Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/11/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Patrick Smith wrote: > The focus is off (the rangefinder focuses nearer than the > real plane of focus) by about 5%, meaning that if one > focuses on some object 2 meters away, the Leica lens on > the Hexar will focus 10 cm shorter than when it should. In summary I can safely say that while the Hexar RF may be a fine body to use with Konica Hexar RF lenses, it doesn't really make the grade with my Leica-M lenses or my LTM Lenses in M-Adapters. I also bought a Hexar RF body to use with my Leica lenses. I was very surprised to discover that every Leica lens I owned caused the Hexar RF rangefinder to converge at infinity before the lens reached infinity. I tried 3 different 50mm Summicrons (rigid, collapsible, DR), 3 different 90mm (Elmar-C, Tele-Elmarit, LTM Elmar w/M-adapt), 28mm, and two different 135mm lenses (Elmar f4.0 and Elmarit-m f2.8). All had the infinity convergence issue. All these lenses focus fine with my M2. In addition, the eyes of the DR Summicron would not mount since the top of the body interferred with the support stub for the eyes (Optical Viewing Unit). But, the 135mm f2.8 Elmarit-M eyes aligned OK, as did my Close Focusing Device (16,507) for Summicron (which has no support stub). Frame lines all came up correctly with my Leica lenses. The lens mount fit on the Hexar is very solid, but I was so disappointed by the infinity focus problem I returned the body to the seller for exchange. They tested eight different bodies from their stock with no improvement. Konica USA declined to address this issue with their own dealer, falling back on the statement in the owners manual to the effect that compatibility with non-Konica lenses is not assured. In addition, neither the 1 year nor the optional (at extra cost) two additional year warrantee extension can be transferrred beyond the origional purchaser. Konica USA refused to adjust the Hexar RF viewfinder for Leica lens compatibility - I guess it can't be done. I suspect that the pitch on the K-M lens helicoid may be different or the RF cam lever may be different. My dealer and I were shocked by Konica USA's attitude and my dealer quickly refunded my purchase price and shipping. (Some NY dealers are great!). I don't want to start a flame, but I cannot understand why a Konica product planner would specify a product that used the Leica-M mount but had a viewfinder that was close, but did not accurately focus Leica-M lenses. It seems like such a waste of effort. Konica could have just invented a new lens mount for all the good their M-mount effort has done them. So, I hereby nominate the Konica Hexar RF for the "Try Harder Next Time" award. Since Konica appears to have no intention to make the Hexar RF anything other than so-so compatible with Leica lenses, the product is sure to die an early and deserved death unless some clever Leica repair technician can correctly 'calibrate' Hexar reangefinders to actually work acurately with the Leica lenses most of us actually use.