Leica LTM Hektor 73mm, Thambar, Summarex, what else?

[Vince Lupo]

An old (film) shot with the Hektor, scanned from the print.

 

[johannielscom]

Thanks Vince!

Your friend actually does have a Hektor for sale, it's in the 'Rare and Collectables' section. It's too rich for my blood though...!

Let's hope I bump into something cheaper someday...

 

[Vince Lupo]

You could bid on one of these!
http://www.westlicht-auction.com/index.php?id=215744&acat=215744&offset=1&_ssl=off

 

[Ronald M]

My 125 2.5 is a little soft full open, and becomes sharp at 4.0.

Contrast is on the low side at 2.5 and 2.8.

Bokeh is beautiful. Image is more beautiful than uncoated 73 mm or uncoated 90 or 135 mm Leitz lenses. Consider uncoated 90 4.0 or 135 4.5 Leitz if you are RF only and on a budget.

125 mm image is hard to focus perfectly 100% of the time on viso wide open. I used to use it on a viso 1 ,2, or 3, then the Leica R with M>R adapter and that gave a split image focus I never missed, and now the m viso set up goes on Nikon Digital with Camera Quest adapter. The Nikon digitals are full frame and one is equipped with the Katz Eye Split image.

Summilux.net may still have samples of 90 mm Thambar posted. They are another uncoated old lens, although i did meet on person who had his coated. It is a hard lens to use in that you need to know in advance the effects it gives by different aperture and with/with out the center disc. Best you read French for Summilux.com. I will try a link. I really am not that impressed.
There was a short mount to put it on a viso, but I have never seen one or known anyone to own it.

If you want soft focus, 20/30 years back there was a 120 mm Rodenstock Imagon made in T-Mount. 3 disks were furnished that the do the same thing they do on large format Imagons. I could not afford one new and waited 10 years to find one for sale and paid $1000.
This is a true soft focus lens for 35 mm and the best I ever used.
It was purchased for Leica R, and I changed T mount for Nikon so it works on my Nikon D3 and D700.

Image is soft and glowy with #1 disk fully open, plain soft with peripheral disk holes closed. Buy the time you use the #3 disk, the image is fairly sharp with peripheral holes open with just a touch of glow, to almost sharp and no glow with them closed.
There is no diaphragm as the disks provide light control, H 5.6 to H 11. Contrast is more in keeping with a 1980 lens.
This is the true soft focus lens for 35 mm and better than anything else. Good luck finding one. Bokeh is of course superb as the almost sharp image melts into out of focus. The one defect is Kuhn Bugs, specular reflections of bright objects. Use Google.

Should you find one, buy it, then find a camera to use it on. Leica R is best for film, Nikon D3 or D700 for full frame digital.

http://harrysproshop.com/Imagon/imagon.html

http://images.search.yahoo.com/imag...i=12bbjkj6i&sigb=13kfinuir&.crumb=vI9sNtERFXM


http://images.search.yahoo.com/imag...i=114ucigeb&sigb=13klc93qb&.crumb=vI9sNtERFXM

http://shutterbug.com/equipmentreviews/lenses/0405classic/index.html

http://photo.net/leica-rangefinders-forum/00Este?start=10

Typical Thambar Pic


http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1038&message=36017791

 

[Brian Legge]

I've got a beat up Summarit 50mm, 1.5 which could almost quality 😉 :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cannelbrae/4800562503/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cannelbrae/4764935986/

I've almost put it up on ebay a few times as I just don't use it enough. The look is interesting but I rarely shoot subjects where it makes sense. I'd rather sell in the classifieds here.

 

[John Robertson]

Hello,
Another lens you might look for is the Dallmeyer 85mm F2 Dallac LTM which does turn up now and again at camera fairs in the UK.
I believe that it is a "Biotar" type lens design.

I have one of these it is almost identical to the 85mm f2 Jupiter!

 

[johannielscom]

Well, I've found a Dallac LTM that sold on eBay a while ago, but that went for over EUR 2,000 😱

So, I guess I'm not getting that one!

Maybe I should look into the Jupiter 85/2.0...

 

[kdemas]

I enjoy using the 73mm Hektor, often on my M8. Here's one quick example. Contrast upped in post. I tend to seek out lenses that draw a little "differently" and this one does.

 

[kdemas]

I have a Jupiter 85/2 and, if you get a good one, they can be quite stunning. I'll find some pics and post later, can be a nice alternative.

Well, I've found a Dallac LTM that sold on eBay a while ago, but that went for over EUR 2,000 😱

So, I guess I'm not getting that one!

Maybe I should look into the Jupiter 85/2.0...

 

[Wahoo]

Ross 9c/m Xtralux f3.5 and Hektor 73mm f1.9

Ross 9c/m Xtralux f3.5 and Hektor 73mm f1.9

Extremely nice photos Vince - I've owned these above lens for over 3 decades and have never used them.

It's good to see that the Hektor has such a memorising performance, thanks.

 

[johannielscom]

After having had the heeby geebies for the Hektor for quite some time I had saved up some cash to try and secure one in the Westlicht auction in May, only to see the three lenses sold all rapidly passed my (limited) budget.

That was a cold shower.

BUT: Last week I bought a 1950 Jupiter-9 85/2.0.

It is new and unused. It comes with original case, front cap and rear cap. It has the original passport with it, stating is is collimated to 83,7mm.

Best of all, it has Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar elements. They are stamped with a Zeiss serial number dating it to 1945.

Can't wait to shoot it. It should be collimated for Leica perfectly and will most likely be within original Zeiss factory specs. YAY!

 

[Nokton48]

Hmmmmm. Imagon Anybody?

Hmmmmm. Imagon Anybody?

This thread has got me thinking, I have 120/150mm Rodenstock Imagon lens sets, and a focusing helical, that takes a 35mm T-Mount. By adding a Nex Adapter, I could shoot Imagon photos digitally 😛

 

[menos]

After having had the heeby geebies for the Hektor for quite some time I had saved up some cash to try and secure one in the Westlicht auction in May, only to see the three lenses sold all rapidly passed my (limited) budget.

That was a cold shower.

BUT: Last week I bought a 1950 Jupiter-9 85/2.0.

It is new and unused. It comes with original case, front cap and rear cap. It has the original passport with it, stating is is collimated to 83,7mm.

Best of all, it has Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar elements. They are stamped with a Zeiss serial number dating it to 1945.

Can't wait to shoot it. It should be collimated for Leica perfectly and will most likely be within original Zeiss factory specs. YAY!

Johan, that Zeiss in camouflage sounds nice - congrats (and sorry, I snapped that Hektor away, I didn't mean it badly)!

 

[john341]

Soft lens solution

Soft lens solution

Hello,

I'm looking into longer lenses with 'dreamlike' properties like the Hektor 73mm 1.9 , Thambar 90mm 2.2 or Summarex 85mm 1.5.

Many years ago we used a thin smear of petroleum jelly on a UV filter then later along came "orthoptic" adhesive patches used in the business of strengthening eye muscles. They attach to a filter or the lens and are available from opthalmic supply shops in varying strengths. Well worth a shot!

 

[Nando]

I like the Summarex. It has a very similar rendering as the 50f1.5 Summarit but with a lot less DOF, of course.

 

[rxmd]

Then there are the classic tricks, like putting gelatine around the rim of a glass filter, or shooting through nylon stockings with a hole burned into the middle.

Might be easier than buying a Hektor.

 

[rxmd]

Or use an SLR, where you can get "dreamy" lenses, too:

(85/f1.5 Helios-40 on a Nikon.)

 

[sanmich]

Johan

Just a thought:
73mm is not that far from a 50mm FOV (specially when you consider their usually longer min focus distance) , and there is no shortage of interesting, fast 50's for decent prices.
For special look, I would try a Summar as the lowest priced option, or a Xenon for the extra stop.
Sorry if that wasn't what you wanted to hear 😱

 

[Nokton48]

The 85mm F1.5 RF Canon can be had for about $500US, and it's a good lens, even wide-open. Mine is very sharp at all apertures. It can be difficult to use properly, I think it has gotten a bad rap, because of that. Nothing wrong with the lens itself, but there is a learning curve, and usually alot of operator error.

 

[johannielscom]

Thanks for all the replies guys!

A while back, I stumbled into a 1951 Jupiter-9 lens that had a Zeiss optics module fitted and was collimated to 83.7mm so that it would agree with Leica specs.

Although the Hektor 73/1.9 still gets my mouth watering, there really is no justification for it now.

Here it is:


1955 M3-DS with 1951 Jupiter-9 by buzzardkid, on Flickr