The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

The slow lenses

V

Vivek

Guest
Hektor, Summar and Elmar- specifically. They are old and slow.

Do you use them and like what they offer?
 

HeavyDuty

New member
I have a 90 Elmar-C that I picked up years ago when I got back into RF photography simply because it was on budget, but I've learned to love how it renders. I'm actually a big fan of moderate aperture lenses! Fewer optical compromises seems to be a common feature.
 
Hektor, Summar and Elmar- specifically. They are old and slow.

Do you use them and like what they offer?
I have a 1936 uncoated Summar. Old it is, indeed, but slow? After all, it´s f/2, and to get the special character of it, it should be shot wide open. Then, it gives a rather strong, ´veiled´ flavour, at least if the lighting itself is interesting, and the bokeh is OK.

Once it´s stopped down, however, that character gives place to a contrastless greyishness, somewhat like an dusty old lens without a lens shade. And the bokeh gets horrible, probably due to the rather unusual shape of the diaphragm leaves.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Per, Thanks for the correction. Even the Hektors can be quite fast (125mm f/2.5). I had the 2.8cm f/6.3 Hektor in LTM, in mind, as an example.
 

philipus

New member
I have a Hektor 13.5/4.5 LTM from 1938, which I use on my M6TTL. I shot most of my surfing photos with it (shameless plug) philipus.com » Surfers

The long focus throw is both a blessing and a curse. Insanely precise but rather slow for action shots.

I also have a 9cm/4 Elmar from 1934 which is lovely too. Feels so solid and nice. Looks brand new, incl the glass. I don't use it as much as I should though because I love the 90 Elmarit-M much more. The Elmar gives a different look though.

Edit: I forgot to add I have a 1950 Hektor 2.8cm/6.3 which is nice too. Flares a bit shot into the sun, but renders nicely. And is ridiculously small of course. The below is without sharpening or other edits, except colour correction in ColorPerfect (Portra 400).

cheers
philip
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Thanks for the fine example, Philip!:)

That 2.8cm Hektor is really tiny, yes.:)
 

dude163

Active member
i have a 1958 elmar 90/4 and its neat, i have to enhance the contrast a bit if i take colour, but it does great B+W

 
Top