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

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.

kalcor-preset-50-3.5-a

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

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.

Placeholder

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

kershaw-150mm-f3.5-b

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_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_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″.

Placeholder

Kershaw Gaumont-Kalee 114/2.2
Silver body English projector lens marked 4.5” Bloomed Projection Lens. SEries K. No 1709

Placeholder

Kershaw Gaumont-Kalee 121/1.9
Silver body English projector lens marked 4.75” Bloomed Projection Lens

Placeholder

Kershaw Gaumont-Kalee 165/2.2
Silver body English projector lens marked 6.5” Bloomed Projection Lens

Placeholder

Kershaw Gaumont-Kalee 216/1.9
English projector lens

Placeholder

Kershaw Gaumont-Kalee 225/1.9
English projector lens

Placeholder

Kershaw Gaumont-Kalee 240/1.9
English projector lens

Placeholder

Kershaw Gaumont-Kalee 89/2
Silver body English projector lens marked 3.5” Bloomed Projection Lens. Made by Kershaw of Leeds.

Placeholder

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

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).

Kershaw-Series-A-6inch-a

Kershaw Series A 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 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.

kershaw-c-4.25-a

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.

Placeholder

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.

Placeholder

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

kalee_114mm_f1.9-a

Kershaw 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. Example images shot on GFX.

Placeholder

Kershaw Series S 133.5/1.9
Silver body English projector lens marked ‘Gaumont-Kalee 5½” Bloomed Projection Lens’. Made by Kershaw of Leeds

Kershaw S 146mm f1.9-a

Kershaw Series S 146/1.9
Silver body English projector lens marked ‘Gaumont-Kalee 5¾” Bloomed Projection Lens’. Made by Kershaw of Leeds

Placeholder

Kershaw Series T 200/4
Black projector lens Marked Kershaw Leeds. Aperture estimated (unmarked).

Kershaw-Super_t-a

Kershaw Series T Super Projection 150/3.5
Silver body/ black nose 35mm slide projector lens of uncertain focal length. Aperture estimated.

kershaw_250_102mm_f2.8-a

Kershaw Type 250 102/2.8 [V1]
English lens designed by Horace W. Lee for Kershaw Type 250 Strip Projector (for 35mm stills and strip). [V2] is a superior, serialled reverse Ernostar design marked ‘4″ = 102 M.M’, with a shallow, bronzed bezel and front barrel. The inner brass barrel (45mm diameter / 60mm length) unscrews on a 55 x 0.75mm thread. Inner barrel and lens assembly weighs 316g.

Placeholder

Kershaw Type 250 102/2.8 [V2]
Lens for Kershaw Type 250 Strip Projector (for 35mm stills and strip). [V1] is a triplet, inferior to the four element [V2], and is distinguished by a darker, deeper bezel and the absence of a serial number. The lens is marked ‘4″ f2.8’ only (not ‘102 M.M’ as [V1]). The inner brass barrel (45mm diameter / 60mm length) unscrews on a 55 x 0.75mm thread. Inner barrel and lens assembly weighs 316g.

kershaw_type-250_150mm-a

Kershaw Type 250 152/2.8
English lens for Kershaw Type 250 Strip Projector (for 35mm stills and strip film). Silver body. Product image by BosunHiggs.

kershaw_250-50mm_f2.8-v1a

Kershaw Type 250 50/2.8 [V1]
English lens for Kershaw Daylight Type 250 Projector (for 35mm stills and strip film). Silver body.

kestrel_50mm_f3.5a

Kestrel 50/3.5
Zebra enlarger lens. Black body. Likely triplet. Made in Japan.

Placeholder

Kestrel 75/3.5
Zebra enlarger lens. Silver body. Made in Japan

Placeholder

Kindermann 45/2.8
German lens fitted to Fernfocus 110-format slide projector. Image circle likely sub-35mm diameter.

kindermann_90_2.4_mc_1a

Kindermann 90/2.4 MC
German slide projector lens made by Docter Optics. Multicoated. Likely AKA Doctarlux 90/2.5. Awarded 4/5.

Placeholder

Kindermann Color 85/2.8
German slide projector lens.

Placeholder

Kindermann Color 90/2.4 MC-B
German slide projector lens made by Docter Optics. Multicoated.

kindermann_colour-90mm-2.8a

Kindermann Color 90/2.8
German slide projector lens with black plastic barrel awarded 1 / 5 (the lowest mark for performance) by Chasseur d’Images.

Placeholder

King 75/3.5
Compact black enlarger lens made in Japan.

Placeholder

Kinoptic Apo 50/2
French cine lens head. Unknown screw mount

kisanon-50-3.5a

Kisanon 50/3.5
Compact black enlarger lens made in Japan. Not all samples numbered. Poorly rated by Photo-ciné magazine in 1980 when the retail price was 115 francs.

Placeholder

KMZ Era-12 125/4
Russian industrial macro lens using in chip-manufacture.

Placeholder

KMZ Era-13 150/4.5
Russian industrial macro lens using in chip-manufacture.

Placeholder

KMZ Era-14 135/2.8
Russian industrial macro lens using in chip-manufacture.

Placeholder

KMZ Era-15 125/4.5
Russian industrial macro lens using in chip-manufacture.

Placeholder

KMZ Era-7 105/2.8
Russian industrial macro lens using in chip-manufacture.

Placeholder

Kodak Anastigmat 100/3.5
Projector lens by Angenieux

kodak_anastigmat-75-a

Kodak Anastigmat 75/
Metal body enlarger lens made in Germany.

Placeholder

Kodak Carousel 100/2.8
Projector lens by Isco-Gottingen. Unmarked aperture estimated

Placeholder

Kodak Eastman 130/6.3
Brass-bodied enlarger lens without lens mount marked 5.125”. Image circle > 50mm

kodak-eastman-190a

Kodak Eastman Projection 190/4.5
Brass-bodied enlarger lens marked Eastman Projection Anastigmat 7.5”. Made in New York.

Placeholder

Kodak Ektanar 102/2.8
Projector lens.

Placeholder

Kodak Ektanar 127/2.8
Projector lens.

ektanar_zoom

Kodak Ektanar C 102-152/3.5 [V1]
Zoom projector lens. American version marked ‘Projection Zoom 4 to 6 Inches’.

kodak-ektanar-c-102-152a

Kodak Ektanar C 102-152/3.5 [V2]
Zoom slide projector lens with black plastic barrel.

Placeholder

Kodak Ektapro 100-150/3.5
Zoom projector lens marked Kodak Slide Projection FF

kodak_100-200

Kodak Ektapro 100-200/3.5
Single-coated zoom 35mm slide projector lens.

Placeholder

Kodak Ektapro 100/2.8
Black plastic barrel with gear rack for Kodak 35mm slide projectors 3000-9000. Single-coated. Optically identical to Retinar AV models with spiral barrel. [Cat 712.5511]

kodak_ektapro-180

Kodak Ektapro 180/3.5
Black plastic barrel with gear rack for Kodak 35mm slide projectors 3000-9000. Single-coated. Optically identical to Retinar AV models with spiral barrel. [Cat 712.5511]

Placeholder

Kodak Ektapro 75-120/3.5
Zoom projector lens marked Kodak Slide Projection FF

kodak_ektapro_85

Kodak Ektapro 85/2.8
Black plastic barrel 35mm slide projector lens awarded 1/5 (the lowest mark) for image quality by Chasseur d’Images magazine. Single-coated. [Cat 712.5503]

Placeholder

Kodak Ektapro Select 150/2.8
Black metal-barrel multicoated 35mm slide projector lens. AKA Retinar S-AV 2000. [Cat. 712.5461]

kodak_ektapro_200-300

Kodak Ektapro Select 200-300/3.5
Multicoated zoom lens with metal barrel and gear rack for Kodak Ektapro 35mm slide projectors. Optically identical to Kodak Retinar S-AV version with spiral barrel. [Cat 712.5495].

kodak-ektapro-select-36

Kodak Ektapro Select 36/2.8
Black barrel 35mm wide-angle slide projector lens. Multicoated. [Cat 712.5446]. As Kodak Retinar S-AV 2000 but with rack focus.

kodak_ektapro_select_75-120b

Kodak Ektapro Select 75-120/2.8
Black metal barrel zoom lens with gear rack for Kodak Ektapro 35mm slide projectors. Multicoated. [Cat. 712.5479] Awarded 4/5 for image quality by Chasseur d’Images. Optically identical to S-AV Retinar version with spiral barrel.

kodak_zeiss_87-200

Kodak Ektapro Select 87-200/3.5
Zoom 35mm slide projector lens made by Carl Zeiss. Multicoated. AKA Kodak Retinar S-AV. [Cat 712.5487]

kodak_ektapro_93

Kodak Ektapro Select 93/2.5
Black metal barrel 35mm slide projector lens awarded 3/5 for image quality by Chasseur d’Images magazine. Multicoated. AKA Retinar S-AV 2000. [Cat. 712.5453]

Placeholder

Kodak Enlarging Ektanon 105/4.5
Enlarger lens marked 4”

Placeholder

Kodak Enlarging Ektanon 135/4.5
Tessar enlarger lens marked 5 3/8”

Placeholder

Kodak Enlarging Ektanon 161/4.5
Tessar enlarger lens marked 6 3/8”

Placeholder

Kodak Enlarging Ektanon 190/4.5
Tessar enlarger lens marked 7.5”

Placeholder

Kodak Enlarging Ektanon 250/4.5
Tessar enlarger lens marked 10”

Placeholder

Kodak Enlarging Ektanon 50/4.5
Enlarger lens marked 2”

Placeholder

Kodak Enlarging Ektanon 50/6.3
Enlarger lens marked 2”

Placeholder

Kodak Enlarging Ektanon 75/4.5
Enlarger lens marked 3”

Placeholder

Kodak Enlarging Ektar 100/4.5 [UK]
Dialyte enlarger lens made in Britian by Kodak Ltd London. Marked 4”. Notched aperture ring. M30x0.5 mount.

Placeholder

Kodak Enlarging Ektar 100/4.5 [US]
Dialyte enlarger len made in USA by Eastman Kodak. Lanthanum glass. CAMEROSITY serials. M30x0.5 mount.

kodak-ektar-50-uk1

Kodak Enlarging Ektar 50/4.5 [UK]
Heliar/pentac enlarger lens. Marked 2”. Lanthanum glass. M30x0.5 mount. Unserialled.

kodak-ektar-us-50a

Kodak Enlarging Ektar 50/4.5 [US]
Heliar/pentac enlarger lens made in USA by Eastman Kodak. Marked 2”. Lanthanum glass. M30x0.5 mount. CAMEROSITY Serials.

Placeholder

Kodak Enlarging Ektar 63/4.5
Fixed aperture microfile enlarging lens. Black body. Lanthanum.

kodak-ektar_75_us-a

Kodak Enlarging Ektar 75/4.5 [UK]
Heliar/pentac enlarger lens made in Britain by Kodak Limited London. Marked 3”. Notched aperture ring. Brass body. M30x0.5mm

kodak_ektar75-c

Kodak Enlarging Ektar 75/4.5 [US]
Heliar/pentac enlarger lens made in USA by Eastman Kodak. Scalloped aperture ring. Lanthanum. CAMEROSITY serials. M30x0.5mm mount

Placeholder

Kodak Enlarging Ektar 90/4.5
Heliar/pentac enlarger lens made in USA by Eastman Kodak. Scalloped aperture ring. Lanthanum. CAMEROSITY serials. M30x0.5mm mount

Kodak Micro-File Ektar 63mm f/8

Kodak Micro-File Ektar 63/8
Heliar design microfilm lens. Reported to be high-resolution. Features a helicoid but a fixed aperture at around F8 – but not marked.

Placeholder

Kodak Printing Ektar 100/4.5
Heliar optical printing lens. Marked Color Printing Ektar, Enlarging Ektar or just Kodak.

Placeholder

Kodak Printing Ektar 103/2.8
Heliar optical printing lens. Marked Color Printing Ektar, Enlarging Ektar or just Kodak.

Placeholder

Kodak Printing Ektar 103/4.5
Heliar optical printing lens. Marked Color Printing Ektar, Enlarging Ektar or just Kodak.

Placeholder

Kodak Printing Ektar 108/4.5
Heliar optical printing lens. Marked Color Printing Ektar, Enlarging Ektar or just Kodak.

kodak-enlarging-ektar-113a

Kodak Printing Ektar 113/4.5
Heliar optical printing lens. Marked Color Printing Ektar, Enlarging Ektar or just Kodak.

Placeholder

Kodak Printing Ektar 115/4.5
Heliar optical printing lens. Marked Color Printing Ektar, Enlarging Ektar or just Kodak.

Placeholder

Kodak Printing Ektar 125/4.5
Heliar optical printing lens. Marked Color Printing Ektar, Enlarging Ektar or just Kodak.

Placeholder

Kodak Printing Ektar 127/4.5
Heliar optical printing lens. Marked Color Printing Ektar, Enlarging Ektar or just Kodak.

Placeholder

Kodak Printing Ektar 130/4.5
Heliar optical printing lens. Marked Color Printing Ektar, Enlarging Ektar or just Kodak.

Placeholder

Kodak Printing Ektar 132/4.5
Heliar optical printing lens. Marked Color Printing Ektar, Enlarging Ektar or just Kodak.
1 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 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.