What projector lens for upgrade?

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Hi there, Attempting to hunt a high performance lens for my Kodak Ektagraphic 35mm projector. What would you recommend? I'm using Kodak Ektanar 5" f2.8 and don't feel good with the picture quality it produces. Do you think Raynox and Ektapro are good upgrades, and how much better they are than my Ektanar? Or I should go to Schneider? The questions may sound stupid, but I really have little knowledge about the projector lens brands, and their ranking in performance & in $$$. Thanks for any input!

-- Shaoyi Lin (sylin99@hotmail.com), May 28, 2000

Answers

I'm currently using an inexpensive but nice Apollo 100/2.8 glass (W. German) flat field lens (around $65.00 in 1995). I recently researched upgrades, and can offer the following: 1) B&W Schneider is getting out of the projection lens business, and their products are becoming hard to find in new condition; 2) Navitar projection lenses (http://navitar.com/av/slide/slgen.htm) seem from my readings to be among the very best (maybe THE best), but they are expensive; 3) Navitar now owns Buhl, which is another projection lens manufacturer; my readings would seem to indicate that Navitar lenses are often preferable to Buhl, especially at the low and mid price levels.

-- kurt heintzelman (heintzelman.1@osu.edu), May 28, 2000.

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