Leica Hektor 28mm f/6.3

Leica Hektor 28mm f/6.3

The Hektor 28mm f/6.3 was the first 28mm lens Leitz built for the Leica system, introduced in 1935 to give screw-mount users a true wide angle [2]. Its arrival was partly a competitive response to the Zeiss Tessar 2.8cm offered for the rival Contax, and the little Hektor served that role for roughly two decades. The modest f/6.3 maximum aperture reflects the optical limits of a compact non-retrofocus wide angle of the era, and the lens has since become a sought-after piece for collectors of early Leitz glass.

The optical design uses five elements, arranged as a single element flanked by two cemented pairs. Because the lens sits close to the screw-mount camera's flange-to-film distance, it could be built as a near-symmetrical design that focuses to infinity without the strongly retrofocus construction that later, more complex wide angles required. The barrel is very small and light, focuses down to 1.4 m, and uses a six-bladed diaphragm. As a 28mm lens it falls outside the rangefinder's normal framelines, so it was used with a separate accessory 28mm optical viewfinder while still coupling to the camera's rangefinder for focusing [1].

Across its production the Hektor appeared in several variants, identified by the Leitz code word HOOPY and catalogue number 11000, with related codes such as HOOPY-CHROM and HOOPY-B. Early examples were finished in nickel and later ones in chrome. The wartime chrome version, known as HOOPY-CHROM, carried the European aperture sequence 6.3, 9, 12.5, 18, 25, and roughly 8,037 of that version were made before its production stopped in 1942. Postwar examples were sold with coated optics, whereas the earlier prewar lenses were uncoated.

Optical qualities

Rendering Documented impressions of the Hektor 28mm are limited and shaped by its age and small maximum aperture. It is described as a capable compact wide angle with good rectilinear (straight-line) correction for its time [3]. Prewar examples are uncoated, so flare and veiling can be expected in difficult light, while postwar coated examples should show improved contrast. Beyond these points there is little consistent published testing, and broad performance claims are not well supported.

History

Development and Launch Leitz introduced the Hektor 28mm f/6.3 in 1935 as its first 28mm optic for the Leica, expanding the system toward wider coverage than the existing 35mm lenses offered. Its introduction came as Leitz answered the wide-angle option Zeiss had made available for the competing Contax camera.

Production Evolution The lens was produced over about twenty years, with the highest output in the late 1930s; one collector reference cites a total of about 9,694 units, with 1936 through 1939 the strongest years and 1937 alone accounting for roughly 1,720. The Second World War sharply reduced demand and output. Over time the finish changed from nickel to chrome, and postwar lenses were coated before sale.

Special editions No major factory special editions of the Hektor 28mm are widely documented. The principal recorded variations are the finish and coding changes (nickel and chrome, with code words such as HOOPY, HOOPY-CHROM and HOOPY-B under catalogue number 11000) rather than distinct commemorative or military versions.

Collector Notes Because the 28mm field is wider than the rangefinder's built-in framelines, a matching accessory 28mm finder is part of a complete outfit and is worth confirming before purchase. Buyers should check whether a given example is an early uncoated nickel or prewar chrome lens or a later coated one, as this affects both originality and rendering. As with any prewar Leitz glass, haze, cleaning marks and separation in the cemented groups are common concerns to inspect. One discrepancy worth noting: some dealer references list a minimum focus of 1 m for this lens, while LeicaLensList records 1.4 m.