What should replace the Hexar AF?

[raid]

It completes things for me, but it may be of less compatibility for others. I carry the Natura along with my rangefinder camera. When needed, the Natura functions as a P&S camera with built-in flash and exposure compensation possibilities, and when used as a "35mm camera", it has a great 24mm/1.9 lens. It really depends how you use this camera.

 

[broadie]

Olympus, Sony, Kodak all have fixed focal length D PS, but not 'posh' one.
Fix f.l. on digital do not 'coincide' w young d-ps buyers mentality.
Manufacturers are watching the d-GR sales.
A fix f.l. camera is not going to make money for sure, it's more for the company 'image'.
Why Sony's R1 w Zeiss lens not a fix 28(eqv) or RFF's favorite 50 lens? p&s or not.

Yeah, I was aware of those--they're more economical in philosophy, and I'm not sure if we will be seeing much more of that sort. I guess what I was originally thinking of when asking this was more along the lines of the "performance philosophy" of the GR-D. Oh, and I agree with your assessment!

 

[Taipei-metro]

This is not improved to me; a 24mm lens is more useful to me, plus the fixed focal length usually results in a sharpr lens than a zoom lens. Is the Classica still without any manual over-ride?

Original Fuji Tierra is 28 3.5 (Japan only), The Tierra Zoom or Dl Zoom( US model name) is w a 28-56 4.5-6.7,
So, Natura 24 1.9 is like Tierra II, a big improvment and Classica is like a Dl Zoom II w faster lens.
My DL Zoom can over-ride to manual focus, but I never used it.

 

[Taipei-metro]

Is a fully auto P&S camera like the Natura really worth considering for those of us who are partial to RF styled photography?

No,
I took the battery out of of Canonet G-III to shoot.

Natura S Black is a stylish, rather high quality 24mm Super-Ebc Fujinon high speed lens, reasonably priced, p&s film camera. A closer conterpart is Ricoh 21 2.8, w $600+ price tag.
Like the old pro Araki, he brings a M6 and a Gr-1v for street shoots( in documentary film Arakirama...I think that's the title)
You want to do HCB simulation, bring your M3 w 50, or just snap away w Natura.

Again, check out latest works from 'famous' Japanese photographer Hirama Itaru w his Natura.
Happy shooting.

 

[Bill58]

Where are Itaru's images?

 

[ZeissFan]

It seems that the lower-end models have the fixed focal length lenses, while the more costly cameras are fitted with zooms.

I have an ancient (by computer standards) Nikon CoolPix 700 with an equivalent 28mm lens. Still a very nice camera, although it can be painfully slow when trying to focus. I generally have to push the shutter release twice to get it to focus. For a 2MP camera, it's still very decent.

 

[raid]

The Olympus Stylus Epic with the 2.8 max aperture fixed lens is more desirable than more expensive Epic Zoom Cameras. All of the cameras with zoom lenses have a max aperture higher than 2.8 at most if not all focal lengths. A zoom lens is more expensive to make and that's why the camera with a zoom lens is sold for a higher price. It is similar with the Natura models.

 

[Taipei-metro]

It seems that the lower-end models have the fixed focal length lenses, while the more costly cameras are fitted with zooms.

I have an ancient (by computer standards) Nikon CoolPix 700 with an equivalent 28mm lens. Still a very nice camera, although it can be painfully slow when trying to focus. I generally have to push the shutter release twice to get it to focus. For a 2MP camera, it's still very decent.

Yes those old camera w 2 mp is quite decent, it has a 1/2 in sensor which is better than todays maybe even 4mp w 1/2.5 in sensor. Your Coolpix 700 w a fix lens w equv. of a 35mm not 28.
I have a Canon a-100 1.2mp w a fix lens of 45mm 2.8(again equv.) sometimes I feel some of the pictures are better than my Fuji F10 at 6mp..."It can't be..." or 'How can this be ?" I ask myself.

 

[Taipei-metro]

Where are Itaru's images?

Itaru is his first name.
He published a photo book titled "Sono Nukumori ni Yo ga Aru", roughly " The usefulness of Warmth".
Some of the photos are published in Apr 2006 of Nippon Camera Magazine, under same title.
Camera used; Fuji Natura 24mm 1.9 w FujiColor NewPro400

 

[amateriat]

I had a Hexar autofocus for five years, and couldn't say enough good things about it. Other than getting another used/NOS Hex AF to replace a non-repairable/lost/pilfered one, the only readily-available alternative I can think of is Leica's CM (fixed-focal-length version, of course). Never handled one myself, but the specs seem to be more or less in order.


- Barrett

 

[Tom Diaz]

I had a Hexar autofocus for five years, and couldn't say enough good things about it. Other than getting another used/NOS Hex AF to replace a non-repairable/lost/pilfered one, the only readily-available alternative I can think of is Leica's CM (fixed-focal-length version, of course). Never handled one myself, but the specs seem to be more or less in order.


- Barrett

Very good! As a Leica user (when not using the Hexar) I am surprised at myself for not thinking of this alternative... I guess. Used Hexars are a lot less expensive and I think are just an all-around brilliant design with just the right features and settings, but the Leica CM looks like the fairly right stuff, has a warranty, and is more universally available than some of the interesting-looking alternatives people have suggested, like the Fuji Natura. Could wish for a faster lens than the CM's f/2.4, but at least it supports very high ISOs and has a 1/1000 shutter speed--which might even be fairly accurate 🙂

Are there CM shooters who can chime in? (Yes, I will now search this forum for bits on the CM.)

Let's hope Leica or someone keeps this idea alive, in the form of a digital camera like the CM. I still have a strong commitment to film at the moment, but it will not last forever or exclude digital. I think a street shooter should have a digital alternative with the attributes of a Hexar or a Leica CM. Meanwhile, long live the CM and thank God for Hexars on ebay.

 

[raid]

Itaru is his first name.
He published a photo book titled "Sono Nukumori ni Yo ga Aru", roughly " The usefulness of Warmth".
Some of the photos are published in Apr 2006 of Nippon Camera Magazine, under same title.
Camera used; Fuji Natura 24mm 1.9 w FujiColor NewPro400

This would be a good book for me to take a look at. Thanks for the information.