If you listen to the marketing hype, the Canon EF mount (the DSLR mount from 2005) is dead. They want you to buy RF. They want you to buy Sony E. They want you to buy Nikon Z. Why? Because those mounts are prisons. If you buy $10,000 worth of Sony glass, you can never buy a Canon camera. You are trapped.

But this week, Meike just dropped a brand new Cine Lens series. And guess what mount it uses? EF.

Here is why the "Dead" mount is actually the only safe bet for your career.

1. The "Universal Donor" Theory

• The Reality: EF has a long "flange distance."

• The Physics: This means it can be adapted to literally anything.

  • You can put this Meike lens on a RED Komodo. You can put it on a Sony FX6. You can put it on a Blackmagic 6K. You can put it on the new Canon C80.

  • It is the "Skeleton Key" of the industry. If you own EF glass, you can switch camera bodies every year and keep your lenses.

2. The "Cine" Look for Pennies

• The Deal: This is a Super 35 cinema lens for the price of a standard zoom.

• The Catch: It’s fully manual.

  • The Editor's Warning: This is "Dumb Glass." There are no electronic contacts.

  • That means No Gyro Data.

  • If you shoot handheld with this, you cannot use Sony Catalyst or DaVinci Gyro Stabilization in post. You are on your own. If you shake, it’s broken.

3. The Verdict: Marry the Lens, Date the Camera

• Cameras become obsolete in 3 years. Glass lasts for 30.

• Don't let Canon or Sony lock you into their ecosystem.

• Buy EF. Adapt it. Keep your freedom.