Arrival of another early M-SYSTEM lens

Yes, the arrival of another M-SYSTEM lens.

It's an interesting encounter. I have a pretty minty one already but then I saw this and decided to add it.

All because of its early serial. What lens is it?

Here it is, the M-SYSTEM 100mm F2.8 S/N 100345

Pretty good condition overall with almost like new glass.

That said though, there was a strange mark on one of the elements so I opened it up and cleaned it. All gone and it was maybe dust or potential fungus. Anyways it's gone now.

Apart from the very early S/N, the more interesting bit is about the barrel.

The scales in feet are not painted.

I can't tell whether it's a forgotten job, an intended one or a later modified one, but it's a little bit more discreet maybe?

It doesn't look like being removed but I can't tell.

After spotting this strange missing paint, I started to compare the lens to the one I got.

From first look, they look pretty much the same. Until I carefully inspected the colour of the coating.

The 100345 is more like a purple coating while the 101439 is more bluish in colour.

From what I've gathered or learned, the earlier M-SYSTEM lenses should have the more bluish coatings and for later OM versions, the 100mm F2.8 should have more purplish coatings.

Besides, the front element groups aren't the same.

BTW, WHAT THE HELL!! 100006!!!!

Sort of makes sense after doing some reading.

The latter one has the front group separated into 2 lens elements while the earlier one has one complete cemented front group.

I have CLAed later OM version of this lens before and that front group is another different version. I wonder if that's a third version or what.

The interesting point is, why would the older version have the more purplish coating of the OM version?

Or is the coating colour just a random thing? Any fellow Zuikoholics or experts can tell me?

Anyways, a very interesting lens to join my collection.

Hope you enjoy the read.

Cheers,

Wilfred