On Wed, 20 May 1998 23:41:36 -0400, "Kenneth E. Rosen"
<73312.537@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>Simon Debrux wrote:
>
>>>I have been intrigued by the astronomical price of the 40mm F2. Why is
>it so
>expensive? >>
>
>It's relatively scarce. I remember reading that only about 3,000 were made,
>however mine has a serial number of 1067xx, which suggests that over 6,000
>were made (I believe Olympus starts their serial numbers at 100,000).
>
>Although I prefer the 40mm focal length to either 50mm or 35mm, I find this
>lens somewhat annoying to use because the aperture ring and filter ring are
>the same unit. Screwing in or removing a filter forces the aperture ring to
>one extreme or the other. It then exerts force on the ring which I assume
>isn't good for it.
>
>Ken Rosen
>73312.537@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi.
I don't know how many of the 40/2 have been made, but here in Holland
the story goes that soon after manufacturing of those lenses the
American movie industry bought all available instances of it, new or
used, to attach them onto a special camera they used. I have had one
confirm about this from a camera dealer who had indeed received the
polite request of an Olympus sales rep " if he was willing to sell
back his 40mm lenses in stock - for the retail price!" He agreed...
and probably many more did. This must have been around 1980.
BTW, according to the Olympus OM System Lens handbook the 40/2 is
'nothing less than the 38/2.8 Pen-F lens recreated for the OM-system'.
Frank van Lindert
Utrecht NL.
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