Former Hexar RF owners...

[pvdhaar]

I sold the Hexar mainly for two reasons:

the finder is extremely sensitive to where your eye is located behind the VF. A little to the left or right, and the RF patch whitens out, a little to high or low and you don't see vertical alignment. But the 0.6x finder is so wide, that you have to move the eye to see the shutter speed readout at the very left. This isn't such a problem if you're using your right eye (your nose has a place to go), but if you use your left eye to focus like I do, it's more of a bother.

The second reason was the screeching motor wind. I just couldn't get to grips with a camera that uses an ancient to the bone manual focussing and framing mechanism, and when pressing the shutter transforms into a device that's been timewarped back from something like a Judge Dredd movie.. It just didn't rhyme.

 

[aizan]

some of my favorite cameras incorporate manual focus and motorwind: rollei 6000 series, 35mm contax slrs...

 

[Paul T.]

II might look for a Zeiss Ikon to give me AE for the times where that is useful, but fortunately, if a little wistfully, I'm cured of my lurking desire for a Hexar RF.

I feel much the same. I got rid of my RF primarily because I was downsizing, and saving up for the R-D1. I much prefer the latter as an orphan camera, even while it has issues it delivers something unique.

NOw that the Ikon is coming down in price, second hand, to me it beats the Hexar RF hands-down, primarily because its VF is better, rather than worse, than a Leica M. And I've never missed that motor whine.

 

[Keith]

Mention of the motor whine is interesting ... mine really doesn't seem that loud to me ... in fact the camera is no louder than my M8! Also I find the rangefinder contrast less eye position sensitive than the Ikon.

I notice there is one currently listed on Oz eBay. http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI...m=220237591752&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=012

 

[infrequent]

@keith - you can always take mine. i need to sell it to finance the silver version. ; )

 

[pphuang]

The second reason was the screeching motor wind. I just couldn't get to grips with a camera that uses an ancient to the bone manual focussing and framing mechanism, and when pressing the shutter transforms into a device that's been timewarped back from something like a Judge Dredd movie.. It just didn't rhyme.

Interesting. When the mood strikes me, I like to slap a motor drive on my M - it can be quite nice shooting a series without that extra motion of cocking the frame advance between photos, and allows you to really concentrate on the scene at hand without extra distractions. It also makes it very easy to accurately bracket your focus when you're shooting wide open. Unfortunately, it does add a bit of heft and weight to the camera, which becomes a bit unpleasant after a few hours...

 

[jan normandale]

Thanks
.............
There might be HRF pictures on my flickr but i can't tell the difference. I mix and match camera's and can;t tell anymore which picture has been made with which camera.
Cheers,

Michiel Fokkema

OT:
Heh Michiel, glad to know I'm not the only one who has a hard time telling which camera. Usually it all distills down to the glass and film. Otherwise, I've a hard time recollecting which camera was used for each shot on my blog or my flickr account.

 

[furcafe]

Overall, I like my Hexar RF just fine & have never had a problem w/the RF alignment, etc., but I do wish they had offered higher magnification VFs. Since 50mm is my default focal length, the relatively low mag of the Hexar is the 1 thing that makes it more of a backup M-mount body for when I shoot wides.

My only other (minor) gripes are: (1) I prefer a plain digital readout for the shutter speeds like that on the M7 (the Hexar's scale can be hard to read sometimes, blocks out part of the 28mm framelines, & doesn't go below 1/4th sec.); (2) like Keith, the AE lock function isn't my favorite, I'd prefer a switch option like on its cousin, the Kyocera Contax G2, so that I can release my finger from the shutter release when recomposing, especially vertically (this gripe also applies to the M7); & (3) I wish it wasn't so "back heavy" in the arrangement of the strap lugs (too far forward)--just like the G2, it tends to tip backwards unless a heavy lens is mounted.

. . . if they'd only make a .85 finder. Andrew.

 

[amateriat]

I've found the motor noise in both my Hex's (Hexen?) to be quieter than any other motorized camera I've owned, save for the Hexar Autofocus, which is quieter than anything else with a motor, period (and, with that leaf shutter, quieter than a Leica M-anything...there, I said it, Barnack strike me from the blue). 'Course. other than that fixed-lens Hex, no motor is quieter than any motor, which is where the ZI and Bessas come in. I prefer the ZI over the Bessas because it most-closely resembles the Hex RF in layout and overall feel, making transition to and from my Hexars relatively easy (which will be put to the test shortly).

No focusing issues to speak of, although both my Hexars are late-production, and when Hexar No. 1 suffered an early (and only) electronic glitch, I sent both off to get a once-over for good measure. Smooth sailing ever since.


- Barrett

 

[pvdhaar]

I've found the motor noise in both my Hex's (Hexen?) to be quieter than any other motorized camera I've owned, save for the Hexar Autofocus, which is quieter than anything else with a motor, period ..

Well, perhaps I was indeed spoiled by the Hexar AF.

Notwithstanding that, the Hexar RF that I had, had the loudest motorwind of all cameras I've had except for the Nikon F601. But that's not a fair comparison, cause the F601 manual says you need to wear ear protection plugs with it. Well, not actually, but it would have if consumer protection laws were as silly in those days as they are now..

Other newer Nikons that I've had all sounded decidedly quieter (F60,F75,F80,F90x) than my Hexar RF..

 

[infrequent]

i have to admit that the hexar motor can be distinct but only in a quiet room. it was noticeable in a library / museum where i was taking shots. in normal conditions -- folks in a room, outside, street -- it would be hardly noticeable. but then again i am used to mirror-slapping dslrs!

 

[Issy]

The film advance didn't work properly- it would randomly advance seven or eight frames, as though trying to load a fresh roll that would not catch. It would expose a frame here and there (very accurately with the AE), but then the frame number indicator would reset to zero and the camera would advance for a few seconds again.

I had the same issue with one of mine, when K-M was still in business, and had them fix it. It was just a few months before Sony bought them.

I must admit, I have considered selling mine (multiple bodies) on more than one occation. The main factor being the orphaning -- knowing that at some point I'm going to get a flashing "10" error, and it will break my heart.

I'm thinking that if and when it does happen, I'll just put it in a box and ship it off to Mr Weber and offer it to him as parts, no charge. When the last one goes, I'll blow the dust off my M3 body and go with that. Or go with my Japanese version -- an FE2 with manual primes, and be done with them.

I have the same issues with the G system, but there you can afford to have several G1 spares.

 

[mojobebop]

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

------------
how much of a shutter lag is there?
is it like the dreaded contax g1?

 

[awilder]

Not nearly as bad as the G1, no AF or MF motor lag to factor in. If there is any lag with the Hexar RF shutter release, it's no more than a few milliseconds compared to my MP, if even that much.

 

[twopointeight]

Mine stopped working with a #11 flashing in the LCD while I was shooting a wedding. Weber couldn't get parts so I sent it to Sony in Tokyo. They fixed it, works fine, $200. But I hardly use it, prefering M6 bodies for work. But I often take it as a backup.

 

[JohnM]

I loved everything about that camera until I had to look through it.

If I didn't have my eye dead center, the rangefinder spot washed out and I did not like the low-mag 50 framelines. It went out of alignment a couple of times which was just the end of the line for me and it.

 

[Doug]

I got to missing my Hex RF that I dropped & damaged last May, so I got a Limited body from Matsuiya (I rather like the bare titanium finish), and sent the bunged one off to Precision for repair. Hope to hear soon if it's in ICU or Recovery. 🙂

I have a pair of CLE bodies as well, and it strikes me that these are good companions for the HRF... if you like .6x finders of course, which I do. Different enough to help the choice of which to take along. The CLE is so unassuming and discreet. Somehow I've not gotten as fond of the Zeiss Ikon, But I do like the Contax G2 where I see similarities with the Hexar though the AF can be irritating at times.