The Hektor 73mm f1.9, one of Leitz's renowned pre-war medium telephoto lenses. Beautiful black paint and nickel-plated finish. Leitz code HEKON.
This example has a very early serial number in the 90,000 range, dating to 1931, the first year of production. The helicoid has a distance scale in meters and rotates during focusing. Although originally designed for slip-on filters, 39mm screw-in filters can also be used.
At or near wide open, the lens produces soft, dreamy images with a gentle glow, offering the distinctive character of a classic vintage lens. As the aperture is stopped down, sharpness improves, bringing out the subject beautifully.
The sweet spot is around f3.2 to f6.3, but the range from wide open to around f2.2 is also well worth exploring for its wonderfully characteristic vintage rendering.
There are paint losses and scratches from many years of use, but considering its age of 96 years, the lens remains in quite good cosmetic condition. No dents or dings are visible. The nickel plating on the helicoid ring is also well preserved.
A full overhaul, including focus adjustment, was carried out in October 2026. Both the aperture and helicoid now operate remarkably smoothly, with just the right amount of torque, neither too light nor too heavy.
It appears that the lens had been incorrectly assembled during a previous service, as both the focus and rangefinder coupling were initially quite inaccurate. After careful servicing, both the focus and rangefinder coupling are now spot on.
The front element has a fair number of light cleaning marks, and some discoloration of the glass is visible on several surfaces. However, there are no prominent scratches or haze, and the glass is in reasonably good condition for a Hektor 7.3cm. The results of our test shooting were also good. Near wide open, the lens produces lovely soft, gentle images with a classic vintage character.
The dedicated hood, hood cap, and rear cap are all original Leitz accessories, beautifully matched in black-painted brass.
A great Hektor for regular shooting and plenty of use!
