Chuck N. writes:
<< I give up. What's with the "radioactive elements" on the Pentax
50mm? Used to be owned by a Nevada uranium miner? Used for photos of
nuclear blasts in Nevada? >>
There were many examples of early ED glass produced from rare earth
elements that are radioactive. Kodak "discovered" the properties of
such glass in the mid 1930s and first used them in the WWII era Aero
Ektar. Most radioactive lenses produced over the years have yellowed (or
turned sea green) due to radioactive decay. The original Canon FD 35mm
f/2 is a recent example of such a lens. Leica's first 50mm f/2
Summicron-M used them in the mid 1950s. Both used thorium floride.
The only possible OM System Zuiko to use radioactive elements would be
the 55mm f/1.2, given its intense yellow color. But I don't have one to
test on a Geiger counter.
Gary Reese
Las Vegas, NV
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