A pre-war Leitz classic medium telephoto lens, the Hektor 73mm f/1.9. This unit features a black paint and nickel-plated finish. Leica product code: HEKON.
Serial number in the 140,000 range, manufactured in 1931, making it one of the first-year production models of the Hektor 73mm.
The distance scale is marked in feet. Uses a rotating helicoid focusing system. This unit has a "Germany" engraving on the lower part of the barrel, indicating that it was likely an export model.
The lens originally takes slip-on filters, but 39mm screw-in filters can also be used. Owning this lens inevitably makes one curious about the SAIOO, the dedicated folding 73mm viewfinder, but finding one is an entirely different challenge.
At wide apertures, it delivers a soft, glowing rendering, exuding the full charm of a classic lens. Stopping down improves resolution, producing an image that beautifully enhances the subject.
While apertures f/3.2 to f/6.3 offer the best balance of sharpness and character, the wide-open to f/2.2 range is equally worth exploring to fully appreciate its vintage aesthetic.
There are minor areas of paint loss on the helicoid ring and edges, but overall, the exterior remains remarkably clean. The dedicated hood and caps also show minimal signs of use and are in excellent condition. For a black & nickel Hektor 7.3cm, this is a top-tier example.
Fully overhauled in March 2025. The aperture and helicoid now operate with exceptional smoothness, vastly improved from its original condition. Rangefinder coupling is perfectly calibrated from closest focus to infinity.
While the indicated minimum focus distance is 1.5m (5 feet), this particular unit couples down to approximately 1m, making it especially versatile.
The front element has slight yellowing and a few faint cleaning marks, and the inner elements show minimal balsam separation in tiny spots, but these do not affect image quality. Notably, this unit is free from haze, which is often found in Hektors, making it one of the cleaner examples of an early Hektor 7.3cm.
Test shots produced excellent results.
Includes the original hood, hood cap, and rear cap.
