Would it be Crazy to ....

[helen.HH]

I simply adore my 21 Super Angulon (ltm) and the 35 C biogon

first choice:
Would it be Crazy to buy a Hexar Rf
since I no longer have an M body.
Leica M bodies are just over the top crazy in prices today.
I truly have always been curious about the Hexar rf.

The main problem I fear is that down the road, should the konica need service I do not know if anyone does repairs

OR

second choice:
just buy a Nikon S2 & lens (great price, great gear)
and just sell my remaining gear and move on...

Thanks in advance for your thoughts !

 

[jsrockit]

Neither seems crazy to me. maybe try a Voigtlander? Hexar RF is nice too.

 

[Ambro51]

Your talent is such you could make fantastic images with a Kodak box camera.

 

[shawn]

I simply adore my 21 Super Angulon (ltm) and the 35 C biogon

first choice:
Would it be Crazy to buy a Hexar Rf
since I no longer have an M body.
Leica M bodies are just over the top crazy in prices today.
I truly have always been curious about the Hexar rf.

The main problem I fear is that down the road, should the konica need service I do not know if anyone does repairs

OR

second choice:
just buy a Nikon S2 & lens (great price, great gear)
and just sell my remaining gear and move on...

Thanks in advance for your thoughts !

The RF is a very nice camera. If you love the 21mm how about a Bessa R4 with built in 21mm framelines? KEH has a R4A right now....

Shawn

 

[Glenn2]

Helen, I notice that you put ltm after your mention of the 21 SA. If it’s thread mount perhaps stick it on a Barnack. I still have the f/3.4 Super Angulon that was bought in the late sixties and will never part with it. The SA seems to live permanently on one of my two M4s…… 🙂

When I chose to use Barnacks for travel cameras the 21 was sure missed, would have given a lot for one in thread mount. This was before CV was making lenses so didn’t have access to their fine offerings. Widest I had was a 35 Summaron. A Barnack with that SA would certainly be an interesting combination, do you have the proper finder for it?

Glenn

 

[enasniearth]

I had the Konica hexar rf
i did love the camera but it went dead & I couldn’t find anyone with the parts to repair it ( it was under 3 years old then)
if you are ok with an external light meter I would buy an m2 or m4 .
the voigtlander cameras may offer a built in meter or auto exposure - so perhaps that is of interest
I have nikons , sp&s2 you would have to change your lenses to switch systems - since you already have 2 wonderful lenses you are familiar with I would buy something in a Leica m mount
although my favorite Leica of all time was the hexar - I wouldn’t buy one currently due to difficulty in repair

 

[helen.HH]

Neither seems crazy to me. maybe try a Voigtlander? Hexar RF is nice too.

never tried any Bessa , though I do remember Eric once had a green one...
too bad one cannot go into camera stores anymore and get to see what they feel like in the hands and eye

Thanks John ~

 

[splitimageview]

I have had 4 or 5 Hexar RF over the past 20 years, it's great value for the money. Never had any failures, although there is a small risk, considering the price of M bodies it may be worth it. Bonus: 1/4000.

 

[helen.HH]

Your talent is such you could make fantastic images with a Kodak box camera.

hmm . I wonder if that's true,
Thanks "Ambros51', very kind of YOU to say

Perhaps I should get out of the RF box I have lived in since 2008,
try a different style film camera >??

 

[helen.HH]

The RF is a very nice camera. If you love the 21mm how about a Bessa R4 with built in 21mm framelines? KEH has a R4A right now....
Shawn

hmmm Shawn, a possibility but I Never use a VF, and can visualize 21 easily... I generally shoot with whatever field of view
sometimes center but when wide slightly off center angled with what I truly want in photo, the rest is just fluff adding to the picture

You and John give a second vote for the Bessa
Thank You.

 

[helen.HH]

Helen, I notice that you put ltm after your mention of the 21 SA. If it’s thread mount perhaps stick it on a Barnack. I still have the f/3.4 Super Angulon that was bought in the late sixties and will never part with it. The SA seems to live permanently on one of my two M4s…… 🙂

When I chose to use Barnacks for travel cameras the 21 was sure missed, would have given a lot for one in thread mount. This was before CV was making lenses so didn’t have access to their fine offerings. Widest I had was a 35 Summaron. A Barnack with that SA would certainly be an interesting combination, do you have the proper finder for it?
Glenn

Miss 21 SA presently resides on a beautiful black repaint IIIA...I never use a VF, simple shooter I am, , easy to visualize the 21 FOV for me
It's miss 35 c biogon that sits in a drawer , no place to mount the poor girl... giggles

Thank You.

 

[helen.HH]

I had the Konica hexar rf
i did love the camera but it went dead & I couldn’t find anyone with the parts to repair it ( it was under 3 years old then)
if you are ok with an external light meter I would buy an m2 or m4 .
the voigtlander cameras may offer a built in meter or auto exposure - so perhaps that is of interest
I have nikons , sp&s2 you would have to change your lenses to switch systems - since you already have 2 wonderful lenses you are familiar with I would buy something in a Leica m mount
although my favorite Leica of all time was the hexar - I wouldn’t buy one currently due to difficulty in repair

arghhhhh, this was my fear, no one to repair the hexar if needed down the road

sexy are those nikkor Rf's

as for leica M, Don't need a meter, I love to guess, be surprised when I hit the mark, or when mistakes rule with atmosphere and other worldly ness

Thanks !

 

[helen.HH]

I have had 4 or 5 Hexar RF over the past 20 years, it's great value for the money. Never had any failures, although there is a small risk, considering the price of M bodies it may be worth it. Bonus: 1/4000.

So there is possible HOPE ... play some Russian roulette, bang it dies early, ,bang it lives and brings me Joy ?
Thank You

 

[shawn]

hmmm Shawn, a possibility but I Never use a VF, and can visualize 21 easily... I generally shoot with whatever field of view
sometimes center but when wide slightly off center angled with what I truly want in photo, the rest is just fluff adding to the picture

You and John give a second vote for the Bessa

You might like the R4A anyway since the finder combines the 21 and 35mm frame lines together.

If you really are just looking for something to mount the 35mm on how about a Bessa T with a 35mm viewfinder when needed? When you are using the 21mm with no finder it is even more compact and the meter LEDs are external so you can use it (or not) from any position.

Shawn

 

[JeffS7444]

Would it be Crazy to buy a Hexar Rf

Helen,

What's life without a little crazy sometimes? There are people who can repair "unrepairable" cameras like the Fujifilm GA-series and Contax G; perhaps Hexar RF would be easy for them. They might be located in Poland, that's all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMLZm7RCZvw

Even newly manufactured miniature gears are also available from Polish vendors (I fixed a Pentax MZ-3 using their parts)
https://shop.kkpmo.com/index.php

Why Poland? I have no idea.

 

[oldwino]

A SA 21/4 on a Barnack is a powerful, and discreet, combo.

 

[newst]

You might want to look at a Minolta CL to satisfy that M mount requirement without breaking the bank.

 

[helen.HH]

Helen,

What's life without a little crazy sometimes? There are people who can repair "unrepairable" cameras like the Fujifilm GA-series and Contax G; perhaps Hexar RF would be easy for them. They might be located in Poland, that's all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMLZm7RCZvw

Even newly manufactured miniature gears are also available from Polish vendors (I fixed a Pentax MZ-3 using their parts)
https://shop.kkpmo.com/index.php
Why Poland? I have no idea.

Yes, I need a little magical craziness to my Life ...

ha, Great video, music coupled with magical hands made it Supreme Thanks !

leaning towards a Japan Ebay buy, hmmm

 

[helen.HH]

A SA 21/4 on a Barnack is a powerful, and discreet, combo.

Yes, it's a lovely combo indeed but if I buy an M camera for her and Miss c biogon, I will sell the IIIA

 

[helen.HH]

You might want to look at a Minolta CL to satisfy that M mount requirement without breaking the bank.

Good point, I forgot about that...
My IIIA and a Minolta/CL might work magic !

Thanks !