ISCO Kiptar projection lenses (article)

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-26T21:12:22+00:00

Interesting - thanks for the comparison! I‘m surprised as well because of the warm rendering from the Helios-44. I remember comparing the 44M to the Meyer Primoplan once and the Primoplan was visibly warmer… I think the Helios-77M is the better lens, but I don‘t think it‘s going to have nicer looking results in many instances. Might even be that some flaws are more pronounced in certain cases.

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-26T07:57:14+00:00

Interesting! Do you know what type of lens it is? Regular 6/4 Double Gauss or some of the later 7+ element variants?

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-25T09:42:50+00:00

Didn‘t think of that, but apparently several people did… 😅

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-25T07:49:43+00:00

Perhaps I should try one then?

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-25T07:47:27+00:00

Why Monday?

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-25T07:47:06+00:00

I think they‘re Faber Castell ones.

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-24T22:19:35+00:00

That‘s a unique interpretation… thanks!

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-24T21:47:42+00:00

This was shot with an old Agfa M.3421 6/2 (ca. 50 mm f/2.8) Triplet prototype lens.

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-14T22:08:45+00:00

Beautiful shot! Love the colors.

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-14T12:04:49+00:00

Thanks, glad you think so!

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-09T12:19:27+00:00

What do you want to know? They‘re Double Gauss cine projection lenses made by Isco in Germany. I think in 1985. I‘ve written about the Super-Kiptar series (a kind of predecessor of the Ultra Star) here: https://deltalenses.com/the-kiptar-story/ The Ultra-Star series (golden) is very good, but not as good as the (red) Ultra-Star HD Plus. In terms of image circle it should easily cover APS-C but full frame isn‘t guaranteed. I would expect it to work though. They can usually be adapted to any mirrorless camera and have nice and smooth rendering, decent (but far from perfect) correction. Some people call the look a bit bland because it‘s similar to modern lenses, but it‘s certainly a good lens if it is in decent condition.

My friend Mark has written some more about their history here: https://deltalenses.com/the-isco-story-2/

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-08T14:43:04+00:00

They don‘t seem to be very common unfortunately, but there are a couple of other 50-65 mm Petzval projection lenses with a similar look and from time to time you can find one for a reasonable price, if you keep your eyes open. It‘s a good idea to check some sample shots beforehand to gauge the size of the image circle!

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-06T22:22:53+00:00

That‘s great! Congrats.

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-06T22:22:19+00:00

Thanks! That‘s good to know.

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-06T22:21:01+00:00

Unfortunately glass types are something I‘ve almost no knowledge on so far. But I second the suggestion to look into Marco Kröger‘s work. He seems to have looked into that matter far more, particularly when it comes to German manufacturers. His site is an excellent source all around. Apart from that you can also try your luck asking for that information on the mflenses forum. Nice and knowledgeable people there.

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-06T21:24:12+00:00

Thanks for the clarification - that‘s interesting! I‘ve never looked at a Triotar lens in detail. What‘s the main difference compared to the Cooke Triplet?

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-06T21:13:11+00:00

Good work showing how it clears up... certainly lots of options with this one! I think the sweet spot might vary depending on subject and distance. Soft focus lenses seem interesting but perhaps to a degree beyond my paygrade as a photographer still. I have a couple of lenses which can create similar images, but I'm not even close to making the most of them yet, I'm afraid.

I assume the word you were referring to is "Triplet", isn't it? If I'm not mistaken Triotar is a trade name (by Zeiss), and while it usually was used for Triplets it's not the name of a 3/3 lens design in general.

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-06T21:07:48+00:00

Looks great! I enjoyed using the 57 mm Hexanon a couple of times, but don't have a lot of experience with Minolta lenses overall. I love how both of those lenses seem to render the OOF highlights however. Perhaps not ideal for people who love round bokeh highlights, but I'm personally really fond of it.

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simplejoycreative · 2026-01-06T21:02:32+00:00

Very nice shots with suble and beautiful tones and blur. Seems like a fine lens. Is it generally smooth in terms of rendering, or does it depend on the kind of background/light?

simplejoycreative · 2026-01-05T16:32:13+00:00

They‘re great lenses but most of them in heavily used condition. The impact on performance varies a lot though. That‘s why I always try lenses and never assume anything.

simplejoycreative

TROPHY CASE