This isn't to say that the Konica Hexar isn't a great camera - in essence, it really is! It has a bayonet KM mount patterned after the Leica M. The camera's features include: A long base length RF (68.5mm) with .6 VF magnification. Ask your question here. One day all things will fail, until such a time surely the best thing to do is to make the most of now. The camera is called a "Konica Hexar RF" which is obviously not a "Konica Hexar AF" P&S Have a day . I liked the feel of the camera, 1/4000 shutter speed, and the convenience of AE (put a wide lens on it and it effectively becomes a point and shoot); didnt like the autowind or sense that it could turn into a paperweight at some point in the future. The 0.60X finder was a close match to my M7s 0.58X (the other was 0.72). regarding the use of Leica lenses on the Hexar RF and the focusing . You can mount other focal lengths on it but its kind of a PITA to do so. I've cheerfully used nothing but . Thank you! #1 hi folks! So much concern over battery dependence by reviewers (to which I say like every digital camera?). On one hand an argument can be made for buying the cleanest least used camera you can find in the hope it will last longer. The manual exposure meter is awful, just like the Mamiya 6. Im quite sensitive to this sort of thing not working for me the Zeiss ZM being a good example of a camera that would have been much better suited to me if Id been able to get on with the rangefinder patch a bit better yet here, I dont really find a problem. The Contax G2 is the best of the three. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7d2b5206fe69b45e Which is why I was worried about the Konica Hexar RF, especially having read a fair bit about it online. konica hexer . Subscribehere. Manufacturer support has long ended, parts are unavailable, and there are very few repair companies that will look at them at least that I know of. I quite often use HP5 and just shoot at the widest aperture and 1/60th of a second and just hope for the best. In reality, the Konica Hexar RF just works very well for me at this moment in my photography journey. The numbers matehecd on camera and lens. Its attractively priced. Its smaller than what Im used to and has rounded corners that made it feel a little alien. Hi there, did you ever get the issue with your Hexar fixed? <p> Once you know the limits of your Konica RF you'll enjoy its pluses. As I talked about in a short precursor to this review, the combination of camera, lens and film just felt fantastic to me. I have 3 of the lenses (28, 50 and 90) which I use occasionally with my M6 and they are beautifully made, even better than my pre-asph Leica lenses. enlarge. This is of course perfectly possible with a camera without a meter, but slightly easier with one. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. The M 10P is an awesome choice. Weakness: Camera will not work without batts (not realy a weekness to me). Of course, whilst this is an advantage with wider-angle lenses, its a different story with longer lenses. In addition to being very quiet, the hexar AF also has very good frame tracking, good enough to switch rolls mid-stream. Just drop me a line. The RF was a revelation. Sign up here. Just before going on holiday though, I received a Zeiss 35mm f/1.4. I ask because I am a Hexar RF owner myself, had a good experience with K-M doing a repair before the purchase, have heard people "write-off" Sony in the US for repairs, but have never heard anyone (no one, nada) say "I tried sending my Hexar RF to them, and they couldn't, or wouldn't fix it" Hi ,all Konica owners forgot to let you guys know that they have replaced the shutter and 2 set of LCD and the whole flexi-circuit board on my Hexar RF.Thanks for reading,Ciao,Kim Gary ,Singapore. In fact, unlike Leica rangefinders, there is even a little bit of space around the 28mm lines. The rangefinder patch was also out of alignment, but it was like that before I noticed the front element had been pushed in. When the hexar was put on the market it was an interesting outsider of Leica M. Manage Settings Did anyone say "Leica Copy"? But it doesnt make it a better camera, it just means its different. Konica Hexar RF - KenRockwell.com Its totally subjective. 2 meters, and use some measuring tape to measure to meters ahead and see if it aligns the to images, Your email address will not be published. In my experience Greg Weber can't do any significant repairs of the Hexar RF. It shows too its not in mint condition but its not far off. Lol. Really, thats my only tip when it comes to metering these days! ConclusionsYou should buy this camera. I really enjoyed it but had to let it go when I realized I'd be shooting at ISO 25 to take care of the speed problem. Centre weighted meters like this are fairly trustworthy when it comes to point & shoot exposures, but I find the AEL mode just brings that added bit of confidence. as helpful as a book you might have had to buy or a workshop you may Only then did I check the dial. The top LCD has no border around it. I am looking for a replacement part, but finding someone with a dead Hexar body is proving very difficult. When I got up the next day I picked up the Konica Hexar RF, took it out and shot a few frames before thinking the shutter speeds it was telling me seemed a little fast. list of cameras that i repair: contax g1, g2 (and all lenses), contax tvs, leica minilux, minilux zoom, mini, leica cm, minolta tc-1, ricoh gr1/s/v and gr21, mamiya 7 (and all lenses), hasselblad xpan (and all lenses), konica hexar rf. I've had one Hexar for just about 2 years and a 2nd for 18 months. If the appearance matters to you, youll need to baby it. i was doing some research on RF film bodies when i came across a reference on the Konica Hexar RF on Cameraquest's website saying that Hexar has problems taking in Leica lenses. Portra 800 seems to be fairly responsive to such techniques, and looking at the negs, the combination of whatever I was doing and how well the camera was working for me resulted in fairly consistent exposures. The Konica logo and film plane datum are cast into the titanium top plate, which is a nice touch, because it means they will not wear off like some more expensive cameras.The ergonomics are good; better than my M4 and almost as good as my ZM. Thanks. If you see one for more than that, my advice would be be to read my post again, and think long and hard about if youre willing to lose that money if it fails! A week later I picked up the camera and couldnt remember the film Id loaded into it. Unfortunately, mounting this slower lens revealed the first thing that really bothered me about this camera in use. The Konica Hexar Titanium. I researched it and I am more or less certain this is the same issue and root cause troubling this camera for many others and can be solved by opening the camera correctly, getting to the problem button and cleaning it thoroughly with cleaning alcohol. A really good camera in many respects, from my perspective. It was a simple and cheap fix to get put right, but I wouldnt buy one that wasnt right.Another known issue is if the camera hasnt been used for quite a while, sometimes the meter reading may become unstable. Getting to the shutter speed dial is a little hard with the right hand without shifting hand position away from the shutter release, but the shutter release, exposure compensation dial, and power off/drive mode lever are ideally located. The off the film metering is excellent. I like the Hexar so much, that I've thought about buying another couple for parts. Many people sneer at Leica for this, saying it was a sign they were stuck in the past. Use the above address for a check, M.O. The shutter button is inferior to the Contax G2 from which its copied. You may find the answer to your question in the FAQs about the Konica Minolta Hexar RF below. Hello Bellamy,Fantastic post that made me use again (after 5 years in a box) my Hexar RF with coupled to a Voightlander Nokton 40mm.Simple question. We all dream about it, in the 90 comparing its advanced functions with what the leader has to offer. Until such a time Im gonna enjoy it. Ive kept the M6 and my CL but the M6 is mainly for fondling these days but Ill get back to using it. Oh well. If you find this Now Ive got it, despite a few early concerns that Ive now largely overcome, I do indeed really like it though owning the thing doesnt come without worry. Fortunately, the Hexar RF was to soon demonstrate the issue to me in a way that left me feeling a lot more comfortable with it. The camera features automatic exposure, but manual settings are also possible, and the options include aperture priority, shutter priority, and manual. As a Leican, I find the viewfinder even better, there are no blackouts because the contrast of the viewfinder frame is higher. It'll make you feel better, won't it ? Focus accuracy is always a matter between indivusual samples of camera bodies and individual samples of lens. 103.179.190.196 Serial numbers started at 1,440,001. The Konica's framelines are always clear and visible, a little betteer than LEICA. It helps me keep reviewing these oldies when you get yours through these, links, thanks! There are two ways to contribute to 35mmc and experience it without the adverts: Paid Subscription - 2.99 per month and you'll never see an advert again! However, I suspect that the Hexar RF may start to come out of the bag more and more and the M3 less and less. The full 2 stop exposure compensation range isn't available in the last two stops of the manual ASA setting range. Konica Hexar AF, Minolta CLE or Hexanon M - Photrio.com Photography Forums Few people use a flash with an M-body though, and I have never seen someone with a flash of any type on a Hexar RF.The bundled HX-18W (GN 18m at 100ASA) flash mounts in the standard hot shoe and is powerful enough for most purposes, and has a special pin that sets the camera to the maximum X-sync speed of 1/125s. The Konica Hexar RF purchase was different. In a quiet indoor environment, I find the motor to be screechingly loud, compared to the AF or any lever-advanced M-camera, but then I am hypersensitive to noise when I am taking candid photos. Regardless of which eye I use, the action of using a film advance lever jerks the camera a little between shots, whereas the Hexar RF remains steady. It was also on this first outing that I started to become familiar with the viewfinder and its various reported shortcomings. I have already mentioned the sticky framelines. Personally, I have always respected Leica more for the occasions theyve stuck to what they do best keeping cameras feature-light and quality-high. The only thing I really noticed when I picked up the Konica Hexar RF was the size of the rangefinder patch. To me, the Hexar feels a little . The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Yes, the manual of the Konica Minolta Hexar RF is available in English . Primarily, this was due to a realisation that the lens being light was only half the issue the other half was the weight of the camera. Film Fridays: Konica Hexar RF review - Digital Photography Review I have of course made a few comparisons in this review, but the reason I kept falling over when I went down the road of just making direct comparisons to other m-mount cameras Ive used is that the Konica Hexar RF is one that really stands out to me as being apart from the herd. It has a fixed lens with a focal length of 40mm and a maximum aperture of f/2. The Konica Hexar RF is a rangefinder camera with a bayonet mount patterned after the Leica M. The camera's features include: A long base length RF (68.5mm) with .6 VF magnification 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 75mm and 90mm framelines in the viewfinder (auto selected) Frameline preview lever Learn how your comment data is processed. The Konica Hexar RF is a more advanced camera than the Leica M7 theres no doubting that. Otherwise, I take the CLE. Your IP: Ask your question here. This is one of those questions camera reviewers love to hang their opinions on. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Thanks for sharing a 2020 perspective! Glad shes held up over the years. Nice review of your thoughts concerning this style of camera.. Having found comfort with the rangefinder and viewfinder, the only slight issue that remained was the balance of the camera. I agree about the final wash stage, and do my best to develop in bulk where, One of the most enjoyable articles I've read in a long while, with the emphases solidly on the images and, Thank you. I dunno! Today they sell second hand for not far off the price of an M6 and prices are stable to rising. I rarely find myself bothered by the task of loading a Leica, but I definitely notice when the task is simplified to the point of dropping the film in and closing the back. All our Contributors have an ad-free experience for life.Sign uphere. The battery powered Leica Ms lack a self-timer.They also lack the Hexar RFs film window, which can save an exposed roll of film or serve to remind you of the speed and type of the film you have loaded. 2. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The Hexar is taller. A very clear recommendation, a camera that I believe is wrongly neglected. Featured Photographer Charalampos Kydonakis aka DirtyHarry. 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 75mm and 90mm framelines in the viewfinder (auto selected) Frameline preview lever. It was also on this outing that I found the final thing I want to talk about as part of this review. So I took the 35mm and an old 90mm Voigtlander. Theres two schools of thought when it comes to buying used cameras like this. You wrote that you had your counter fixed, would you say that your repair dude could fix more advanced problems? shelf forever unless someone knows of another possible repair place? Strength: built in light meter, Price is about 1/4 what an M7 price is, The wwing open back and auto film load and advance and rewind. Konica Minolta Hexar RF Rangefinders - PhotographyReview All GR, Hexar, MINOX, Contax has to become bricks. This system lacks the precision to indicate perfect exposure; you can be a half stop off and not know it. I actually loaded it with film maybe a week before I took it out. I look back at my Zeiss ZM review and almost cringe at how negative I was about it. These cameras sit firmly on the list of those prone to irreparably fail. The low battery warning is good for one more roll.Other Useful FeaturesThe Hexar RF has a cable release screw socket where youd expect to find a PC socket. I took this first shot in a very dark corner of a bar. My approach to shooting it is similar to that I had with my Leica M7. Unlike the original Konica Hexar, which was completely new and entirely different from this or any other camera, this Konica Hexar RF is merely a less-expensive copy-and-paste from a few other existing cameras. The camera features Aperture Priority, Program, and Manual modes. It's easy to make unintended pictures while trying to hold a locked exposure; there isn't much difference between the pressure to fire and the pressure to hold a meter reading. Right there with you on the Hexar could not get along with it at all! But for me, thats the exact reason Im currently enjoying the Hexar RF so much. The shutter button was very smooth in operation. This Old Camera: Konica Hexar AF (Did not end as well as it started.) Your experience mirrors mine and is well stated. 35MMC is doing a very interesting and important historical work. March 2010 More Konica Reviews LEICA Reviews, Hexanon M Lens Reviews: 28mm 35mm 50mm 90mm. Fortunately, the value of the Konica Hexar hasnt skyrocketed to such a degree as those cameras and I really hope it doesnt too! For the way I shoot it, AEL suits me perfectly Ill stick to my Leicas for manual shooting. It doesn't do it on most frames, just on some of them, and usually about 3 to 5 in a row, ewith some frames more affected than others. Its biggest flaw is that it sells for an unreasonably high price used, making it a less attractive choice than other cameras if you're buying today. And Im glad I did! Even without the worries about failure, as Ive already alluded to, buying this camera did come with one key concern. I sold my Leica M7 a couple of years ago and have missed the automation once in a while since.
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