In article <51k277$7po@columbia.cs.ubc.ca>, gates@cs.ubc.ca says...

>Has anyone compared different slide projector lenses?
>I'm sure everyone is familiar with the Kodak line,
>but Navitar and Schneider also make (expensive) lenses
>for Kodak Carousel projectors. Anyone tried these?
>How much better, if it all, are these lenses?
>Also, how significant are differences between other
>factors such as projection lamps and screens?

Hmmm, I once compared a Kodak 102-152 zoom with a
Leitz 90mm Colorplan (highly rated), and was surprised
to find little difference (maybe bad sample of the Leitz?).
I have compared the 102 and 102-152 (curved field) Kodaks
against each other (sometimes the zoom wins, and both can
be improved by adding black doughnuts to the rear with
holes sized to stop the lenses down about one stop),
and against some Schneiders. The cheap S. Prolux 100mm
wasn't any better than the Kodaks, but the S. Cinelux AV
105mm I tried, though defective, appeared promising - and
the 60mm f2.8 PC is clearly better than the Kodaks that
I have (though the lens is a bad match with the condensers
in my Ektagraphic projector, resulting in poor illumination
evenness, unfortunately). I have not tried the Navitar and
Buhl lenses, and I would be interested in hearing comments
on projection lenses, also. Lamp-condenser systems affect
brightness, color balance, and illumination evenness, but
not sharpness. Screens definitely affect the projected image,
with the sharpest matte white producing the dullest image,
the less sharp lenticular producing a somewhat brighter
image (over a reasonably wide angle), and the least sharp
glass beaded producing the brightest image (but only over
a narrow angle of view).
Hope This Helps