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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Leitz Photar 25/2
Bellows lens. Unknown image circle. Marked Ernst Leitz.

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Leitz Photar 25/2
Bellows lens. Unknown image circle. Marked Ernst Leitz.

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Leitz Photar 25/2.5
Macro lens, 2 versions

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Leitz Photar 50/4
Macro lens. NB: Sub-30mm image circle

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Leitz Photar 63/4
Macro lens

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Leitz Primoplan 90/2.5
Projector lens

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Leitz Projection 200/4
Projector lens. Silver body. Series and aperture (estimated) unmarked.

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Leitz Summar 120/2
Bellows lens. Marked Ernst Leitz.

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Leitz Summar 24/4.5
Bellows lens. Unknown image circle. Marked Ernst Leitz.

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Leitz Summar 25/2.8
Loupe lens. Marked Ernst Leitz

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Leitz Summar 80/4.5
Bellows lens. Marked Ernst Leitz.

leitz-v-elmar-100_4.5-a

Leitz V-Elmar 100/4.5
Medium format enlarger lens covering 6×9. All black metal body. [Cat. OZOFA pre-c.1961, subsequently (unmarked) 17878]

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Leitz V-Elmar 50/3.5
Enlarger lens.

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Leitz Vario-Elmarit 70-120/2.8
Slide projector zoom lens for Leitz (Leica) Prado and Kodak Ektapro

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Leitz Vario-Elmaron 110-200/3.5
Slide projector zoom lens for Leitz Prado and Kodak Ektapro

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Leitz Vario-Elmaron-P 60-110/3.5
Multicoated Leica slide projector lens awarded maximum marks in a Practical Photography test (1990).

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Leitz Varob 50/3.5 [V1]
Black and nickel. Elmar formula. Early bodies brass with apertures 1-10 (f32).

leitz_varob_5cm_a

Leitz Varob 50/3.5 [V2]
Black and nickel. Elmar formula. Early bodies brass with apertures 1-10 (f32).

leitz_varob-hektor_50_f6.3-a

Leitz Varob-Hektor 50/6.3
Black and nickel. Early bodies brass with apertures 1-(f)64. Product images by Marco Calvina for NOC Sensei.

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Leitz Voort 95/4
Silver body enlarger lens marked Ernst Leitz Voort f=9.5cm. Example images by simplejoy. Product images by Leica Classic.

leitz-vooxw-95mm-1

Leitz Vooxw 95/4
Enlarger lens. Apertures marked 1-10. Black body. Silver nose. Marked Ernst Leitz.

leitz-vooyk_50mm_1

Leitz Vooyk 50/3.5
Enlarger lens marked Ernst Leitz Wetzlar. Black body with brass nose.

Leitz-France Cadrovit 80-125

Leitz-France Cadrovit 80-125/3.5
Rare 35mm zoom lens observed fitted to Pradovit Color and CA2500 slide projectors.

lentar-105-a

Lentar 105/4.5
Rebranded Japanese enlarger lens. Likely triplet.

lentar-50-3-5a

Lentar 50/3.5
Japanese-made entry-level rebranded enlarger lens. Silver metal body; black mount and fascia. Likely triplet.

lentar-75-a

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

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Leti 92/2
Biotar slide projector lens for Leti 60M. Often mising maker’s name. Marked F:92. AKA Helios and Lomo 92/2 (Zebra nose).

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Liesegang Coronar 135/4.5
Zebra enlarger lens marked Liesegang Düsseldorf.

corygon-75-a

Liesegang Corygon 75/4.5
Enlarger lens marked Ed. Liesegang Düsseldorf. Silver body, black nose.

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Liesegang Corygon II 75/4.5
Enlarger lens marked Liesegang Düsseldorf.

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Liesegang Enna Peplostar 60/4.5
Enlarger lens marked Ed. Liesegang.

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Liesegang Parastigmat 90/4.5
Enlarger lens marked Ed. Liesegang Düsseldorf. Silver body. Black nose.

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Liesegang Patrinast 100/2.8
Slide projector lens marked Ed. Liesegang Düsseldorf Enna-Patrinast. Black body. Silver nose.

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Liesegang Patrinast 150/3
Black slide projector lens for Fantax 600A

liesgang-patrinast-85-v1b

Liesegang Patrinast 85/2.8 [V1]
Slide projector lens marked Ed. Liesegang Düsseldorf. Silver metal body. Zebra or black nose. Single-coated. Barrel: 37mm.

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Liesegang Patrinast 85/2.8 [V2]
Slide projector lens marked Ed. Liesegang Düsseldorf. Black plastic body. Zebra. Multi-coated. Barrel: 42mm

liesgang-patrinast-85-v2a

Liesegang Patrinast 85/2.8 [V3]
Slide projector lens marked “Liesegang . Düsseldorf”. Black plastic body. Seems identical to VVI Patrinast.

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Liesegang Peplostar S.II 60/4.5
Enlarger lens marked Ed. Liesegang Düsseldorf.

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Liesegang Sankar 85/2.5
Slide projector lens marked Ed. Liesegang Düsseldorf. Silver metal body. Zebra. Barrel: 37mm

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Liesegang VVI Patrinast 85/2.8
Slide projector lens marked Liesegang only. Black plastic body. Barrel: 37mm.

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Lomo 35KP 140/1.8
Russian planar projector lens. Silver body. Black nose. Single-coated. AKA ‘Portrait’. Made by MMZ.

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Lomo 35KP 75/1.8
Planar 35mm film projector lens. Bodies vary.

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Lomo 35KP 85/1.8
Planar projector lens. Bodies vary. Single-coated. AKA ‘Portrait’, OKP-2-85-1. Made by MMZ.

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Lomo 92/2
Biotar slide projector lens for Leti 60M. Zebra nose. AKA Leti and Helios 92/2.

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Lomo Korrektar 150/6.3
Multicoated macro lens for forensic application.

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Lomo Mikroplanar 100/4.5
Multicoated macro lens

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Lomo Mikroplanar 65/4.5
Multicoated macro lens

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Lomo OK P2 90/1
70mm film projector lens marked CKB MK. Black metal body.

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Lomo OK P4 75/1.6
Experimental film projector lens marked CKBK. Black metal body.

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Lomo P5 180/2
Russian multicoated projector lens.

lomo-p6-90a

Lomo P6 90/1.6
70mm film projector lens marked П-6. Silver metal barrel, brass mount.

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Lomo PO 106 120/2
Russian projector lens. AKA RO106-1a

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Lomo PO 109 50/1.2
Russian projector lens. AKA RO-109-1a

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Lomo PO 501 100/2
Russian projector lens. AKA RO101-1

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Lomo PO 502 110/2
35mm cine projector lens made in Belarus. AKA RO502-1

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Lomo PO 503 120/2
Aplanat projector lens. AKA RO50301, KN35. Barrel diameter: 82.4mm.

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Lomo T-3 80/2.8
Projector lens with > 50mm circle. Black body. Threaded mount (unknown diameter).

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Lomo TK P4 100/2
Multicoated projector lens

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LPL 135/4.5
Japanese-made enlarger lens still for sale in Australia in 2022. [Cat L3621-28].

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LPL 150/4.5
Japanese-made enlarger lens still for sale in Australia in 2022. [Cat L3621-29].

lpl-50-3.5b

LPL 50/3.5
Compact Japanese-made triplet enlarger lens similar to AICO et al. AKA Jessop 50/3.5. [Cat L521-9].

lpl-50mm-f4.5

LPL 50/4.5
Compact Japanese-made enlarger lens. [Cat L522-4].

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LPL 75/3.5
Japanese-made enlarger lens still for sale in Australia in 2022. [Cat L522-4].

lpl_75mm-f4.5

LPL 75/4.5
Japanese-made enlarger lens still for sale in Australia in 2022. [Cat L522-5].

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LPL 90/4.5
Japanese-made enlarger lens still for sale in Australia in 2022.

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Luckinar 50/3.5
Japanese enlarger lens.

lumetar_50-a

Lumetar 50/2.8
AKA Computar 50/2.8 enlarger lens (pre-‘dl’ version).

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Luminos 50/4.5
Black body enlarger lens. Likely triplet.

luxar-75-a

Luxar Anastigmat 75/3.5
Black body enlarger lens.

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LZK Edar 100/2.8
Black plastic-body slide projector lens. Barrel: 40mm.

LZK Edar 100mm f/2.8 silver version

LZK Edar 100/2.8 [V2]
Silver metal-body slide projector lens. Example shots by Dhina A >

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LZK Polkinar 100/1.8
Black metal Petzval projector lens. Polish-made.

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LZK Polkinar 110/1.8
Black metal Petzval projector lens. Polish-made.

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LZK Polkinar 120/1.8
Black metal projector lens. Polish-made CZJ Polkinar. Petzval. Soft wide open.

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LZK Polkinar 90/1.8
Black metal Petzval projector lens. Polish-made.

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LZK Prexer Krytos 85/2.8
Black plastic barrel slide projector lens. Polish-made.

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Malik Triolam Anastigmat 100/2.9
French projector lens (made in Paris)

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Malik Triolam Anastigmat 135/3.5
French projector lens (made in Paris). Cooke triplet

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Mamiya Enlahead 25/3.5
18mm image circle

Mamiya Sekor 50/3.5
Japanese Tessar enlarger lens with distinctive curved four-blade aperture.

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Mejiro Genossen 110/4
Macro lens with floating element. Made for 0,5x3x magnification

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Meopta Anagon 2x
Auxiliary 1:2.35 anamorphic converter for Meopta Meostigmat lenses.

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Meopta Anaret 105/4.5 [V1]
Zebra enlarger lens. Made in Czech Republic.

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Meopta Anaret 105/4.5 [V2]
Tessar enlarger lens. Made in Czech Republic.

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Meopta Anaret 30/4.5
Enlarger lens with 18mm image circle

Meopta Anaret 30mm f/4.5

Meopta Anaret 30/4.5
Enlarger lens with 22mm image circle

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Meopta Anaret 50/4.5 [V1]
Zebra lens (single row of long stripes) made in Czech Republic for Opemus and Axomat enlargers. [Cat 392 812 110 23].

Meopta Anaret 50/4.5 [V2]
Dual-strip zebra Anaret enlarger lens made in Czech Republic. [V2] has curved aperture blades. Praised by Photo-ciné Revue magazine in 1980 for offering excellent value-for-money, retailing then at 320 francs.

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Meopta Anaret 50/4.5 [V3]
Final Anaret enlarger lens made in Czech Republic. [V3] has straight aperture blades, revised all-black casing and appears to be unserialled.[Cat 392 821 110 401].

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Meopta Anaret 80/4.5 [V1]
Zebra enlarger lens (short dual stripes) made in Czech Republic. The ‘non-S’ remained alongside the S version (with illuminated aperture scales and push/pull aperture de-click clutch) in some form until 1992. [Cat 392 812 110 245].

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Meopta Anaret 80/4.5 [V1b]
Zebra enlarger lens (long single stripes) made in Czech Republic.

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Meopta Anaret 80/4.5 [V2]
All black enlarger lens made in Czech Republic. The ‘non-S’ remained alongside the S version (with illuminated aperture scales and push/pull aperture de-click clutch) in some form until 1992. [Cat 392 821 110 411].

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Meopta Anaret 90/4.5
Zebra enlarger lens. Made in Czech Republic.

Meopta Anaret Q 50/12.8
Fixed aperture enlarger lens for Meopta Magnifax 4a comprising four miniature Tessar optics, used for taking four photographs from a sole negative (e.g. for identity-cards, driver’s licenses, and passports). [Cat 392 8211 10260]

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Meopta Anaret S 105/4.5 [V1]
Dual-stripe zebra enlarger lens with push/pull aperture de-click ring. Made in Czech Republic.

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Meopta Anaret S 105/4.5 [V2]
All-black enlarger lens with push/pull aperture de-click ring. Made in Czech Republic. [Cat 392 821 110 381].

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Meopta Anaret S 50/2.8 [V1]
First generation Zebra reverse tessar lens made in Czech Republic for Opemus enlargers.
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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.