T
tedwhite
Guest
I don't know if this camera is fixed lens or not, but on ebay one just went for $443.
Why does this camera sell for such a price?
Why does this camera sell for such a price?
Konica Hexar Classic AF
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foto_fool
Well-known
KoNickon
Nick Merritt
It's a modern-day cult classic. Here's a good writeup: http://www.cameraquest.com/konhex.htm
If you like a really excellent lens and very quiet operation (and who doesn't?), this is a well-nigh perfect camera. Top speed of 1/250 a bit of a drawback, as is the fact some functions require specific button pushing.
If you like a really excellent lens and very quiet operation (and who doesn't?), this is a well-nigh perfect camera. Top speed of 1/250 a bit of a drawback, as is the fact some functions require specific button pushing.
erikhaugsby
killer of threads
KoNickon said:
I'd say that's a bit of an understatement, especially as the lens performs exceptionally well near wide apertures of f/2.8 or 4. Pan-F and cloudy days here I come!
sniki
Well-known
443$ for this camera worth. Believe me or not it's a really gem.
sniki
sniki
Bobfrance
Over Exposed
I have a real hankering for a Konica AF.
Sniki - I own a Contax G1 but seem to get more use out of my Ricoh GR 1, I guess because of it's portability (I nearly always have it with me) and the fact that it is much quieter than the Contax. Given that you own a G1 & G2 how does the Konica compare?
Bob.
Sniki - I own a Contax G1 but seem to get more use out of my Ricoh GR 1, I guess because of it's portability (I nearly always have it with me) and the fact that it is much quieter than the Contax. Given that you own a G1 & G2 how does the Konica compare?
Bob.
mfunnell
Shaken, so blurred
A 3-stop ND filter is my solution to that one - filter on outdoors (in daylight) and off indoors. You just have to remember to manually set the ISO as the meter isn't TTL (or even inside the filter ring).erikhaugsby said:
...Mike
Pherdinand
the snow must go on
i got one for 200 euro... It handles very well, and at the moment i am scanning the first rolls through it. (Neopan 1600 shot at 2400 and dev in diafine...MISTAKE!!! it is consistently underexposed with about one stop... this film is NOT 2400 speed in diafine!)
Over 400 $,....maybe seems a bit too much. But not if you consider the price of good 35/2 lenses!
Over 400 $,....maybe seems a bit too much. But not if you consider the price of good 35/2 lenses!
foto_fool
Well-known
Bobfrance said:
Until Sniki gets back to this thread I thought I might jump in with my 2-cents as I have both a Hexar and a Contax G1.
The Hexar is a good deal more portable than the Contax. The Hexar's lens protrudes, but not near to the extent of the Contax with the 45mm Planar mounted. I can slip the Hexar into a large coat pocket. I don't own a GR 1 but it looks a great deal more pocketable, even more so than my Yashica T-4.
The Hexar is WAY quieter than the Contax - no contest. The autofocus is a whisper where the Contax is a shout, and you can invoke "stealth mode" on most Hexars to make the film advance church-quiet. The normal film advance is so quiet I only punch up stealth to amaze the unintiated. And there is no comparison between viewfinders - Hexar wins.
That said - the 1/250th shutter is a limitation. I am too lazy/unskilled/impatient to employ Mike's ND filter suggestion so I shoot ISO 400-800 indoor and 100 outdoor. That means the Hexar may stay on the shelf if the wrong film is in for what I have planned. Side-by-side the 45mm Planar is probably the "better" lens - sharper, more contrasty, similar boke. If you want/need to mount multiple f.l. primes, only the Contax will do. The Contax is also easier to use in full manual mode.
Long and short of it - the only real point of comparison between the Contax G and the Hexar AF is that they are both auto-most everything. They are each a high-quality tool, but for very different jobs.
- John
johnny9fingers
Well-known
I avoid ebay like the plague, relying on cameras for sale on this site, apug, photonet and the fine dealers that support RFF. $443 is a resonable price, I ve seen the original black and silver hexars in the $400 to $500 range. And it's worth every penny. I recently bought a silver hexar and want to get another as back-up. And the 250 shutter speed isn't as big a deal as some say as you can rewind mid roll and change film as the light requires. I LOVE THIS CAMERA.
johnny9fingers
Well-known
I'll load the Hexar with Provia or FP4+ outside in the daylight then switch to Delta 3200 indoors or for other low light situations... easy as pie......
jmilkins
Digited User
Extensive user reviews and opnions at http://photo.net/photo/hexar.html.
Changing rolls is not a problem on the hexar - very accurate mechanism to allow reloading the film without wasting frames, and you can get the film with the leader out when it rewinds.
I wante one for years and finally bought a silver one here on RFF> Have prorgrammed it with the Stealth mode etc as per the link above. Regular use brings rewards ;-)
Changing rolls is not a problem on the hexar - very accurate mechanism to allow reloading the film without wasting frames, and you can get the film with the leader out when it rewinds.
I wante one for years and finally bought a silver one here on RFF> Have prorgrammed it with the Stealth mode etc as per the link above. Regular use brings rewards ;-)
amateriat
We're all light!
pvdhaar
Peter
I've never found the 1/250 top speed a problem. Even outdoors with 400ISO loaded, you can get to f22 and have a proper exposure (within sunny16 limits)..
But you're not obliged to put 400ISO film in the Hexar! The lens is certainly fast enough that you often don't need more than 100ISO, and the benefit of the Hexar's extraordinarily good lens is that it does films like Reala justice.
But you're not obliged to put 400ISO film in the Hexar! The lens is certainly fast enough that you often don't need more than 100ISO, and the benefit of the Hexar's extraordinarily good lens is that it does films like Reala justice.
sniki
Well-known
Here I'm again, Bob.
Well, if we simple consider a portable-handiness grading among G1&G2, Hexar AF, Ricoh GR1 and GR1V, definitely Ricoh get on top, Hexar second and - at a distance - then G1 and G2. It happen often enough to me too to favor my Ricoh, but in term of "photographicly master" the situation and face the consequences is another different story. Notwithstanding the fact that all these cameras are well-endowed gifted lens, I'm of the opinion that Hexar has more and more (esoteric!) possibilities of override and manual intervention. Certainly, you have not simple to rely upon Hexar laconic istruction manual, but fortunately on photo.net (http://www.photo.net/equipment/point-and-shoot/konica-hexar) there is a very generous example of dedicated literature.
About the 1/250 top speed limit of Hexar I've never found limitations of technical photographic expression. The 35/f2 of Hexar is definitely - in my own experience - the best 35 among the many I have, and - silent mode beside - this camera by itself camouflages well when with hands.
sniki
Well, if we simple consider a portable-handiness grading among G1&G2, Hexar AF, Ricoh GR1 and GR1V, definitely Ricoh get on top, Hexar second and - at a distance - then G1 and G2. It happen often enough to me too to favor my Ricoh, but in term of "photographicly master" the situation and face the consequences is another different story. Notwithstanding the fact that all these cameras are well-endowed gifted lens, I'm of the opinion that Hexar has more and more (esoteric!) possibilities of override and manual intervention. Certainly, you have not simple to rely upon Hexar laconic istruction manual, but fortunately on photo.net (http://www.photo.net/equipment/point-and-shoot/konica-hexar) there is a very generous example of dedicated literature.
About the 1/250 top speed limit of Hexar I've never found limitations of technical photographic expression. The 35/f2 of Hexar is definitely - in my own experience - the best 35 among the many I have, and - silent mode beside - this camera by itself camouflages well when with hands.
sniki
Bobfrance
Over Exposed
Thanks for the info everyone.
Now i'm going to have to buy one as well as keeping all my other cameras!
Thankfully they're sufficiently rare to stop me buying one immediately.
Now i'm going to have to buy one as well as keeping all my other cameras!
Thankfully they're sufficiently rare to stop me buying one immediately.
historicist
Well-known
Well, it looks like you have made your mind up already, but I've got one as well, and it is an amazing camera. Mine is completely knackered and has a small scratch on the lens, but it still produces pictures as good as any camera/lens I've ever owned (in my highly unscientific gaze). Plus, being AF it is way easier to use in low light than any rangefinder, and it has a very good control system, with a well thought out balance between being automatic enough for quick use and enough manual controls for fun. Lots of attention to detail as well, like leaving the film leader out for one second before winding it in when rewinding a roll for all you lucky people with darkrooms.
When I got it I was not expecting to use it so much, just for low light work, but now it is probably my most used camera by a small margin. It doesn't look very expensive or high tech so people ignore it much more than with a Leica, Nikon etc. - often they just think it is a really old, nasty compact, which is handy as well.
If I had paid what I paid for the lens alone I would say that I got a massive bargain, to get a good body as well just makes it even better.
When I got it I was not expecting to use it so much, just for low light work, but now it is probably my most used camera by a small margin. It doesn't look very expensive or high tech so people ignore it much more than with a Leica, Nikon etc. - often they just think it is a really old, nasty compact, which is handy as well.
If I had paid what I paid for the lens alone I would say that I got a massive bargain, to get a good body as well just makes it even better.
T
tedwhite
Guest
As the guy who initiated this thread because I was curious about a camera that seemed, on the surface at least, rather ordinary, I am impressed by all of your responses. I am now 'educated' about the Konica Hexar.
Probably I should never have done this at all, as I am now seized by an unrelenting attack of Konica Hexar Classic GAS!
Probably I should never have done this at all, as I am now seized by an unrelenting attack of Konica Hexar Classic GAS!
andersju
Well-known
I love the Hexar, but unfortunately mine now has the common (?) shutter release problem. I emailed Greg Weber, who replied that he no longer works on Hexars since the parts are no longer available. However, reading this page, I get the impression that it's "just" the tactile switch that needs to be replaced, and that it's no problem for someone sufficiently skilled if I can get hold of the new Alps switch mentioned. Is this correct?
sniki
Well-known
I think unnecessarily you have to replace the switch; according to the procedure described on photo.net, probably a good cleaning - previous disassembling of the tactile switch - it will fix the inconvenience.
sniki
sniki