Re: [Leica] Unusual LTM lens

["E. van Ginkel" <E.vGinkel@inter.NL.net>]

Mark,

AFAIK Olympus used the alphabet to indicate the number of lenses used in a
lens. Its a simple indication of the number of lenses used: A=1, B=2, C=3,
D=4 etc.
So a C Zuiko will have three lenses. The changes are that your lens is a
simple triplet.
OIC mayby Optical Instruments Co.??

regards,
E. van Ginkel

- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Langer" <mlanger@ccs.carleton.ca>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2001 3:40 PM
Subject: [Leica] Unusual LTM lens


> 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
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Mark Langer
>
> Email address: mlanger@ccs.carleton.ca
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>