Isco Rollei-Projar 85mm f/2.8
Isco Rollei-Projar 85mm f/2.8 lens unmounted
Isco Rollei-Projar 85mm f/2.8 with focusing helicoid and M42 to Sony E Mount adapter
Isco Rollei-Projar 85mm f/2.8 lens mounted on a Sony A7 II camera
Another example of a typical plastic-barrelled lens from a fairly modern full-size 35mm slide projector, this time from one of the giants of the projector lens world, Isco (generally a highly reliable name that is always worth looking out for when browsing eBay for projector lenses). It seems reasonable to presume from the lens name that this one was made for use in a Rollei branded slide projector.
You can use my standard method for adapting projector lenses from the 35mm slide projector lenses page for this lens. This lens will focus to infinity using a standard Sony E mount ot M42 adapter.
This lens is capable of delivering excellent, very sharp, results. The bokeh at close focussing distances is pleasant, smooth and generally innoffensive (look at the photograph of the daffodils below). At middle and long focussing distances the bokeh is what I would call "characterful": that is to say it's quite busy with plenty of clear outlines to the bokeh balls. Look at the photograph of the railings, for example. Now this isn't going to suit everybody. Many bokeh aficionados demand smooth, buttery bokeh. But this kind of characterful bokeh is exactly why I love vintage lenses in general, and projector lenses in particular, so much. I love the variety of different expressions from lenses designed before computers were used to ensure modern lenses are optically perfect and uniform (and, dare I say it, a bit boring!).
But these things are highly subjective. There is simply no objective way to measure them so you have to judge for yourself on a case-by-case basis. Fortunately projector lenses are generally cheap enough to experiment until you find the lenses you like… and when you find them, never sell them!
So talking of judging for yourself, here are some samples from the Isco Rollei-Projar 85mm f/2.8. As usual the colour ones where lightly processed to taste in Adobe Lightroom, and the black and white ones where processed in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.
