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MISH said:
Johan ..... thanks for your input..... who knows what the conversation was or was referring to so long ago. As for the Hector, it does not seem to have anything remarkable about it and it is not something I can see myself using much but it is a nice looking well built lens and I certainly do not mind having it (you can see I have not had a chance to clean it up yet)
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If you've got one, try the Hektor on a Nex. 135mm is quite easily usable, probably more so than on the original camera!
 
MISH said:
Johan ..... thanks for your input..... who knows what the conversation was or was referring to so long ago. As for the Hector, it does not seem to have anything remarkable about it and it is not something I can see myself using much but it is a nice looking well built lens and I certainly do not mind having it (you can see I have not had a chance to clean it up yet)
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That Hektor is the rare thing.

It is a 1949 serial number but the old pre-1947 design. Old aperture scale, fully black lacquered.

If you unscrew it from the barrel (the head simply twists off), you should be able to see if the serial number is also written inside the barrel, in pencil. If it is this means that barrel and lens aren't a mismatch but original combo off-factory. Which would mean it left the factory 2 years after the design was changed and that would be a rarity!
 
MISH, your IIIc apears to be an early post-war IIIc (1946-47), likely (partially) made up from wartime parts and delivered to the US Army of the Occupation. Might even be a "K" in disguise.
LeicaTom will be able to tell more depending on the serial number.
 
Mr_Flibble said:
MISH, your IIIc apears to be an early post-war IIIc (1946-47), likely (partially) made up from wartime parts and delivered to the US Army of the Occupation. Might even be a "K" in disguise.
LeicaTom will be able to tell more depending on the serial number.
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Rick is right, it's a 1946 Stepper! :eek::eek:
 
johannielscom said:
That Hektor is the rare thing.

It is a 1949 serial number but the old pre-1947 design. Old aperture scale, fully black lacquered.

If you unscrew it from the barrel (the head simply twists off), you should be able to see if the serial number is also written inside the barrel, in pencil. If it is this means that barrel and lens aren't a mismatch but original combo off-factory. Which would mean it left the factory 2 years after the design was changed and that would be a rarity!
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if the head unscrews it must be seized on as I am unable to unscrew it. However what is easy to unscrew is the first element of the lens exposing the aperture blades. Since this is the part where the serial number is found would it not have been quite easy to have unscrewed this and put it on a older lens? I am quite happy to have this camera and it means a lot to me because of the friend it came from and I can now cross off stepper from my Leica bucket list.
 

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MISH said:
if the head unscrews it must be seized on as I am unable to unscrew it. However what is easy to unscrew is the first element of the lens exposing the aperture blades. Since this is the part where the serial number is found would it not have been quite easy to have unscrewed this and put it on a older lens? I am quite happy to have this camera and it means a lot to me because of the friend it came from and I can now cross off stepper from my Leica bucket list.
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If you grip it over the engraving and put the other hand on the flat surface near the base, it should separate just in front of the large ribbed focusing grip.
Like twisting a bottle cap, really:cool:

Anyway it seems it's a sort of off-factory Frankenstein camera, with the 1946 Stepper IIIc and the old-style 1947 Elmar 135mm.

Rare combo. Finding one would be something, finding them together might be truly exceptional.
 
Well after further research I came across this thread over at L-camera forum that suggests this lens is a fake. Who ever made this certainly went to a lot of trouble to make a fake of this quality and while I don't know the quality of the glass, it is a solidly built good looking lens.

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica...ntenelle-archives-50-belgian-fakes-elmar.html

(you may have to be a member of L-camera forum to view all the pictures)
 
MISH said:
Well after further research I came across this thread over at L-camera forum that suggests this lens is a fake. Who ever made this certainly went to a lot of trouble to make a fake of this quality and while I don't know the quality of the glass, it is a solidly built good looking lens.

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica...ntenelle-archives-50-belgian-fakes-elmar.html

(you may have to be a member of L-camera forum to view all the pictures)
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Well, THAT certainly makes it 'the rarest thing', as Jim Lager put it!

Never heard of fake postwar Elmars 9cm and 13.5cm before, must be rare as hen's teeth. Better hang on to that, or sell it for top dollar to a collector!
 
Agreed, this combination makes a very nice post-war camera-crisis story.
Interested to see how well the lens compares to a true Hektor.
 
I really can't imagine why someone would make the effort to fake what has never been a particularly expensive lens. Many of the copies (I'm thinking Dalrac etc) were mostly aluminium and as such really wouldn't be a good basis to start with.

I haven't got an old 135 anymore but looking at the photo, might it be worth taking out the grub screw on the front edge of the focussing ring and seeing what happens? Do all 135 Hektor's have this screw? I don't remember.
 
Hi Johan,

The Leica II is in quite good condition, a few light scratches on the bottom plate, and little brassing on the eyepieces, edge of shoe, etc. A crack is starting to form in the covering on one end. Speeds seem pretty good, rangefinder image is strong. An export model, it has the "Germany" mark on the shoe and English "open/close" on the bottom. Export for the Elmar, as well (which came to me with the camera).

And what a coincidence, I also am awaiting the delivery of a nickel Summar! It's a 1935 piece, and I believe it is one of the ones made for use with the Agfa color system, since it appears to have the notched aperture ring and extra mark at f2.9.
 
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Well, I paid to buy a Black Leica II off him earlier today.....I'm pretty sure it's the same one ;)

Oh and: YAY! I finally got a black Leica!
 
Mr_Flibble said:
Well, I paid to buy a Black Leica II off him earlier today.....I'm pretty sure it's the same one ;)

Oh and: YAY! I finally got a black Leica!
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Ha! It's not! I bought a set of a Leica II and a nickel Summar from a fellow RFF'er here and really was looking to acquire the lens only, so the body had to go. Gotta say, I offered Rick a decent price and the remainder was a very decent price for a nickel Summar, even if it was a thoroughly used one.

Happy Sinterklaas Rick, for the both of us! Happy shooting!
 
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