Last September Leitz entered the mirrorless lens market with the Leitz HEKTOR lenses, a brand new set of prime lenses designed specifically for cameras using mirrorless mounts. The name HEKTOR is a reference to the original Leica Hektor lenses created in the 1930s by legendary lens designer Max Berek for Leica’s original screw mount 35mm cameras. Though not an adaptation of those lenses, the new HEKTOR series pays homage to the inspiration they provided with a silver anodized finish and the inclusion of a 73mm, an iconic lens in the original line.
Now the company expands the compatibility of the HEKTOR line with the introduction of the interchangeable G mount. According to the company, “customers can purchase the lens directly with a G mount, or purchase the G mount as a separate part and change the mount themselves. Changing mounts on the Leitz HEKTOR lenses is relatively quick and easy with just a few tools. Other mount options for the lenses include: Sony E, Leica L, Canon RF, and Nikon Z. “
Managing Director Rainer Hercher said “As formats and camera systems continue to evolve, we are happy to be working with so many manufacturers to ensure that the creatives using their customers have access to some of the most exciting new lenses like the Leitz HEKTOR series.”
While designed initially for full frame coverage, the HEKTOR lenses create a much larger image circle. And while not all focal lengths can be used in full sensor open gate mode, they do support the traditional cinema aspect ratios with only a small amount of edge cropping required on the widest focal lengths.
The Leitz HEKTOR lenses are a series of six full frame prime lenses that support multiple formats through user-interchangeable mirrorless mounts (E, L, RF, Z, G). The focal lengths are 18, 25, 35, 50, 73 and 100mm, all at T2.1. Each lens is fully manual with matched focus and iris ring spacing for quick lens changes. The 120° focus rotation makes them easy to work with by hand as well. It should be noted that HEKTOR lenses do not cover the full sensor of the Fujifilm GFX ETERNA 55. Most focal lengths cover most cine formats. See compatibility chart published here.
The lenses are compact and lightweight with an 80mm diameter (all) and a 77mm screw-in filter thread (except the 18mm). The 9-blade iris remains circular through all stops to create a consistency in the out-of-focus areas.