Hexar RF and M-Mount compatibility

[rui_lebreiro]

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>Trying to find a good alternate do M6 (more affordable and that has M-Mount) I've read nice things about Hexar RF.</p>

<p>Also I've read about some incompability w/ Leica Lenses. As I understood, even w/ the M-mount, in real use que compatibilty is not 100%. Not sure what that means.</p>

<p>Anyone have experience on this? Using Leica lenses (or Voigtlander, also looking at them) in Hexar RF body?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance,<br>

Rui</p>

[HarryBaker]

<p>I've used a Hexar RF with Leica and CV lenses without any problems. The Hexar is a fine camera. I use an M6 and I had an M7. The Hexar is every bit as good as the M7 and in my case it was more reliable. I had trouble with the M7 shutter.</p>

[g-man1]

<p>No problems here,either.</p>

[starvy]

<p>its a wonderful camera. i wish konica was still in the market of producing cameras. sony would never revive such a specialist line. here is a wonderful site about the hexar rf</p>

<p>http://www.dantestella.com/technical/hexarrf.html</p>

<p>lots of information!</p>

[aplumpton]

<p>When I had my Hexar RF I tested both a VC and a Leica M lens (90mm f2.8) on it, with low ISO slide film and then looked at the images under a loupe. I found no lack of sharpness at the f stops (f2.8 and smaller) and the few distances (about 10 and 50 feet) I tried. However, it is true that there is a slight difference (0.2 mm ?) in the distance between the flange of the camera lens mount and the film plane in the two systems (Leica and Konica).</p>

<p>Accordingly, you might find some very limited compatability issues, possibly with the very fast lenses at closer distances. </p>

<p>It would be nice to hear from someone who has tested those faster lenses.</p>

<p>I agree that the Hexar is a fantastic camera and I only sold mine to photo.net member Martin in Czechoslovakia because I had to reduce my system (I also sold my M-6, but soon afterwards bought an M4-P). I miss the Hexar, but one cannot have everything.</p>

[ray .]

<p>I had this camera for a short time and thought it was too noisy for the street, and one of the top controls (I think it was the on off switch) was too easy to bump out out of position. Other than that, an OK camera.</p>

[g-man1]

<p>Issues were found because they were sought out; similar to everyone blissly unaware of foucus shift issues with their Leica lenses on Leica cameras until they started looking 100% on the Leica M8 (allow me a <em>little</em> simplifying, please).</p>

[chris_chen6]

<p>I've had no problems interchanging lenses between my Hexar RF & other Leica M bodies, including the M8.<br>

Here's Dante Stella's take on the issue:</p>

<p>http://www.dantestella.com/technical/flange.html</p>

[Alex_Es]

<p>I have a Hexar RF and agree that there is no noticeable focus shift when using non-Hexar lenses.</p>

<p>I like the camera and have adjusted myself to it, but it does have issues, which is why I would not recommend buying it if it is going to be your main camera or primary backup camera.</p>

<p>It is flimsy. I have had the flash / external finder holder fall off (I glued it back on finally) and the screw fall out of the frame preview level (I found a replacement screw that I had to cut down). Furthermore,　the finder goes out alignment (I spent something like 12000 yen to have it fixed).</p>

<p>On top of that it is not made any more. That means having it serviced or finding spare parts is a major problem.</p>

<p>It suffers signification shutter lag, unlike Leicas, Bessas and ZM Zeiss Ikons.</p>

<p>The viewfinder, a Leica knock off, is small and dim. It is impossible to get correction eye pieces for it. (I use a Op Tec 1.5 magnifier on it that has an adjustable diopter, which is destined to fall off some day.)</p>

<p>I love the concept of this camera, but it is unfortunately an Edsel.</p>

<p>I will not part with mine. It has taken a lot of good pictures. Thanks to the Op Tec eye piece I can used my Summilux 75/1.4 on it wide open. But it is a camera that has to be babied, handled with extreme care like a delicate Ming vase. </p>

<p>I do hope someone some day brings back this camera and builds it right.</p>

[aplumpton]

<p>Like most cameras, autos, computers, printers, coffee-makers and refrigerators, some people have problems with a particular make or its day of production, but others not. I agree that the Hexar may have had some weak points, and possibly more than a Leica (which has been making essentially the same film camera (M) for nearly 60 years now), but some of us had absolutely no troubles with it. </p>

<p>Unlike Alex, I don't think it is an Edsel by any means. Mike Johnston wrote in "Black and White Photography" (the Brit mag) that when the Hexar came out, the Leicaistes were waiting with their Maxwell silver hammers (or with some such analogy) to smash it dead before it could walk. Apparently they succeeded, or maybe Konica was already imagining its 'Gotterdamerung'? Whatever, it is really a great camera with some very fine lenses. Much more solid and svelte than my Cosina rangefinders, which are very good picture making machines, but clunky in comparison.</p>

<p> </p>

[ray .]

<p>I never noticed any shutter lag. There's an extended noise when you release the shutter that is the auto film advance I believe.</p>

[hiromu_kurosaki]

<p>I use Konica, Leica, Voigtlander, and Zeiss lenses on Hexar, M2, and M4-P, but all lenses work fine on all bodies. And I like the Konica's RF the best, it's clear and has lots of room for using wider angles. The only thing I don't like too much is it's noisier than others, when I care about making noise...</p>

[kurt_evers]

<p>The fact this question is being asked says more about the way rumours persist on the internet, than it does about the Konica Hexar RF. Repeat after me: <em><strong>all M lenses work on the Konica Hexar RF. </strong> </em></p>

 

[andrew_john_barns]

<p>I use Leica, Konica and Voigt lenses and all have been fine across all of the bodies. The Konica has been great and I love the in built motor wind when working the streets, it makes being responsive to changing situations a lot easier than an M or Voigt.<br>

Viewfinder is fine and being more suitable for Wide Angle lenses it's suited my use of 28 and 35mm lenses which are my standard.<br>

I'm actually thinking of selling one of miy Konica RF's to reduce the amount of my kit.... you can't carry it all with you, especially when working the streets. One rangefinder normally with a 35mm, my fave being the L-Hexanon UC ( limited production of 1000 peices globally ) great bokeh, and a Ricoh GR1v with 28mm.<br>

If you're interested, get in touch</p>

<div></div>

[Alex_Es]

<p>Well, I am now inspired to take my Hexar out more. I have found no back focus problem even with my 75/1.4. I did test the Hexar 50/1.2 on my M8 and found a back focus problem however. I suspect that when the fellow corrected my finder he also adjusted the camera for Leica lenses.</p>