Enlarger lenses and other photographic accessories bearing the AICO brand are common in the UK market. The name has been mistaken for ‘Alco’ (as in Alco-Pop), and confused with both Aico (the ‘European market leader for home safety’ named in 1990 after its founder Ken Ainsworth) and www.aico-lenses.com (the Hangzhou-based purveyor of CCTV and industrial …
Previously, I explained why focal lengths of 60-90mm are of special interest to those seeking uncompromised performance at ‘regular’ taking distances of 40cm-infinity. Here’s a summary of tested Delta lenses in this range that should be at the top of your shopping list. Gold-Awarded at Close Range:Meopta Meogon 80/2.8; Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon N 80/4; Nikon EL-Nikkor …
Delta lists many lenses, at many focal lengths – ranging from 7-700mm. But not all focal lengths are viable for all applications. First, there’s a broad correlation between focal length and image circle: the 43mm diameter light-puddle needed to illuminate a full-frame sensor at infinity focus is usually not created by enlarger lenses – and …
In the mindset of US and European buyers, Fuji enlarger lenses occupy a tier below the Big Three of Nikon, Rodenstock and Schneider. However, Fuji’s roots in this area are respectably deep, and like their higher-profile peers, they extracted better mileage from their R&D by repurposing enlarger lenses as large format taking lenses and vice …
Here are a few soundbites in response to FAQs unasked: • What’s the best enlarger lens for general taking at sub-1m distance?Of the growing number of lenses thus far tested outstanding results have (unsurprisingly) been recorded by the most expensive lenses. However, several lenses with market values of around £100 have achieved an elite 90%+ …
This article will focus on the Nikon EL-Nikkor N range. It’s hard enough to find good examples of these relatively recent lenses without trawling through first-generation examples that require a lifetime of miraculous caretaking to still be useable in 2022. Anecdotally, it’s reported that the new versions are optically superior – with better coatings. However, …
At this (comfortably ignorant) distance the commercial rivalries of our German brethren across the water seem to be civilised affairs predicated on fair play and the just reward of striving for excellence. BMW v Mercedes; Aldi v Lidl; Leica v Zeiss. May the best win, and may they receive sincere admiration from the loser. It’s …
Publicly mulling a digital-era survey of enlarger lenses in 2014 (the seed that grew into Delta) Dr. Klaus Schmitt (creator of www.macrolenses.de) wisely advised me: “Save your time. That has all been done multiple times.” It certainly has. For instance, in the October/November 1967 edition of Camera magazine Arthur Kramer “put the best through the wringer” and …
Some oddballs get a buzz deploying stuff intended for Job A on ‘Mission X’. To them, the common man’s planetary gear is a can-opener, coat-hook or toast-slice-holder. In their homes lamps are recycled teapots, whisky jars and welded-together-cutlery. Their toilet-roll holders are made of copper plumbing. The concept of shooting with a Sony-mount lens on …
Delta grew out the Digital Enlarger Lens Test Archive (DELTA) previously located at 16:9 – my twenty year-old scratchpad for off-piste lens evaluations. Enlarger lenses have always been on the menu there, for professional shooting and casual experimentation, but never in their native habitat: joining industrial, pinhole and various vintage taking lenses in the digital …