Konica Hexar AF

I have the Hexar Silver. It's a nice camera though not compact more of a coat-pocketable model. The lens of course is superb. However I have been trying to get around to using it more as mine is still like new and has had only a few rolls through it. I too would like to hear more from users of the Hexar. I sold all my EOS stuff years ago as I suffer from arthritis so couldn't lug lots of gear around. To be honest that doesn't bother me too much as I enjoy the freedom of a small, lighter outfit. The Hexar buttons are small and it has only a top speed of 1/250, but this is only a problem with fast film in bright sunshine. If you don't mind using f22 then it's no problem.
As I say I haven't really given this camera a good outing for a while and I have never pushed it to it's limits. I think this was really designed for low light work, hence the low top speed.
There is info on other sites about the Hexars which I am sure you will find helpful.
I would like to see some shots from the guys here as I think many of you have some excellent work.

Paul
 
I've been reading up on it, and I like what I see. I am kind of looking around for one now, something on the back burner. I'd have to get rid of one of these Prominents, though...

Thanks for the input. I'd use very slow b&w or pulled color film in it, and I'm used to leaf shutter slowness from my... Well, the Prominents, and the Universals. No bother. It would be an extension of the systems I already have, with significant overlap on the G2.

Just looking. :) Now, if I say that enough, I'll believe it.
 
I looked and handled G1, Minilux before buying the Hexar AF. I'd go for G1 if it's finder is biger.For me, RFs w 28 and 35s are the best (since I don't use 50). I had a Nikon 35ti before hand( great lens) and regret to sell it.
Feel a little different than 35ti's Nikon lens this Hexar 35 f2 produces very smooth and 3-D like photos.I have owned a Leica R6 w 35 2.8 R before and find the R6 too heavy and the shutter sound too... "indecisive", the 35 2.8 R is good because it has to, it's a Leica right?
The top speed 1/250 sec is a little draw back, the last time I used the Hexar w Fuji 400 outdoor the f-stops all goes 16 to 22 which is bad. This is when the EOS "kicks in" and solved all the problems.
The HX-14 flash is small, works like a build in flash only if you preset the speed to 1/60 to prevent double image (maybe there are some other settings)also a bad design. I used to set speed and f stops manually when used flashs anyway.
Excellent camera,very quiet, too quiet even w auto drive. Like Nikon, Konica should came out w a Hexar 28 AF, too bad, no market there. even a used 28ti is quite expensive nowadays.
 
I own a couple of Hexar AF cameras and am very happy with them. I use them primarily in low light situations, indoors with 1600 ISO film, and have been very pleased with the results. The lens works well wide open and the machine is truly quiet, and that is without the "quiet mode" that appears to be available on one of the two. It is a bit larger than a shirt pocket can handle but its minimum weight makes it a pleasure to carry. I seldom if ever use fast shutter speeds so the lack of speeds over 1/250 are not a problem for me. I sometimes carry a ND filter for outdoors use with faster films (not the 1600, though). All I can say is "I'm a fan."

Regards

Alan
 
Thanks for the info, folks.

Doesn't make me want it any less, but it's nice to know folks have had good results from it.
 
These are actually kind of rare, it seems. Most folk are happy with the ones they have. Hmmm.
 
Excellent camera, it has got a very nice viewfinder with projected parallax compensated framelines. Has the most interesting programmed auto exposure mode on earth too, which is an aperture priority mode that changes aperture when shutter speeds fall below a programmable limit. This program mode also has an unusual way of balancing ambient with flash exposure. On top of what it does for ambient, it uses the subject distance to calculate A=GN/distance. At the end of the ambient exposure it changes the aperture accordingly and strobes the flash.

Image quality is excellent (beats the Nikons I have/had), but certainly not unique. Ive found the Leica Minilux (summarit 40/2.4) to be in the same class, while Konica's own Hexanon 50/2 has the edge on it.

There are some weak points though...

On my present (second) Hexar, the focus indications on the lens barrel are misprinted, you can't use the DOF scale. The focussing itself (auto and manual settings) are correct though.

When you release the shutter (also when only pressed halfway) the lens retreats to infinity, and the frame lines follow. I'd have loved for the lens to stay in the place where focussed until I press the shutter button again. As it is, it's nervous distracting behaviour.

Still, it's a very capable picture taking machine with an excellent lens and a slew of hidden features which are available when reprogrammed. Check www.photo.net/equipment/point-and-shoot/konica-hexar for how to go about that...
 
Great camera for fast picture taking.
With a hack, my silver is now as silent as a black Hexar AF.
I't's not an easy camera to deal with. Despite of only a few buttons, the camera can be complex. It costed me some time to study its handling, especially when the flash comes up.

Being fast (AF) , sophisticated and having shot very nice pictures with it, there's one thing I came acroos this camera ; It's not super sharp.
My Konica old S2 is sharper, even my Electro is, but the Hexar pictures have that glance over them, which makes them special.
 
If your Hexar pictures are not sharp (and we're talking pictures made with the camera on a tripod to eliminate the possibility of camera shake) then you should get it checked out! Also, who's making the prints?
 
I am scanning al my negs. Not sharp meaning compared to Konica S2 or EOS 50mm 1.8 , being not truly sharp.
In my case my Hexar takes it own place in producing pictures that have a certain nostalgic feel about them, and that's why I like this camera.
 
I have found the Hexar to be very, very sharp. I would say it is probably the sharpest lens I own after the Leica 50/2 summicron and 35mm f/1.4 ASPH. Here is an example of the lens stopped down a bit, without any sharpening:

osore-temple.jpg



I love the Hexar. I have a page of comments on it up at my website if anyone is interested. http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~srichardson/hexar.htm
 
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