Bill writes:
> Was there also a difference in the weight of the two versions? Given that
> one element was deleted, this would be an easy way of identifying what
> version one would have.
If you have an F.Zuiko, it is the older 6 element. If you have a Zuiko MC or
just a Zuiko, it's the 5 element. Serial numbers went to AT LEAST 102380 on
the older version (mine is 10019x, but alas not a M-System). Weight is the
same, but the F.Zuiko is 46mm long and the MC Zuiko and Zuiko are 48mm long.
Olympus literature from the fist few months of 1980 had probable errors in
matching the optical diagrams with the specifications and with the proper
retaining ring label for the 85mm f/2. When a Feb. 1980 lens handbook shows a
5 element MC Zuiko and a March 1980 sales brochure gets it wrong (i.e., labels
the 6 element diagram and specification table as a MC Zuiko), I am not about
to jump to the conclusion there was a multi-coated 6 element version. Rather,
I jump to the conclusion marketing was asleep on the edit job.
The multicoating transition gave Olympus reason to reevaluate their lens
designs. They chose to do so in some cases, this being one.
BTW, the 5 element version has a more massive element in the place of 2
elements for the 6 element version. It wasn't a simple cementing of two
narrowly air spaced elements. The whole design was changed to look more like
the classic Gauss formula.
Gary Reese
Las Vegas, NV
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