[Leica] Unusual LTM lens

[Mark Langer <mlanger@ccs.carleton.ca>]

I just received an unusual lens in the mail today.  It is an Olympus Zuiko
C 4 cm f2.8 in Leica thread mount.  I believe that the C stands for
coated.  The lens does need work, as the infinity lock button has vanished
(hey, by the way, now that I have your attention, does anyone have an old
trashed Leica-type or Soviet lens with the infinity lock button and
spring intact that they'd like to sell or donate to the Langer Olympus 4
cm Restoration Fund?) and there is a big blob of fungus on the inside of
the rear element.  The fungus is likely to be removable, as the rear
element seems to be a single element.  I knew about the fungus ahead of
time, but as the price was moderate, I thought it was worth the gamble that
it could be removed. 

The lens is very compact -- about the size of a 35mm f3.5 Summaron -- with
a clickless f-stop range from f2.8 to 16 and a distance scale measured in
feet.  It came with a 40mm finder (no parallax correction but it does have
an accessory shoe on top) in its own compartment in the lens case.  The
lenscap reads "Olympus OIC".  Does anyone know what OIC stands for?

I wonder whether this lens was originally supplied by Olympus for some
Leica copy camera as original equipment, or whether it was an inexpensive
aftermarket wide angle available in the late 40s or early 50s. The focal
length is unusual in Leica thread mount, and I really don't know of
another LTM lens in that focal length. Or even a M lens, other than the
40mm f2 for the CL and Minolta CLE.  I am curious as to the history of this
lens.

Mark

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Mark Langer

Email address: mlanger@ccs.carleton.ca
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