Love or Hate relationship?

[Krosya]

Hi,
I wish I could test this for myself, but as they are expensive and hard to find I may never be able to do it. Hexar RF and 50/1.2 .
As we know Hexar RF has a lower VF magnification than your typical Leica M6. Many say that even on Leica with .72 VF it is hard to focus a 50/1.2 lens, be that Canon, Hexanon or Noctilux. People prefer to use an M3 or a body with x85 mag. And yet Hexar RF Limited set comes with the 50/1.2.
Knowing how good Konica products were made, I find it hard to assume that they made a combo that just couldn't be focused wide open. So, the question is - was Hexar RF limited made with a higher VF magnification? Or it actually IS possible to focus such a fast lens on a Hexar RF and we are just not doing this right? Or Konica just made this kit without thinking too much if it'll work well as combo?
I have read reports on the web that even a CV 35mm/1.2 is hard to focus correctly wide open on Hexar. Which makes me think that 50/1.2 would be even more difficult.
So, why did they make this lens/combo? Just to show Leica that they can do it too? But isn't idea for every company that customer will use THEIR camera AND lenses? So when they made this lens, why was not a higher mag Hexar RF introduced with it?
What are your thoughts on this?

 

[WoolenMammoth]

I easily focus f2 50mm lenses on my CL which has the same base distance and easily miss focus on f2 lenses on my M3 which is the longest base distance in the RF. Much of the drama you read on the internet is just that...

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I use a Cnaon 50/1.2 on a Bessa R2. The Konica should not have a problem.

 

[ferider]

Like Brian said. Not sure how close the 50/1.2 Hexanon focuses.
If 1m and above you are OK.

It starts getting difficult with longer fl. As a rule of thumb, a 50/1.0 is as
difficult to focus as a 90/2.

Note that an M8 has about the EBL of a Hexar RF (even worse, the DOF
decreases due to crop factor). And you know how popular the Noctilux
for the M8 is 🙂

Roland.

 

[foto_fool]

Believe it or not, some of the best-focused shots I ever made with my Canon 50/0.95 were on the Hexar. Like our mammoth friend said - the whole focus question as dragged out on the internet? - lots of sturm, not much drang. BTW I've been shooting a new lens at f1.2 for the last couple of days on the R-1, wihich has shorter EBL than the Hexar, plus crop factor giving a shallower DOF, and I'm still keeping about 90% in focus. And my low-light eyesight sucks.

- John