Hexar RF/35 Summicron Asph.

[claudiu_falub]

Hello!

 

<p>

 

I put a question a few month whether to change my SLR outfit with a M-type rangefinder camera. Many of you told me I should not switch completely to a RF.

 

<p>

 

Well, I have finally purchased a RF camera, but I think I have to disappoint you since it is not a M6-ttl ... ;) I purchased the Hexar-RF (Summicron 35/2 Asph) instead. Jeff Spirer and a few other people told me that the camera works fine with the Summicron 35/2 Asph., and I am not going to buy soon another lens, perhaps the Voigtlander 21/4. I have been performing a few tests and the camera is impressive. I am going to test it more extensively soon. (I still keep my SLR with a couple of lenses ...).

 

<p>

 

Btw I put more stuff on my web site, so please take a look. Opinions are welcome.

 

<p>

 

Thanks a lot and greetings!

Claudiu

 

<p>

 

--

Claudiu Falub Photography

http://www.iri.tudelft.nl/~cfalub

http://iriaxp.iri.tudelft.nl/~cfalub

[xavier_dalfort]

Claudiu:

 

<p>

 

Congratulation. In a recent reading, in "Chasseur d'Image" the

Hexanon was rated as good as the leica previous generation.

 

<p>

 

So it's a good bargain overall.

 

<p>

 

Enjoy. X.

[claudiu_falub]

I have the Leica Summicron 35/2 Aspheric.

[jeremy_thomas]

excellent b+w work, cladiu. you gracefully capture the interaction

between humans and the "non-human" elements surrounding them.

 

<p>

 

p.s. you'll love the 35 summicron.

 

<p>

 

jeremyT

<a href="http://www.lifeinblue.com">blue,Ink.</a>

[stephen_jones4]

I don't know much (to coin a phrase) but I know I love my 35 asph

summicron - I hope it gives you the pleasure I get from mine -

reliably beautiful. As for your pictures - I can't get at them - I get

-ERROR-(403): Access to object is _ruled_ out.

mac os 9.2. Shame...

[stephen_jones4]

please disregard that last remark - I tried to enter both

addresses as the website address - doh!

[claudiu_falub]

My web page is at: http://www.iri.tudelft.nl/~cfalub

 

<p>

 

This also should work: http://iriaxp.iri.tudelft.nl/~cfalub

 

<p>

 

I hope to make something easier (*.com) in the near future ...

 

<p>

 

About the Hexar RF. I still have one question: I have been

hearing some rumors about possible "incompatibilities" with some Leica

lenses at wide apertures (2 or wider). Is the 35/2 Summicron one of

them ? Or maybe I should not bother too much since 35/2 Summicron has

a DOF wide enough (even at f2) ...

 

<p>

 

Claudiu

[johannes_fleischhauer]

Hi Claudiu,

 

<p>

 

I realy liked your photographs. What colors and the composition.

Congratulation.

 

<p>

 

Johannes

[Spearhead]

<i>About the Hexar RF. I still have one question: I have been hearing

some rumors about possible "incompatibilities" with some Leica lenses

at wide apertures (2 or wider). </i><p>

 

It looks like this was a measuring error, which, because some people

publicized it without knowing much about it, caused some people to

spend a lot of money to "correct" the "problem." This is from an

excerpt of a writeup on why there was a perceived problem:<p>

<i>

Apparently in the Hexar the film rides on inner rails that are set

lower than the outer rails on which the pressure plate rests, by

about a film's thickness. In contrast the Leica has a single set of

rails - the film rides on them, and the pressure plate rests on the

film - meaning that when there is film in the camera the Leica's

pressure plate is moved back from its original position by the

thickness of the film.

</i><p>

 

This probably explains why no-one ever saw a difference in their

photos.

[joshroot]

Jeff, that is very funny. And a good poke in the ear for the Leica

snobs who ran around like the sky was falling "The lenses won't work!

Must have Leica! The lenses won't work! Must have Leica!"

[bobtodrick]

I think what Claudiu is refering to (measuring error) is due to the

fact that the Hexar has a slightly shorter rangefinder base than the

M, making it slightly less accurate (as was the CL) at wide apertures.

From what I understand though, we're taking about the F1.4 and faster

lenses only.......

[Robin Smith]

My impression is that most Hexar RF purchasers either already have

Leica lenses or other Leica bodies, so although some Leica owners no

doubt are snobbish, many Leica owners have embraced the camera too.

The pain from my perspective is that if you cannot buy the camera body

on its own - so you get saddled with a 50mm lens that you probably

already have. If you need a 50mm lens too then it is a good option.

Still, I am not sure it is selling to people who do not already have a

Leica connection. Also now the new Leicawinder is here this removes

one of the attractions of the RF. Also although the 1/125th flash sync

is nicer than the M, there is no TTL flash, so it is two steps forward

and then two steps back.

[kenny_chiu8]

I also like my Hexar-RF particularly with 35/asph. Comparing with

m6 0.72 view finder the Hexar-RF one shows more image area outside

the framelines which reminds me more of compositions. With Hexar-RF

I can load my film much faster and without worring of film advancing,

exposure (more or less) and focus on composition/focusing. M6 is

just a little bit quieter than Hexar-RF and has more view finder

magnification choices. More than 90% of time the Hexar-RF is my

choice of use with my Leica lenses. The Hexar-RF does have self

timer and shutter/meter lock and film-peek window, auto/manual DX and

much more to offer over Leica M6.

[kenny_chiu8]

Also the view finder of Hexar RF seems a little bit darker(less

flare) than that on a Leica M6. Hexar RF has a built-in hand grip.

More important everything is integral together in about the same of a

Leica M6. It would be doubly painful to change film using a Leica

M6 with an auto winder on and not to metion of its added weight when

using.