How can I identify the original manufacturer of a Sears-branded lens?

Question

I’m trying to determine who made a Sears-branded lens. I’ve seen claims that Sears encoded the maker in the serial number, but the code lists I’ve found don’t seem to match lenses.

Where is the manufacturer code actually found on Sears lenses, and what lens-related Sears codes are known?

user75526 · Answer

This answer is currently incomplete. Will update as I encounter further information.

Sears encodes the manufacturer in the model number, not the serial number, as Vivitar did. If the model number is not printed around the front element, look for it somewhere along the side of the barrel. It will usually have a three-digit prefix, followed by a dot, then another sequence of numbers (xxx.yyyyyyy). Commonly found prefixes on Sears lenses include:

199 - (Made in ???)
202 - (Made in Korea)

As you noted, many manufacturer lists do not apply to lenses because 199 is often missing and 202 is an industrial machinery and farm equipment manufacturer (Gannon Mfg Co).

It has been speculated that Samyang manufactured many lenses for Sears.

The limited number of Sears lenses I've used that were made in Korea were well built, but did not have optics to match.

How can I identify the original manufacturer of a Sears-branded lens?

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