It has been shown that Sulfarsazen and 1-(2-hydroxy-5-nitrophenyl)-3-ethyl-5-(2-benzoxazolyl)formazan (Formazan VIII) can be used for the photometric determination of lead and give identical results at a specified significance level. The detection limits attained with the use of Sulfarsazen and Formazan VIII are 0.2 μg/mL and 0.16 ng/mL, respectively, and the latter reagent provides a better precision of determination. © 1997 MAHK Hayka/Interperiodica Publishing.