What should replace the Hexar AF?

[Tom Diaz]

To me this is the greatest street-shooter ever. I have one that could do 95% of my work with me, since I love street shooting.

Very fast operation with a "thinking man's" automated exposure system. Set the aperture and the camera will try to vary the shutter speed to use it. If not possible it will do something reasonable.

Easy to set exposure compensation and auto-bracketing with the increments easily settable.

Ultraquiet. You can stand right next to, or behind, a subject, and they will not hear the camera.

Beautiful 35mm f/2 lens. Noninterchangeable, but since this is the ideal lens for street shooting, who cares?

Excellent flash system for those situations where you need a little extra. (Shoots two exposures, it seems! One to get the background natural looking, and then another, with flash, to fill in the main subject!)

This camera was discontinued (and now Konica itself is gone from the photo industry). But it lives on in the used market. I have one and (probably like some of you) have persuaded friends to buy them, and all of us are happy.

Doesn't this mean someone should bring out a new and comparable machine for us? What if it costs a bit more? Aren't we paying premium used prices for Hexars? (I mean, buy one if you don't already have one--till some company answers the call posed in this thread.)

How about a small-but-not-too-small-to-be usable digital camera with a 28mm f/2 and a really good sensor?

Has someone already done it? If not, shouldn't they? Are any of the rest of you keen on this idea? What would you pay? Be reasonable, since Panasonic/Leica or someone like that would have to charge something for this baby. How about a Panasonic-built body with a 28mm Summicron downsized for the digital-only application?

 

[flipflop]

I think the Hexar AF is in a league of its own....the only thing I think I would change would be a higher shutter speed...but I shoot slow film, so its not crucial!

 

[grouchomarx]

Nice post, thanks.

And what digital camera already in the market would you consider to be the heir, or at least a good substitute of the Konica AF?

 

[Todd.Hanz]

here is your answer: http://www.dpreview.com/news/0509/05091301ricoh_gr.asp


I have a Hexar AF as well, agree with your comments above but the only replacement for it is another Hexar AF.

Todd

 

[broadie]

I think Ricoh is the only one with the guts to do this, and hopefully an improved GR digi will someday, at least respectably, fit the bill

 

[wintoid]

I'm a happy Hexar AF user who has bought and now sold the GR Digital. It did not give me the Hexar magic alas 🙁 I'd love a digital Hexar AF too.

 

[jmilkins]

I've had Hexar GAS (very painful) for a while now and just succumbed! Thanks in particular to viewing wonderful images from quite a few of you. 😀

My Hexar Silver arrived a few days ago from another RFF member and I'm waiting for the first roll back. Reprogrammed it for the silent mode and AEB, One Touch Manual, Manual Guide number etc as per the advice in the Richard Caruana review on Pnet.

I'd be interestered in a Hexar AF specific forum on this site - particularly because of that lens.

What do folks think - how about we repsctfully ask Jorge to consider it ?

 

[ZeissFan]

In a review by Amateur Photographer, the primary shortcoming of the GR Digital, surprisingly, wasn't the noise from the tiny 8MP sensor but the limited dynamic range.

The conclusion was that noise from the 1/1.8in CCD was reasonably well controlled up to ISO800. But the reviewer said the histogram in the live view often differed markedly from the histogram of the recorded image.

Also, the reviewer timed the writing a RAW file to the SD card at about 23 seconds.

Keep in mind that the camera has no viewfinder (a bit surprising, if the intended market was the base of film GR users), which might not be a big deal given that most people are using P&S digitals at arm's length.

The accessory viewfinder costs 130 BP ($199), while the lens shade is another 34 BP ($49). The camera itself is 399.99BP ($699). For the complete kit, your outlay is now 564BP ($948). That's entirely too much money -- even for a cult camera.

 

[Taipei-metro]

In a review by Amateur Photographer, the primary shortcoming of the GR Digital, surprisingly, wasn't the noise from the tiny 8MP sensor but the limited dynamic range.

The conclusion was that noise from the 1/1.8in CCD was reasonably well controlled up to ISO800. But the reviewer said the histogram in the live view often differed markedly from the histogram of the recorded image.

Also, the reviewer timed the writing a RAW file to the SD card at about 23 seconds.

Keep in mind that the camera has no viewfinder (a bit surprising, if the intended market was the base of film GR users), which might not be a big deal given that most people are using P&S digitals at arm's length.

The accessory viewfinder costs 130 BP ($199), while the lens shade is another 34 BP ($49). The camera itself is 399.99BP ($699). For the complete kit, your outlay is now 564BP ($948). That's entirely too much money -- even for a cult camera.

You are right.
The view finder version for D-GR is the Ricoh GX8 w 28-84(eqv.) 2.5-4.3. At wide setting, GR is f2.4. In real life photo, this 5.8-17.4mm on GX8 at 5.8mm is not going to be too much of a difference w the 5.9 on D-GR. (5.8-17.4 is pretty much a 'standard lens' for all camera manufactures for 1/2.5, 1/1.8 inch sensor)
In a six 8mp shoot-out test by Digital-CAPA Mag, sp-350, P1, S80, Oly-800, KMino X1, the Ricoh has the worst picture quality.
The 21/28 view finder retail $199(Y23,100) is outragous, street price maybe around $150-$165, which still too much. If the camera sells for $550 in street, plus the v-finder, it's not going to compete w E-500, D50, *ist D-L or a D-Rebel for $500 body, even we are talking different catagories.
Konica has a digital P&S which used a 'Hexar type' lens... the G530, w a GT Hexanon 34-102(eq) 2.8-4.9.

 

[sychan]

Sounds like you want the crossover between the Fuji Natura and the Fuji F10/F11/F30 series. Fuji has the sensor technology for high ISO on a small sensor, and they are also currently making interesting fixed lens P&S cameras. The Fuji F11 gives you aperture priority and F2.8 at 35mm equiv. Good quality at ISO800 which is a big deal (for a P&S digital).

 

[broadie]

Wondering...does anybody think that any digi P&S manufacturer--besides Ricoh--will ever come out with a fixed-focal length digital compact?

 

[Taipei-metro]

Sounds like you want the crossover between the Fuji Natura and the Fuji F10/F11/F30 series. Fuji has the sensor technology for high ISO on a small sensor, and they are also currently making interesting fixed lens P&S cameras. The Fuji F11 gives you aperture priority and F2.8 at 35mm equiv. Good quality at ISO800 which is a big deal (for a P&S digital).

I have the Fuji F10,
With 6.3MP Super CCD HoneyComb HR(great name) sensor.
Aperture priority for a small sensor w a 8-24mm 2.8-5.0 is meaningless. 8mm is eqv to 36mm. Fuji's E510 sports a wider 28mm start.
Manufacturer claimed 'low noise' at high ISO, it's really depend on your 'acceptance' of the produced image. Low light, no light, means no color, 'grainy' images, at 800 or over. If you accept the images, good for you.
I think Natura is the same case, Fuji may want you to spend money on their 1600 or 3200 films. I don't have the Natura, but I have their DL Zoom, w 28-56. I use Fuji 400.

 

[ywenz]

Get the GRD!

I too was concerned about it's noise at high ISO, but when used in B&W mode, that noise becomes beautiful "grain".. It's probably the best digital pure street shooter out there.

ISO1600 example ( no noise ninja ):

 

[Taipei-metro]

Wondering...does anybody think that any digi P&S manufacturer--besides Ricoh--will ever come out with a fixed-focal length digital compact?

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.

 

[raid]

The Hexar (Silver or Black) AF camera is a great camera and difficult to replace with an existing camera. I have the Silver (sold the Black) model and I love it. It does a great job with sharpness and it has excellent exposure programs accorind to the results that I get with the camera in tough lighting situations. What else is out there ... ? I am trying out the Fuji Natura for street photography. It has a very sharp 24mm/1.9 Fujinon lens. Unlike the Hexar AF, this camera is more like a P&S camera.

 

[Taipei-metro]

For Fuji to come out w Natura film camera and latest Classica is really something in this digital age.
Konica do have a series of 'Eco' P&S w 28 and 35mm fix lens, and both Fuji and Konica are film producers.
Too bad that Konica's digitals can not compete w Canon, Nikon and the electronic 'new commer' in to camera biz Sony.
A big shocker to Japan when Konica/Minota quit Camera business. A bit like Ford quitting making cars.
I also have a Hexar Silver, wonderful machine.
like movie biz, you just don't know what audience/consumers want, and w a couple of flops, a 100 year old company is gone( well, the camera dept.)

 

[raid]

How is the Fuji Classical Natura different from the Fuji Black Natura?

 

[Taipei-metro]

Fuji Classica is a improved Fuji DL Zoom w a 28-56mm f2.8-5.4.

 

[raid]

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?

 

[ywenz]

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