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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spiratone-75l

Spiratone Flat Field Macro 75/3.5
Japanese-made (likely Hama) triplet enlarger lens imported to the US by Spiratone. All black body. Probably AKA Spiratone 75/3.5 [V2].

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Spiratone Macrotar 35/3.5
Japanese-made bellows lens imported by Spiratone. 30mm image circle.

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Spiratone Macrotel 150/4.5
Japanese-made bellows lens imported by Spiratone.

spiratone-resomax-50-1

Spiratone Resomax 50/2.8
Japanese enlarger lens AKA Vivitar 50/2.8, Phago 50/2.8 and probably Jessop 50/2.8 [V1], Fujimoto 50/2.8 [V1].

agfa-super-intergon-213b

Staeble 213/9.25
German process lens. Good resolution. AKA Agfa Super-Intergon 213/9.25.

staeble braun halogon 85mm

Staeble Braun-Halogon 85/2.8
Fitted to Braun slide projector. Probable triplet. Aperture estimated.

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Staeble Kata-P 85/2.8
Fitted to Braun Paximat slide projector. Silver barrel and nose

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Staeble Katagon 40/4
Enlarger lens.

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Staeble Katagon 40/4
Industrial lens.

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Staeble Katagon 60/4
All black enlarger lens. Silver rings. Bellows lens. Branded Novoflex Balflex.

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Staeble Katagon 60/4.5
Macro/copy Tessar lens. Marked Novoflex Staeble Katagon.

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Staeble Katagon 75/3.5
Zebra. Copy/macro lens. Later version branded Novoflex Noflexar

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Staeble Paxar 100/2.8
Fitted to Braun Paximat 1700 slide projector. All black.

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Staeble Paxar 85/2.8
Fitted to Braun Paximat 1500 slide projector. All black.

staeble-proj-kat-85-v1b

Staeble Proj-Katagon 85/2.8 [V1]
Fitted to 1950s Braun Paximat and Noris Trumpf slide projectors. Silver body. Zebra nose.

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Staeble Proj-Katagon 85/2.8 [V2]
Fitted to 1950s Braun Paximat and Noris Trumpf slide projectors. Silver body. Black nose.

staebel_proj_trigon-38mm-a

Staeble Proj-Trigon 38/2.0
Fitted to Bell & Howell Unoscop N24 16mm slide / film-strip projectors. Aperture estimated (unmarked).

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Staeble Stellagon 85/2.8
Black plastic body slide projector lens. White fascia.

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Staeble Telexon E 85/5.6
Listed by Camerawiki as enlarger lens but probably taking lens for Braun Paxette.

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Staeble Ultragon 150/8
Also sold as Agfa, Helioprint enlarger lens.

staeble-ultragon-210-f8-a

Staeble Ultragon 210/8
Symmetrical Plasmat AKA Agfa, Eskofot, Helioprint. Process lens also suitable as enlarger and large format taking lens.

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Staeble-Werk Paxigon 85/2.8
Fitted to Braun Paximat Triumph slide projector. White fascia. Black body.

staeble-stellar-150-3.5a

Staeble-Werk Stellar 150/3.5
Fitted to Braun Paximat-S slide projector. Black/silver barrel, zebra nose

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Staeble-Werk Stellar 85/2.8 [V1]
Fitted to Braun Paximat-S slide projector. Metal barrel. Zebra nose.

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Staeble-Werk Stellar 85/2.8 [V2]
Fitted to Braun Paximat-S slide projector. Metal barrel, black nose

staeble-werk-100a

Staeble-Werk Super-Stellar 100/2.5
35mm slide projector lens. Metal barrel, zebra nose. Probably AKA Roschlein-Kreuznach / A. Schacht Super Stellar 100/2.5. Images by Forest Sprite.

staeble-super-stellar-85-2.5f

Staeble-Werk Super-Stellar 85/2.5
35mm slide projector lens marked Staeble-Werk. Metal barrel, zebra nose.

star-d-50_f3.5

Star-D 50/3.5
Japanese enlarger lens. AKA Voss, Prinz etc

Steinheil Cassar 105mm f4.5 Macro Bellows/Enlarger Lens

Steinheil Cassar 105/4.5 [V2]
German enlarger lens, also fitted to bellows for use as macro optic (see [V3] with minimum aperture of f32).

Steinheil Cassar 105mm f4.5 Macro Bellows/Enlarger Lens

Steinheil Cassar 105/4.5 [V3]
German enlarger lens, also fitted to bellows for use as macro optic (see [V2] with minimum aperture of f22).

steinheil-cassar-50mm-f3.5

Steinheil Cassar 50/3.5 [V1]
Silver German enlarger lens with black nose and mount. Fitted to Durst 404 and R-305 Reporter in 1962. Also sold as cine lens.

Steinheil Cassar 50mm f3.5 Enlarger Lens [V2]

Steinheil Cassar 50/3.5 [V2]
German enlarger lens with black plastic barrel. Product images by Foto Koebel Graz >

steinheil-cassar-75mm-f3.5-1

Steinheil Cassar 75/3.5-4.5
Silver enlarger lens with c.30mm mount, marked f3.5/4.5. Also sold as cine lens.

Steinheil Cassar 75mm f4.5 Enlarging Lens

Steinheil Cassar 75/4.5
Enlarger lens. Also sold as cine lens

steinheil-cassar-75mm-f4.5-vl-b

Steinheil Cassar 75/4.5
Enlarger lens. Triplet or reverse Tessar? Earlier lenses marked VL to denote multicoating.

Steinheil Cassar 90mm f4.5 Enlarger Lens

Steinheil Cassar 90/4.5
German enlarger lens. Silver metal body; black nose.

Steinheil Cassar P 80mm f2.8 slide projector lens

Steinheil Cassar P 80/2.8
German slide projector fitted to Steinheil Magnalux. Metal body/fascia marked VL. Appears to be later rebrand of Steinheil Magnostar.

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Steinheil Cassar VL 105/4.5 [V1]
Enlarger lens fitted to Durst 609 in 1962.

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Steinheil Cassar VL 75/3.5
Enlarger lens fitted to Durst 606 in 1962. Apertures 1-8. Lens shows f3.5/4.5. Considered v. sharp. Triplet or reverse Tessar?

Steinheil Culminar 105mm f4.5

Steinheil Culminar 105/4.5 [V1]
Tessar enlarger lens marked ‘Steinheil München’ and “f=10.5cm’. Early [V1] models have a maximum aperture of f32 like bellows macro version [V3]. Post-1945 lenses until c.#2,xxx,xxx are marked VL to denote multicoating. Supplied with upper-tier Primos enlargers.

Steinheil Culminar 105mm f4.5

Steinheil Culminar 105/4.5 [V2]
Tessar enlarger lens marked ‘Steinheil München’. Early examples are marked “f=10.5cm’; late examples are marked “f=105mm”. Multicoated samples are marked VL. [V2] models have a maximum aperture of f22. Supplied with upper-tier Primos enlargers and as bellows macro lens (more commonly the f32 version).

Steinheil Culminar 105mm f4.5

Steinheil Culminar 105/4.5 [V3]
Enlarger lens marked ‘Steinheil München’ and “f=105mm’. Late [V3] models have a maximum aperture of f32 and are more commonly seen in camera mounts for use as a bellows macro lens. Probably reverse Tessar.

Steinheil Culminar 135/4.5
Münich-made enlarger lens also sold as M39 rangefinder lens. Considered v. sharp. Triplet or reverse Tessar? Post-1945 lenses designated VL are multicoated.

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Steinheil Culminar 210/4.5
Enlarger lens made in Münich. Post-war lenses until c.#2,xxx,xxx were marked VL if multicoated.

culminar-60a

Steinheil Culminar 60/4
Enlarger lens marked ‘Steinheil München’. Probably reverse Tessar. Post-1945 lenses designated VL are multicoated. Supplied with upper-tier Primos enlargers.

culminar-90a

Steinheil Culminar 90/4.5
Uncommon non-VL Culminar usually seen in large cone containing aperture controls. Marked f=9cm. Made in Münich. Example image by Nicodemus Roger.

Steinheil Magnostar 80mm f2.8

Steinheil Magnostar 80/2.8
German slide projector fitted to Steinheil Magnalux. Metal body/fascia marked VL.

steinheil-makro-cassarit-50e

Steinheil Makro-Cassarit 50/3.5
Black barrel bellows lens with silver nose.

steinheil-optronic-osc-1c

Steinheil Optronic 65/2.8
Industrial lens fitted to Oscillophot M-Series (M3, M4 and M20) with Polaroid back. Marked BN194900. Focal length estimated. Optimised for 1:4.15 magnification.

steinheil-oscillo-quinon-75a

Steinheil Oscillo-S-Quinon 75/1.9
Oscilloscope screen lens fitted to Steinheil Optronic Oscillophot M2. Some product images show lens mounted in non-original shutter.

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Steinheil Stellar 85/2.8
Tessar? projector lens. Metal body. Zebra nose. Perhaps AKA Staeble-Werk Stellar / Culminar.

steinheil-cassarit-50-c

Steinheil V-Cassarit 50/3.5
Plastic-barrel enlarger lens with triangular diaphragm. Optimised for high magnification ratio.

Steinheil V-Quinon 210/5.6
Enlarger lens. Planar design.

sve-coated-1

SVE 125/3.5
American slide projector lens for SVE Skyline Automatic Model 85 marked 5″ Coated Anastig. Aperture unmarked (estimated). Seems related to Ampro 125/3.5.

taylor-s-tayon-50a

Taylor [S-] Tayon 50/3.5
Japanese black and silver enlarger lens marked S-Taylor Tayon, marketed by Taylor Optical of Seattle & Washington. Likely triplet.

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Taylor C. ENL 150/4.5
Japanese zebra enlarger lens marketed by Taylor Optical of Seattle & Washington.

taylor-c-enl-75b

Taylor C. ENL 75/3.5
Japanese all-black enlarger lens marketed by Taylor Optical of Seattle & Washington.

taylor-tayon-75a

Taylor Tayon 75/3.5 [V1]
Japanese black and silver enlarger lens marketed by Taylor Optical of Seattle & Washington. Likely triplet.

taylor-tayon-75d

Taylor Tayon 75/3.5 [V2]
Japanese black and silver enlarger lens marketed by Taylor Optical of Seattle & Washington. Likely triplet. Example image by Chia-Feng Tsai.

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Taylor-Hobson 100/3.5
Projector lens. Silver barrel marked 4” English National Optical, Leicester.

taylor-hobson-ental-108mm_f4.5-a

Taylor-Hobson Ental 108/4.5
Silver English enlarger lens.  

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Taylor-Hobson Ental 127/4.5
English enlarger lens marked 5″.

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Taylor-Hobson Ental 152/4.5
English enlarger lens.

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Taylor-Hobson Ental 190/6.3
English enlarger lens.

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Taylor-Hobson Ental 210/6.3
English enlarger lens.

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Taylor-Hobson Ental 266/6.3
English enlarger lens.

taylor-hobson-ental-50g

Taylor-Hobson Ental 50/3.5
English reverse Tessar enlarger lens. The first generation Ental (replaced by Ental II in 1960) was very well made: many survive in excellent condition.

taylor-hobson-ental_80mm_f4.5-b

Taylor-Hobson Ental 80/4.5
English enlarger lens.

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Taylor-Hobson Ental 82/4.5
English enlarger lens.

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Taylor-Hobson Ental II 108/4.5
British reverse-Tessar enlarger lens marked 4¼”. Lanthanum glass.

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Taylor-Hobson Ental II 125/4.5
Reverse Tessar enlarger lens marked 5”. Lanthanum glass.

taylor-hobson-152-a

Taylor-Hobson Ental II 152/4.5
Reverse Tessar enlarger lens marked 6”. Lanthanum glass.

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Taylor-Hobson Ental II 190/5.6
Reverse Heliar enlarger lens marked 7.5”. Lanthanum glass.

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Taylor-Hobson Ental II 210/5.6
Reverse Heliar enlarger lens marked 8.25”. Lanthanum glass.

taylor-hobson-ental2-10.5in-f5.6-b

Taylor-Hobson Ental II 266/5.6
Reverse Heliar (?) enlarger lens marked ’10½inch’. Lanthanum glass.

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Taylor-Hobson Ental II 317/5.6
Reverse Heliar enlarger lens marked 12.5”. Lanthanum glass.

taylor-hobson-ental2-50a

Taylor-Hobson Ental II 50/3.5
Reverse Tessar enlarger lens marked 2”. Lanthanum glass. Pre-1965 models (#589833-610523) have TTH packaging and are marked ‘TAYLOR-HOBSON’; post-1965 models (#631185-692448) have Rank Precision packaging and are marked ‘RANK TAYLOR HOBSON’ (no hyphen).

taylor-hobson-ental2-87f

Taylor-Hobson Ental II 82/4
Reverse Tessar enlarger lens. Pre-1965 marked ‘Taylor-Hobson’. Post 1965 marked ‘3¼” Rank Taylor Hobson’ (no hyphen). Lanthanum glass.

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Taylor-Hobson Projection 152/2.3
Projector lens. Silver body. Black nose. Marked Ultimum 6”

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Taylor-Hobson Projection Aperful 120/1.9
Projector lens. Silver body. Black nose.

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Taylor-Hobson Projection Vutal 82.5/1.8
Projector lens. Silver body. Barrel diameter 52.5mm. Image circle: 45mm

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Taylor-Hobson Varotal 16-160/2.2
Zoom cine lens marked Rank Optics – Taylor Hobson Vidicon

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TDC Vivid Trionar 100/3.5
Projector lens with black plastic body marked 4”.

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Telesar 150/4.5
Black Japanese enlarger lens. Likely triplet.

telesar-50a

Telesar 50/3.5 [V1]
Black Japanese enlarger lens with part-silver nose marked Anastigmat. Likely triplet.

telesar-50-v2

Telesar 50/3.5 [V2]
Black Japanese enlarger lens. Likely triplet.

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Telesar 75/3.5
Black Japanese lens supplied with Minori enlargers. Likely triplet.

telesar-90-c

Telesar 90/4.5
Black Japanese lens supplied with Minori enlargers. Likely triplet.

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Telex Super Sestar 50/1.2
Japanese projector lens marked 2”. AKA Singer 50/1.2. Image circle 30-35mm.

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Testrite 90/4.5
Lens supplied with Fotolarger Merit III enlarger.

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Tetranon 50/4.5
Japanese-made enlarger lens tested in Photo-ciné Revue in 1980 when it retailed for 198 francs.

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Tewe Noristar 85/2.8
Slide projector lens. Black plastic body. Made in Berlin.

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Thimble 25/3.5
25mm image circle. Perhaps AKA Ultima, Escot enlarger lens.

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Tominon 105/4.5
Tessar copy lens by Tomioka for Polaroid MP-4/5. Often seen in Polaroid or Copal shutters.

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Tominon 114/3.8
Tomioka lens made for Polaroid 180/185 Land Camera. Integral shutter. Not directly adaptable to M42.

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Tominon 114/4.5
Tomioka lens made for Polaroid 180/185 Land Camera. Integral shutter. Not directly adaptable to M42.

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Tominon 127/4.7
Copy / macro lens by Tomioka for Polaroid CU-5.

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Tominon 135/4.5
Tessar copy / macro lens by Tomioka for Polaroid MP-4/5.

Tominon 17 mm f/4

Tominon 17/4
Double-Gauss copy / macro lens by Tomioka for Polaroid MP-4/5. Optimised for 4-5x.

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Tominon 17/4
Double-Gauss copy / macro lens by Tomioka for Polaroid CU-5. Optimised for 4-5x. Shorter FFD than MP-4/5 version.
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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.