Andrew Palmer wrote:
>I have a 50mm f1.8 Zuiko, sn 1287952, with 'F ZUIKO' on the front of the lens
>and 'LENS MADE IN JAPAN' on the rim of the base, next to the stop-down button.
> I understand this is an early non-multicoated version.
>
Well, certainly early in the context of all 501.8 lenses. Middle to late
within all SC 50/1.8s.
>Its striking feature is that the front glass element is bigger than that of
>later versions of the same lens. The anti-flare collar that holds the element
>in place is correspondingly narrower. Is this usual? I've searched the
>archive and can't find any mention of it.
>
>
There were 5 major mechanically different versions of the 50/1.8, with
probable other minor variations in things like coatings
<http://olympus.dementia.org/Hardware/PDFs/50mm_f1.8.pdf>.
Looking at under 200,000 SC, just over 1,000,000 SC, mid 2 million MC
and 5,8xx,xxx, I see what may be small variations in visible front
element size, variation in the depth of the stepped portion immediatly
surrounding the lens element and obvious differences in construction
behind the FE. Without measuring the actual diameter of the FE and the
open diameter of the bezel, you can't even tell if the apparent
difference you see is anything other than a minor cosmetic change.
From my perspective, I already know what I need to about 50/1.8s. Early
SCs are pretty soft, later ones a bit better. Those marked MC are
mechanically suspect because of high incidence of oily aperture
mechanisms and at least some early miJs have the same problem. The late
miJs are optically great and mechanically fine, so that's what I use for
picture taking.
Moose
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