Why no 1.1 or 1.0 for 16mm ?

[Jason Moffatt]

Why are there no 1.1 or 1.0 lenses for 16mm projectors like some of the better super 8 projectors ?.The fastest i have seen is 1.2.

[Terry Sills]

That's a good question Jason. I can only think that the cost of production would have been prohibitive. I wonder if this is relative to 35mm Cinema projector lenses also?

[Dominique De Bast]

I would also think it's a question of cost/benefit. The improvement for super 8 can justify the high price of the 1.0/1.1 lenses but the benefit is probably less in 16 mm. Most of the 16 mm projectors have a 200/250 watt lamp and a non zoom lens (sorry, I forgot the name in English) ; those lenses are brighter than the zoom lenses. Add to that the two blade shutter found on many 16 mm projectors and the difference between a 1.0 and a 1.2 lens would probably not be noticeable. But that's just a guess.

[Terry Sills]

Yes Dom you're probably right. 16mm can obviously produce a far better picture definition than S8 so as you say, less benefit for the extra cost.

[Brian Fretwell]

Also it is easier to focus nearly all the light from a 24v 250W lamp through the aperture of an f1.2 lens for 16mm than one for 8mm. Apart from internal losses I think the extra size would be of little benefit, especially compare to the cost increase.

[Nantawat Kittiwarakul]

Exactly the same reason why there's no f1.0 projection lens for 35mm film format. Little benefit gained vs massive extra cost. Speaking about diminishing return...

(The sweet spot for 35mm format lens seems to be around f1.8-2.0)

[Alexander Vandeputte]

Also keep in mind that 1.0 lenses have a very shallow depth of field. This is less of a concern with Super 8 where it is 'easier' for the tiny frame to be kept flat and in one plane. For larger formats, lenses with greater depth of field, help to compensate for any deviances in flatness when the film is in the projection gate, allowing for a more uniform sharpness on the screen.

[Simon Wyss]

There are a few f/1.0 projection lenses for 16mm film, for instance the Meostigmat 50/70 mm, the Sankyo 15–30 mm, then the EIKI 50-1.2, the RO-109 from the USSR (50-1.2); Angénieux 50-1.2, Berthiot Cinestar 50-1.2, Zeiss P-Planar f/1.2. There are still more but I stopped my research.