Hexar AF reliability

[pismo923]

I have been following the recent threads about the Hexar AF. The images it is capable of look to be fantastic. I have also read about some reliability issues, specifically shutter button problems? Have you encountered this problem? Were you able to repair it your self using the online guides?

 

[Meakin]

I've had my Hexar AF Titanium for around 6 years - never a problem, not one. From what I can gather the main problem that (may) occur is the sticky shutter button - and from the look of the online solutions, I would not think twice about doing the repair myself if it ever comes up.

Get one - you will not regret it! 😉

Cheers,

/Meakin

 

[MIkhail]

I have been following the recent threads about the Hexar AF. The images it is capable of look to be fantastic. I have also read about some reliability issues, specifically shutter button problems? Have you encountered this problem? Were you able to repair it your self using the online guides?

I was able to repair it using that guide & button works just fine now, but... in the process of repair something happened to the small LCD display. It now shows only parts of letters, makes it difficult to set up and read the info. I even sent the camera to Mark Hama, he could not find the LCD to replace it, the are not made any more. So he returned it.
So now camera sits on the shelf, with it's beautiful lens and all.
Serves me right.

 

[valdas]

I only own it for a year... No issues so far (touch wood)...

 

[Moriturii]

Only issue I've ever heard being uttered about hexar af is the shutter button which seems to be a 20min DIY fix anyway.

 

[roboflick]

Mark Hama fixed mine. Fragile electronics. And problems with film advance. But now works perfectly. Images are wonderful
Nik

 

[celluloidprop]

Just got one off of Craigslist - it still has the plastic on the bottom of the camera, so I'm guessing it's about as 'new' as they come.

So far I'm pleased - I don't think I'll enable silent mode very often (it's already extremely quiet without), the viewfinder is darker and the framelines less bright/contrasty than my M4, but it looks to be quite a capable camera.

 

[bensyverson]

I posted a how-to a while back about cleaning the shutter button. I recently had to do it again for one of my Hexars.

If you use your Hexar rarely, the button may never give you a problem. I use them as my everyday cameras, and so far I've had to spend five minutes cleaning them every six months. Not bad!

 

[pvdhaar]

Two problems surfaced with the Hexar-AFs that I've had.

One was the eye-piece falling off. It's glued into the top plate, and the glue hardens too much over the life time of the camera as it continuously expands/contracts due to temperature variations.

The other issue was my own fault, but took a lot of time to diagnose. I did a mid-roll rewind using a pencil to push in the rewind button. However, without my noticing it, some of the graphite got stuck in the mid-roll rewind butting causing it to stick. When I tried to load the next roll of film, it would advance to frame 1 and immediately rewind the film completely, all the while blinking '00'.. When the film was out, it looked OK again, so I retrieved the film leader, put the film in, and it would do the same advance-and-rewind again. I couldn't make heads or tails of it. Only after a while I remembered doing a mid-roll rewind, and noticed the button being stuck..

Despite these little things, in my book, the Hexar-AF is one of the greatest cameras ever..

 

[dogbunny]

I've had a Hexar Titanium for about 8 years. Years ago, I dropped it hard enough to put a dent next to eyepiece, but it never effected the performance. Just this year I had to do the shutter button fix that bensyverson posted, and the eyepiece fell off, but I have just been using it without for the time being. I've been meaning to get it CLA'd and have the eyepiece replaced, but I don't like to be without the camera so I just keep using it.

 

[Tychom]

No real problems on my black Hexar - missing eyepiece as have other people.

Apart from that it's been dropped from my shoulder lens first onto solid stone paving. Luckily with cap and filter attached some of the impact was absorbed - it continues to work utterly flawlessly.

No complaints here.

 

[dboxer]

I just did the shutter repair today. It was simple and took less than 15 minutes.
The switch was really quite clean, so I'm surprised the rubbing alcohol made a difference.

Thanks to bensyverson for his step-by-step:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=107262

 

[Paul T.]

No real problems on my black Hexar - missing eyepiece as have other people.

Apart from that it's been dropped from my shoulder lens first onto solid stone paving. Luckily with cap and filter attached some of the impact was absorbed - it continues to work utterly flawlessly.

No complaints here.

Quoted for my truth. (My paving might have been concrete. But no dent).

My only reliability problem was picking up new film before a US trip and not being able to find any. I did the same work, that I always do with the Hexar, with my Panasonic GF1. No comparison. It was a struggle finding one keeper of my subject, with the Hexar I usually get two or three.

 

[Tessar.]

I bought mine of a fellow Rff'er and on about the 3rd outing (on holiday) it started getting the shutter button problem. The problem was intermittent but caused me to lose focus on a fair few shots. After a while you can sense when it's going to do it and take your finger off the release so you don't lose the shot. Next press, it was usually OK.

Anyway, I got fed up with dealing with the problem and didn't want to remove the top myself, as I didn't want to risk damaging it, so I had it fixed by a repairer for £30 plus return postage. It's been fine so far after a couple of films...

The repair guy I used knew nothing about the hexar, but has serviced a few cameras for me before (Nikon S2, Contax 139 etc) so I emailed him the PDF guide to the problem I found online and all was fine.

 

[mfunnell]

I've never had a problem with mine. That's no guarantee I won't have one in future. I hope that if I do it is one of those that is easily remedied by some of the fixes recommended here.

...Mike

 

[filmfan]

Incredible camera.

 

[foto_mike]

Mine is an early black model. I've had it for six or seven years. It's a user. The bottom plate is showing some brassing as well as a small amount of brassing on the corners of the top plate. The black shutter release button fell off and was lost a few years ago. The brass post that actually operates the shutter release button is all that's left, although it doesn't really affect operation at all. It's recessed slightly below the shutter speed dial and my finger depresses the brass post just about as easily as the black plastic button that was once there. The glass is pristine.

Mine has had the sticky shutter button problem pretty much the whole time I've had it. For a while, I could make it work better by vigorously operating the shutter button (with no film in it) two or three dozen times. Then it seemed to behave for a short while or, at least, be better. I haven't used the camera much for the last couple of years because of the balky shutter button. I knew about the Alps switch replacement, but my soldering skills aren't that good.

Tonight, I discovered this thread with the step-by-step procedure for cleaning the existing shutter release switch. I've had the top cover off several times contemplating a fix, but I've never gone as far as removing the small circuit board. I didn't know how to get the ribbon cable disconnected without damaging it. Thanks to the guide above, I found the plastic ribbon cable lock and easily removed it.

I proceeded to clean the switch following the instructions. Working carefully, I disassembled the switch and I immediately saw a brown film of oxidation, crud, or whatever covering the switch contacts. I carefully cleaned them. The two switch contacts in the corners are difficult to get to with a q-tip. The tip is too large to get into the corner adequately. I stuck a tiny precision slotted screwdriver into the cotton of the q-tip and twisted it several times, winding some cotton around the tip. Using that, I could reach the tiny pads in the corners.

All clean, I put it back together and it works perfectly!. Best of all, if I have to do it again in the future, it will be a 15-minute fix.

 

[mfunnell]

Best of all, if I have to do it again in the future, it will be a 15-minute fix.

Glad to hear your camera's working - and good to know it worked so well should I ever need to do it myself.

...Mike

 

[bucs]

I was able to repair mine just 5 days ago. not an easy fix for me as I have very shaky hands but i was able to do it.

now my hexar is working flawlessly and better than before.

should you decide to buy one, you will never regret it because the images it produces are just wonderful

 

[Frank Petronio]

I always check that they have the eyepiece and do not have the (stupid) data back. At least half of the ones for sale fail in that regard.

Figure on cleaning the finder and switch at least once.

Also watch for LCD bleeds and battery corrosion, as with any 90s-era camera.

I fear that age is catching up with many of them.

I'm trying not to buy one for the fifth or seventh time, I've lost count. I like them, especially for the value and quality. I get frustrated with the automation and the damn quietness. Even in normal mode, they are so quiet that you can't tell that you made an exposure! In the end I prefer a M but in terms of image quality they give anything else a run for the money.