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 Elmaron 60/2.8
35mm slide projector lens.

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Leitz Elmaron 75/2.8
Slide projector lens for Leitz Prado and Kodak Ektapro. Cooke triplet.

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Leitz Elmaron 85/2.8
Slide projector lens for Leitz Pradolux

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Leitz Epis 325/3.6
Projector lens marked Ernst Leitz Wetzlar

Leitz (Leica) Epnor 300mm f4.3 projector lens

Leitz Epnor 300/4.3
Telephoto projector lens for Prado Universal series.

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Leitz Focotar 50/4.5 [V1: DOOHF]
Enlarger lens with black metal case marked Ernst Leitz f=5cm. [Cat. DOOHF].

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Leitz Focotar 50/4.5 [V2: DOOUM]
Enlarger lens with black metal case marked ‘Ernst Leitz Gmbh. Focotar 5cm’. Step frame version of DOOHF. [Cat. DOOUM].

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Leitz Focotar 50/4.5 [V3a: DOOCQ]
Enlarger lens with black metal case marked Ernst Leitz f=5cm. [Cat. DOOCQ].

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Leitz Focotar 50/4.5 [V3b: DOOCQ]
Enlarger lens with black metal case marked LEITZ WETZLAR [Cat. DOOCQ]. Appears identical to [Cat. 16781].

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Leitz Focotar 50/4.5 [V4: 16781]
Enlarger lens marked LEITZ WETZLAR 1:4.5/50. Also seen in V14 mount. [Cat 16781 – sometimes with R suffix].

focotar50_v3a

Leitz Focotar 50/4.5 [V5: LFE]
Xenotar enlarger lens unofficially known as Large Front Element. Marked Leitz Wetzlar but not always Focotar. Made by Schneider, featuring Schneider serial numbers. [Cat 17581A]. Catalogue number often wrongly identified as DOOHF. Some vignetting on GFX at infinity focus.

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Leitz Focotar 60/4.5
Enlarger lens. Early model marked DQOOR only.

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Leitz Focotar 60/4.5 [V2]
Enlarger lens. DQOOR. Late model also marked 17877J.

Leitz Focotar 95/4.5 [V1]
Enlarger lens. Apertures marked 1-10. [Cat. FOODE] and DQCOO[?].

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Leitz Focotar 95/4.5 [V2]
Black metal enlarger lens. [Cat. DQCOO].

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Leitz Focotar II 100/5.6
Superbly corrected enlarger lens at close range but degrades to Bronze-level performance at distance.

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Leitz Focotar-2 50/4.5
Gauss enlarger lens awarded top marks by Photo-ciné Revue magazine in 1980, when the retail price was 1,890 francs. [Cat 17582]. Serial number faintly engraved on rear. Pre-Leica era. Product image by Secondhand Darkroom.

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Leitz Focotar-3 50/4.5
Gauss enlarger lens. Only prototypes exist.

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Leitz Hektor 100/2.5
Metal barrel slide projector lens fitted to Ernst Leitz Parvo II.

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Leitz Hektor 120/2.5
Slide projector lens (metal barrel)

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Leitz Hektor 150/2.5
Slide projector lens (metal barrel).

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Leitz Hektor 175/2.5
Slide projector lens (metal barrel)

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Leitz Hektor 178/2.8
Slide projector lens (metal barrel)

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Leitz Hektor 250/2.8
Slide projector lens (metal barrel).

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Leitz Hektor 300/2.8
Slide projector lens (metal barrel)

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Leitz Hektor 85/2.5 [V1]
Slide projector lens (metal barrel). Entry level option for Pradovit F series.

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Leitz Milar 100/4.8
Macro lens for Aritophot bellows. Uncoated.

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Leitz Milar 30/4.5
Macro lens for Aritophot bellows. Uncoated.

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Leitz Milar 40/4.5
Macro lens for Aritophot bellows. Uncoated. Image circle 35-40mm.

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Leitz Milar 50/4.5
Macro lens for Aritophot bellows. Uncoated.

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Leitz Milar 65/4.5
Macro lens for Aritophot bellows. Uncoated.

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Leitz Milar 80/4.5
Macro lens for Aritophot bellows. Uncoated.

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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.

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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).

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

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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.

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

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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.

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

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

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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.

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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.

Liesegang Enna-Patrinast 100mm f2.8

Liesegang Enna-Patrinast 100/2.8
Slide projector lens for Liesegang Fantax-Automat marked “Ed. Liesegang Düsseldorf Enna-Patrinast f=10cm” (Late serial 31721). Black body. Silver nose. 1980s version of this lens is [Cat 302 01 0310].

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Liesegang Parastigmat 105/4.5
Enlarger lens marked “Ed. Liesegang Düsseldorf f=10.5cm”. Silver body. Black nose.

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Liesegang Parastigmat 50/4.5 [V1]
Standard lens for Liesegang Rax Series enlargers. Silver body. Black nose.

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Liesegang Parastigmat 50/4.5 [V2]
Standard lens for Liesegang Rax Series enlargers. Black body. Product photography by Foto Heray Shop Düsseldorf.

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Liesegang Parastigmat 75/4.5
Medium format lens for Liesegang Rax Series enlargers. Silver body. Black nose.

Liesegang Parastigmat_90mm-f4.5

Liesegang Parastigmat 90/4.5
Enlarger lens marked “Ed. Liesegang Düsseldorf f=9cm”. Silver body. Black nose.

Liesegang Parastigmat_135mm-f4.5 SII

Liesegang Parastigmat S.II 135/4.5
Enlarger lens marked “Ed. Liesegang Düsseldorf f=13.5cm”. Silver body. Black nose.

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Liesegang Parastigmat S.II 90/4.5
Enlarger lens marked “9cm Brw Ed. Liesegang Düsseldorf”. Silver body. Black nose.

Liesegang Parastigmat 60mm-f4.5

Liesegang Parastigmat S.III 60/4.5
Series III standard lens for Liesegang enlargers. Brass body.

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Liesegang Patrinast 135/3.5
Black metal-barrel lens for Liesegang A16 (?) slide projector.

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Liesegang Patrinast 150/2.8
High performance multicoated lens for Fantax 600A slide projector. [Cat 405 01 1040].

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Liesegang Patrinast 150/3.0
Black plastic-barrel lens for Fantax 600A slide projector. [Cat 310 01 0090].

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Liesegang Patrinast 200/3.5
Silver metal-barrel lens with black nose for Fantax 600A slide projector. [Liesegang Cat 310 01 0185]. Kindermann version pictured [Kindermann Cat 1337].

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Liesegang Patrinast 250/4.2
Black slide projector lens with silver barrel for Fantax 600A. Marked Ed. Liesegang. [Cat 310 01 0175].

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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

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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

Liesegang Sankar 90mm f2.5 MC

Liesegang Sankar 90/2.5 MC
Premium multicoated slide projector lens made in-house by Liesegang for Fantimat series. [Cat 340 10 1150]. Full-frame image by Marcin Sitko.

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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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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.