Hexar RF

[Mahir]

Hello,

I'm currently in England and found a Hexar RF body in good shape for £500. Seems like a nice camera to me. I know this is a Leica forum but would anybody actually recommend the Hexar for the above price?

Thanks!

M.

 

[glowie NYC]

Go for it!
--
..:...::.:..:..::.:..:::..:..
glowie NYC
http://www.flickr.com/photos/glowie
http://www.glowie.net

 

[alien3333]

M.

Don't flame me, I just share my user experience as a photographer.
Not concern about brand loyalty, etc.

I recommend it, it give you 1/4000 and no manual cranking for next film.

However the shutter is mechanically-loud compare to M7 (M7 is very silent), and the paint on the body is not durable at all, it chips very easy. Skip the 50mm f/2 lens by Konica, get a Leica 35mm f/2.

It is a rangefinder with a modern touch.

Here is the Hexar with M7, Zeiss Ikon, CLE ...



-a

Hello,

I'm currently in England and found a Hexar RF body in good shape for £500. Seems like a nice camera to me. I know this is a Leica forum but would anybody actually recommend the Hexar for the above price?

Thanks!

M.

 

[Mahir]

Um, why would I flame you? Thank you for the info. I don't mind the shutter noise and the paint. I think I might just go for it indeed.

 

[RaajS]

Go for it! It is a superbly built RF with great ergonomics. I found them to be around $1400 in good shape with a couple of the Konica Hexanon lenses, usually the 35mm f/2 and the 50 mm f/2.

There is a registration issue with the Hexanon lenses when mount on Leica RFs, in case you were planning to use Hexanons with Leica gear. You can read about that on Erwins Put's website.

Good luck!
-raaj
--
'Change is not Mandatory, you don't have to Survive...'

 

[Mahir]

Thanks for the info. The camera is body only and I was planning to use it with my voigtlander lenses (35/1.4, 50/1.1, 28/1.9). Any idea how the camera performs with these?

Thanks,

Mahir

 

[alien3333]

Voigtlander lens are all working fine, indeed they are sharp, but lack the "character" of the Leica lens.

-a

Thanks for the info. The camera is body only and I was planning to use it with my voigtlander lenses (35/1.4, 50/1.1, 28/1.9). Any idea how the camera performs with these?

Thanks,

Mahir

 

[Mahir]

That's okay. I lack the "money" for leica lenses

 

[James M Hughes]

For me, the Hexar RF is the Leica rangefinder concept brought up to date - I much prefer using the Hexar to any Leica M. One nice little detail is the way the chamber between lens and film has a black velvet covering (rather than black paint) to reduce reflections to an absolute minimum.

I don't agree about the external finish of the Hexar RF being easily damaged. My camera is about 10 years old and still looks like new. The finish is much more hard-wearing than my chrome Leica M8, which has already picked up a few rub and shine marks.

Regarding registration, it's well-known that there are slight differences between the Hexar RF and lenses from manufacturers like Leica and Voightlander. I have used many Leica and Voightlander lenses on my Hexar, and - unless you're shooting wide open and close up - the slight registration error is not really that noticeable with most lenses most of the time.

The only time I really saw a serious error was with a Leica 50mm f1 Noctilux shot at full aperture. For best results, I would recommend you go for the Konica Hexanon lenses made for the Hexar RF - they are all superbly sharp, and the mechanical 'feel' is as good as (or even better!) than Leica. The focus is buttery-smooth and even, and (unlike Zeiss ZM lenses) there's no backlash or play.

Good as it is, I think £500 for a Hexar RF body is a bit high given the declining interest in film. If it was absolutely mint/boxed - well, maybe. But, I'd say around £350 is a more realistic price.

J M Hughes

 

[Mahir]

Thank you for the very informative answer. I will be witing for a lower priced Hexar then.

 

[James M Hughes]

Thank you for the very informative answer. I will be waiting for a lower priced Hexar then.

Although the Hexar RF was available separately as a body only, most were sold as a 'kit' with 50mm f2 Lens and flash, in a gorgeous satin-lined presentation box. I have this version, and paid £799 for it about 10 years ago. If you don't want the Hexanon 50mm lens, it's not always easy to find a body on its own.

Since I bought my Hexar, film camera prices have dropped significantly. However, most Leica M bodies seem to have held their price quite well, and are selling for about the same (or sometimes slightly more) than, say, five years ago. Same seems to be true of the Hexar RF.

The thing about the Hexar RF is - compared to Leica M, it's not common. Therefore, sometimes the camera fetches a good price because here isn't much competition - used examples don't turn up that frequently, perhaps because most owners like them so much!

If you're interested, a UK company called Camtech (camtechuk.com) are offering a used Hexar RF kit mint/boxed for £895. However, they've had it for quite a while and might accept a lower price to move it on. Their phone number is 01954 251 715.

J M Hughes

 

[Mahir]

Thank you! will get in contact with them for sure.

 

[Fernando Faria]

A bit expensive but difficult to come by. More like the suggested £350. Go for Hexanon glass which is a lot less expensive than Leica and it will give you plenty of satisfaction. Either the 35 or the 28 are outstanding pieces (some of my luminous photos were shoot with the Hexanon 35) and perform very well. Construction wise those lenses (Hexanons in general) are on par with Leica lenses (I own several Leica M and R lenses). Smooth rotation, positive F click, solid mount etc...

Regards,

Fernando

 

[rlebreiro]

declining interest in film? no way! it's increasing!
--
rui lebreiro
http://www.yesterdayslife.com/photofront/ruilebreiro

 

[raizans]

http://www.dantestella.com/technical/hexarrf.html
http://www.dantestella.com/technical/flange.html
http://www.nemeng.com/leica/010ba.shtml

this issue blew over years ago, but internet hearsay never dies. it may be true for the first batch of hexar bodies, there's no way to really know, but people have been mixing and matching leica and konica bodies and lenses without any special problems. people new to rangefinders may attribute focusing difficulties to this mysterious incompatibility, when it's really just a common problem that everybody has to deal with on a regular basis: recollimating the lens, adjusting the focusing cam, adjusting the rangefinder mechanism, etc.

the biggest reason not to get a hexar rf is the difficulty of having it repaired in the longterm. the sophisticated cameras from the late 90s are in a precarious situation as they start to age, and it's only going to get worse. for the time being, precision seems to be committed and has gone to great lengths to repair a hexar rf, and japan exposures will act as a go-between for people who don't live in japan:

http://www.japanexposures.com/services/