Fotofix - Vintage Cameras
Canon Data Codes (pre-10 digit serial numbers)
Before the 10-digit serial numbers, Canon included a data code in almost all lenses and cameras. In the lenses the code is deside the rear lens and in the cameras inside the film chamber.
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The code is made of 4 elements: XYZZWW
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X - The first element is a letter that indicates where the lens/camera was made. Prior to 1986, this letter is moved to the last position of the date code (YZZWWX):
U = Utsunomiya, Japan
F = Fukushima, Japan
O = Oita, Japan
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Y - The second element is a letter that indicates the year of manufacture. Canon increments this letter each year starting with A in 1960/1986/2012. Here is a table to make things simple:
ZZ - The third element are two numbers that indicate the month when the lens/camera was manufactured (01 - January .... 12 - December). The leading zero of the month code is sometimes omitted.
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WW - The last element are two numbers that are meaningless in determining the year of the lens/camera. This is a Canon internal code (that is occasionally omitted).