Hexar RF still being serviced?

[Doug]

Congratulations on a most satisfactory outcome, sepiareverb!

My Hexar RF arrived today from Precision, with the enclosed Repair Ticket just running off some irrelevant boilerplate about having checked the focusing screen and the autofocus operation, etc. Nothing about any specific work actually done on this camera. Oh well.

Immediately noticed that the previously perfect RF alignment was seriously off, vertically. Sigh. But I put a roll of film in it anyway, and when shooting the alignment looked ok especially if my eye was placed a bit high on the eyepiece.

All went very well until exposure #8 when my rising hopes were killed by the counter unexpectedly returning to zero, the same old film handling trouble. That happened twice more in the roll of 24 exp, and at the end I needed to manually trip the rewind motor. I'll get the uncut roll with scans back tomorrow to see exactly what occurred.

Precision, when asking me to send the lens along with the body this last time, said they would run a bunch of film through it to make sure it was working properly. They couldn't have done that, I think.

Also, the RF alignment is now variable. If I bump the camera body into my palm, the alignment changes according to the vector of the bump. Misalignment in all directions at will, and I can even bump it gently back to the right alignment. But there's something rattling loose inside.

I'm wondering the use of sending it back for a 4th try (it's free)... or is this body now junk?

 

[januaryman]

So sorry to hear that, Doug. You obvious have strong feelings for that camera. I hope you do send it out once more. But maybe a different tech can REALLY fix the problem(s)?

 

[sepiareverb]

I quite like their "Oh we don't refund money, just send the camera back and we'll fix it" line. At this rate their Konica "tech" is making about 75¢ an hour.

I don't know what to tell you Doug, they had mine three times and managed to get it right, I was kinda hoping that someone there had finally figured out how to fix 'em.

 

[Issy]

Precision, when asking me to send the lens along with the body this last time, said they would run a bunch of film through it to make sure it was working properly. They couldn't have done that, I think.

I would be p*ssed, and I think I have a long fuse. You are a better man than I, Doug.

I would call Precision and find out where they send it when they can't fix it (Japan?), and send it there.

I might just dump my bodies while they are still fully functional, and let some one else drive them into the ground.

b

 

[Krosya]

I might just dump my bodies while they are still fully functional, and let some one else drive them into the ground.

b

I'm keeping mine - if anybody will drive them into the ground - it'll be me. 😉
For now, however, they seem to be just fine.

As far as RF allignment - I'd be tempted to fix it myself, Doug. I did it on one of my Hexars after I bought it, as it was off, and now it perfect. And it's not that hard, really. There is info on the net how to do it (some maybe even here on RFF, I think - been a while since I'd done it).

 

[Krosya]

My camera is back, and alignment is fixed! Miracle of miracles. Thanks to the generous RFF'er who loaned me the 50/2.

Now, do I keep the body or sell it???

I see you are selling it, huh? Too bad - its sad you had such poor service experience with it. I hope I'll never have to go through that.

 

[sepiareverb]

I am selling. I went back and forth with the decision, but I kept babying the camera whenever I picked it up, something I just can't live with.

 

[Doug]

I might sell too, once it comes back working as it should. That'll be the trick though!

I've sorta resigned myself that the camera is now junk, and I've lost my "investment". Actually more relaxing now with that viewpoint. I might as well keep sending it back to Precision for more free attempted repairs in hopes they might finally get it right. If not, it's junk anyway...

Eventually they may find it more economical to supply me with a checked-over replacement. What a thought!

So, yes, tracking shows the camera was delivered to them Fri July 3, and logged in as "Received" Mon July 6, and "In Repair" Jul 7. Here we go again with a new repair tag number. Maybe I'll get lucky. :dance:

 

[sepiareverb]

I ended up losing money on the Hexar, but only because of Precision. Had I sent it to Greg Weber from the start I'd probably have kept it.

Good luck Doug, I wonder if a phone call every day would help speed things along?

It would seem that Sony should get letters from all of us.

 

[Doug]

I might have been better off sending to Greg Weber too. And that's still an option I guess, though it'd mean paying a fresh repair cost.

Actually I've let go the stress over Precision, and they can just take their usual several weeks each time I send it in. No big hurry, as I have the Hexar RF Ltd to use as well as the ZI and two CLEs. And my solid old M2 (for which I just got a goggled 35 Summaron so I can finally see the whole framelines!).

 

[sepiareverb]

So how do you compare the ZI & the Hexar? Build, VF clarity, noise?

 

[fbf]

I never liked the VF in hexar RF (dim and small), ZI wins hands down (IMHO)
Never liked electronic shutter sound regardless how quiet it is, so Zi wins
Still, hexar RF is a great machine and I used it only for AE purpose.

 

[Krosya]

I never liked the VF in hexar RF (dim and small), ZI wins hands down (IMHO)
Never liked electronic shutter sound regardless how quiet it is, so Zi wins
Still, hexar RF is a great machine and I used it only for AE purpose.

Well, I dont have a ZI, so cant say anything about the VF, but compared to several Leicas, I think Hexar's VF is very good and bright. Yes it does have a lower magnification, but it never affected anything for me. As far as shutter - doesn't ZI have electronic shutter as well? Maybe you were talking about the film transport?

 

[fbf]

Well, I dont have a ZI, so cant say anything about the VF, but compared to several Leicas, I think Hexar's VF is very good and bright. Yes it does have a lower magnification, but it never affected anything for me. As far as shutter - doesn't ZI have electronic shutter as well? Maybe you were talking about the film transport?

yeah you are right. My mistake. I was referring to the film transport.
My m2 vf is brighter and more contrary than the hexar RF. I don't have trouble focusing with hexar rf but it is not as easy or smooth as my m2.

 

[Doug]

Ok, the Hexar RF arrived this morning by UPS 3-Day Select, and was "In Repair" only a few days, clearly got special handling. The fourth time it's returned from repair by Precision, and there will be a fifth...

Obviously nobody actually ran a roll of film through it before declaring it Repaired. The RF they broke last time is fixed now, but it has the same film handling problem as before. Might note that it originally (last January) went in for RF alignment and came back with the film wind problem. Also, this time the ISO/compensation dial was installed incorrectly, about 180 degrees off and unusable. <shaking head in disbelief>

It's been a monumental waste of time and resources, and I've not had use of the camera for over six months.

 

[sepiareverb]

Incredible Doug. I shipped mine off today to the new owner, not sure about a ZI, I'm thinking I'll save a while longer and get another M7.

I guess we should all complain to Sony?

https://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/contact-email.pl?

 

[Doug]

Incredible Doug. I shipped mine off today to the new owner, not sure about a ZI, I'm thinking I'll save a while longer and get another M7.

I guess we should all complain to Sony?

https://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/contact-email.pl?

Thanks for the Sony link; I just outlined the situation and asked for their suggestion.

An M7 sounds nice; I've not used one. Should be repairable for the foreseeable future. 😀 I do like the HRF's motor advance (when working properly) and the 0.6x finder to easily see 28mm framelines (when working properly). 🙁

The ZI really has some good points, like the viewfinder with a surprisingly wide field considering the .74x magnification. And that the VF window is further from the lens centerline (less intrusion of lens into the view, though a little more parallax error). Feels good in the hand and solidly built.

The little Minolta CLE is still a favorite. The RF isn't known for getting out of alignment, though the contacts under the shutter speed dial need cleaning at least every decade... 🙂 What a sweet little camera, and I love the 40mm + 28mm combination.

 

[Issy]

Please post their reply when you get it.

Unbelievable. 🙁

 

[Doug]

The Sony esupport link leads to an online email complaint form. Response is from "The Sony Email Response Team" who suggested for my problem I should phone the Customer Relations Team at (877) 462-4464.

I called, spoke with Mark who patiently bore with my poor hearing, took down all the details, and eventually patched me through to Precision!

The lady there with whom I spoke was not the Jillian of the email exchanges, so it was a matter of my describing the issues and she pulled up their records for review. Then she asked if I'd received emails today from Jillian, so I checked. While dealing with Sony, a couple of emails had come in from Jillian; a response to my email saying the problem was still unfixed, and a link to a UPS shipping label for overnight service.

So, the lady suggested I send it back once again and that they'd assign a senior tech to make sure it's done right this time. I reiterated that simply running a roll of film will certainly make the problem obvious. So, it's off to the Wizard a fifth time, and we shall see if there's substance behind the curtain...

I like the Hexar RF; it's worked well and reliably for the two years or so since I bought it used from RFF member sleepyhead 1... until I dropped it, then Precision generated the film wind problem. I'm told the HRF has the same shutter & film wind as the Contax G2. I have two G2 bodies that have been totally reliable. The main problem with the HRF, the G2, and the CLE is that they're not current products and they were made in relatively limited numbers. Old Pentaxes, old Nikons, old Leicas have a bigger service infrastructure.

 

[hiam]

With winding problem I sent my Hexar to dealer for repair. They told me the problem was on a small sensor near the bottom of body when back opens (same thing mentioned by another RFF member). Since the spare parts will not arrive any time soon, today they gave me another Hexar as a sustitude. When I left the shop, tried to capture a cyclist passing by, the film counter turned to 0 and camera advanced itself (same problem again)!!! The dealer was so embarassed and gave me full refund.

Konica's poor QC just displayed me. Otherwise Hexar is no doubt an excellent camera with great value.