Three reasons, I think.
1. To acomodate the extra long focusing helicoid.
2. As a built-in lens shade. Oly says neither the 50/2 nor the 50/3.5
requires a lens shade.
3. Because that's how the granddaddy of all these lenses, the 55/3.5
Auto Micro Nikkor was designed. I think all manufacturers at the time
the 50/3.5 was designed were tempted to emulate the look of this then
legendary lens. Besides, it's a logical design.
I don't think smaller was a big design consideration for the macros.
Moose
Mickey Trageser wrote:
Nicely done! Begs the question... Why all the dead-air space in front of the
front element of the 50/3.5macro? The lens would be smaller than the pancake
40 without it.
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