I remember seeing a page somewhere a few years ago with information re: the serial numbers on various OM lenses, and which numbers were considered 'late' and 'early'.
Haven't been able to find it. Does anyone know what I'm talking about, or does anyone know how the numbering on these lenses work? Specifically, do they start at 100000 and work up, or do the numbers start at 0?
There was some info on the 50f1.4 and comments that over a certain number (I think 1 million but not sure) were considered 'good' (olympus frequently changed the optical formulae of some lenses with little or no desgination; most notably the 50f1.8 and 50f1.4).
Most (all) of the sites I had booked marked on the subject are no longer up.
First of all, if you are just trying to determine the age of a lens, there is a date code which I will describe at the end of this post.
I've never owned an OM with serial number < 100000, but quite a few with serial numbers 10xxxx. My copy of the famed 21mm f/2 had a serial number < 103000. My 300mm f/4.5 has serial number > 110000, and my 50mm f/1.8 "made in Japan" a serial number > 5810000. I suspect the leading digits represent a design change.
I do remember the file you're talking about, but most of this stuff has disappeared from online. I found the following in my archive, probably saved from the Olympus mailing list, datestamped June 2000:
Focal Aperture S/N Chrome/ Coating MarkedMC? Lens Name
Length Black
16 3.5 103400 Black SC No Zuiko
16 3.5 105800 Black MC No Zuiko
18 3.5 100465 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
18 3.5 100500 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
18 3.5 102080 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
18 3.5 106100 Black MC No Zuiko
21 2 100300 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
21 2 104200 Black MC No Zuiko
21 3.5 103600 Chrome SC No G. Zuiko
21 3.5 103680 Chrome SC No G. Zuiko
21 3.5 116100 Black SC No G. Zuiko
21 3.5 116460 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
21 3.5 119500 Black SC No Zuiko
21 3.5 121400 Black MC No Zuiko
24 2 101160 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
24 2 113400 Black MC No Zuiko
24 2.8 113994 Chrome SC No H. Zuiko
24 2.8 116100 Chrome SC No G. Zuiko
24 2.8 140037 Black MC No H. Zuiko
24 2.8 143400 Black SC No H. Zuiko
24 2.8 145300 Black SC No H. Zuiko
24 2.8 160293 Black SC No X. Zuiko
24 2.8 171478 Black SC? No H. Zuiko
24 2.8 174440 Black SC No H. Zuiko
24 2.8 185300 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
24 2.8 187087 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
24 2.8 211000 Black MC No Zuiko
24 2.8 218300 Black MC No Zuiko
28 2 109500 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
28 2 112200 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
28 2 113090 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
28 2 116400 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
28 2.8 135091 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
28 2.8 158500 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
28 2.8 173000 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
28 2.8 175600 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
28 2.8 224000 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
28 2.8 239248 Black MC No Zuiko
28 2.8 242562 Black MC No Zuiko
28 2.8 244200 Black MC No Zuiko
28 2.8 246100 Black MC No Zuiko
28 2.8 255800 Black MC No Zuiko
28 2.8 282100 Black SC No Zuiko
28 2.8 290000 Black MC No Zuiko
28 2.8 338600 Black MC No Zuiko
28 3.5 168300 Chrome SC No G. Zuiko
28 3.5 282160 Black SC No
28-48 4 101700 Black MC No S Zuiko
28-48 4 109440 Black MC No S Zuiko
28-48 4 114791 Black MC No S Zuiko
35 2 106800 Chrome MC Yes Zuiko MC
35 2 132780 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
35 2 141564 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
35 2 156200 Black MC No Zuiko
35 2.8 102000 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
35-80 2.8 102300 Black MC No Zuiko
35 2.8 102700 Black SC No Zuiko Shift
35 2.8 109200 Black SC No Zuiko Shift
35 2.8 129700 Chrome SC No
35 2.8 141114 Chrome SC No G. Zuiko
35 2.8 145960 Chrome SC No G. Zuiko
35 2.8 149151 Chrome No G. Zuiko
35 2.8 152700 Chrome SC No G. Zuiko
35 2.8 173122 Black MC No G. Zuiko
35 2.8 177594 Black SC No G. Zuiko
35 2.8 182901 Black SC No
35 2.8 190492 Black SC No
35 2.8 213828 Black SC No G. Zuiko
35 2.8 230319 Black SC No X. Zuiko
35 2.8 246000 Black MC No G. Zuiko
35 2.8 251229 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
35 2.8 252042 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
35 2.8 260800 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
35 2.8 277800 Black SC No Zuiko
35-70 3.6 229607 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
35-70 3.6 234300 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
35-70 4 107703 Black MC No Auto Focus
35-70 4 207533 Black MC No S Zuiko
35-70 4 209700 Black MC No
35-70 4 246007 Black MC No
35-105 3.5-4.5 138400 Black MC No Zuiko
35-105 3.5-4.5 139600 Black MC No Zuiko
35-70 3.5-4.5 156300 Black MC No Zuiko
35-70 3.5-4.5 193300 Black MC No S Zuiko
35-70 3.5-4.5 213210 Black MC No
35-70 3.5-4.8 Black MC No Zuiko
40 2 103000 Black MC No Zuiko
40 2 105700 Black MC No Zuiko
40 2 109100 Black MC No Zuiko
50 1.2 109000 Black MC No Zuiko
50 1.4 289791 Black SC No G. Zuiko
50 1.4 361325 Black SC No G. Zuiko
50 1.4 363088 Chrome SC No G. Zuiko
50 1.4 369800 Chrome SC No G. Zuiko
50 1.4 381000 Black MC No G. Zuiko
50 1.4 409100 Chrome SC No G. Zuiko
50 1.4 496310 Chrome No G. Zuiko
50 1.4 497800 Chrome SC No G. Zuiko
50 1.4 559000 Black MC No G. Zuiko
50 1.4 574200 Black SC No G. Zuiko
50 1.4 631800 Black SC No G. Zuiko
50 1.4 721840 Black SC No
50 1.4 766800 Black SC No G. Zuiko
50 1.4 783577 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 1.4 798000 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 1.4 849600 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 1.4 853266 Black SC Yes Zuiko MC
50 1.4 857759 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 1.4 914400 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 1.4 1061791 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 1.4 1101300 Black MC No Zuiko
50 1.4 1130420 Black MC No Zuiko
50 1.4 1159000 Black MC No Zuiko
50 1.8 137200 Chrome SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 149700 Chrome SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 197424 Chrome SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 235755 Chrome SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 307785 Chrome SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 360900 Chrome SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 392693 Chrome No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 687800 Chrome SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 714269 Chrome SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 756846 Black SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 862233 Black SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 869800 Black SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 898333 Black SC No
50 1.8 947225 Black SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 1011202 Black SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 1106300 Black SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 1112900 Black SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 1174785 Black SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 1227530 Black No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 1249109 Black SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 1553900 Black SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 1560800 Black SC No F. Zuiko
50 1.8 1819900 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 1.8 2511648 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 1.8 2516400 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 1.8 2522800 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 1.8 2615800 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 1.8 2840181 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 1.8 2914675 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 1.8 3044312 Chrome MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 1.8 3125520 Black MC No Zuiko
50 1.8 3202889 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 1.8 3261690 Black SC No
50 1.8 3481000 Black MC No Zuiko
50 1.8 3525000 Black MC No Zuiko
50 1.8 3671000 Black MC No Zuiko
50 1.8 3701825 Black MC No Zuiko
50 1.8 3863400 Black SC No Zuiko
50 1.8 3873457 Black MC No Zuiko
50 1.8 5244626 Black MC No
50 1.8 5608034 Black MC No
50 1.8 5683200 Black MC No Zuiko
50 1.8 5752800 Black MC
50 1.8 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 1.8 Black SC No Zuiko
50 1.8 Black MC No Zuiko
50 2 103900 Black MC No Zuiko
50 2 106545 Black MC No Zuiko
50 3.5 101179 Chrome MC Yes Zuiko MC Macro
50 3.5 160629 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 3.5 163000 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 3.5 164880 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 3.5 170748 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 3.5 171400 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC Macro
50 3.5 176648 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 3.5 185900 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 3.5 199302 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
50 3.5 207000 Black MC No Zuiko Macro
50 3.5 208513 Black MC No
50 3.5 244900 Black SC No Zuiko
50 3.5 252800 Black MC No Zuiko Macro
65-200 4 126856 Black MC No Zuiko
65-200 4 142500 Black MC No Zuiko
75-150 4 123200 Chrome SC No Zuiko
75-150 4 171992 Chrome No Zuiko
75-150 4 177697 Chrome SC No Zuiko
75-150 4 177816 Chrome SC No
75-150 4 230700 Chrome SC No Zuiko
75-150 4 243100 Black SC No Zuiko
75-150 4 251026 Black No Zuiko
75-150 4 278550 Black SC No
75-150 4 370383 Black SC No X. Zuiko
75-150 4 389259 Black ? No
75-150 4 454000 Black SC No Zuiko
75-150 4 462800 Black SC No Zuiko
85 2 102200 Chrome SC No F. Zuiko
85 2 110825 Chrome SC No F. Zuiko
85 2 126312 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
85 2 127500 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
85 2 205600 Black MC
85 2 216600 Black MC No Zuiko
85-250 5 127736 Black MC No
85-250 5 128000 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
90 2 101300 Black MC No Zuiko Macro
90 2 102700 Black MC No Zuiko
90 2 104500 Black MC No Zuiko
90 2 112730 Black MC No
100 2 102800 Black MC No Zuiko
100 2 103150 Black MC No Zuiko
100 2 103200 Black MC No Zuiko
100 2.8 128028 Chrome SC No E. Zuiko
100 2.8 129200 Chrome SC No E. Zuiko
100 2.8 147823 Black SC No E. Zuiko
100 2.8 154400 Black SC No E. Zuiko
100 2.8 160000 Black MC No E. Zuiko
100 2.8 181149 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
100 2.8 187641 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
100 2.8 191140 Black MC No Zuiko
100 2.8 195000 Black MC No Zuiko
100 2.8 198080 Black MC No
100 2.8 202500 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
100-200 5 112600 Black MC No S Zuiko
100-200 5 139537 Black MC No S Zuiko
100-200 5 140501 Black MC No
135 2.8 101000 Black MC No E. Zuiko
135 2.8 147200 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
135 2.8 166934 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
135 2.8 175900 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
135 2.8 183500 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
135 3.5 131862 Black SC No E. Zuiko
135 3.5 159700 Chrome SC No E. Zuiko
135 3.5 212300 Black SC No
135 3.5 227310 Black SC No E. Zuiko
135 3.5 253284 Black No E. Zuiko
135 3.5 284391 Black SC No E. Zuiko
135 3.5 300543 Black SC No E. Zuiko
135 3.5 323200 Black SC No E. Zuiko
135 3.5 361508 Black SC No E. Zuiko
135 3.5 377500 Black SC No E. Zuiko
180 2.8 100000 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
200 4 122300 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
200 4 138200 Chrome SC No E. Zuiko
200 4 158403 Chrome No E. Zuiko
200 4 159300 Chrome SC No E. Zuiko
200 4 159900 Chrome SC No E. Zuiko
200 4 183100 Black MC Yes X. Zuiko
200 4 185200 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
200 4 205700 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
200 4 207330 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
200 4 215959 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
200 4 219792 Black MC No Zuiko
200 4 220600 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
200 4 260596 Black MC No Zuiko
200 4 268745 Black MC No Zuiko
200 4 270530 Black MC No
200 4 293050 Black MC No Zuiko
200 5 101900 Chrome SC No F. Zuiko
200 5 111816 Chrome SC No
200 5 115100 Black SC No F. Zuiko
300 4.5 102156 Chrome SC No F. Zuiko
300 4.5 105100 Chrome SC No F. Zuiko
300 4.5 119544 Black SC No F. Zuiko
300 4.5 127600 Black SC No F. Zuiko
300 4.5 135070 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
300 4.5 136100 Black MC Yes Zuiko MC
300 4.5 139900 Black MC No Zuiko
300 4.5 140725 Black MC No Zuiko
300 4.5 143468 Black MC No Zuiko
300 4.5 145200 Black MC No Zuiko
Exercise some caution here. I remember a credible poster mentioning that (i) the serial numbers were not always allocated in sequence, and (ii) authorised repairers routinely fitted new bezels with modern serial numbers for cosmetic reasons. Maybe that's why whoever compiled this didn't leave it online.
Now, the date code decoder:
After 1983, a four-character date code found on the rear of
the lens, as follows:
ffym
where ff (=, e.g. TN, SA) is the factory
y is the year, A=1981, B=1982, ... V=2002
m is the month 1 to 9 or A, B, C for Oct, Nov, Dec.
Before 1983, a three-character (?) date code is found under the
rubber focus grip ring, as follows:
fym
where f is the factory (E is ?)
y is the year (3 is 1983?)
m is the month 1 to 9 or X, Y, Z for Oct, Nov, Dec.
The pattern might not be obvious from the above list, but a lens was "single-coated" if and only if it bore an inscription in the sequence ...,"E.Zuiko", "F.Zuiko",... (E = 5 elements, F = 6 elements, ...) on its bezel. This is modulo the bezel from a later lens not having been swapped on by an eBay shonk, and my own suspicion that "single-coated" might actually have some multicoating on some surfaces on some lenses.
Most of my MC Zuikos don't have the prominent green reflection of most modern multicoated lenses, but resist flare almost as well as Canon L... not as well, though.
melcat wrote:
The pattern might not be obvious from the above list, but a lens was "single-coated" if and only if it bore the inscription "E-Zuiko" or similar (E = 5 elements, F = 6 elements, ...) on its bezel...
Not always. The letter preceeding ".Zuiko" designates the number of elements, not the coating. It's quite possible that many lenses changed the number of elements when they went to multi-coating. but certainly not all of them. Here's my list for the 24/2.8.
jcolwell wrote:
Not always. The letter preceeding ".Zuiko" designates the number of elements, not the coating.
Oh dear, my wording was ambiguous. I've edited the post to fix that. What I meant was that if it had *any* letter coding for the number of elements, it was "single-coated". Would that be right? Then they went to ones marked "MC", and after that dropped any mention of multicoating.
And you're right about the S-Zuiko, but no-one will want those now.
No worries. If it's remotely possible to misinterpret something, then I generally will.
I don't know enough about the Oly line to say if dropping the element designation letter coincided with introducing MC, or not. It is interesting to note that there is crossover or overlap in the name/SN convetions for at least some of the lineup (e.g. two most recent for the 24/2.8), and so it's quite possible that it occured earlier, too.
I didn't notice this when you posted last year. I was looking for this thread to provide an update on the Oly 24/2.8 s/n list, as I just bought one with the "MC" label and s/n in the 100xxx series, just like the one you posted above. These 100xxx MC serial numbers all "pre-date" the original "chrome nose" first-gen lens serial numbers, and so I think this indicates that Olympus decided to re-order the s/n sequence, and return the "MC" label for the most recent version of this lens.
Zuiko MC (black nose, multicoated)
OLYMPUS OM-SYSTEM ZUIKO MC AUTO-W 1:2.8 f=24mm nnnnnn
183471 oldest
191330 newest
Zuiko MC (black nose, multicoated, but not marked with MC)
OLYMPUS OM-SYSTEM ZUIKO AUTO-W 24mm 1:2.8 nnnnnn Japan
189782 oldest
2239xx newest
Zuiko MC (black nose, multicoated)
OLYMPUS OM-SYSTEM ZUIKO MC AUTO-W 1:2.8 f=24mm nnnnnn
100305 oldest
100663 newest
** Note that these 100xxx serial numbers all "predate" the original
"chrome nose" first-gen lenses. I think this indicates that
Olympus decided to re-order the s/n sequence, and return the "MC"
label for the most recent version of this lens
Olympus Lens Names
S-Zuiko = economy model
G.Zuiko = 7 elements
H.Zuiko = 8 elements
Auto-W = wide
Auto-S = standard
Auto-T = telephoto
Notes:
1. S/N overlap between the two newest versions!
2. Thanks to David Earls and Jay Teiger for supplying S/N update info.
I haven't seen posted it since, and so I added the content to this thread...
[Laminin says:] Here's my take on serial numbers for the ZUIKO 21/3.5 lens:
OLYMPUS OM-SYSTEM G.ZUIKO AUTO-W 1:3,5 f=21mm sn (chrome nose) single coated
(no M-SYSTEM lenses)
100146 lowest sn
107981 highest sn
OLYMPUS OM-SYSTEM G.ZUIKO AUTO-W 1:3,5 f=21mm sn (black nose) single coated
108181 lowest sn
116430 newest
OLYMPUS OM-SYSTEM ZUIKO MC AUTO-W 1:3,5 f=21mm sn (black nose) MC
114382 lowest sn (overlaps with G.ZUIKO range, but seems that there are two distinct MC batches within the late G.ZUIKO series)
118334 highest sn
Zuiko (black nose, multicoated, but not marked with MC)
OLYMPUS OM-SYSTEM ZUIKO AUTO-W 21mm 1:3,5 sn Japan
118444 lowest sn
1254xx highest sn; last production April 2003
On older lenses, You can roll the focus ring back and there is a code. Seems like the number was the second number in the year, ie 9 is '79. I'll have to check but turning back the ring isn't terribly good for it so hate to do that.
All mine are over 100,000. My sc 24/2.8 14xxxx.
If it doesn't have a letter in front of Zuiko it is mc. However there may be exceptions.
I have yet to see an mc that didn't have green reflections, although you can only see green reflections through the back of the lens on 65-200, 75-150
Try to find some Modern Photography lens tests. They tested a lot of these. Ed Sawyer had access to all of them.
Adaptall-2.org listed the results of these tests at times for instance the 180 Tamron page has results for 180/2 and 2.8 Zuikos.
. 