The Ennalyt 85mm f1.5 is a fast medium-telephoto lens made by Enna, a mid-sized lens manufacturer based in Munich, Germany, which had been producing photographic lenses since the 1920s. It features a 6-element, 5-group optical design. This example is in M42 mount.
Lenses with the same specifications were also sold under the Ennaston and Lithagon names, and were produced not only in M42 mount, but also in Exakta and LTM, Leica screw mount. Several barrel variations also exist, including zebra-finished versions.
With an 85mm focal length and a fast maximum aperture of f1.5, this is an impressive large-aperture medium-telephoto lens. Its rendering has a distinctly individual character.
It weighs 553g on our scale. The substantial aluminum barrel has a solid, high-quality feel in the hand and is also satisfying simply to own.
This lens was acquired from a local collector during one of our buying trips to Germany in 2002. It was carefully used by its owner and has now returned to us after more than 20 years. We still remember just how beautiful this example was, so we are very happy to see it back again. Welcome home!
The barrel remains in remarkably beautiful condition, with almost no visible scuffs, scratches, or corrosion to the aluminum.
A full overhaul was completed in September 2026, giving the lens a thorough refresh after more than 20 years. Thanks to careful servicing, both the aperture ring and helicoid now operate very smoothly.
The inner elements show only extremely minor coating deterioration that can just be seen under a strong LED light, but this should have virtually no effect on actual photographs.
Otherwise, the glass is exceptionally clean, with no noticeable cleaning marks. The results of our shooting test were also excellent. A soft veil of flare appears around the areas of peak sharpness, while the distinctive bokeh has a beautifully melting quality.
Sample images are available in our Test Shoot Gallery. We hope you will take a look.
The original lens hood, a Vivitar UV filter, and front and rear caps are included.
