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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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]

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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]

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

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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.

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

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

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

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

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Isco-Göttingen 50/5.6
German enlarger lens.

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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.

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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.

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Jessop 38/4.5
AKA Beseler and Dyotar enlarger lens.

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

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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’.

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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.

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

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JML 105/4.5
Enlarger lens.

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JML 152/8
Enlarger lens.

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

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

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

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

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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.

kaginon_90mm_f4.5-a

Kaginon 90/4.5
Silver/black metal-body Japanese enlarger lens. Covers 6×7.

kalcor-105-4.5-a

Kalcor 105/4.5
Enlarger lens made in Japan marketed by Kalt Corporation. Sometimes seen fitted to large format cameras and macro bellows.

kalcor-50-a

Kalcor 50/3.5
Compact black enlarger lens made in Japan marketed by Kalt Corporation. Likely a generic 50/3.5 triplet. Product image by Pacific Rim Camera.

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Kalcor Preset 50/3.5
Compact zebra lens made in Japan marketed by Kalt Corporation and fitted to Kalco Model 66 enlarger.

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Kalee 102/2.2
Silver body English projector lens marked 4” Bloomed Projection Lens. Series H. Made by Kershaw of Leeds

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Kalee Series K 102/1.9
Silver body English projector lens marked 4” Bloomed Projection Lens. Made by Kershaw of Leeds.

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Kalee Series K 114/1.9
Silver body English projector lens marked 4½” Bloomed Projection Lens, fitted to Ross Type GC Model 1. Made by Kershaw of Leeds. FFD is too short to allow infinity focus on Fujifilm GFX with an adaptor and short helicoid (max focus = c.10m).

Kalimar-50-a

Kalimar Anastigmat 50/4.5
Japanese-made entry-level rebranded enlarger lens. Likely triplet.

Kalimar-75-a

Kalimar Anastigmat 75/3.5
Japanese-made entry-level rebranded enlarger lens. Likely triplet.

kalt-50-a

Kalt 50/3.5
Black Japanese-made entry-level enlarger lens distributed in America by the Kalt Corporation. Likely triplet.

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Kalt 75/3.5
Black Japanese-made entry-level enlarger lens distributed in America by the Kalt Corporation. Likely triplet.

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Kershaw [Type 250?] 150/3.5 [V2]
English lens for Rank-era Kershaw Daylight Projector (for 35mm stills and strip film). Black body, zebra nose. Marked KERSHAW 6″.

kershaw_50mm-f2.8-projection-1

Kershaw [Type 250?] 50/2.8 [V2]
English lens for Rank-era Kershaw Daylight Projector (for 35mm stills and strip film). Black body, zebra nose. Marked KERSHAW 2″.

kershaw_250_f3.5-a

Kershaw [Type 250] 152/3.5
English lens for Kershaw Type 250 Strip Projector (for 35mm stills and strip film). Silver body marked ‘6-inch’ rather than 152mm like (later?) 152/2.8 version.

Kershaw Projection 100/3.5
English lens for BAF Model 38 projector marked ‘F=4 in”.

kershaw-a-5.25in-a

Kershaw Series A 133/3.5
Black-nose projector lens. Marked on plain silver barrel “F=5¼ inch”. Aperture estimated (unmarked).

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Kershaw Series A Projection 150/3.5
Black-nose projector lens marked Kershaw Leeds. Aperture estimated (unmarked). Focal length marked on silver barrel (“F=6 inch”).

kershaw-series-b-1a

Kershaw Series B Projection 150/2.8
Black-nose projector lens Marked Kershaw Leeds. Aperture unmarked but given by VM as f2.8. Focal length marked on barrel (6 inch) – also likely War Department marking and Fxxx serial.

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Kershaw Series C 108/2.2
British movie projector lens marked “Super Projection” on black fascia and “Focus = 4¼ inch” on silver barrel. Made in Leeds.

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Kershaw Series C 120/4
Silver barrel / black nose projector lens marked Super Projection 4¾” Kershaw Leeds. Aperture estimated (unmarked).

Kershaw Series C Super Projection 6 inch lens

Kershaw Series C 150/2.5
British movie projector lens marked “Super Projection” on black fascia and “Focus = 6 inch” on silver barrel. Made in Leeds. Aperture estimated.

kershaw-c-6.75in-1

Kershaw Series C 171/2.2
British movie projector lens marked “Super Projection” on black fascia and  “Focus = 6¾ inch” on silver barrel. Made in Leeds.
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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.