wizard717
Member
Is there any way to tell how old or when a 61L/D lens was Manufactured?
What's the age of a 61L/D?
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Dave Wilkinson
Veteran
No doubt someone will correct me - if wrong, but do not the first two serial numbers denote the year of manufacture?
Dave.
nzeeman
Well-known
i think that it isnt the case with i61. maybe we can come close if you upload photo of the lens - or describe it...
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
The first two numbers of the serial number is the correct way to determine the year of manufacture.
This lens was made till near close to the mid 1990s, the last ones have the crappy painted on numbers.
This lens was made till near close to the mid 1990s, the last ones have the crappy painted on numbers.
wizard717
Member
The lens is black with the f/stops in white and the distance in red.
It looks like the the numbers are cut or stamped into the metal of the lens body.
I can't see the serial numbers in the picture of the lens on ebay.
It looks like the the numbers are cut or stamped into the metal of the lens body.
I can't see the serial numbers in the picture of the lens on ebay.
wolves3012
Veteran
I have 3 L/Ds and one "Panda" as follows:
89- (FED 5B) 90- (FED 5C) 93- (FED 5B) and the "Panda" is a 90- (FED 4).
That makes sense for years except the "Panda"! They all have engraved and filled scales.
89- (FED 5B) 90- (FED 5C) 93- (FED 5B) and the "Panda" is a 90- (FED 4).
That makes sense for years except the "Panda"! They all have engraved and filled scales.
Murray Kelly
Well-known
Am I correct in believing all I-61 lenses are made with Lanthanum glass? I have read this elsewhere - the idea that the glass was special and was worthy of note only came later in the production run.
Murray
Murray
brachal
Refrigerated User
According to most sources, all 61's had Lanthanum glass. I'm not sure about the first two digits of the serial number being the production year. While this is true with most FSU lenses, Fed followed its own numbering scheme and even reset serial numbers from time to time. Wolves' 90-marked panda 61 would support this. Panda 61's just weren't produced that late. Even late-model Fed-3s, which stopped production in 1980, shipped with the 61LD lens.
