LEITZ HEKTOR 5cm F2.5

Review and Photo example of the LEITZ HEKTOR 5cm F2.5.

Table of contents

• Gallery
• Review
  1. About
  2. Usage
  3. Summary
• Specification
• Reference links
• Update history
• Affiliate link

Gallery

• The sample photo were taken with the LEICA M9

《モミガラパーク》日本工業大学／小川次郎研究室黒田潤三 T076

大地の芸術祭・越後妻有アートトリエンナーレ2022

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Review

1．Overview

The LEITZ HEKTOR 5cm F2.5 is a standard lens released by Leitz (Leica) in 1930.

The main specifications are as follows, and details are listed in the table.

• Aperture value: 2.5
• Lens construction: 6 elements in 3 groups
• Aperture blades: 6
• Minimum focusing distance: 1.0m
• Leica M rangefinder camera rangefinder coupling: 1.0m
• Hood: FIKUS or cover hood

2．Usability

The lens I had was a type with a focus ring that rotated almost all the way around, distance notation in feet, and the serial number 12xxxx indicated that it was made in 1932. The slim lens barrel matches digital Leica cameras and is thankfully not obstructing the viewfinder. The focus ring is at the base of the lens, so it is a bit difficult to use with M-type Leica cameras, and a Barnack Leica would be more suitable. The aperture ring has an operating part at the tip, like the old Elmar 50mm, and is not very easy to use. The lens can be retracted, but I have never carried it retracted because I was afraid of accidentally hitting the sensor or the internal wall.

When I used it with a LEICA M9, the depiction in front of the light was well resolved at the focus point, and the bokeh in front and behind was only a little dirty, so it was usable depending on the scene. I don’t have any data from shooting in harsh conditions such as backlight.

I regret that I should have taken photos with this lens on a film camera.

It has a triplet configuration of 6 elements in 3 groups, and all of the lenses in the 3 groups are glued together.
For this reason, the number of lenses produced was relatively high at around 10,000, so you often see second-hand ones, but the fact that the first one was produced about 100 years ago means that the lens joints have deteriorated and many of them are cloudy.
The lens I had also had many scratches and was cloudy, so I bought it cheap. When purchasing, it is better to test the lens to see if it suits your taste before purchasing, and I don’t recommend buying it online as it is a gamble.

3．Summary

In conclusion, to sum up the LEITZ HEKTOR 5cm F2.5, since it is an old lens, there are few in good condition, and those in good condition are expensive. I bought it at a time when I was trying out all the 50mm lenses, but I didn’t end up choosing to keep it.

Specification

Reference links

• Leica Wiki HEKTOR 50mm F2.5
• Classic Camera Selection Book 19 How to Identify Leica Lenses (Asahi Sonorama)
  • It describes the specifications and the differences between the specifications, and there is no mention of lens description.
  • A lens configuration diagram is included in the appendix.
• Leica Lenses (Shashin Kogyosha)
  • Hektor has a review by Haruo Nozaki on P82

Update history

• 2024.04.27

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