Six-digit serial on Serenar 50/1.9?

[02Pilot]

I recently bought a Serenar 50/1.9, and, in investigating the history of the lens, seem to have discovered an anomaly. Checking Peter Kitchingman's site, the lens appears by features to be a Type 2 or Type 3 (I'm not certain how to discern the difference between the two), but the serial number falls well outside the ranges listed; the number is 283090. Again according to the same source, the Type 4 serial number range extends indefinitely, so the number alone could indicate a later production unit, but the markings on the filter ring do not match those of a Type 4 lens.

If anyone - Mr. Kitchingman especially - has any insight on this, I'd be very interested to hear it. Thanks.

 

[Mackinaw]

I have Peter’s book. In his research on Canon LTM lenses, he did find six 50/1.9 lenses that had an extra digit in the serial number. He lists the lenses he’s personally knows of and yours is not one of them. Peter figures that the extra digit lenses may have been replacement lenses due to some sort of damage.

Jim B.

 

[02Pilot]

I have Peter’s book. In his research on Canon LTM lenses, he did find six 50/1.9 lenses that had an extra digit in the serial number. He lists the lenses he’s personally knows of and yours is not one of them. Peter figures that the extra digit lenses may have been replacement lenses due to some sort of damage.

Jim B.

Interesting. Just out of curiosity, is there any consistency across the numbers he lists, i.e., do they perhaps all end in "0" or something like that? Thanks for the information.

 

[Mackinaw]

There are the lenses he found: 280380, 291140, 367050, 369330, 389880, 476060, 479550, 479700, 554560. We can now add yours to the list.

Jim B.

 

[02Pilot]

Cool - thanks for posting that. The wide span and appended "0" on each certainly suggests some sort of out-of-sequence production for replacement.

Just to be thorough, here's a photo of mine:

 

[Mackinaw]

Good looking lens. I had a 50/1.9 lens, years back (came with a Canon III-A I bought), but not a six-digit serial number version. A good lens. A bit soft wide-open, but sharpens up nicely at F2.8. I liked that it was collapsible.

Jim B.

 

[02Pilot]

Good looking lens. I had a 50/1.9 lens, years back (came with a Canon III-A I bought), but not a six-digit serial number version. A good lens. A bit soft wide-open, but sharpens up nicely at F2.8. I liked that it was collapsible.

Jim B.

I've only shot a roll with it thus far, but my results tend to bear out that characterization. I knew it was not going to be pin-sharp across the frame, which is just fine with me - I like my lenses to have their own little quirks. Too bad it won't collapse fully on my P or my L1, but I knew that going in.