konica hexar AF focusing

Hi all,

 

I have a few questions for any hexar AF users out there.

 

(1) How fast is the focusing? Is it fairly quick or slow compared

to SLRs and/or P&S cameras? And is there a long shutter lag once

focus is set?

 

(2) Is there an AF lock?

 

(3) If so, is exposure set too or is there a way to lock exposure

without locking focus? The GR-1v locks exposure on the subject you

have focused on - can be bothersome sometimes. I know there is the

option of exposure compensation, but I don't want to miss the shot.

 

(4) Do you have any problems with focusing on the Hexar?

 

Any answers are much appreciated!

The auto-focus is too slow for me in most street shooting situations. I usually use manual focus, which works fine, but is a little more awkward and not nearly as quick to adjust compared to a manual focus lens as on the Leica. Great camera anyway.

btw, you manually focus the camera by pushing two buttons in sequence. First you push the 'MF' button which shows a read-out of a number which is focus distance, then you push an up or down button to adjust the numbers. You have only the distance numbers to go by, you can't look through the viewfinder and use a focus patch to focus. Sounds worse than it is though, once you get used to it, it's fine for just about any situation other than some instances like if you're shooting wide open aperture. In that case, you might opt for using the AF.

 

It's a very nice street shooting camera in its own way, and just kind of a cool and fun camera the way it operates. Ed Leveckis uses it I think as his only street shooter.

One more thing. The AF does have a lock as long as you keep your finger holding the shutter release half way down. Once it's focused itself, there's no shutter lag when you release the shutter. It just takes some practice since the af lock/shutter release requires a somewhat light sensitive touch to operate.

Hi Allen,

 

I find my Hexar quick enough to be a joy. I'm also a Leica M2 and Contax G1 user and I would say the Hexar is a bit quicker than the G1. Needless to say, I have never had any focusing problem with the Hexar. Please, just visit some of my pictures taken with it: <a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=212132" target="_blank"> Click Here</a>

1) fairly quick, but slow compaired to a pro level SLR. Fast enough for street shooting if the subject isn't moving really fast. <p>

 

2) See above. <p>

 

3) If I remember correctly, only the focus is locked in when you hold the shutter down. You can use program, apeture priority or manual mode, so it's no big problem to get what you want. <p>

 

4) I find the focusing on the Hexar to be adequate but I prefer my manual focus Leica. It's a fun little street camera with a superb 35mm Lens on itm- that is the reason to get it in my opinion.

Check out the site below. It's got everything anyone wants or needs to know about using the Hexar AF. Well, almost everything ...

 

http://www.35mm.v.pl/k_hexar.pdf

 

S. Linke

Danke Herr Linke,

 

I have saved it for future reference.

 

I find that I rarely lift the camera to my eye when street shooting.

here's a photo.net review of hexar. this might help you. <a href="http://www.photo.net/equipment/point-and-shoot/konica-hexar">review</a>

If we're talking opinions, I think the focus is REALLY quick - quicker than a

Contax G2; and infinitely quicker than manual focus. And no comparison with

a Minilux either (haven't tried a T2 or T3). THe only way you could get as

quick with an M6 is by prefocusing or hyperfocal focusing. You simply place

the crosshairs, then press the shutter halfway, the focus locks on, you quickly

recompose if you don't want your subject in the centre, then you press all the

way, and it takes the pic with no apparent shutter lag... really, it takes about as

long for you to check that everything is in the frame, as for the autofocus to

work. It's about as fast as clicking your fingers.

<p> Focusing on moving objects coming directly towards you (my three year

old on his bike, or as I once read on a hilarious thread there, a man on a bike

with a cat on his head) is very unreliable; but if they're moving across the

frame, even at a steep diagonal, you're OK. I've got fantastic focus on guys

moving really fast (sliding down a wire from a 40 ft tree) , or swinging across

trees on a bizarre stag day out - but made sure I was slightly diagonal to the

movement. <p> Other aspects of the camera are quirky (1/250 top speed) but I

found the autofocus far faster than I expected, and easily as fast as I need. If

you want to use manual focus, though, I would buy another camera, it's that

clunky!

Paul, you should post those pics with the guys swinging across trees if you can, sounds cool. I agree the Hexar AF can be very quick shooting the way you describe. However, the very fastest is still going to be- if you're able to use it- hyperfocal focus, and if you use that method a manual focus camera is still the easiest to use it on. It's for that reason that, even with the advancements in camera technology, I haven't given up my Leica.

If speed is your main concern get a SLR AF ? say the EOS1V. If you want an unobtrusive rangefinder camera the Hexar AF is second to none and is probably a greatly under estimated camera. In terms of AF it is certainly no slouch and snaps in quicker than any manual focusing camera and is spot on accurate. If you can get one get it. You need to get to know it so you can play it. The ?manual focusing? mentioned above is really just a way of zone focusing and can be useful. In silent mode no-one knows you got the shot. Dante Stella has something of interest to say about this camera on his web site.

Allen,

 

Note that when silent mode is enabled, the AF is noticably slower.

 

J

Everyone, thanks for the replies! There's a Hexar with the silent mode in a camera shop here in Tokyo and I'm going to go check it out tomorrow. Sounds like a good street shooting camera. Once again, thanks.

Allen - Yeah the focussing is o.k. What is not o.k., is exposure compensation. I moaned about it before and, as you asked opnions on this, i'll moan again here: exposure compensation on the hexar af is as stupid as computer interfaces can get. You have to push a couple of tiny buttons simultanously, of which one is half hidden under the flash, the other you have to push repeatedly, increments of 1/3 stop per push) . And dont forget to switch it back when you're done (camera off nd then on again). The ricoh gr-1, otoh, is as easy to compensate as a leica M - just turn the wheel this or that way. I figured i would try for myself if the hexars disadvantages outweigh its advantages (nice lense, silent, nice extra body for color film / party fill flash, and getting cheaper and cheaper). I'm still working on it. The good thing is, my m2 feels like heaven after a shoot with the hexar. <br><br>have fun, <br><br>diederik

DP-I think I'm being stupid here in that I don't understand what the problem is. If you are in manual mode and then use the one touch mode to set the shutter speed so that the meter is correct with the aperture set. And then you decide to compensate, the aperture can either be turned as with most cameras or the shutter buttons can either be moved up or down single press gives you 1/3 stop increments.

 

I would have ended up with a Leica if it weren't for these wonderful cameras. I ended up buying another one as a backup and if/when I get out of the 35mm game these will be the last to end up on the auction block.

 

On the original questions

 

The focus is reasonably fast but against my F5 the F5 wins.

 

AF lock - shutter half way pressed or put in manual mode.

 

The exposure can be set in program mode, aperture mode or manual mode. For the manual mode focus is not required.

 

Have I had problems with the focussing, sure in the begining when I wasn't sure what this camera was doing. Now for my style I don't have any problems.

 

 

As with all cameras you have to be certain that it suits your style. If it does these cameras are definitely bargains.

AF is reasonably fast...way faster than P&S's....not as fast as a Canon SLR AF, but thats hard to beat.<br><br>setting the cam in manual focusing and "zone focussing" with respect to DOF works great, for quick action shots...with the 35mm lens on it, in daylight you have lots of DOF, and at night with the f2 aperture, its tight but if you set it to the distance most used.......say 2.2 meters (my personal distance)...you can very quickly punch the MF to AF or 999(infinity lock)...and then can just as easily go back to your preset zone focus distance.<br><Br>

 

the exposure compensation mentioned a couple post above mine is wrong. Once you get the +/- view in the display on top of the cam, you just use the rocker switch to move it, and you don't have to turn the cam off to reset, you just set to 0.0 compensation.

<br><br>what is tough, is remembering how to do all these special things.........i always need my cheat sheets with me, acquired from various website to remember how to do all those "hidden controls". But the cam is definitely worth the effort.

For me the only negative thing about the Hexar AF is the 250th top speed and it's really not a big deal. Yeah it would also be nice if they had a model with a 28 also but hey what can you do.

<p>

I play with it in all modes with both AF and manual focus on the street, really depends on what the shot is. The tricky thing with the auto focus is if your say shooting a pair of people and shooting blind, the beam can go through the pair and focus on infinity blowing the shot. I have found that if the shot is blown it's my fault and not the cams.

<p>

One thing that always seems to get me is if I'm shooting with a flash and decide to drag the shutter at 1/30th and I'll forget to set it back to 1/60th when I'm done. So if the camera is in P or A mode it'll use that until it's changed back.

<p>

As far as using the flash goes it's great. Though I use a Nikon SC-17 cord and shoot the flash off camera. Got some examples in one of my folders.

<p>

The only way a Leica will come close to its speed is you zone focus or hyper focus and you can do that with the Hexar.

<p>

About 90 percent of my shots here at P.N are shot with the Hexar, check 'em out there's a pretty good mix. 100 percent of the street stuff and party stuff was shot with it.

<p>

Like anything it takes a little learning and getting use to.