Old Delft

Est. 1939

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Old Delft

Old Delft (officially De Oude Delft or Oldelft) is a historic optical manufacturer from the Netherlands. While globally renowned for its pioneering work in medical X-ray imaging (Odelca cameras) and military night vision, the brand occupies a tiny, highly specialized niche in the Leica M-mount and LTM community.

For rangefinder collectors, Old Delft is defined by a brief window in the late 1940s and early 1950s when they produced a small run of high-quality consumer optics. Their flagship lens, the Minor 35mm f/3.5, is a legitimate "unicorn"—one of the few LTM lenses ever manufactured in Holland, prized not just for its rarity but for its distinct "bullet" viewfinder and high-quality chrome construction.

History

The company’s history is distinct from the German and Japanese giants, rooted instead in Dutch industrial innovation.

Foundations and the Van Leer Legacy (1939 to 1990)

The company was founded in 1939 in Delft, Netherlands, by the industrialist Oscar van Leer and optical physicist Prof. A.C.S. van Heel under the name N.V. Van Leer's Optische Industrie. During the German occupation of WWII, the name was changed to De Oude Delft to avoid political scrutiny.

  • The Consumer Era: In the immediate post-war period (late 1940s), Old Delft attempted to enter the consumer photographic market. They produced lenses for Leica screw mount (LTM), Contax rangefinders, and the Swiss Alpa SLR system.
  • The Pivot: By the mid-1950s, the company realized it could not compete with the mass-production scale of German and Japanese rivals. They pivoted almost exclusively to high-tech industrial optics (X-ray, infrared, and defense), effectively ending their consumer lens production. This short production run is what makes their LTM lenses so scarce today [[1]].

Product Lines (LTM & Adapted)

Old Delft lenses are renowned for their build quality, which collectors often describe as rivaling Leitz heavy chrome standards of the same era.

The Minor (The LTM Standard)

  • Minor 3.5cm (35mm) f/3.5: The only Old Delft lens commonly found in native LTM.
    • Design: A Tessar-type wide angle (4 elements in 3 groups).
    • The "Bullet" Finder: This lens was typically sold with a matching 35mm external viewfinder that is instantly recognizable by its elongated, torpedo-like shape.
    • Character: It offers a classic vintage rendering—moderate contrast, high central sharpness, and gentle fall-off in the corners. It is a "storytelling" lens rather than a technical chart-topper [[2]].

The Alfinon / Alfinar (The Alpa Connection)

These lenses were primarily designed for the Alpa reflex system but are occasionally found adapted to LTM or in rare native mounts.

  • Alfinon 50mm f/2.8: A standard prime known for its beautiful chrome finish and decent sharpness.
  • Alfinar 38mm f/3.5: A wide-angle often found on Alpa cameras.

The Rayxar (The X-Ray Monster)

  • Rayxar 50mm f/0.75: Originally designed for imaging X-ray screens (Odelca systems), this lens has no focus mechanism and no aperture blades.
    • The Mod: In recent years, specialist technicians (like MS-Optics in Japan) have converted these massive lenses to Leica M-mount.
    • Look: It produces an impossibly thin depth of field and a "dreamlike," glowing soft-focus effect that is popular for artistic portraiture. It serves a similar niche to the Zeiss 50mm f/0.7 Kubrick lens but at a much lower price point [[3]].

Technical Specifications

Feature Specification Details
Native Mount LTM (M39) (Minor Series), Alpa/Exakta (Alfinon/Delfar).
Focus Coupling Coupled (Minor 35mm LTM).
Uncoupled (Rayxar conversions usually lack coupling).
Build Materials Heavy machined Brass with high-quality Chrome plating.
Filter Thread Non-standard or require slip-on caps/hoods due to vintage design.
Coatings Single Coated (often showing soft blue or purple reflections).
Markings Engraved "Old Delft" or "De Oude Delft" with "Made in Holland."

Why Photographers Choose Old Delft

  • National Heritage: For Dutch photographers or collectors of Dutch industrial design, the Minor 35mm is the ultimate piece of patriotic kit—the optical equivalent of a Spyker car.
  • The "Bullet" Aesthetic: The unique torpedo finder paired with the chrome lens makes for one of the most stylish setups on a Barnack Leica (e.g., Leica IIIf).
  • The Rayxar Look: For experimental shooters, a converted f/0.75 Rayxar offers a bokeh aesthetic that is physically impossible to achieve with standard photographic lenses, creating images that look like paintings [[3]].

Sources

Lenses (1)

Filters 1 results
Make Model Focal Length Aperture Release year Diameter (mm) Length (mm) Weight (g) Min focus distance Elements Groups Filter diameter (mm) MountModel number(s)Actions
Old DelftMinor 3.5cm f/3.5353.51948–195036—134 g0.9 m———LTM—