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

meopta-meogon-80-4-v1b

Meopta Meogon-S 80/4 [V1]
Early version of this Czech enlarger lens has sloped fascia with lower-case spelling of Meogon and a widely-ribbed aperture ring.

meogon-80-4a

Meopta Meogon-S 80/4 [V2]
Exceptionally sharp at f5.6-8 and well maintained to distance (unlike Meogon 80/2.8). Undervalued. Ceased production in 2005. Meopta recommends optimal performance at f8. [Cat 392.821.110.351]

meopta-meopar-135a

Meopta Meopar 135/4.5
Heliar enlarger lens with silver body and black nose.

Meopta Meopar 180mm f/4.5

Meopta Meopar 180/4.5
Czech Heliar enlarger lens fitted to Meopta Magnitarius 10×15. Production date applies to enlarger, not necessarily lens.

Meopta Meopar 210mm f/4.5

Meopta Meopar 210/4.5
Czech Heliar enlarger lens fitted to Meopta Magnitarius 13×18. Production date applies to enlarger, not necessarily lens.

Placeholder

Meopta Meopar 300/4.5
Czech Heliar enlarger lens fitted to Meopta Herkules. Production date applies to enlarger, not necessarily lens.

Meopta Meopar 50mm f/4.5

Meopta Meopar 50/4.5
Czech Heliar lens fitted to Proximus and Proximus 2 enlargers.

meostigmat_lens-formula

Meopta Meostigmat 100/1.7
Late model lens for Meo 5 XB1 and XB3 35mm cine projectors. Silver body. Black nose. [Cat 392 841 110 100].

Placeholder

Meopta Meostigmat 100/1.9
Early model Planar 35mm film projector lens. Silver body. Black nose.

meostigmat_lens-formula

Meopta Meostigmat 109/1.7
Late model lens for Meo 5 XB1 and XB3 35mm cine projectors. Silver body. Black nose. [Cat 392 841 110 572].

meostigmat_lens-formula

Meopta Meostigmat 119/1.9
Late model lens for Meo 5 XB1 and XB3 35mm cine projectors. Silver body. Black nose. [Cat 392 841 110 582].

Placeholder

Meopta Meostigmat 120/2.1
Early model Planar 35mm film projector lens. Silver body. Black nose.

meostigmat_lens-formula

Meopta Meostigmat 130/1.9
Late model lens for Meo 5 XB1 and XB3 35mm cine projectors. Silver body. Black nose. [Cat 392 841 110 591].

meostigmat_lens-formula

Meopta Meostigmat 141/1.9
Late model lens for Meo 5 XB1 and XB3 35mm cine projectors. Silver body. Black nose. [Cat 392 841 110 591].

Placeholder

Meopta Meostigmat 60/1.7 [V1]
Early model Planar 35mm cine projector lens. Silver body. Black nose.

meostigmat_diagram_cat_xxxxx

Meopta Meostigmat 60/1.7 [V2]
Multicoated 35mm cine projectors. Silver body. Black nose..

meostigmat_lens-formula

Meopta Meostigmat 60/1.7 [V3]
Late model lens for Meo 5 XB1 and XB3 35mm cine projectors. Silver body. Black nose. Multicoated.

Placeholder

Meopta Meostigmat 65/1.7 [V1]
Multicoated 35mm cine projector lens. Silver body. Black nose. [Cat 80757].

Placeholder

Meopta Meostigmat 65/1.7 [V2]
Late model lens for Meo 5 XB1 and XB3 35mm cine projectors. Silver body. Black nose. [Cat 392 841 110 512].

meostigmat_lens-formula

Meopta Meostigmat 71/1.7
Late model lens for Meo 5 XB1 and XB3 35mm cine projectors. Silver body. Black nose. [Cat 392 841 110 522].

Placeholder

Meopta Meostigmat 75/1.9
Planar projector lens. Silver body. Black nose.

meostigmat_lens-formula

Meopta Meostigmat 77/1.7
Late model lens for Meo 5 XB1 and XB3 35mm cine projectors. Silver body. Black nose. [Cat 392 841 110 532].

meostigmat_lens-formula

Meopta Meostigmat 84/1.7
Late model lens for Meo 5 XB1 and XB3 35mm cine projectors. Silver body. Black nose. [Cat 392 841 110 542].

Placeholder

Meopta Meostigmat 90/2
Early model Planar 35mm film projector lens. Silver body. Black nose.

meostigmat_lens-formula

Meopta Meostigmat 92/1.7
Late model 35mm cine projector lens. Silver body. Black nose. [Cat 392 841 110 552]. Example pictures by Martin Dlouhý.

Placeholder

Meopta Meostigmat 92/1.9
Early model Planar 35mm cine projector lens. Silver body. Black nose.

Placeholder

Meopta Meostigmat 97/1.9
Early model Planar 35mm cine projector lens. Silver body. Black nose.

Placeholder

Meopta Mirar 20/3.5
30mm image circle only

Placeholder

Meopta Mirar 20/5.6
Enlarger lens for Meopta Mignoret 11×14. Image circle for 16mm film only.

meopta-mirar-35mm-a

Meopta Mirar 35/3.5
30mm image circle only. Product image by The Real Camera Company.

meopta-miron-100_a

Meopta Miron 100/2.8 [V1]
Czech lens fitted to Mikromar 16mm slide projector. See also Meopta Miron 100/2.8 for OP5x5 (Typ 76102) slide projector.

Meopta_Miron_100_f2.8-v2a

Meopta Miron 100/2.8 [V2]
Czech lens fitted to OP5x5 (Typ 76102) and other slide projectors. See also Miron 100/2.8 fitted to Mikromar 16mm slide projector.

meopta_miron_60a

Meopta Miron 60/2.8
Czech lens fitted to Mikromar 16mm slide projector.

miron_75mm-f2.8-a

Meopta Miron 75/2.8
Czech slide projector lens.

meopta_optinar-80mm-f1.9-a

Meopta Optinar 80/1.9
Lens for Meopta Meopton 35mm cine projector.

meopta_pferov_belar_180b

Meopta Přerov Belar 180/4.5
Silver enlarger lens with black nose made after Meopta’s nationalisation in 1947.

Placeholder

Meopta Stigmar 100/1.3
Lens for Meopta Meopton III (produced 1955-1959) 35mm cine projector. Lenses apparently produced after this period, too.

Placeholder

Meopta Stigmar 110/1.4
Lens for Meopta Meopton III (produced 1955-1959) 35mm cine projector. Lenses apparently produced after this period, too.

Placeholder

Meopta Stigmar 110/1.5 [V1]
35mm cine projector lens. Silver metal barrel, black nose. [V1] has 80mm diameter barrel, designated Cat. 807 01.

Meopta Stigmar 110mm f1.5

Meopta Stigmar 110/1.5 [V2]
35mm cine projector lens. Silver metal barrel, black nose. [V2] has 82.5mm diameter barrel, designated Cat. 807 23.

Placeholder

Meopta Stigmar 120/1.6
Projector lens. Silver metal barrel diameter: 80mm. Black nose.

Placeholder

Meopta Stigmar 120/1.6 [V1]
Lens for Meopta Meopton III (produced 1955-1959) 35mm cine projector. Lenses apparently produced after this period, too – from 1961 to c.1975. [Cat 807 03] has 80mm barrel.

Placeholder

Meopta Stigmar 120/1.6 [V2]
Lens for Meopta Meopton III (produced 1955-1959) 35mm cine projector. Lenses apparently produced after this period, too – from 1961 to c.1975. [Cat 807 24] has 82.5mm barrel.

meopta_stigmar_65_1.25-a

Meopta Stigmar 65/1.25
Projector lens. Silver metal barrel. Black nose.

Placeholder

Meopta Stigmar 75/1.1
Projector lens. Silver metal barrel. Black nose.

Placeholder

Meopta Stigmar 90/1.25 [V1]
Lens for Meopta Meopton III (produced 1955-1959) 35mm cine projector. Perhaps also [Cat. 807 04]

Placeholder

Meopta Stigmar 90/1.25 [V2]
Updated lens for Meopton series 35mm cine projectors (post 1961). [Cat. 807 04]

Placeholder

Meopta Super Meostigmat 100/1.6
Asymmetrical 35mm cine projector lens. Black metal barrel. [Cat. 392 841 110 921].

Placeholder

Meopta Super Meostigmat 109/1.7
Asymmetrical 35mm cine projector lens. Black metal barrel. [Cat. 392 841 110 961].

meopta-Super_meostigmat_119

Meopta Super Meostigmat 119/1.9
Asymmetrical 35mm cine projector lens. Black metal barrel. [Cat. 392 841 110 981].

Placeholder

Meopta Super Meostigmat 130/2
Asymmetrical 35mm cine projector lens. Black metal barrel. [Cat. 392 841 111 011].

Placeholder

Meopta Super Meostigmat 141/2.2
Asymmetrical 35mm cine projector lens. Black metal barrel. [Cat. 392 841 110 941].

Placeholder

Meopta Super Meostigmat 65/1.6
Asymmetrical 35mm cine projector lens. Black metal barrel. [Cat. 392 841 110 931].

meopta-Super_meostigmat_71

Meopta Super Meostigmat 71/1.6
Asymmetrical 35mm cine projector lens. Black metal barrel. [Cat. 392 841 110 001].

super-meostigmat_77

Meopta Super Meostigmat 77/1.6
Asymmetrical 35mm cine projector lens. Black metal barrel. [Cat. 392 841 110 991].

Placeholder

Meopta Super Meostigmat 84/1.6
Asymmetrical 35mm cine projector lens. Black metal barrel. [Cat. 392 841 110 951].

super-meostigmat_92b

Meopta Super Meostigmat 92/1.6
Asymmetrical 35mm cine projector lens. Black metal barrel. [Cat. 392 841 110 971].

Placeholder

Meopta Vidor 50/4.5
Fitted to pre-war Meopta Ideal enlarger.

meridian-110-200-a

Meridian 110-200/3.5
Slide projector zoom lens for Kodak Carousel made in West Germany by Isco (AKA Ultra AV 110-200/3.5). Multicoated.

meridian-180a

Meridian 180/3.5
Slide projector lens for Kodak. Black metal body. Plastic nose. AKA Isco Projar 180.

Placeholder

Meridian 250/4
Projector lens for Kodak. Black body.

Placeholder

Meridian 250/4.3
Projector lens for Kodak. Long throw. Black /zebra body.

meridian-50a

Meridian 50/2.8
Slide projector lens for Kodak Carousel.

meridian-docter-60a

Meridian 60/2.8
Slide projector lens for Kodak Carousel made by Docter Optics in West Germany. Black metal body. Multicoated.

meridian-70-120

Meridian 70-120/3.5
Slide projector zoom lens for Kodak Carousel made in West Germany. Black plastic body. Single coated. AKA Kodak Vario Retinar 70-120/3.5.

meridian-45-pc-1

Meridian PC 45/2.8
Multicoated slide projector lens for Kodak Carousel with perspective correction. Black metal body. Made in West Germany by Isco (AKA Isco PC-Ultra-AV 45/2.8).

Placeholder

Meridian PC 60/2.8
Slide projector lens for Kodak Carousel with perspective correction. Made in West Germany. Black metal body. Multicoated.

meridian-pc90a

Meridian PC 90/2.8
Slide projector lens for Kodak Carousel with perspective correction. Made in West Germany. Black metal body. Multicoated.

Placeholder

Meridian Vario 85-210/3.5
Zoom slide projector lens for Kodak Carousel made in West Germany. Black metal body. Multicoated.

Placeholder

Meyer Optik Diaplan 100/3.5
Fitted to Filius Slide Plan slide projector. Made in Görlitz.

Placeholder

Meyer Optik Diaplan 200/4
Projector lens made in Görlitz. Cooke triplet. Early lenses metal barrel; late plastic. AKA Pentacon AV.

Placeholder

Meyer Optik Doppel Anastigmat 180/4.5
Six-element Dagor-type macro lens, uncoated. Made in Germany.

Placeholder

Meyer Optik Doppel Anastigmat 210/4.5
Six-element Dagor-type macro lens, uncoated. Made in Germany.

Placeholder

Meyer Optik Doppel Anastigmat 240/4.5
Six-element Dagor-type macro lens, uncoated. Made in Germany.

meyer-optik-helioplan-105mm-v1a

Meyer Optik Helioplan 105/4.5 [V1]
Dialyte enlarger lens, uncoated. Marked ‘Meyer Görlitz Doppel Anastigmat’.

meyer-helioplan-105a

Meyer Optik Helioplan 105/4.5 [V2]
Dialyte enlarger lens, uncoated.

Placeholder

Meyer Optik Helioplan 135/4.5
Dialyte enlarger lens, uncoated.

Placeholder

Meyer Optik Helioplan 165/4.5
Symmetrical Dialyte enlarger lens, uncoated. Made in Görlitz.

Placeholder

Meyer Optik Helioplan 210/4.5
Symmetrical Dialyte enlarger lens, uncoated. Made in Görlitz.

Placeholder

Meyer Optik Helioplan 55/4.5
Dialyte enlarger lens, uncoated. Available in normal and recessed version.

meyer-helioplan-75mm-1

Meyer Optik Helioplan 75/4.5
Dialyte enlarger lens, uncoated.

Placeholder

Meyer Optik Trioplan 100/2.8
Projector lens made in Görlitz. Triplet. Similar to Diaplan.

Placeholder

Meyer Optik Trioplan 15/2.8
Silver body C-Mount lens made in Görlitz. Image circle: 20-25mm.

Placeholder

Meyer Optik Trioplan 50/2.9
Projector lens made in Görlitz. Triplet. Similar to Diaplan.

Placeholder

Meyer-Optik Diaplan 100/2.8
Slide projector lens made in Görlitz. Cooke triplet. Early lenses metal barrel; late plastic. AKA Pentacon AV.

Meyer-Optik Diaplan 100mm f3

Meyer-Optik Diaplan 100/3
Fitted to Filmosto Jubilar slide projector. Made in Görlitz. Early lenses (up to c.1,9xx,xxx) uncoated; coated from (c.2,2xx,xxx). Metal barrel. Various GDR-export quality seals are seen: Empty Triangle (#1,537,505), Triangle 1 (#2,240,762) and Q1 (xx). Some samples have no quality marks. No meaningful differences are denoted by these markings. Example images by Spiral Time >

Meyer Optik Diaplan 140mm

Meyer-Optik Diaplan 140/3.5 [V1]
Slide projector lens made in Görlitz. Cooke triplet. Early lenses metal barrel.

Meyer-Optik Diaplan 140mm f3.5

Meyer-Optik Diaplan 140/3.5 [V2]
Slide projector lens made in Görlitz. Cooke triplet. Early lenses metal barrel. Similar to [V1] but different barrel design. Perhaps also later serials?

Meyer-Optik Diaplan 140mm f3.5

Meyer-Optik Diaplan 140/3.5 [V3]
Slide projector lens made in Görlitz. Cooke triplet. Variously marked with export seals (Q1: 2,909,348) (Triangle 1: 2,150,682 and 3,882,113-4,087,351).

Meyer-Optik Diaplan 140mm f3.5

Meyer-Optik Diaplan 140/3.5 [V4]
Slide projector lens made in Görlitz. Cooke triplet. Late black plastic-barrel model. AKA Pentacon AV.

Placeholder

Meyer-Optik Diaplan 150/2.8
Projector lens made in Görlitz. Cooke triplet. Early lenses metal barrel; late plastic. AKA Pentacon AV.

Placeholder

Meyer-Optik Diaplan 60/2.8
Projector lens made in Görlitz. Cooke triplet. Early lenses metal barrel; late plastic. AKA Pentacon AV. Designed for 18x24mm format slide projection.

Meyer-Optik Diaplan 80mm f2.8

Meyer-Optik Diaplan 80/2.8 [V1]
Projector lens made in Görlitz. Cooke triplet. Early metal version has serials engraved on barrel. Various DDR quality seals appear – for instance Q1 (#3400922-3798602).

meyer-diaplan-80a

Meyer-Optik Diaplan 80/2.8 [V2]
Projector lens made in Görlitz. Cooke triplet. Late plastic barrel version. AKA Pentacon AV.

Meyer-Optik Diaplan 80mm f3.5

Meyer-Optik Diaplan 80/3.5 [V1]
Projector lens made in Görlitz. Cooke triplet. Early metal barrel Diaplan fitted to Aspectar 150 slide projector. Serial on barrel? Samples marked with a white ‘V’ are single-coated and post 1952.

minette-105a

Minette 105/4.5
Silver metal enlarger lens with zebra aperture ring.

minette-50a

Minette 50/3.5
Silver metal Japanese enlarger lens. Likely triplet.

minette-75a

Minette 75/3.5
Silver and black metal Japanese enlarger lens. Probably AKA Corona 75/3.5, Minette Corona 75/3.5 and Dixons Autocrat Deluxe 75/3.5.

minette-90a

Minette 90/4.5
Silver and black metal Japanese enlarger lens.

minette-corona-50a

Minette Corona 50/3.5
Silver and black metal Japanese enlarger lens. Similar to Minette 50/3.5.
1 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 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.