[Leica] Projector Lens Update: Which, What, Where, Who and Why

[John Collier <jbcollier@home.com>]

This is excerpted from the "LeicaDealerFocus" 1997:

    There has been much confusion in the market place as to what lenses will
fit which projectors. We recently asked Werner Schmalz of Kindermann
(Canada) Inc. to address this issue. He explained, "the older "P" lenses
will not form an image except very close on P150/300/600/155/255, and "P2"
lenses will not work on the "older" machines. It has to do with the back
focus configuration - the distance from the nodal of the lens to the film
(slide) plane within the illumination system of the projector."
    "When Leica bought the Braunschweig 'ZETT' factory in 1990," Schmalz
continues, "they had to design each of their existing lenses with a
different back focus configuration for the 'new generation' projectors. In
order to differentiate between lenses for the 'old' and 'new' generation
machines, the designations 'P' and 'P2" were introduced."
    So what goes where? 'P' lenses will fit: P2002, P2000, Pradovit Color 2,
CA2502, CA2500, CA1500, 153, 152, 150, RC, TA, Color 150 & AF, 250 & AF, F,
N12, N24, Pradolux and Prado Universal. Schmalz says, 'They also fit and
work with Kindermann, Reflecta and Braun projectors.'
    'P2' lenses fit: P150, P300, P600, P155 and P255.
    Schmalz adds that, due to space restraint in the P150, the lamp housing
has a smaller configuration than any other Leica projector. Therefore the
P150 can be fitted only with 85mm Hektor P2 and the 90mm Colorpan P2 lenses
____________________________________

Since this article was written the 60mm f2.8 Elmarit-P2 lens was released
and can be used on the P150 as well. Leica also list an adapter to use the
P/P2 lenses in the new RT projectors(part number 037-366). They make an
adapter to mount P lenses into Kodak projectors but I do not have that part
number. Also the Zeiss Ikon, ZETT and Leica Braunschweig machines are the
same and use the P2 lenses as described above. Now does this answer any
questions or make it all worse?!

John Collier