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I just managed to buy at auction a little hektor 6.3cm lens. the serial number is on the rear and start with a 7. I assume this makes it post war? Are all the post war lenses coated versions? I know not many of these lenses were made- does anyone now how many coated ones were made? Is it very rare? I collect the lens on Monday afternoon and can post a better pic of it then- as well as some sample shots. I managed to secure the rare hood and finder for it too 😉 Look forward to trying it out:

 

 

 

 

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Edited by jaques
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Is definitely a postwar item : the distinguishing feature is the f stop scale with the "international" values : previous items have 6,3 - 9 - 12,5 - 18 - 25 ; they are rather uncommon, are coated, and valuable collectibles (also, pleasant to use expecially on film)

 

Edited by luigi bertolotti
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The serial numbers of postwar production of the Hektor go from 790101 to 792000. It is very probable that the real production was lower, but all were coated. As luigi writes the „modern“ f-stop scale distinguishes them from older versions.

From what I have seen yet with mine it is an „interesting“ lens: vignetting is lower than  with the 28mm Summaron. The coating makes it rather resilient against flare. The center is astonishing sharp, but about half way towards the corner resolution drops massively, then suddenly it rises again almost to the level of the center only to fall into the abyss at the very edges. So if one wants to have a good demonstration of field curvature, one should try this lens. 

 

Edited by UliWer
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This is the best picture I have taken with my 28mm Hektor, prewar. I think it was at about f12.5

scanned from a darkroom print, the whole negative including the margins.

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Here is a quick screenshot (crop from a larger photo) of my postwar Hektor SN 790181. It is coated and has the aperture scale 6.3, 8, 11, 22. The 6.3 Hektor is not as good as the 5.6 Summaron in my experience, neither this one nor an uncoated prewar example which I also have.

 

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William

 

 

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I have 10 of the 28mm, 6.3 Hektors, but only 2 that are post war:    791055 and 791123    My studies conclude only 1457 were made postwar, short of the reported 1900 allocated.  Total production was likely 10807. So only 13% were postwar.  The post war versions are uncommon but even more rarely encountered are the earliest versions in nickel finish. Many researchers have used 200 as the number of nickle lenses, but from studying serials, I think the number is higher.

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Unless factory records can be found, it is a little hard to tell exactly how many were manufactured after 1945. Lot 580001-500 was initiated in 1941,perhaps not all made before 1945.  The lot 790001+ was not initiated until 1950. So, It could be possible that a few 580xxx lenses were produced after 1945. Or, all 500 of the 580xxx lenses were made between 1941 and 1945 and that provided enough stock to meet demand until 1950. If someone has a very late 580xxx lens such as 5804xx, it would be interesting to see if it has the new aperature scale or coating.

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not exactely what Alan is asking for but close - lens that I had once for cleaning, SN 580148. Old apertures, non-coated, but what  is even more intersting - nickeled! It must have been on special order, in 1941 all lenses were chrom plated. The stop screws look only as if they were chromed, they are as well nickeled

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..and 452728 that I spotted in ebay some time ago - obviously pre-war, chrom plated and f22. Here however I suppose that the mount must have been changed, it has distance scale markings that were used on Elmar 5cm after approx 1940 while as per SN lens is from 1938. Cannot say if coated, was not in description

Btw - on both lenses shown above DOF is matching the front ring in respect to aperture markings

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I only just noticed that I labelled this thread '6.3cm lens' not 28mm lens... OOPS!. Picked up my lens yesterday- it looks great. I managed to get two 28mm finders for it: the somewhat rare SUOOQ and the VIOOH (with 28mm adapter). Am I correct to assume that the one that matches my post war lens most would be the later VIOOH? Also did they still use the same SOOHN lens hood for the later post war Hektor?

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12 hours ago, jaques said:

I only just noticed that I labelled this thread '6.3cm lens' not 28mm lens... OOPS!. Picked up my lens yesterday- it looks great. I managed to get two 28mm finders for it: the somewhat rare SUOOQ and the VIOOH (with 28mm adapter). Am I correct to assume that the one that matches my post war lens most would be the later VIOOH? Also did they still use the same SOOHN lens hood for the later post war Hektor?

Both view finders will work, of course. The SUOOQ is squinty and the VIOOH with TUVOO is large and unwieldy but gives a better view if the lenses don't have haze. The SOOHN is the only hood made for the 2.8cm Hektor. Good luck with your lens. If it is a clear lens and you use it from f8 down it should give great images.

William 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ok so here is the little jewel in all it’s glory- complete with accessories. Turns out the superb hood is the New York version. I wonder how much more rare that is? I guess I was wondering also which of the two finders pictured here would be most in keeping with the 1950 date of the lens? The VIOOH I suppose? When was the SUOOQ phased out? Also can the 28mm lens be used with the UV filter or would it cause some vignetting? 

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Edited by jaques
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The SUOOQ, according to Lager, was last catalogued in 1943... so to be in keeping with a lens of '50 VIOOH is the right one 😎.. btw your VIOOH looks to be of the correct era : it was introduced in 1938, but the items, as yours, with sloped body and serial number are surely from '50s (has it also the 8,5 cm index ?)

leitz A36 Filters do fit right with no problem.... on a 28mm probably cannot be stacked even if the A36 mount allows to do.😉

Edited by luigi bertolotti
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I have one of these post war Hektors, and once I had it cleaned, the image quality is really good. Lots of character, but that’s why one uses a lens like this. Great on my II, and fun on my CL.
I don’t have the dedicated hood, but use a simple screw-in hood I found on that auction site.  It doesn’t seem to need one, honestly- the recessed front element helps, and the glass being so clean right now, too - I often just use the lens “naked”. 
I use my silver SLOOZ finder. Not period correct, but nice to view through.  

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I test a 1938 copy today, on my Leica CL

It flares like hell in certain conditions, but when conditions are ok, I like the result :)

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