Yes, I appreciate semi-antique lenses and the way they perform together with modern, digital camera bodies. I am especially fond of Olympus’ F.Zuikos, and here is The Lens that made me value the range.
Now, as step one in this mini-quest: Do you notice anything peculiar with this particular lens?
I notice the large flange at the rear (added to adapt to a different mount?)
Indeed, the barrel of the lens is not a barrel, more a cone, because the pic seems to suggest much narrower between the front element and the mount.
REALLY manual? - the lens also proclaims AUTO-S?
The serial number starts 52 and ends 25 but is not palindromic
Not entirely true. Olypedia says that multicoated versions might exist which are not labeled ‘MC’. They are at least single coated as far as I understand. This is an early ‘silvernose’ version of that lens. The later versions without the silver front ring styling are most likely multicoated.
In general the zuikos are very good lenses. They are rather contrasty with the tradeoff of some not so high-resolution detail. So maybe on a 40MP resolution body you won’t be happy. But the contrast and pop of those lenses…maybe not zeiss like (whatever that means to you), but still…