Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/02/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Deniz: I posted this about a week ago. Tom _________ Hello Luggers: Nearly three years ago I posted a message here that if any company would build an M6-like body that had four things I would buy it on the spot. Those things were: A decent motor, a matrix meter with aperture priority AE, a 1/250th flash sync, and auto bracketing. I had in mind something like a G2 with a mechanical rangefinder and an M mount. The Hexar RF is close enough that I was the first kid on the block to have one, and here is my field report. Consider the source: I am a photographer, not a collector. I have no brand loyalty at all, and will frequently buy a camera and/or lenses to use them for a specific project and sell them three months later (it's cheaper than a rental). I consider any camera not available in black to be silly at best. I love technology. So there I am, feel free to discount my opinions based on this profile. The Hexar is nicely finished and well made. I prefer the black finish to that of the Leica M cameras (The M finish being so prone to fine scratches that people leave the plastic packing material on the bottoms of their cameras to protect them). I think in the long run the Hexar may not wear as well as the Leica finish, but it doesn't show fingerprints or tiny marks. The body is covered with a nice rubber cover that has a great feel. For the first week or so the rubber was out-gassing a pretty strange smell, but that wore off. The seams are parallel. The switches and knobs are tight and smooth. This isn't a G2 with a rangefinder. You couldn't call it whiz-bang; technology wise, it could have been made in 1985. It's an M6 with a few feature improvements. Changes over the M: 1. It makes much more sense to set the film speed on the top of the camera where the shutter speed dial is located than on the back of the camera. The addition of DX coding is a convenience with no down side. 2. The drop in loading removes one of the great flaws of the M system. Ted Grant notwithstanding, a photographer should not have to devote significant time to learning how to load any camera. It certainly shouldn't require practice. 3. The Hexar has an off switch. You don't have to twist the shutter speed dial to get the meter to go off. On the M there is no way to assure that an exposure won't be made by brushing up against the camera. You can bring the Hexar to the eye and turn it on in the same move. It's EXACTLY the same size as the M6, clearly Konica was making a copy. The corners are less rounded, but it has an excellent feel. The motor is fast and not too loud, certainly quieter than any of the M winders, and quieter than any SLR. However, It isn't the lovely "thunk" of the M shutter. And if you're into the sound of your camera the Hexar will give you the heebee jeebees. It isn't the volume, it's the pitch. It's high and shrill. In a room with any ambient noise you don't notice it. And it doesn't draw attention, but you won't like it. The rangefinder is every bit as goods as the M rangefinder, and better than the later M6 rangefinders. I have tried hard to get it to flair out as will the M6, but it won't, even in sun on snow situations. The frame lines are identical to the Leica frame lines. I personally like the lower magnification for the 35mm lens, but when you get to using a 90, it's a turkey shoot. They clearly need to make a Hexar RF-HM. Also, the shutter speed in the finder is great to have, but, as with all diode displays, hard to see in bright light, like on snow. For me, I'll give that up not to have the M6 diodes blinding me in dim light. The meter isn't Nikon Matrix, but it works. I have long been critical of the spot in the M6 meter, I just could make it work. The Hexar is like a mid-1970s center-weighted meter (like the FE). It's not great, but it's what I cut my teeth on, so I have the instincts for it. Bad things: 1) The release isn't threaded so I can't use my softie. And to get the meter to light you can't just touch it, as with most electric releases, you need to give it a real push. The shutter release itself is smooth, positive and quick, but the meter activation is not precise. There is a standard cable release socket, but it's on the side of the camera as with the Mamiya rangefinders. 2) on single shot, it winds as soon as the exposure is made, unlike cameras where you could hold down the release and it wouldn't wind until you let it up (again the Nikon FE and MD-12 comes to mind). That would have made it a functionally silent camera. 3) The location of the strap lugs makes the Hexar balance at about a 25 degree angle back toward you. It doesn't sound like much, but it's odd, and feels really funny. You'll notice I haven't commented on the 50mm lens, or on photographs made with the Hexar. That's because I haven't made a single photograph with the Konica glass, and I probably won't. And the photographs as are the same lovely photographs my Leica M lenses always make. The Hexar RF is the best thing that ever happened to my Leica lenses. All of my lenses have seen more use in the last month than they had in the previous six. If the Hexar was exactly the same, but rebadged Leica, the zealots on this list would be speaking in tongues. For me, it's my new standard body. PS: the little flash that came with the kit is just outstanding. Tiny and quick. I wouldn't pay $150 for it alone, but I'm using it often. >Hi Folks, > >I´m reading the postings since a period of time. Has anyone already the >Konika RF and have those guys and gals already made some experiences with >Leica lenses??? > >Best regards, > >Deniz Saylan >Photojournalist Thomas Kachadurian - ------------------- www.kachadurian.com