The Projection Optics Story - article on US projection lens maker

I had read the name "Projection Optics" a couple of times before, but I never would have guessed, that I'd be writing about a small and (in the grand scheme of things) pretty insignificant maker of projection lenses from the US... and yet, after I had stumbled upon an interesting lens from them, I had to take a deeper look.

While (as usual) resources were not plentiful, it was really fascinating to find out some stuff about the small company from Rochester, NY, which has always been focused on projection lenses almost exclusively.

Their Super-Lite and Hilux names were known names in the area of cine projection in the US, but never gained worldwide recognition. What I wouldn't have expected to find is, that the company was very early with their ideas and patents. They certainly always seem to have followed their own unique path.

You can find the article here:

deltalenses.com/the-projection-optics-story/

If you have some additional information on Projection Optics, have used one of their lenses or can share something else related to the article, please don't hesitate to reach out. I don't have a great amount of hand-on experience with their lenses, and am thankful for any contribution!

Here are some sample shots taken with Projection Optics lenses:

Seeing right through you by simple.joy, on Flickr

Growth - we all could use some… by simple.joy, on Flickr

Poor-traits? by simple.joy, on Flickr

Light-er-fluid by simple.joy, on Flickr

What is this? by simple.joy, on Flickr

The illusion of being on solid ground by simple.joy, on Flickr

they were definatly not good performers optically were they. so i use 3 35mm cameras as my studio scene projection cameras using 40 yo 50mm primes , olympus, pentax and minota. i print my own 26x35mm transparencies and use studio strobes with a cone and corrected corner scrims to give me consistant light across the image firering it into the back of the cameras. the projected quality is great using the lens in reverse. i suppose back in the day they didnt really need pin sharp lens.

Using old projection lenses as taking lenses is usually not done in order to achieve optimal image quality. It still appeals to some people (including me) because they often provide a unique look. Lots of the appeal is actually caused by what is usually regarded as deficiencies, so yeah... it surely isn't about avoiding that. The lenses in question are 70-90 years old, so given their speed (they were incredibly fast at the time) I wouldn't expect them to provide outstandingly sharp or well corrected images in the first place, even if they were intended as taking lenses.

I have lots of pin sharp lenses if I need them, but currently they're very low on my priority list to be honest.

Images look quite nice. They have a lot of character and a different take on reality. Well done.

Excellent article on Projection Optics. Didn't expect to end up at Beseler. Remember Beseler selling enlarging and a few projection lenses. Wonder if any were from Projection Optics?

Didn't realize cemented elements were a concern in projection lenses. Makes sense due to the high heat involved. Cemented elements aren't bad for camera lenses, but they are usually avoided for ultraviolet photography. Cement doesn't allow UV B and C to pass very well, if at all.

The only projection lens I've photographed with is a Leitz Colorplan 90. Surprised to see a swirly background. Perhaps it is related to the Petzval lens design. Doesn't look swirly when projecting slides.

One of your lenses had a stop built in. Agree with you that it was there to reduce aberrations. There is a small chance it was to reduce light slightly. Much of Projection Optics' press seems to talk about brighter lenses. This would work well in brand new installations. Wouldn't it be a problem for lens replacements? The movie would be brighter than intended, unless projectors have a way to adjust bulb brightness.

Fascinating article. Appreciate all the work you put into the research.
Thanks for sharing,
barondla

Thank you very much - I'm glad you think so.

Yes, some of those certainly were. As far as I know Projection Optics made lenses for overhead projectors/episcopes and similar devices for educational purposes, which Beseler offered as well. I've not looked into that thing extensively though, because these (giant) lenses are likely only interesting if you're able to use them on large format.

It's quite a different use, so it's not surprising that there can be lots of (depending on your taste) unwanted or interesting effects when using projection lenses on cameras. I like some swirly lenses but it's mostly about the overall rendering which impacts my enjoyment.

I think light transmission in projectors was usually limited by the mirrors anyway, which explains why many manufacturers (like Schneider) never bothered to make anything faster than f/2 until that part was obsolete or at least improved. I'm no expert on the technical side of projection however so take that with a grain of salt...

There was the whole "competition for the fastest projection lens in the world" happening for a couple of years, particularly in the US in the 1950s. I mention some of it in the Projection Optics Story, but am going into more detail in an upcoming article. I find it quite fascinating, because at some point it just seems to have been over and manufacturers were opting for higher resolution lenses with more even coverage instead. But as taking lenses some of these fast lenses are unique and interesting options still.