[Leica] Re: Touching a Konica Hexar RF

[Cummer Family <cummer@asiaonline.net>]

Dear LUGGERS,
I have been off list for 10 days, away in cold over taxed Canada (my home
and native land)with various Chinese customers and I come back on list to
find the lovely report by Peter Choy (hello Peter, sorry to have missed you
- - did you bring the Rollei 35S as well as your CLE?)on the HK LUG dinner
which I am really upset about not attending, although Es, my wife, did fill
in and also hosted the Firkins around HK a bit (as Alastair also reports in
this LUG - looking forward to his longer report later). From the LUG dinner
Esther brought back a photo of me using a Rollei 35 SE upside down to
illustrate how the flash would work (thanks Adrian B). I agree with
Alastair that one of the wonderful things about the LUG is how it brings
like minded people together. I am delighted to meet and socialize with
LUGGERS and sometimes these meetings lead on to interesting experiences. In
Toronto, while the Chinese were off shopping, I snuck away to 8 Elm Street
photo where Keith Matson (LUGGER lurker - hello Keith) rep for Hasselblad
in Canada and former owner of Gallery Camera (where I spent many happy
hours fondling and buying Leica gear)had arranged for me to play with a
demo model of the Hexar RF. First, the body is very well finished - Leica
quality all the way. Second, the Leica lenses that I had with me, 24, 35
and 90 all fit without any problem and all metered. The LEDs indicating
shutter speeds are on the left side of the viewfinder and are very easy to
see - even with glasses. This is the advantage of a 0.60 viewfinder. The 28
frame is completely viewable but it is disconcerting that there is no line
on the left side of the finder to indicate the 28 mm frame edge - you have
to guess it from where the shutter speed LED lights up. I hope they correct
this in the production model. Using the camera in AP mode is a real
pleasure. You just set the aperture, touch the shutter release and you get
a shutter speed LED. Set the camera to exposure lock and the speed doesn't
change as you reframe. On manual you set the shutter speed which lights up
and then rotate the aperture ring on the lens until only the shutter speed
which you set is lit. Very nice, intuitive, and progress over the CLE which
is the only AP M bayonet competition. In two areas I have some reservations
about the Hexar over the CLE. First there is the problem of no TTL fill
flash on the Hexar which the CLE has had for 20 years and now the M6TTL. I
really just don't understand this omission! Second the frame lines in the
Hexar are not as bright as in the CLE (and in the M6). I don't know if it
is lack of light transmission through the frosted window to the frame
lines, or the reflective quality of the finder prisms, but the lines are
not as bright. The rangefinder patch is sharply edged and there was
certainly no problem focussing - very sharp and very smooth. I didn't have
a chance to check for flare suppression in back lighting situations but I
will when I get mine as this is one aspect of my M6HM TTL which really
bothers me. Maybe a lower contrast viewfinder will have less backlight
flare. The frame lines certainly work fine up to 50mm, maybe even 75, but
for the 90 and the 135 they are too small to be of much use. This is a wide
angle camera in my view - no pun intended. Finally, I was very curious
about the winder and its reputed noise. It is very quiet, like the old
Hexar, and anybody who is complaining about winding noise either a) hasn't
tried the camera, or b) is being silly for their own reasons. I also took
some pictures with the Konica 50mm lens attached to my CLE to see how it
works - not scientific, I admit, and the lens is nicely finished - but I
won't be replacing my Leica glass with it any time soon.
Summary: For those of us enamoured of AP rangefinder shooting who are not
philosophically opposed to motor winding, I think there will be room in our
kitbags for an RF which will occupy its own special niche, perhaps only for
a short time.
I also got back from Tom A (sorry to have missed you Tom) my old Summarit
and I am going out shooting early in the week, because whilst away Dr.
Joseph has received my three Cosina lenses which were just reviewed by
Erwin in the LUG. Thanks Erwin for that, glad you are better, and great to
be back. It is good to be alive!
Cheers
Howard.
PS Adrian Bradshaw - email me privately please - I have some things for you
from Tom A and will be in Beijing on Thursday.