andreas_holmstr_m Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Hi Guys, As some of you might have noticed, I've been selling off some of my Leica gear. The reason for this was that I found an unused Konica Hexar RF Limited, number 1253/2001. I absolutely love this camera. I couldn't think that the virefinder would actually be as good as it is. I read on the internet that the RF was not on par with Leicas, I think it is. The smaller mag, .60 is the only negative thing I can think of. The .72 is more practical when using 50mm lenses. Another thing I realized was that it's not possible to use the Leica Mag 1,25X :(. For me this is a bummer. I used the mag a lot. However, I think you can make it fit somehow. The lens included is a jewel. 50mm F1.2! As the original Noxtilux. It looks like the nocti too! The lens is also special edition and has the same serial as the body. The body feels great in the hand, the camera is pretty heavy, but this is due to the lens aswell. Big piece of glass. The controls are well designed and easy to use. Loading the film is easier than on an SLR! Incredable. Motordrive is a nice extra, well I wouldn't have liked it less if it had an Film advance crank either. Talking of film advance, the shutter is as quite as a M6, but the motor drive makes it a bit noisier. Still this is a very quite camera. The finish is actual Titanium. And I just love the feel of Titanium. I have always used Nokias "Zippo" models as mobilephones (8910) for example had an Titanium shell, and I loved it aswell. A great choise by Konica was to leave the body in the natural color of titanium. I might be wrong here, but I don't think it's painted. Anyone else here with this marvelous camera? -Andreas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreas_holmstr_m Posted January 13, 2007 Author Share Posted January 13, 2007 A pic.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_w. Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Nice camera. Hopefully you'll have better luck with it than I did with my black RF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreas_holmstr_m Posted January 13, 2007 Author Share Posted January 13, 2007 Hi Stephen, Please tell me more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey_edelstein1 Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 I have heard that they are very reliable unless you jar the VF rangefinder by letting the camera bonk into something. OPtech has a cross body strap that is elastic type harness and the camera is restrained against your midsection when not at you eyelevel. Or it would look nice in a burgundy half case which would cushion any shock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_w. Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Basically, the RF in my camera would go out of alignment with only the slightest jostleling in the field, i.e., along dring a bike ride. It went back to Konica, N.J. five or six times. It would be out of alignment out of the box. Search my posts or PN in general. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_w. Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Obviously, I was typing when Harvey posted. I was shooting in a church (my GF is Catholic, I'm not) during Easter and the RF's motor turned heads, my M6 did not. It would've been a nicer camera if the built-in motor could be turned off and a lever was provided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_unlisted Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Ho much did you find the kit for? I have the lens and am looking to trade it. Mine has a noticable scratch on the lens barrel back near the mount but optically is fine. I have never been convinced it foussed correctly on my M6 and as I just traded off my Noct, am looking to trade this as well. Anyone have a 28 'cron they aren't too attached to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreas_holmstr_m Posted January 13, 2007 Author Share Posted January 13, 2007 Unused in original packaging, 730euro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_w. Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 That's a good price. I sold my RF body for $450, IIRC, but the new owner reported an E02 (?) error. I split the repair price with him...never again. Mark, how much are you asking for your lens, as I don't have a 28/2? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pablito_pistola Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 I had the same RF problems, it would not stay in alignment. After several trips to the Konica factory repaair shop in NJ and many phone calls, I finally got a Konica repair technician to admit that even if they fixed it, it was likely to go out of alignment in the box on the way back to me. Hopefully they fixed this in the copy you got. Good luck, very pretty camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattalofs Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 I've got two Hexar RF's, and neither has ever given me any RF alignment problems. The Hexar is kind of particular about your eye placement; place your eye anything off of dead center, and it's easy to think that the VF is misaligned. If the alignment does go out, you can adjust it fairly easily by fiddling with the two screws under the plastic plug on the top deck. The titanium is pretty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoyo lee Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Hi Andreas. After hearing all these horric stories of RF misalignment, if you don't intend to keep it, do let me know. I am keen. Cheers! yol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuart_richardson Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 I never had any problems with focus accuracy for the Hexar RF either. I sent it to DAG when I got it to make sure it worked with Leica lenses and after that it was perfect (it was probably fine before too). Anyway, I also have the 50/1.2 limited and it is a great lens. I would say that it's closest comparison is the 50/1.4 Summilux R. It has a lovely character, and while still being sharp, contrasty and modern looking, it is not as sharp and contrasty as the 50/1.4 ASPH. It is a truly great lens. Here are some samples: <P><img src="http://www.stuartrichardson.com/jodie-800.jpg"><P><img src="http:// www.stuartrichardson.com/presidio-bells.jpg"> <P>I did a setup comparison between the 50/1.2 Konica at 1.2 and the 50/1.4 ASPH at 1.4. I did adjust the contrast on both to be similar, so don't look at this for contrast so much as overall image character. The Lux ASPH is sharper wide open, but it is not a knockout. I did these on a tripod with a 1.25x magnifier. <P>Konica<P><img src="http://www.stuartrichardson.com/bt-50hexanon- limited.jpg"><P>Lux ASPH<P><img src="http://www.stuartrichardson.com/ bt-50asph.jpg"><P>Konica crop<P><img src="http://www.stuartrichardson.com/ bt-50hexanon-limited-crop.jpg"><P>Lux ASPH Crop<P><img src="http:// www.stuartrichardson.com/bt-50asph-crop.jpg"> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david j.lee Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 there are two cameras i would love to have in my collection. one is the mamiya 7II, the other is the konica hexar rf. maybe someday i will... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h_kan_th_rngren Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 I have one as well, picked it up second hand 2 years ago. I think the body is varnished as mine has a few minor spots where it has been worn off. The spots have the same color, but are more shiny. /H嫡n Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreas_holmstr_m Posted January 14, 2007 Author Share Posted January 14, 2007 I have now shot two rolls of film trough it, and it seems to work as a dream. I love that you can easily change shutter speed with your indexfinger, the Leica M6 require thumb and finger to set the shutter speed. Is there TTL flash metering? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattalofs Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 "I love that you can easily change shutter speed with your indexfinger, the Leica M6 require thumb and finger to set the shutter speed. Is there TTL flash metering?" Yes, the shutter speed dial is a piece of ergonomic genius. In my opinion, nothing beats the Hexar RF for egronomics. There's no TTL flash metering, but this camera seems to work well with the auto function on Nikon flashes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuart_richardson Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 Andreas...next time you're having your M6 serviced, you might ask them to loosen the shutter speed dial a bit. I have no problem turning the shutter speed dial with one finger on any Leicas I have used (M3, M6, MP or M7). It should not be very hard...in my opinion, the M7's larger dial is just as easy as the hexar RF... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreas_holmstr_m Posted January 14, 2007 Author Share Posted January 14, 2007 No it's not stiff, but the smaller M6 classic shutter speed dial, at least from me to operate carefully requires two fingers. I't similar in resistance as the Konicas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mads_torben_christensen Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 Congratulations, Andreas. You have got a very nice camera and lens at an incredible low price. And be sure that the lens is every bit as good as you can hope for. Please have a look here. The lens sits on my black Hexar RF. Mads<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g-man1 Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 My thoughts: No focussing problems on my Hexar RF (black), later serial number. However, Noisier than a Digital SLR, quiter than a film SLR (canon eos elan excepted), and much noisier than a lens-shutter digital point and shoot or M7 or M3. Handling and ergonomics are great; film loading is easy; viewfinder and focussing square are bright; build quality is excellent; longer shutter delay than an M3 or Nikon D200, shorter than a Nikon D50 or similar DSLR and consumer film SLRs. Built in christmas tree like exposure meter is easy to use (doesn't read the acutal speed below 1/4 second, but it does expose to 30s [i believe]). See what Dante Stella wrote here: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/hexarRF/message/4954 He explains how he used a Nikon eyepiece magnifier on a Hexar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerry_szarek Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 I bought my Hexar RF from "Marc", what a steal, sent it to NJ to get it calibrated with Leica lenses, has worked fine since then. It has essentially replace my M4-P. BTW your 1.25X can NOT be made to work on it since the last optic on the Hexar RF is powered (ie has curvature, don't ask what type since I have forgotten). You can find a whole bunch of info on this camera at Nemeth's site, including how to align the rangefinder, and how to remove the lens shim so Leica lenses will focus correctly. BTW things I really love about the Hexar RF, built in meter, flash sync at 1/125th, built in motor, easy film loading, ... ok it is noiser than my M4-P but compared to most DSLR's it's really quiet. Gerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venchka Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 "I love that you can easily change shutter speed with your indexfinger, the Leica M6 require thumb and finger to set the shutter speed." I have never used the Konica Hexar RF. From photos of the Hexar, I would have to say that the Winners and still Champions of the shutter speed dial design and placement are still the Leica M5 and Canon EF. I don't know which came first. Both were introduced at nearly the same time. I am fortunate to own and use both cameras. If the Hexar RF's speed dial is better, we owe the M5 and EF credit for setting the standard. I would really like to own the M-Hexanon 50/1.2 lens. I may have to start shopping. Thanks for sharing all of this information. Cheers! Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joel_sackett Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 My Konica RF stopped working one day with a flashing number 11 in the LCD. I had dropped it a few weeks early. It worked after the fall and looked undamaged. I sent it to Greg Weber, the Konica specialist. He had it for a couple of months, waiting for parts that never came from Japan. Now the camera is a paperweight unless somebody out there can make another recommendation for how to get this camera fixed. I used this body with Leica glass for several assignments alongside an M6 and it was great. DAG adjusted the rangefinder to my lenses awhile back. Help me get this camera back in action! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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