Hexar RF or M7

Hexar RF or M7

  • Hexar RF

    Votes: 172 40.6%

  • M7

    Votes: 252 59.4%
  • Total voters
    424
They're both great cameras, IMHO. I've been fortunate to own both.

In the spring of 2012 I deliberately used my M7 a lot. I enjoyed using it. The tactile experience of the M7 is really great. I like how it feels in my hands. The viewfinder is also clear and bright. The biggest drawbacks to the M7 are that #1 it's more expensive than similar cameras, #2 it eats batteries quite quickly, and #3 the 1/1000 top shutter speed can be limiting.

This summer I shot almost exclusively with the Hexar RF. It was a concerted effort to compare the M7 to the Hexar. At first I didn't care for the .60x finder. But as time went by, I began to appreciate the design of the Hexar. Ultra-quick loading! 1/4000 top shutter speed. Ruggedly built. Self-timer. The Hexar boasts lots of utility over the M7 with all those "modern" features.

My biggest complaints about the Hexar? The AE-lock détente is too light. You can't discern how much pressure you need to apply to lock the AE on the shutter release button. And the finder (again, in my opinion) really is optimized for wide lenses. I felt very comfortable using it with a 35 or 28mm lens, but a 50mm felt odd to me. I can't imagine what it would be like shooting a 90 on it!

An aside: I have never had a "registration" issue with my Hexar, and goodness knows I've tried to elicit that so-called "problem". All my lenses seem to focus fine on the Hexar -- a bigger problem is probably my shoddy photography skills. ;)

In summary, they're both great cameras. I think for a person who is on a limited budget, a Hexar (in good shape) can be an excellent choice. Heck, for the price of a Leica M7, you could get a Hexar RF -- and with the spare change get a Leica M3 if you want to have the Leica experience as well.
 
shooting a 90 works nicely on the Hexar RF.
MS-MAG sells an adapter ring to use Leica viewfinder loupes to aid even further. I used the 90 quite a lot.
 
Hope to try a M7 someday. I hardly use my Hexar RF as I keep sending the camera for repair.
Once the RF gets aligned, it reverts to mis aligned even without using the camera.
OK, sounds like a common problem with that camera and I'd love to know who has the knowledge to fix the rangefinder for good and if possible at all? Any links appreciated.
Thanks, Jean-Marc.
 
I would worry too much about reliability, parts and service options for either the Zeiss Ikon or the Konica Hexar.

I know I'll be able to get a Leica M serviced into the forseeable future. And I like the feel of the M more than the others anyway. ;-)
 
i just got a hexar rf... it is a late serial number RF and it
is a joy to use. i wouldn't buy this as a first M body but
i like the automation. auto-exposure like the M7 and
auto-advance and rewind like P&S camera.
My goggled Summaron 50/f2.8 works on this camera too,
i just tried close-up attachment and it works.
so far so good.

raytoei
 
@Ryatoei: Could you provide us an image of the Hexar with the mounted goggled Summaron?

Basic question for all goggled Leitz lenses: Do also all the other goggled Leitz lenses match the RF and VF windows as well the magnification on the Hexar camera?
(I heard of goggled Summaron/Summicron 35 and 50mm, as well as Elmar-M 90mm and 135mm, but there might be more...)
 
I don't use much film any more, however when I did I used my M-5 and the Hexar RF. Kept a 28 on the Hexar and a 50 on the M-5, to me the bodies had the same style and shape. Plus it's real easy to get used to the winder. But that's why there are more then one camera, different strokes for different folks.
wbill
 
Edit: OK, I totally misunderstood this poll. I thought it was about the Mamiya M7, not the Leica M7. Nevertheless, I will leave the original post intact for your information and amusement...

It's funny you should ask that question...

I just started selling off my Mamiya 7 equipment (50 and 80mm lens and Mamiya 7II).

As a replacement I bought the Konica Hexar RF with the Konica M-Hexanon 50mm lens.

These are the reasons why I let the M7 go:
  • My particular camera had a couple of problems; first the rangefinder was off, then the shutter button acted funny (sometimes worked, sometimes not). This was devastating during my last trip, and the M7 lost lots of love.
  • The images of the M7 had in my opinion too much contrast. They were extremely sharp and detailed, but with slide film (comparing to the Plaubel Makina 670), the images were just way too contrasty in my opinion.
  • The lightmeter turned out to be too much of a spot meter. I never had such drastic exposure problems with my other cameras (Xpan, Electro GSN, Plaubel Makina etc.). It's basically a spotmeter with the 50mm lens.
  • The M7 is not large, but compared to the Plaubel Makina definitely less comfortable to carry during hikes etc. The lens sticks out and bounces around, while the Plaubel's just retracts and can be "hidden" under your arm.
Reasons for buying the Konica Hexar RF:
  • Fast lenses available (mine with the M-Hexanon 50mm f/2.0). You will have more opportunities to shoot with the Hexar than with the M7 due to the faster lenses.
  • Fast shutter speed of 4000/s. Great for bokeh stuff in bright light.
  • The convenience of auto film loading and winding.
  • Tons of lenses available in m-mount (although usually not cheap)
  • Fast flash-sync rate (compared to Leica M6)
  • Smaller and more portable than M7
  • Easier to get slides mounted and projected than with the M7
I also like the finer aperture control of the Hexar lens; the M7 lenses only have full stops.

So far I have only shot a couple of rolls with the Hexar, but I have to say the results were really stunning--better than any of my other 35mm rangefinders.

I think the spot-like lightmeter of the M7 was my biggest turn-off. And last but not least, holding the Hexar just feels so much better than the plasticy M7 (well, at least the outer shell is all plastic). Titanium just feels great.

Now, also think about your final presentation. If you like to project slides, it will cost you quite a bit to get a 6x7 projector, while a good Leica projector for 35mm can be had for $200 or less. If scan your images, you will get something around 8800x7100 with a good film scanner in 6x7, and 6700x4500 with 35mm film (based on my scanner, a Minolta Dimage Multi Pro). But since you will probably not have a monitor with more than HD resolution (1920x1080), the difference on screen will probably not be noticeable in terms of detail.
If you print images, the M7 will definitely beat the Hexar, but how many large prints will you really make...

Just my 2 cents.
 
Great overview of the Hexar - sometimes people just get hung up on Leica without actually looking into other options. Too bad Konica is gone - they had some of the best stuff.
 
I've had both and far prefer the M7. DAG agreed with me after trying to adjust the rangefinder and comparing, it to adjusting the spring on a mousetrap. He didn't charge me for it, beacuse, he couldn't guarantee that it wouldn't drift or be innacurate.

I would've saved myself a few hundred dollars and some angst by going with an M7 to begin with.. M7 are cheap enough now that it doesn't make sense any more to buy a Hexar.

I would only buy a Hexar for using with a wide angle lens that could handle the innacurate rangefinder.

Nik
 
Interesting Nik, as my repair guy just adjusted it and told me he thinks its a wonderful camera :)
I also never had a problem with an inaccurate finder, but this can happen any time I guess.

On the price: there is still a €1000,-- difference on the used market ;)
 
kanzlr said:
Interesting Nik, as my repair guy just adjusted it and told me he thinks its a wonderful camera :)
I also never had a problem with an inaccurate finder, but this can happen any time I guess.

On the price: there is still a €1000,-- difference on the used market ;)
Click to expand...

I may have gotten a bad copy ;). I spent 900 dollars for my hexar and 1700 for my m7 with 0.85 finder. So 800 dollars in my experience.




But I am happy that the hexar worked out for you. It didn't work well for me with fast lenses so I lost confidence in it.


But if starting over I would go straight for the m7. Mine has never skipped a beat and easy to get serviced in nj. As far as I know hexars need to go back to Japan if they fail. The 1/4000 and metal shutter is nice too no worrying about pinholes. So as with everything advantages and disadvantages, but i never got comfortable with my hexar rf


On the other hand the hexar af , now that's a camera!


Nik
 
well I only used the original Hexanon lenses, nothing faster.
used Hexars are € 380-500 in good condition while M7 goes for 1500 and more :)
 
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