Former Hexar RF owners...

[pphuang]

Perhaps this is a strange request, but I'd be very curious to hear from former Hexar RF owners that eventually sold their cameras. Why did you finally sell? Never warmed to the camera? Problems? Needed the cash? 😀

I get a bit tired juggling ND filters in bright light, and that 1/4000 top speed looks awfully enticing...

 

[sockeyed]

I sold mine because the rangefinder mechanism was wrecked and I never got it to focus properly. I really liked the camera in every other aspect - ergnonomics, metering, film loading and so on, but it seems to me that they cheaped out on the rangefinder. Mine had been damaged at some point and very few people could fix it including DAG, and replacement parts were hard to come by. From what I could tell, there seemed to be an over-abundance of plastic in the assembly. Too bad, because I feel it had a lot of potential.

I should note that most owners are very happy with their Hexar RFs.

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

I am still using it, more and more often than the other rangefinders, I think especially because the fast speeds. So you can still use you summarits and summiluxes in bright sunlight too!
further it feels like an M7, so quite heavy - not much plastic on my Hex....and the rangefinder is very bright with a 28mm-lens view!
Next, I like the automatic film-winding (it is therefore also the only rangerfinder used by my wife as well); on each roll of 36 exp you get 38 with the hex and because its automtic, you can shoot faster then with the M's.......and for such a camera it is - I think - very cheap

 

[mfunnell]

I like my Hexar RF so much that I bought a 2nd body as I couldn't bear to be without one should the first ever break! So I'm not your target audience. I'm not selling either of mine. (Or my Leica, but that's another matter.)

...Mike

 

[Michiel Fokkema]

Hi,

I really liked it but couldn't get used to the rf and the occasional shutter lag.
To focus it right your eye has to be in exactly the rigth spot. A bit right or left and your focus is off.
The 4000th top speed is really convenient. Shoot trix all day and in the evening. The loading and the motor are nice too. But for me the rf and shutterlag are more important.
I now use a M7 and never looked back.
I could however use a Hexar rf easily the rest of my live if no M7 existed.

Cheers,

Michiel Fokkema

 

[Paul T.]

Mine constantly went out of vertical alignment. I also found it noisier than expected - not a huge deal - and for some reason I had problems with metering, it often seemed to under-expose on AE (probably because I was used to the spot-like metering field of the CL).

The latter two problems were minor, the former was a constant nag, I never seemed to take decent photos with the camera, wasn't overwhelemed by the viewfinder, and hence fell out of love with it. This was exacerbated by the fact that I had a six month wait to align the RF, when Greg Weber, the best Konica tech, was trying to find parts. Essentially, if the RF goes out on these now, you're likely to be on your own. (Consensus seems to be that later Hexar RFs have a more robust rangefinder than earlier ones).


I'm still a huge fan of the Hexar AF, though, which is an unbeatable camera.

 

[Pablito]

To echo Paul T. above, had constant problems with vertical alignment of the rangefinder and got tired of sending back to Konica (when Konica existed). Also did not like the meter. I never use AE and this camera is really set up to be used mostly in AE. And since I shoot mostly with a 35mm lens, I prefer the higher magnification of the Leica M6 finder (.72) The Hexar RF finder might be better for a 28mm lens... All in all, I prefer the simplicity of Leica.

 

[Doug]

I like the HRF a lot, especially the quick and consistent film handling. I'm only reluctantly an "ex-user" since it fell off a shelf onto a hard surface and the RF patch vertical alignment is now way off. I'll have to find a good place to get it fixed, and back in service.

 

[Keith]

I like my Hexar RF so much that I bought a 2nd body as I couldn't bear to be without one should the first ever break! So I'm not your target audience. I'm not selling either of mine. (Or my Leica, but that's another matter.)

...Mike

I'm with Mike ... I may wind up buying another one because I have trouble imagining being without mine if it should die!

If I'm shooting in very low light I'll choose my Ikon but for all other occasions the Hexar is the camera that will leave the house with me nine times out of ten. That shutter speed of 1/4000 is a killer advantage when you're out and about with a 400 film on board.

I got mine at a bargain price from an RFF member a while ago and it hasn't missed a beat! Why oh why did they stop making this camera?

Need more convincing? Check this link ... http://www.dantestella.com/technical/hexarrf.html

 

[Krosya]

Ok,
I didn't slee my Hexar RF and not planning to. Just wanted to respond to some of the issues that were brought up.
I'm not sure what is it you guys doing, but my Hexar RF never was knocked out of allingment and I use it a lot - dont though it against the wall, but dont baby it either, meters just fine (and if it didnt it has compensation right on it), as good as it was on my M6 when I had it; I use Canon 50/1.2 and CV 35/1.2 wide open on mine and it's good enough to focus them accurately. I used to have M3 and M6 and Hexar rf is a better camera for me. It covers many lenses, one could even use a 25mm lens w/o external VF on it, just by using whole VF. Yes, 1/4000 is nice too. Noise - don't know where you all shoot, but it's NOT loud. Yes. leica is a bit less noisy, but on the other side - I was always worried about buring holes in Leica's shutters, where in Hexar (or Bessa and Ikon) - nothing to worry about.
While M6 was a nice camera, I sold it and kept Hexar. M3 was sold even before that.
I supposed - horses for courses... but I bet ya - Leica is still kicking it'self for not making a cameras as good as Hexar RF.

 

[pphuang]

Thanks for the very enlightening responses so far - keep them coming! 😀

 

[retnull]

I am in love with my Hexar RF. No problems with rangefinder or otherwise. If my RF died, I'd get another, without a second thought.

 

[Keith]

To echo Paul T. above, had constant problems with vertical alignment of the rangefinder and got tired of sending back to Konica (when Konica existed). Also did not like the meter. I never use AE and this camera is really set up to be used mostly in AE. And since I shoot mostly with a 35mm lens, I prefer the higher magnification of the Leica M6 finder (.72) The Hexar RF finder might be better for a 28mm lens... All in all, I prefer the simplicity of Leica.

I'm curious as to why you say the Hexar is set up to be used in AE predominantly. I find when metering manually everything is right there where I want it ... your finger can be resting on the shutter release while you rotate the shutter speed dial with your right thumb. 🙂

 

[Never Satisfied]

I've had two H-RFs now and if it wasn't for the low powered finder I'd still have them. As a wide angle body they cannot be beaten, AE, easy film loading, 1/4000, motor drive, etc, etc, but for 50mm and longer, I struggled to focus consistantly with them. Andrew.

 

[pphuang]

but for 50mm and longer, I struggled to focus consistantly with them.

I see that the finder mag on the Hexar probably works a bit better with wider lenses. Anybody try one of these magnifier adaptors?

 

[infrequent]

can anyone please shed some light on the shutter lag issue? thats the first time i have heard of this particular hexar quirk.

needless to say i love mine to death. even eyeing the silver version (matsuiyastore of course) which looks rather sleek. ; )

 

[AusDLK]

I had three of them at one point and eventually sold them one by one.

It is a terrific camera but I decided that since my main film camera is an M7 that I'd rather have a second M7 as a spare. I think have an identical spare is important.

 

[Never Satisfied]

I never experienced any appreciable shutter lag, but you have to remember that the shutter button is an electrical switch and on a Leica it is a mechanical device. It is not something that would deter me from owning one, if they'd only make a .85 finder. Andrew.

 

[ampguy]

I enjoyed mine, and some of my favorite photos were taken with it. Can't remember the exact reason I sold it, probably just wanted to try something else. I'd definitely get another one before getting an overpriced M7 though.

 

[mfunnell]

I've had two H-RFs now and if it wasn't for the low powered finder I'd still have them. As a wide angle body they cannot be beaten, AE, easy film loading, 1/4000, motor drive, etc, etc, but for 50mm and longer, I struggled to focus consistantly with them. Andrew.

My experience differs, though I'm not exactly sure why. Certainly one reason I often use my M3 as an alternative to my HRFs is for the higher magnification finder. Still, I've been able to focus my 75mm Summilux quite consistently, wide open, with my HRFs - albeit not as quickly as I can with the M3. In many circumstances, I like the low magnification finder for the "outside the framelines" view (and note that I find the rather paltry 75mm framelines on the HRF not much more useful than my practiced guesstimation with my M3).

I think it all comes down to preferences and that what works well for someone may not work so well for someone else. For me, I like my HRFs and my M3, finding they make a nicely matched set.

...Mike