Help me understand Hexar AF performance

[mrjr]

I think I'm about ready to pull the trigger on a Hexar (AF), and so I wanted to get a little bit of input about setting my expectations about autofocus performance. I see that most people commend it for having quick and reliable AF, but I haven't really been able to determine any given reviewer's frame of reference. For instance, is the autofocus "quick (compared to manual focus)", "quick (1s or less)", "quick (1/4s or less)", or "quick (even compared to entry level DSLRs)"? I haven't read any stated comparison, or even detected an unstated comparison. I have no frame of reference whatsoever. "Quick" is an awfully broad word.

Understand, I'm not obsessed with differences measured in hundredths of a second. I would however like to know if the camera will reliably capture the moment when used on the street or for environmental portraits/snapshots of a toddler. The camera is no doubt great regardless of the answer to these questions; I'm just trying to gauge its usefulness for this particular subset of my photography. Your input is appreciated.

Finally, one additional question: Does the IR focusing system work in dimly lit interiors?

 

[f16sunshine]

The Focus system pretty much works in the dark (literally).
It's as fast as any AF I have ever used which in my case is not many.
Under a 1/4 second? Maybe. It's hard to tell how long. Definitely adequate for real world photos someone might use a 35mm focal length to achieve.
The photo below was lit by a string of christmas lights behind me. I cropped it square. Focus placed on the mans eye.
I would say it nailed the focus.

1600 1/15 f2

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

It has, to me, the best and most silent autofocus system ever, in any camera and format: apart from being very accurate, in the window there's a line that moves as the lens focuses, so you instantly know if the lens just focused, say, in your subject's face, or in the background, but it focuses where you want, always... There's a small thin cross in the center of the image, and you get in focus what's right above it.
It's the fastest camera to work with once you know it, and has a wonderful lens...
Cheers,
Juan

 

[daveleo]

Here is an outstandng review of the Konica Hexar AF....

http://photo.net/photo/hexar.html

I have one since 1990 (?). I never ran tests enough to answer your numerical questions, and it resides under glass, as I am digitized these days. It is the camera that I judge all others against.

 

[Wouter]

I've had four of them and will probably get the fifth within a couple of weeks. Where I live film processing has become difficult, so I get frustrated and decide to go the digital road. Then I recall what a superior camera the hexar af is, and buy another one. Superior, mainly where the lens, metering system and AF system are concerned. Hexar pics really stand out. I have about 10.000 pics scanned and can tell with 95% accuracy which ones were shot with a hexar.

 

[johannielscom]

http://www.johanniels.com/index.php...2-konica-hexar-af-the-ultimate-compact-camera

Over 6,000 page hits and counting on my portal page on the Hexar

It has links to several youtube clips that demonstrate focusing, silent mode etc.

And pretty shots of the Hexar AF too:

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

I remember some years ago its 1/250th top shutter speed seemed incredibly low to me... Now I understand it's enough... I can even shoot it at ISO3200, under direct sun, at f2 for selective focus!
For that I use a 46-52 step-up ring, a Nikon yellow filter, a B+W ND8 and a B+W ND64 stacked, and I keep those three close to my HexarAF all the time, so it's ready for everything no matter the scene or film...
And for silent places or fast low light focus, nothing in the world comes even close.
Cheers,
Juan

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Dante Stella on its lens:
"The lens is the Hexar's raîson d'etre. This lens has been revised slightly and rereleased as the 35/2 UC Hexanon, in Leica mount. This new lens in Leica mount is definitely better than the original. Back to the camera at hand: the 35/2 Hexar lens is nominally 7 elements in 6 groups. It is designed around the basic parameters of the 3.5cm f/1.8 W-Nikkor rangefinder lens - with some modifications to accommodate a leaf shutter assembly. The end product mimics the last pre-aspherical Leica Summicron in terms of its drawing on film. The lens has 6 aperture blades that form a pefect circle down to f/5.6. After that, you don't need the aperture to be circular (because there is nothing out of focus)- you need the auto-aperture unit to stop down quickly! The only MTF reports I have seen on this camera shows the Hexar lens as equal to the Leica pre-ASPH Summicron - and far beyond its Nikon forebearer. In terms of real-world performance, it's as good as you would expect to see with any 35/2 lens on the market. And think — this camera costs less than half the price of the used Leica lens alone."
Cheers,
Juan

 

[Aristophanes]

AF is excellent. Depending on subject distance it is as fast or faster than a digital P&S. It does not have the PDAF focus speed of a modern SLR or DSLR, but it is swift for sure. 1/250 is not going to catch a sports shot or freeze motion of a rapidly moving kid, but it's fast enough.

Email me an I'll send you some of my kids taken with it. Still samples below.

Lens is awesome.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

The Hexar (AF) is the camera that I judge P&S digital compacts against and none has ever succeeded in matching it. The Fuji X100 was close but the AF was way too slow and relied on contrast. The Hexar AF works on active IR beams and can focus in pitch black situations. Zero measurable light. So if you have a little flash attached, it can work perfectly to expose your scene (if you like shooting black cats and ravens in coal mines.)

I've gotten to play around with a Sony RX1 but the lack of an optical VF makes it less appealing to me. This digital has the lens that can probably catch up to the Hexar's but it doesn't have the AF speed, optical VF, IR film focus program-ability, user-set focus points, hyperfocal quick focusing, among a bunch of other amazing characteristics. The RX1 is aimed at the place that the Hexar occupies and Sony knows it (as they own Konica/Minolta now and can easily see that the Hexar is a cult camera.)

I'd travel anywhere in the world with just a Hexar, a few bricks of film, a ziplock bag, a spare battery and an ND filter with confidence that if I did my part and composed right, I'd come back with some great shots.

Phil Forrest

 

[van_d]

The Hexar's AF is the fastest I've come across. Even for moving or fast approaching subjects, it works surprisingly well. I won't lie that sometimes you'll get a photo with missed focus, but it is extremely rare. You're more likely to fudge the focus manually focusing a rangefinder, especially in lower light. 99% of the time, the AF is fast, quiet, and sharp.

Unfortunately I've had some seemingly bad luck with other facets of the Konica Hexar. I say that because they don't seem terribly common, so I wouldn't worry about that, but alas, two Hexars in and both had problems so I've been forced to move on. For AF P&S, I now use a Fuji Klasse, but even though it's AF is surprisingly good, it's still no match for the Hexar. Nor are any other AF cameras I've owned for that matter. I still miss the agility and ergonomics of my Hexar dearly.

 

[mrjr]

Thanks, all! Very helpful input. You all have given it enough praise that I have pulled the trigger.

It's hard to express why the autofocus issue would even be an issue for me. I don't mind focusing manually; in fact, with film, I think I prefer it. But my digital camera is an Olympus OM-D EM-5, and the autofocus is instantaneous in everything except truly marginal light. (I do expect the IR system to outdo the Olympus in EV 3-4 and lower light.) Having that as a standard for autofocus systems—I'm afraid that will somewhat spoil anything else. Which is completely irrational, I know, given that I'm perfectly content with MF, and the Hexar would certainly be faster than that. Ugh. Probably over-analysis, here. I just needed input to get my expectations in check, as well as to assure me that it was workable.

Anyway, I ordered an EX condition Hexar from KEH for a little north of $400, which seemed to be at least competitive with, and perhaps even better than, eBay, and provides peace of mind.

The Hexar (AF) is the camera that I judge P&S digital compacts against and none has ever succeeded in matching it. The Fuji X100 was close but the AF was way too slow and relied on contrast.

That's interesting. I had superficially considered the X100 for a 35mm FoV compact, but I just really wanted it to have a film back.

For that I use a 46-52 step-up ring, a Nikon yellow filter, a B+W ND8 and a B+W ND64 stacked, and I keep those three close to my HexarAF all the time, so it's ready for everything no matter the scene or film...

Yup. First order of business is finally getting a 3 and a 6 stop ND filter.

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Great, you wont regret it: it's a camera for photographers, for lovers of the craft, a very clever design. About its autofocus: fortunately the HexarAF allows you to focus with precision using the cross in the center of the frame just below your point of focus, and then after half-depressing the shutter for getting your desired point of focus, you can compose freely and the camera keeps your point of focus and your metering: that's great for including light sources in the frame without fooling exposure, if sometimes you want to work in Autoexposure instead of Manual... You can even program it to a point of focus for street, prefocused, stopped down shooting... Say, at, 8 feet f8, and it won't autofocus! It offers so many things: amazing! Good luck!
Cheers,
Juan

 

[btgc]

Regarding Hexar lens - I don't own any of this cameras, though use and like Konica rangefinders - they did confusing thing with Hexar naming. Initially Hexar line were simpler, cheaper lenses and Hexanons were the thing. It's clear Hexar AF lens doesn't have anything common with initial meaning of Hexar lenses, but what did they think, really?

 

[Andrea Taurisano]

Well, a voice out of the choir now. I second all that's been written about the excellent AF of this camera. HOWEVER:

1 - this camera's IR-based AF does so badly (read does not do at all) whenever you try to shoot throug a glass surface that I'm selling my almost unused Hexar AF (silver, in case someone wants it), preferring by far my Ricoh GR1v. Yes, I know that the AF focuses correctly through glass if you shoot at an angle > 20 degrees from the glass surface, or with the lens against the glass, but come on.. Few of my film shots from the Trans-Siberian trip would have been possible if I had brought the Hexar instead of the GR1v.

2 - When the AF struggles, it is a pain in the .. to override it, as you can't do this by simply turning the focusing ring on the lens or setting preset focus distances like you can in a Ricoh GR.

3 - Yes, the AF does focus in virtually zero measurable light. But I fail to see the advantage with that: I would end up with nearly random framing and focus (I guess I'd be shooting @ f2 - 2.8, not f11, in the dark.. which gives rather shallow DoF).

 

[btgc]

IR AF and glass aren't big friends....though things get better if camera is placed very close to glass. This is well documented characteristic of IR AF systems. Probably consumer cameras weren't designed mainly to be used through glass (which is rare and special case for most people).

 

[mrjr]

1 - this camera's IR-based AF does so badly (read does not do at all) whenever you try to shoot throug a glass surface that I'm selling my almost unused Hexar AF (silver, in case someone wants it), preferring by far my Ricoh GR1v.

2 - When the AF struggles, it is a pain in the .. to override it, as you can't do this by simply turning the focusing ring on the lens or setting preset focus distances like you can in a Ricoh GR.

3 - Yes, the AF does focus in virtually zero measurable light. But I fail to see the advantage with that: I would end up with nearly random framing and focus (I guess I'd be shooting @ f2 - 2.8, not f11, in the dark.. which gives rather shallow DoF).

1. I can't think of any situation in which I'd encounter this in my daily shooting. But nobody faults you for going with the Ricoh instead. Great camera.
2. That's what everyone says. I guess you really just have to rehearse the menu diving so that when that situation comes up, you can be ready. Muscle memory!
3. It's true: shooting in marginal light sometimes yields marginal photos. However, I'm hoping to load up some Ilford film to shoot at 3200, which can tackle home interiors and night street scenes. I know from experience that good photos can be made at night.

Great, you wont regret it: it's a camera for photographers, for lovers of the craft, a very clever design. About its autofocus: fortunately the HexarAF allows you to focus with precision using the cross in the center of the frame just below your point of focus, and then after half-depressing the shutter for getting your desired point of focus, you can compose freely and the camera keeps your point of focus and your metering: that's great for including light sources in the frame without fooling exposure, if sometimes you want to work in Autoexposure instead of Manual... You can even program it to a point of focus for street, prefocused, stopped down shooting... Say, at, 8 feet f8, and it won't autofocus! It offers so many things: amazing! Good luck!
Cheers,
Juan

I'm really excited to dive in and learn how to set up the programable functions. Sounds like it provides some genuinely thoughtful features covering a wide variety of shooting scenarios. It's great to know it can be so flexible. That means that it's going go everywhere with me, I imagine.

 

[lcpr]

Heavy fog can trigger focus errors too, but other than that the Hexar AF will focus faster and more accurately than any rangefinder or SLR with a 35/2 lens. Point the IR beams at the right spot and I'd say it's around the 1/2-1/4 second range. It's not a camera for zone focus work though, changing the focus distance manually is too fiddly.

 

[helen.HH]

The Focus system pretty much works in the dark (literally).


1600 1/15 f2

Wickedly GOOD photo, 'f16sunshine'.."Love it !

 

[f16sunshine]

Thank you Helen... too kind of you

I was surprised to find that image on the roll. It was only the second I put through the AF. I knew it could See in the dark but this was too telling of how well it worked.

Cheers!