G'Day Mates Just a quickie, I was looking at a 35mmf2.0, SN 3615xxx, chrome, made in der faterland. Can anyone confirm that this lens is dinkum, as I thought all these were made in Midland. The condition is supposed to be zustand A-, which I take to be pretty good. Anyway, it's raining here, getting ready for winter, so this is a good way to spend some time. Cheers, PN

-- Paul Nelson (clrfarm@comswest.net.au), May 12, 2001

Answers

According to the serial number chart posted here recently, that lens was made in 1993. I seem to remember that time being close to when lens manufacturing started moving to Germany. Maybe someone else could confirm this.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), May 12, 2001.

The above lens is a silver chrome version of the so-called "pre-ASPH" Summicron (silver-chrome is from 1993 on)which was made in Germany.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), May 12, 2001.

Was it any particularity diference among the lenses, made in midland and those made in germany?

-- R Watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), May 13, 2001.

I've got a chrome 35mm Midland Summicron, 35mm Midland Lux; and 50mm Midland tabbed Summicron. They are favorites, for the results they produce. I see no performance advantage in my Wetzlar lenses compared to Midland.

Did you know that the Canadian plant made the Primo lenses for Panavision, and the fisheye projection lens for Omnimax?

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), May 14, 2001.

What is "dinkum"?

-- Sanford Gerald (sanford@usa.com), May 15, 2001.

I don't know but its often paired with the word "fair", as in "fair dinkum". I once visited Australia, and was seized by an irresistible urge to utter this pair of words at the end of each sentence. Must be something in the air...

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), May 15, 2001.

G'day mates, Yer nearly o'right! Eckchewly it's wht's NOT in the air! Down uner we have a little LESS pollution 'cos' we are an island .... fair dinkum!! (All the above said tongue in cheek). Fair dinkum is pretty common 'Oz' speak for genuine. Hope this clafies a'non' photo querie. Cheers mate, John A.

-- John Amiet (imageman@satlink.com.au), May 19, 2001.