There is no doubt that mirrorless is where the majority of the industry is headed, and we have just seen another sign that Canon is pushing their resources toward mirrorless, as prominent EF lenses are showing up as discontinued or backordered with no expected in-stock date.
The EF 200mm f/2L IS USM is one of Canon’s top-level professional lenses. And while it is spectacular, the company is now focused on its RF mirrorless mount. Perhaps unsurprising then is the fact the 200mm f/2L is now listed as discontinued on B&H and unavailable on Canon’s main site. Alongside the 200mm f/2L, other prominent EF lenses are now listed as backordered with no ETA. This is not unexpected, as Canon will certainly cease EF lens production at some point in the future, and it seems reasonable that more esoteric professional lenses would be first to go. Fortunately, we have seen Canon’s lens roadmap, which outlines a wide variety of replacements for the EF lenses alongside some exciting new options. Alongside that, a patent for an RF version of the 200mm f/2L recently emerged. While patents don’t guarantee a product will come to market, I would be surprised if Canon didn’t update this specific lens. Certainly, though, the availability of new DSLR lenses will likely begin to dwindle soon.