De Oude Delft was a Dutch optical company founded in 1939. This lens was made for the Dutch 306 squadron for low level aerial reconnaissance, fitted on cameras mounted on F104 Starfighters and F16s. My particular lens was manufactured in 1968 and came in its original NATO tin box with yellow filter and all documentation, in new condition. The lens is apparently a double gauss design. It has a rather unique bokeh, which does not have the usual bright edges – smooth but producing characteristic shapes. I don’t find it an easy lens to use artistically, but occasionally it surprises me with its rendering.
