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Keen to hear feedback on the Hexar RF when it turns up, I have an M4&M5 and always wanted the Konica. Ive heard they can be funny with the electronics/wind on but saying that I had a Hexar AF for years with no issues.
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Picked it up from the dhl depot this evening.
First thoughts,
Feel in the hand is of quality and solidity. It’s lighter than a Leica but not as much as a Bessa, Ikon or CL(E) would be. Switches and dials are really nice.
Very clean inside. The back opens via a catch very similar to the Hexar AF. It’s definitely a nicer way to open a film back than the usual ‘pulling the rewind knob up’. As nice as the latch for the base plate on my Leica? Maybe not quite but it’s close.
Noise is a lot less intrusive than I worried it might be. Waaay quieter than the motor wind in the Konica FS-1 slr I have.
I did read people’s worries about the electronics, I’m not too concerned. The FS-1 I have was given to my dad as a wedding present so it’s at least 42 years old and still runs fine*, the only issue I ever encountered with my Hexar AF was the shutter button didn’t always fire but it was very easily opened up to the point where I could clean the contacts and that brought it back for a good while.
*it doesn’t always do frame spacing brilliantly, not sure if it’s a battery thing and it’s never bad enough to make them overlap or anything. Faultless otherwise. The Hexar supposedly has an optical sensor to control the winding on.
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Ive heard they can be funny with the electronics/wind on but saying that I had a Hexar AF for years with no issues.
Hmmmm....
Stuck a film in the camera and shot 14 frames on the way to work today. Looked at the camera a little while later and frame counter saying '0'.
Was sure it'd said '14' but doubt set in and thought maybe I didn't engage the film into the take up spool properly so popped the back and ruined 14 frames of film. Bollocks.
Google says it's a common fault caused by the switch that detects the open/shut state of the film door which is luckily quite accessible so the fix is to drip some contact cleaner into it. Squeezing and tapping on the door recreated the fault but not having any contact cleaner to hand I worked the switch back and forth a bit and it seems to be behaving more reliably now.
Have sent the seller an email to see what their take on it is. I don't necessarily want to send it back for a refund because as faults go, this is one that can be dealt with relatively easily but we will see.
M_V
Realised while out cycling yesterday there was an M mount camera that had totally skated under my radar, the Konica Hexar RF.
Had a look at them online last night and they tick all the boxes, lighter than Leica (due to titanium construction) though not as light as a Bessa, metal shutter, aperture priority mode. I have anFS1 slr and I owned a Hexar AF for many years before stupidly selling it so I have a fondness for the brand.
The only slight negative to it is that it’s motor wind but given the positives and the price I can live with that.
I found one at a decent price on eBay and then found the same camera on the sellers own website for £100 less so I’ve stuck it on the credit card and will now need to try and shift my Leica but I should at least have a fair bit left over from selling it to invest in film!