Bar8barian
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Tom's "5cm f2.5 Hektor" LHSA article.
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Tom A
RFF Sponsor
If you go to the LHSA Web site, you should be able to find it as the older copies of the Viewfinder are there. I cant remember when I wrote it - but it is some time ago.
The Hektor 50f2.5 is an interesting lens - at the time (1930's) it was the "Summilux" of the era - did cost almost 4 times that of an Elmar 50f3.5. In spite of being by now a 80 year old lens - it is good. Stopped down to f4 and 5.6 it has a certain "snap" to it. Contrast is low (uncoated) and they are a bit prone to sticky aperture blades and fogging (well most of us have that problem at 80+ years I suspect!).
I am notoriously bad for keeping "tear sheets" of past articles otherwise I would have been able to pinpoint the issue.
The Hektor 50f2.5 is an interesting lens - at the time (1930's) it was the "Summilux" of the era - did cost almost 4 times that of an Elmar 50f3.5. In spite of being by now a 80 year old lens - it is good. Stopped down to f4 and 5.6 it has a certain "snap" to it. Contrast is low (uncoated) and they are a bit prone to sticky aperture blades and fogging (well most of us have that problem at 80+ years I suspect!).
I am notoriously bad for keeping "tear sheets" of past articles otherwise I would have been able to pinpoint the issue.
Bar8barian
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Tom A
RFF Sponsor
My last two Hektors were Nickel plated versions (1930/31). I still think it is one of the best looking of any of the screw-mount 50's. That extra diameter of the glass balances the ring around the front nicely. I just gave my last Hektor to a friend in japan. He had been looking for one for quite a while, so decided to surprise him with it.
I think there was only about 9-10 000 of these done - and in the intervening 80 years. many have been lost.
I did try it on a M8 when i was playing with a pre-production M8 years ago. Works well - though a bit low contrast. It was a fairly sophisticated design with 6 elements and remarkably even image illumination, even at f2.5.
Illness's tend to cut down on pictures -I spent 3 weeks in the hospital 10 years ago and still have at least 20 rolls filed away of my feet under the blanket and on top of the blanket as well as various pumps that kept pushing liquids into me. Hope you will soon be better and putting that Hektor through its paces. I did shoot a fair bit with mine - liked it with slower films, Pan F and Acros 100 as it did punch up the contrast a bit.
I think there was only about 9-10 000 of these done - and in the intervening 80 years. many have been lost.
I did try it on a M8 when i was playing with a pre-production M8 years ago. Works well - though a bit low contrast. It was a fairly sophisticated design with 6 elements and remarkably even image illumination, even at f2.5.
Illness's tend to cut down on pictures -I spent 3 weeks in the hospital 10 years ago and still have at least 20 rolls filed away of my feet under the blanket and on top of the blanket as well as various pumps that kept pushing liquids into me. Hope you will soon be better and putting that Hektor through its paces. I did shoot a fair bit with mine - liked it with slower films, Pan F and Acros 100 as it did punch up the contrast a bit.
Bar8barian
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Vin Yette
Newbie
Hey Bar8barian, not sure if this is Tom's article, but in the 1/2004 edition (Volume 27, Number 1) of Viewfinder there was an article called "The Hektor 50mm f/2.5 - A Dog of a Lens?".
Bar8barian
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DennisPT
Well-known
A bit off topic, at one point I had 2 uncoated Hektors; one in mint and one has edge separation and clean marks. I tested them on film but found the mint was out performed by the other one in terms of sharpness and color rendition. Dont know it's due to sample variation or what. Any thoughts from our fellow members? Thanks.
Cheers,
Dennis
Cheers,
Dennis
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Leica II, Hektor 50mm f/2.5, Tmax400, scanned negative.
Erik.
Erik.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Often old lenses in mint condition are bad specimen. They were not used because of that.
Erik.
Ronald M
Veteran
Absolutely true.
DennisPT
Well-known
Thanks Erik. Glad I kept the beat up one.
haempe
Well-known
Leica II, Hektor 50mm f/2.5, Tmax400, print on Ilford MGIV fb.
Erik.
Wow, this has indeed a true vintage look. I should bring my hektor in a usable condition...
elmer3.5
Well-known
Wow
Wow
Hi, great ther are folks that like the hektor!!!
Since i knew it existed i tried to get one sample.
Years hve passed and now i have my hektor lens.
I´m very surprised with it, first thought it would flare a lot, but it doesn´t!
It renders colour in a very unique way i´m waiting to develop a tri-x roll!
I also tried to get that issue of Tom´s article on that lens, but haven´t been lucky about it.
This is the first serious shot done with my hektor!
Konica Hexar RF, superia 400, f18 🙂 old scale!
I´m in love with collapsible lenses, but no summar or summitars are enough collapsible for me, and 3.5 is perhps too slow...
Bye!
PD: Thanks Erik, because your shots decided me to go for the hektor!
Wow
Hi, great ther are folks that like the hektor!!!
Since i knew it existed i tried to get one sample.
Years hve passed and now i have my hektor lens.
I´m very surprised with it, first thought it would flare a lot, but it doesn´t!
It renders colour in a very unique way i´m waiting to develop a tri-x roll!
I also tried to get that issue of Tom´s article on that lens, but haven´t been lucky about it.
This is the first serious shot done with my hektor!
Konica Hexar RF, superia 400, f18 🙂 old scale!
I´m in love with collapsible lenses, but no summar or summitars are enough collapsible for me, and 3.5 is perhps too slow...
Bye!
PD: Thanks Erik, because your shots decided me to go for the hektor!
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Bar8barian
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elmer3.5
Well-known
Hi, thanks i guess i´ll use this lens extensively in the next months...
Erik, you are quite right about mint samples, in fact my sample although not mint it´s in really good shape and testing it i realized front focuses about 3 inches.
I´ll solve it but that´s why it was "unexpensive"
Bye!
Erik, you are quite right about mint samples, in fact my sample although not mint it´s in really good shape and testing it i realized front focuses about 3 inches.
I´ll solve it but that´s why it was "unexpensive"
Bye!
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Erik van Straten
Veteran
Hi Bar8barian,
No I never tried to do color with the Hektor, in fact I never make pictures in color. For me color distracts from the more essential aspects of photography such as composition, moment, atmosphere and lightning.
Erik.
DennisPT
Well-known
Hektor + Kodachrome 64 (sorry, not the best scanning effort).
DennisPT
Well-known
Another color one using Hektor 5cm and Kodak NC400. Minimal levels adjustment.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Leica II, Hektor 50mm f/2.5, Tmax400, scanned negative.
Erik.
Erik.
