How are you using your Hektor 135/4.5 ?

[raytoei@gmail.com]

HI,

I am having a vexing time trying to figure out how to use my LTM Hektor 135/4.5.

You see, I find the images too soft even for portraiture. This could be a combination of factors: the lens is soft at wide apertures or handshake due to low shutter-speed, grainy film etc. My observation is that above f8, fine-grain film with shutter speed faster 1/100 (or tripod), produces optimal shooting condition ?

(I thought about the possibility that the Lens is defective or camera rangefinder focusing, but I think it is more likely due to my poor technique than anything else).

An example can be found here,

http://retro.ms11.net/testhektor.jpg

(I ruled out the rangefinder faults because the other 50mm shots are okay, and the 135mm pictures are consistently soft. I think this was shot at f5.6, at 1/100, the film used was Tmax which produced lots of grain when developed with Rodinal)

Can you share with me how are you using your hektor 135/4.5, landscape or portrait; sample shots with comments on the exposure settings would be much appreciated.

raytoei

 

[charjohncarter]

These are all handheld using FujiSuperiaXtra 400. If you aren't happy I think you should check your rangefinder (again). The Hektor isn't the best lens in the world but I like mine (especially for portraits, which I can't find any of right now) as I paid $45.00 for it and I really don't enjoy tele lenses.

 

[colyn]

I suspect your rangefinder may not be properly calibrated.

Take an 8x10 sheet of white printer paper and with a sharpie draw a small + about 2x2 inches. Tape it to a well lit wall and set your camera on a tripod. Measure the distance from the + to the cameras film plane at 1 meter. With a 50mm lens mounted on the camera adjust the lens focus to 1 meter and see if the images of the + line up. If not adjust the rangefinder through the screw hole next to the cameras front view window till it lines up then take the camera outside and check for infinity focus.

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

wait. 🙂

before this thread concludes its my rf, i have to say that

(a) i vertically and horizontally aligned my IIIC yesterday
(b) my hazy cannon 135 is much sharper at similar aperture.
(c) I get the same results from my different RFs (I have the ltms and the CLs and I use voigtlander adapters)

So, it looks like it is either my lens has issues or I am using it wrong.

raytoei

 

[Ronald M]

They do not sharpen to 6.3 or 8.

I use mine for close up on bellows for flowers and such. Works on Nikon digital just like film.

Later lenses are better at 4 & 5.6

 

[Nando]

I'm very fond of my 135 Hektor. I find the images sufficiently sharp for my use. Although softer wide-open, it isn't that bad. Mine is a more recent example from the late 1950's and the previous owner had the lens serviced prior to selling it to me.

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

Colyn,

I spoke to soon.

I checked, my IIIC is showing 1.1m at 1m (and 1.6m at 1.5m) across my elmar and summaron, but as I looked out the window, it is showing infinity at a distant object.

* Edited *

I adjusted the infinity and the 1m back and forth. I think it is aligned now.

I am going to run some shots of the Hektor 135mm

thanks again

 

[John Shriver]

The Canon 135/3.5 easily smokes the Hektor 135/4.5 in terms of optical quality. But it's also big and really heavy.

 

[colyn]

Hope it works for you. If you can get the 1 meter adjusted the infinity should also be good.

The long 135mm tele lens has little depth of field so if the rangefinder focus is off it can make a difference..

 

[colyn]

The Canon 135/3.5 easily smokes the Hektor 135/4.5 in terms of optical quality. But it's also big and really heavy.

The Canon is a newer design so it stands to reason it would be a better performer.

I have the black version of the Canon lens..