full commitment.

It’ll be interesting to see if the they produce and R100 with no EVF and other M like features.

 

[Martin-123]

I think Canon came out and said the R stands for reimagined or revolutionary or some such marketing lingo. M was their first venture into mirrorless. Maybe D was Digital?

The numbers are straight forward except when they aren’t.

In the single digits, the lower the number the better the camera. They’re all full frame except the 7 which is like the highest level consumer APS-C. On the level with all single digit cams. Just the smaller sensor for more PPD (Pixels Per Duck).

In the double digits and triple digits the cameras get better as the numbers get higher. Except the R10 and R50 - so who knows there either. Used to be the 10 begat the 20 begat the 30 …… begat the 90.

The R and RP were exceptions just because they were more or less test bodies to see if they would commit resources to this direction. The R5 and R6 were the first real dives into that particular product line showing a full commitment.

It’ll be interesting to see if the they produce and R100 with no EVF and other M like features.

Thank you Stephen. I can at least excuse myself now for not grasping it without help!
I wonder if there are any staff from Canon UK in this forum who might throw further light on the subject.... Ideally, of course, it should be on their website. Thankfully, they're better at making cameras than they are at making websites.

 

[Grahamk]

The one aspect not mentioned so far, but which you may be aware of by now, relates to lenses where the “-S” suffix on a RF lens means that it is designed for APS-C sensor cameras but they can also be used on full frame R series cameras.

 

[Martin-123]

The one aspect not mentioned so far, but which you may be aware of by now, relates to lenses where the “-S” suffix means that the lens is designed for APS-C sensor cameras but they can also be used on full frame cameras. Full frame lenses (no -S suffix) cannot be used on APS-C cameras. The principle holds for both DSLR and R series mirrorless cameras.

No Graham, I didn’t know that so thank you. Another piece of the puzzle!

 

[YangMills]

The one aspect not mentioned so far, but which you may be aware of by now, relates to lenses where the “-S” suffix means that the lens is designed for APS-C sensor cameras but they can also be used on full frame cameras. Full frame lenses (no -S suffix) cannot be used on APS-C cameras. The principle holds for both DSLR and R series mirrorless cameras.

Sorry but this is not accurate. In the R system any RF lens can be used on any R body, but if you use an RF-S lens on a full frame body it forces the body into APs-C crop mode.

In EOS system any EF lens can be used on any EOS body, but EF-S lenses cannot be used on full frame bodies.

You can also use any EF or EF-S lens adapted on any R-body but EF-S lenses will force crop mode on full frame bodies (just like RF-S lenses).

 

[Grahamk]

Apologies, have got my full frame and crop sensors confused. I've amended the post.