Leica LTM Leitz Hektor 5cm f/2.5 lens on a Leica D (IId ?)

[hammerman]

Leitz Hektor 5cm f/2.5 lens on a Leica D (IId ?), serial No. 38624. any info on the history of this camera? google is a bit deceptive and has mixed information and no reference to this lens. my brother in the US has this camera. he is trying to register for RFF but i thought i'd get the ball rolling with this question.

any ideas?

dj

 

[hammerman]

the camera must be a IId as the "D"is currently what is referred to as the Digilux body 4/3rds mount D lenses. just trying to solve the mystery.

dj

 

[hammerman]

cheers, mate. i'll pass that along to my brother. he'll be rapt.

dj

 

[Vido]

Hello Dj,
Leica serial no.38624 was originally a 1930/31 Leica 1(model "A") fixed lens and must have undergone a Leitz conversion to a Leica 11 (model "D") interchangeable lens with coupled rangefinder sometime after 1932.This was quite a common practice for earlier cameras to be upgraded to the latest type in the 1930's and 1940's and Leitz provided an official upgrade service to this end.The 50mm F2.5 Hektor lens was the first fast lens produced for the Leica camera and was produced from 1931 to 1937.It was installed on some fixed lens type Leica 1 (model "A") and due to only limited production of the Hektor fitted Leica 1's these are now very collectable cameras.
The 50mm Hektor was designed using six elements in three cemented pairs and total production was 10,300 (approx).The lens is now a collectable Leitz lens but it is not noted for its performance as a good lens for use on the Barnack screw cameras.
You could check with the "Hahne" list if your camera started out as an original Leica 1 (Model "A") with fixed Hektor.
Kindest Regards,
William

I have a IId and can't quite see how it became a IId from viewing a photo of a real 1A. If it is, there must have been a tremendous amount of body work to achieve the conversion. Is this a definite, must have been done thing that all IId's were 1A's? I pulled my shutter box out and can't find any extra screw holes in the casing.

Just curious. I don't want mine to sink from any new leaks!!!

Vido