Yes, that is the original story as I understood it.
However, I found a communication from John Prosper in my archives in which
he related that Vince Marino of Oly America twice insisted that it was
indeed the f2.8 that NASA used though Vince and Pat MacFarlane both
thought the 180/2 was noticeably sharper.
Another part of the story was that The 180/2.8 was the sharpest 35mm lens
NASA had tested to that date. However Jeff Horner mentioned that he was
sure a Modern Photography article in 1985 listed the lenses NASA was using
and the 180/2, 28/2 and 50/1.4 were among them.
Now, I am not sure when the 180/2 was first made but according to some
info from Frank Van Lindert the 180/2 may well have first been made in
1985 according to some Oly literature. Does anyone have a more precise
date for the 'birth' of this lens from a Vision Age or Oly lens handbook?
So here is my hypothetical scenario - not worth the paper it isn't
printed on of course.
Nasa gets the 180/2.8 in '84 or early '85, tests it and says it is the
sharpest 35mm lens they have tested to date and this gets reported in a
photo magazine. Oly America are delighted but also slightly embarrased
because of he slight chromatic aberation. Shortly after that, the 180/2
arrives hot from the skilled hands of the one guy who assembles them in
Japan and Oly America says to NASA - 'Psssst - have we got a lens for you
- try this one' NASA does, likes it and it gets included in their lens
inventory which is later reported on by Modern Photography.
Giles
Paul D. Farrar wrote:
> >> I am wrong, it is not the 180/2, must be the f2.8.
> >> Giles
> The story I heard is that it was the 180/2
> Paul
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