Another Hexar rf vs Bessa thread

[netzspannung]

Dammit, people, I just hate posts like this...
but this is driving me insane :bang:

The same shop where I got my hardly ever used Bessa R2 a couple of months ago, now has a Konica Hexar RF, rather heavily worn, for around $400 in stock... I can't decide if it is a worthy upgrade from the R2. On one hand, it's titanium, leica-like-build, AE, automation and all.. On the other hand, my R2 is newer, in better shape, I don't have all the correct adaptors for LTM (no selectable framelines on the Hexar, right?), R2 has better magnification and a brighter finder, it seems...
I only have the soviet 35, 50, 85 Jupiters as of now, but would like to get something wider one day.

Can you help me decide? I know its dumb :bang:

 

[Beniliam]

I have the M6 and the Hexar RF. The M6 have a similar viewfinder like the R2. The Hexar have 0.6 viewfinder, but its multicoated. I like both cameras. The Hexar is very solid camera. The motor can be noise in some situations but you can shoot quicker than the Bessa... I like the Hexar RF. I dont know if russian lens, can coupled perfectly in the rangefinder... because I use the Hexanon. Both are 2 great cameras, buy one, and dont think more in what is the best buy that you can do... is winding. Do photos. Both are great machines.
I have the Hexar, but I can do the same photos with the Bessa.

Good luck!

 

[Palaeoboy]

$400 is a pretty good price for one isnt it?

 

[netzspannung]

Thanx, Beniliam, you are absolutely right... And I truly liked your pictures as well... I think we can close the thread now, I saw the Hexar and didn't like the viewfinder. The best camera is the one at hand, after all 😛

 

[sockeyed]

It's important to know that Hexars often look more worn than they are because paint has a hard time sticking to the titanium.

I have both a Hexar RF and a Bessa R3A. I find the Hexar great for wide-angle quick street shots. The AE is great, as is the power wind. I think that the finder is better on the R3A - it's brighter, and the RF patch seems brighter and more contrasty.

You should know that when I got my Hexar RF, it didn't focus properly at all even though the RF was in adjustment. I did some research and found that some bodies are adjusted for the Hexanon lenses. Before I had the focusing problem, I thought that discussions of focus issues were just stories made up by Leica users looking for a way to put down the Konica camera. Fortunately it was an easy fix - removing the lens mount on the body reveals four small brass bushings. Remove these, adjust the RF, and voila, it focuses properly.

Mine is an early serial number: #614 out of 10,000. Perhaps the later ones don't have this issue, but I wanted to give you a head's up. If you do get the camera, try out a fast lens wide open to check focus.

Good luck,
Ben

 

[furcafe]

How do you know you have an early serial #? Is there a registry somewhere?

Thanks, Chris

Mine is an early serial number: #614 out of 10,000. Perhaps the later ones don't have this issue, but I wanted to give you a head's up. If you do get the camera, try out a fast lens wide open to check focus.

Good luck,
Ben

 

[Huck Finn]

R2 has better magnification and a brighter finder, it seems...
I only have the soviet 35, 50, 85 Jupiters as of now, but would like to get something wider one day.

Can you help me decide? I know its dumb :bang:

How do you find the R2 for focusing the Jupiter 85 at f/2.8?

Even though the R2 has higher magnification, the much longer base line of the Hexar makes for better focusing at wider apertures. Even the Hexar will be challenged by the Jupiter 85 at f/2, but it should be much better than the R2.

 

[sockeyed]

Somewhere I found an article which suggested that the Hexar RF serial numbers started with 1440001. Perhaps it was an article by Dante Stella? Mine is 1440416.

 

[netzspannung]

How do you find the R2 for focusing the Jupiter 85 at f/2.8?

Even though the R2 has higher magnification, the much longer base line of the Hexar makes for better focusing at wider apertures. Even the Hexar will be challenged by the Jupiter 85 at f/2, but it should be much better than the R2.

I don't find it to be too good, to say you the truth... Never got the focus quite right with any of these lenses except J-12... Bought my r2 second hand, as well as the lenses, so I don't know for sure where the problem is.. Measurements with a tape ruler make the rangefinder seem ok, so maybe the lenses are not too compatible, after all...Dante Stella says they're not. My j-12 is modern and black-bodied, so I bought a second j-3 also in black and would like to see if it performs better... The good part is, I like the bokeh so much that it prevents me from selling the entire rig 😀 I try not to do deliberate test shots as well, it is a dangerous pastime 😀

Here's a sample from j-12 or j-3, I cannot remember which one :bang:
http://flickr.com/photos/_basil/127875583/

 

[KoNickon]

The CameraQuest website gives the effective baselengths of a number of popular rangefinder cameras, including the Bessas and the Hexar RF. (I disagree with Stephen's subjective view that the Bessa viewfinder's somewhat brighter viewfinder makes it a better viewfinder than that of the RF, even though the effective baselength isn't as large -- I think the RF's is 1) not significantly darker than that of the Bessa and 2) the patch is quite bright indeed, which makes focusing easy.)