Will Canon allow EF lenses to work on future RF bodies?

Arthur Stanley Jefferson wrote:

gavin wrote:

No. They want their installed base to shift to RF camera. People will replace EF to RF over time.

I agree they want their base to shift to RF, but I personally wouldn’t replace my EF lenses for more expensive RF lenses unless they broke or stopped working well.

I just have a uncomfortable suspicion that Canon may make more of the popular competing EF lenses less compatible. Perhaps they might not focus quite as quickly or reliably in the future! This would drive sales to RF lenses.

It's really too much effort for too little and uncertain return. I think they would sell fewer lenses that way than the customers they would lose.

Canon EF lenses adapt to Nikon Z (thanks to Fringer and others) better than Nikon AF and AF-D lenses. They also adapt to and AF on L mount, Sony,  Fuji and micro four-thirds.  Why would Canon want to be the only  Japanese manufacturer apart from Pentax that couldn't use EF lenses?

I imagine it would be a subtle slow, but gradual transition, starting with older lenses, firmware could easily be implemented to do this on each new RF body release.

In the past Canon were still trying to sell FL lenses after they brought out FD and FD lenses and cameras after they brought out EF. It's the market that has killed off Canon's previous product lines long before Canon wanted to, and I don't think that's changing now.

It sounds unethical, but Canon could argue that the older lenses have simply reached their technical end of life compatibility, rather than been retired via a firmware.

This is getting silly.  It would be unethical.  It would also be stupid and counterproductive.

….I suppose you could argue, why would Canon not do this? The thousands of EF lenses that are being used and traded secondhand do not bring any new money in, and they are already concerned enough to block 3rd party lens makers from the RF mount.

I hope Canon are kind, and my huge collection of EF lenses find a home on an R6mk2 or R5mk2 for many years but, I have my doubts.