Welcome to Delta

In 2021 the Digital Enlarger Lens Test Archive (D.E.L.T.A) outgrew its original home at 16-9.net – and its remit. It continues to expand, and is now the most wide-ranging resource for film-makers and photographers seeking and using enlarger, projector, macro, repro, process and cine lenses to create digital work. Spanning more than 170 years, Delta collates information on almost 4,000 universally-adaptable lenses, and contains hundreds of unique reviews and articles.

The quick-browse catalogue below orders every lens by manufacturer and can be filtered by category or keyword.

The primary archive tracks generations of lenses with more in-depth information, and ranks hundreds for sharpness and rendition. Please use the main menu and search function to access further articles, pictures and videos.

Reset

Placeholder

Isco Super Kiptar 65/1.6
Projector lens. Single coated. Silver barrel. Black nose. Marked Isco-Göttingen.

Placeholder

Isco Super Kiptar 65/2
Projector lens. Single coated. Silver barrel. Black nose. Marked Isco-Göttingen.

Placeholder

Isco Super Kiptar 70/1.6
Projector lens. Single coated. Silver barrel. Black nose. Marked Isco-Göttingen.

Placeholder

Isco Super Kiptar 80/1.6
Projector lens. Single coated. Silver barrel. Black nose. Marked Isco-Göttingen.

Placeholder

Isco Super Kiptar 80/2
Projector lens. Single coated. Silver barrel. Black nose. Marked Isco-Göttingen.

Placeholder

Isco Super Kiptar 90/2
Projector lens. Single coated. Silver barrel. Black nose. Marked Isco-Göttingen.

Placeholder

Isco Super Kiptar 95/1.2
Projector lens. Single coated. Marked Isco-Gottingen. Probably f2

Placeholder

Isco Super Kiptar 95/1.6
Projector lens. Single coated. Silver barrel. Black nose. Marked Isco-Göttingen.

Placeholder

Isco Super Kiptar S 100/1.5
Double Gauss projector lens marked Isco Gottingen.

Placeholder

Isco Super-Halogon 100/2.8
Fitted to Braun Paximat 3000 slide projector. Aperture unmaked (estimated). Marked Isco only.

Placeholder

Isco Super-Halogon 85/2.8
Fitted to Braun Paximat 3000 slide projector. Aperture unmaked (estimated). Marked Isco only.

Placeholder

Isco Super-Projar 150/3.5
Black metal-body projector lens marked Isco-Göttingen. Cat 611.41

Placeholder

Isco Super-Projar 90/2.4
Black metal-body projector lens marked Isco-Göttingen. Cat 625.13

Placeholder

Isco Super-Projar Iscovar 150/3.5
Black metal-body projector lens marked Isco-Göttingen. Cat 658.20

Placeholder

Isco T-Kiptagon 120/2
Double Gauss projector lens.

Placeholder

Isco T-Kiptagon 145/
Double Gauss projector lens.

Placeholder

Isco T-Kiptagon 175/2.7
Double Gauss projector lens.

Placeholder

Isco T-Kiptagon 57/
Double Gauss projector lens.

Placeholder

Isco Tele Shift 60/4
Eccentric projector lens. Aperture unmarked (estimated). Marked Isco-Optic

Placeholder

Isco Tele-Westanar 135/3.5
Marked Isco-Göttingen. Available in various mounts for M39, cine and projector.

Placeholder

Isco Ultra MC 100/2
Double Gauss brass projector lens. Multicoated. Covers 645 format. AKA Cinelux. Marked Isco-Optic

Placeholder

Isco Ultra MC 105/2
Double Gauss brass projector lens. Multicoated. Covers 645 format. AKA Cinelux. Marked Isco-Optic Film 35/70

Placeholder

Isco Ultra MC 110/2
Double Gauss brass projector lens. Multicoated. Covers 645 format. AKA Cinelux. Marked Isco-Optic

Placeholder

Isco Ultra MC 115/2
Double Gauss brass projector lens. Multicoated. Covers 645 format. Marked Film 35/70 Isco-Optic. AKA Cinelux.

Placeholder

Isco Ultra MC 120/2
Double Gauss brass projector lens. Multicoated. Covers 6×7 format. AKA Cinelux. Marked Isco-Optic

Placeholder

Isco Ultra MC 130/2
Double Gauss brass projector lens. Multicoated. Covers 6×7 format. AKA Cinelux. Marked Isco-Optic

Placeholder

Isco Ultra MC 135/2
Double Gauss brass projector lens. Multicoated. Covers 6×7 format. Marked Film 35/70 Isco-Optic. AKA Cinelux.

Placeholder

Isco Ultra MC 140/2
Double Gauss projector lens. Multicoated. Covers 6×7 format. Marked Isco-Optic. AKA Cinelux. Brass body.

Placeholder

Isco Ultra MC 150/2.3
Double Gauss projector lens. Multicoated. Covers 6×7 format. Marked Isco-Optic. AKA Cinelux. Brass body.

Placeholder

Isco Ultra MC 22/2
Double Gauss projector lens. Multicoated. AKA Cinelux. Brass body. Marked Isco-Optic

Placeholder

Isco Ultra MC 45/2
Double Gauss projector lens. Multicoated. AKA Cinelux. Brass body. Marked Isco-Optic

Placeholder

Isco Ultra MC 55/2
Double Gauss projector lens. Multicoated. Image circle: 50mm. AKA Cinelux. Brass body. Marked Isco-Optic

isco_ultra_mc-60b

Isco Ultra MC 60/2
Double Gauss projector lens. Multicoated. Image circle c.50mm. AKA Cinelux. Brass body. Marked Isco-Gottingen

Placeholder

Isco Ultra MC 70/2
Double Gauss projector lens. Multicoated. Image circle: 50mm. AKA Cinelux. Brass body. Marked Isco-Gottingen

Placeholder

Isco Ultra MC 75/2
Double Gauss projector lens. Multicoated. Image circle: 50mm. AKA Cinelux. Brass body. Marked Isco-Gottingen

Placeholder

Isco Ultra MC 80/2
Double Gauss brass projector lens. Multicoated. AKA Cinelux. Marked Isco-Optic

Placeholder

Isco Ultra MC 85/2
Double Gauss brass projector lens. Multicoated. Image circle: 50mm. AKA Cinelux. Marked Isco-Optic

Placeholder

Isco Ultra MC 90/2
Double Gauss brass projector lens. Multicoated. AKA Cinelux. Marked Isco-Optic

Placeholder

Isco Ultra MC 95/2
Double Gauss brass projector lens. Barrel: 70.6mm. Multicoated. Image circle: 50mm. AKA Cinelux. Marked Isco-Optic

Placeholder

Isco Ultra Star HD-Plus 32.5/1.85
Double Gauss projector lens. Multicoated. Red body marked 1.85 MC 2.1

Placeholder

Isco Ultra Star HD-Plus 42.5/2.1
Double Gauss projector lens. Multicoated. Red body marked 1.85 MC 2.1

Placeholder

Isco Ultra Star HD-Plus 55/
Double Gauss projector lens. Multicoated. Red body marked 1.85 MC 2.1

Placeholder

Isco Ultra Star HD-Plus 60/
Double Gauss projector lens. Multicoated. Red body marked 1.85 MC 2.1

Placeholder

Isco Ultra Star HD-Plus 65/
Double Gauss projector lens. Multicoated. Red body marked 1.85 MC 2.1

Placeholder

Isco Ultra Star HD-Plus 90/2.1
Double Gauss projector lens. Brass body. Blue ring.

Placeholder

Isco Ultra Star HD-Plus 90/2.4
Double Gauss projector lens. Multicoated. Red body marked 1.85 MC 2.1

Placeholder

Isco Ultra Star MC 40/2.5
Double Gauss projector lens. Multicoated. Yellow/orange body. Marked Isco-Optic. Image circle: 35mm

Placeholder

Isco Ultra Star MC 70/2
Double Gauss projector lens. Multicoated. Yellow/orange body. Marked Isco-Optic.

Placeholder

Isco Ultra Star MC 85/2
Double Gauss projector lens. Multicoated. Red body. Marked Isco-Optic.

Placeholder

Isco Ultra-A
Multicoated slide projector zoom lens marked Isco-Optic

isco-ultra-av-110-200-a

Isco Ultra-AV 110-200/3.5
Multicoated zoom slide projector lens marked Isco-Optic [Cat 642.11]. AKA Meridian 110-200/3.5.

Placeholder

Isco Ultra-AV 60-110/3.5
Multicoated zoom slide projector lens marked Isco-Optic [Cat 630.01]

Placeholder

Isco Ultra-AV 70-125/3.5
Multicoated zoom slide projector lens marked Isco-Optic [Cat 640.01]

Placeholder

Isco Ultra-Star HD 29/
Multicoated 35mm film projector lens (between Ultra MC and HD Plus in range).

Placeholder

Isco Ultra-Star HD 45/
Multicoated 35mm film projector lens (between Ultra MC and HD Plus in range).

Placeholder

Isco Ultra-Star HD 55/
Multicoated 35mm film projector lens (between Ultra MC and HD Plus in range).

Placeholder

Isco Ultra-Star HD 60/
Multicoated 35mm film projector lens (between Ultra MC and HD Plus in range).

Placeholder

Isco Ultra-Star HD 70/
Multicoated 35mm film projector lens (between Ultra MC and HD Plus in range).

Placeholder

Isco Ultra-Star HD 75/1.8
Multicoated 35mm film projector lens (between Ultra MC and HD Plus in range). Comes with Waterhouse stop for f2.1.

Placeholder

Isco Ultra-Star HD 80/
Multicoated 35mm film projector lens (between Ultra MC and HD Plus in range).

Placeholder

Isco Ultra-Star HD 85/
Multicoated 35mm film projector lens (between Ultra MC and HD Plus in range).

Placeholder

Isco Ultra-Star HD 90/
Multicoated 35mm film projector lens (between Ultra MC and HD Plus in range).

Placeholder

Isco Ultra-Star HD 95/
Multicoated 35mm film projector lens (between Ultra MC and HD Plus in range).

Placeholder

Isco Ultra-Star HD Zoom Type L /
Multicoated 35mm film projector lens (between Ultra MC and HD Plus in range).

Placeholder

Isco Ultra-Star HD-Plus 75/2.1
Double Gauss projector lens. Multicoated. Red body marked 1.85 MC 2.1

Placeholder

Isco Ultra-Star Studio 40/
Brass body. Blue ring. Aperture unmarked. Marked Isco-Optic

Placeholder

Isco Ultra-Star* HD Plus 85/1.8
Red barrel marked 1.85 (probably 1:1.85 screen ratio, distinct from the Cinemascope variant). Native aperture is f1.8: optional ‘stops’ thread onto the front element housing. Commonly supplied with (and marked) f2.1, but f2.4 and f2.7 also available. AMP Technical Achievement Award 2000. [European barrel (62.5mm) cat. no 728.32] [US barrel (70.6mm) cat. no. 728.33]

Placeholder

Isco Ultra-Star* HD Plus 95/1.8
Red barrel marked 1.85 (probably 1:1.85 screen ratio, distinct from the Cinemascope variant). Native aperture is f1.8: optional ‘stops’ thread onto the front element housing. Commonly supplied with (and marked) f2.1, but f2.4 and f2.7 also available. AMP Technical Achievement Award 2000. [European barrel (62.5mm) cat. no 730.32] [US barrel (70.6mm) cat. no. 730.33]

isco_vs_projar_90mm-f2.5

Isco V/S Projar 90/2.5
Upgrade 35mm slide projector lens marked ISCO-GÖTTINGEN. Either four- or five-element (TBC).

Placeholder

Isco Vario-Projar 70-120/2.8
Projector lens for Kodak Ektapro marked Isco-Optic. Multicoated.

isco-vario-projar-70-120a

Isco Vario-Projar 70-120/3.5
Projector lens for Kodak Carousel-S / Kindermann. Some marked V/Projar; some zebra. All Isco-Göttingen. Often with 42.5mm adaptor.

isco-85-150-3.2a

Isco Vario-Projar 85-150/3.2
Multicoated slide projector zoom lens marked Isco-Optic.

Placeholder

Isco Vario-Projar 85-150/3.5
Multicoated slide Projector lens for Zeiss/Zett. Marked Isco-Optic.

Placeholder

Isco Westron 28/4
Marked Isco-Göttingen. Available in various mounts for M39, cine and projector.

Placeholder

Isco Westron 35/3.5
Marked Isco-Göttingen. Available in various mounts for M39, cine and projector.

isco-50-5.6-a

Isco-Göttingen 50/5.6
German enlarger lens with black plastic body marked ISCO-GÖTTINGEN. Likely triplet. Sometimes branded Iscora.

Placeholder

Isco-Göttingen 50/5.6
German enlarger lens.

Placeholder

Isco-Göttingen 75/5.6
German enlarger lens.

iscora-50-4.5-a

Isco-Göttingen Iscora 50/4.5
German enlarger lens with black plastic body marked ISCO-GÖTTINGEN. Likely triplet. Product image by Pacific Rim Cameras.

iscora-75-4.5a

Isco-Göttingen Iscora 75/4.5
German enlarger lens with black plastic body marked ISCO-GÖTTINGEN. Likely triplet.

iscorit-50-v1a

Isco-Göttingen Iscorit 50/4.5 [V1]
German enlarger lens with black metal body marked ISCO-GÖTTINGEN. Likely triplet. Product image by Kamerastore.

iscorit-50-v2a

Isco-Göttingen Iscorit 50/4.5 [V2]
German enlarger lens with black plastic body marked ISCO-GÖTTINGEN. Likely triplet.

iscorit-75-v3a

Isco-Göttingen Iscorit 75/4.5 [V1]
German enlarger lens. Not all models marked Iscorit.

isco-75-a

Isco-Göttingen Iscorit 75/4.5 [V2]
German enlarger lens. Not all models marked Iscorit.

itorex-50-4.5-a

Itorex 50/4.5
Compact triplet enlarger lens.

Placeholder

Jessop 38/4.5
AKA Beseler and Dyotar enlarger lens.

jessops-6-elem-a

Jessop 50/2.8 [V1]
Japanese-made enlarger lens (probably by Fujimoto) AKA Spiratone, Vivitar, Phago. Marked ‘6 ELEMENTS’

jessop-50-2-8a

Jessop 50/2.8 [V2]
Second version of the Fujimoto / Spiratone six-element 50/2.8 enlarger lens. Early samples in the plain blue ‘pre-rainbow’ Jessops packaging are marked ‘6 ELEMENT’.

jessop-50-a

Jessop 50/3.5
Compact black triplet enlarger lens similar to AICO et al. Also branded (and sold with) LPL enlargers.

jessop-50-4.5a

Jessop 50/4.5
Japanese-made enlarger lens. AKA Alto 50/4.5.

Placeholder

JL 50/4.5
Tiny black enlarger lens. Made in France.

Placeholder

JML 105/4.5
Enlarger lens.

Placeholder

JML 152/8
Enlarger lens.

Placeholder

JML 34/3.5
Enlarger lens. Image circle < 35mm.

jml_135_4.5a

JML Optical 135/4.5
Japanese-made enlarger lens. Part of the range marketed as Fujimoto, Durst Optar, Vivitar et al.

Placeholder

Johnson 152/4
Projector lens marked 6”. Silver metal barrel. Aperture unmarked (estimated).

Placeholder

Kaginon 105/4.5 [V1]
Japanese zebra enlarger lens.

kaginon-105mm_f4.5-d

Kaginon 105/4.5 [V2]
Japanese enlarger lens. Silver body. Zebra aperture ring.

kaginon-50mm-f3.5-a

Kaginon 50/3.5
Japanese enlarger lens.

kaginon-75a

Kaginon 75/3.5
Silver metal-body Japanese enlarger lens.
1 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 37

Acknowledgements: The DELTA project wouldn’t have been possible with the naysaying of experienced lens collectors; the death of film; the opposition of my wife; the embezzlement of shady eBay sellers and Japanese auction agents; the re-branders; the same 50/3.5 seen in a thousand guises; the unhelpful attitide of extant manufacturers who jettisoned their history without a backward glance (Schneider, Rodenstock et al); the corporations who swallow the legacies of decades without concern for their preservation; the disregard of librarians and archivists who no longer value photographic publications; the copyright laws prohibiting reproduction of adverts advertising things no longer made, once made by people and companies that no longer exist; the museums failing to digitise their collections and refusing to grant access to material rotting unseen in their basements; the sheer bloody-mindedness of Agfa serial numbers; the arrogance of those who have previously written about alt.lenses and imagine their sayings to be unalterably definitive, despite being patently erroneous;  widespread dementia and death befalling a generation of those with inside knowledge of the industry; widespread withering of the information internet and the rise of regurgitated AI gobbledygook; the majority of used camera dealers who regard these lenses as pointless relics and have no interest in deploying them as taking lenses and regard their slow-moving stock as an irritation; clueless marketing people devoid of specific product knowledge; an overwhelming majority of photographers apathetic about the benefits and possibilities of alt.lenses; the publishers who failed to express an interest in a book deal; the army of DIY botchers who took their lenses apart and didn’t know how to put them back together again; a postal system that loses packages as a normal happenstance;  and all the fungus. Against this tide stand we few. You know who you are. Thank you.