Tag Archives: Hektor

what the heck?

Posted on January 13, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. Around 1931, Leitz decided to make their tiny Leica an interchangeable lens camera and produced the first few new focal length lenses. Within a year, the Leica’s film to lens mount distance was standardized and thereafter any screw mount … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on what the heck?

a heck of a lens

Posted on June 20, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. The 5cm, f/2.5 Hektor was the first ‘fast’ lens produced by Leitz for the Leica. The mount was much like its stable-mate. the 5cm, f/3.5 Elmar. About 10,000 were made, most before 1938. Production records show the beginning year … Continue reading →

Posted in camera | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on a heck of a lens

did you hear? the fat’s in the auction!

Posted on June 19, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. The 9cm Elmar was made from 1931 to 1968 – nearly 40 years. It was an early addition to the Leica stable once interchangeable lenses were marketed. The 9cm focal length had a pleasant presentation of head and bust … Continue reading →

Posted in lens | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on did you hear? the fat’s in the auction!

close-ups with a Leica

Posted on April 25, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. For many years Leitz made standard lenses for the Leica that focussed as close as a metre. Want to get closer? Too bad. This all changed in around 1927 when Leitz offered supplementary front lenses for its standard 50mm … Continue reading →

Posted in camera | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on close-ups with a Leica

the days of the prime lens

Posted on January 24, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. We are spoiled these days by the wonderfully sharp zoom lenses which allow us to be lazy and just adjust the lens focal length to crop the scene rather than change a prime lens and actually move to get … Continue reading →

Posted in camera | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on the days of the prime lens

Hektor 2.8cm f/6.3 Leitz Screw Mount Lens

Posted on May 25, 2017 by Robert

Toronto. On a sunny April day in 1982, I met Alex Thomas at a restaurant in North York. He had a few things to show me including this example of a 28mm Hektor wide angle lens for screw mount Leicas. … Continue reading →

Posted in lens | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Hektor 2.8cm f/6.3 Leitz Screw Mount Lens

A Wide View Vista

Posted on February 7, 2017 by Robert

Toronto. The earliest camera lens designers were more concerned with plate coverage than aperture. Often a lens was described in terms of coverage –  half plate, full plate, etc. Numerous strategies were used to allow a greater coverage – mechanical … Continue reading →

Posted in camera | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on A Wide View Vista