Konica Hexar RF
electronic flash with direct X contact | |
Shutter | |
---|---|
Frame rate | 2.5frame/s in continuous mode |
General | |
Dimensions | 139.5x80x35mm, 560g w/o batteries |
The
Lens mount
The Konica Hexar RF accepts
When first released there was some controversy and discussion about whether the "Bayonet Konica KM-mount" of the Hexar RF was, in fact, fully compatible with the
Other testers found no problems, and suggested that early reports may have related problems with early-production samples or to cameras at one end of a tolerance range matched with lenses at the other, and so claimed there was no systemic problem. The latter seems to have become the consensus view. Many users report using Leica and Konica lenses and cameras interchangeably with good results, including lenses of longer focal length or wider maximum aperture where problems are more likely to be encountered.[3]
Viewfinder/Rangefinder
The Konica Hexar RF camera uses a
The brightline framelines that show in the viewfinder are selected from one of three frameline pairings, depending on the
- 50 mm and 75 mm
- 28 mm and 90 mm
- 35 mm and 135 mm
These pairings are the same as those used for later
Camera body
The Konica Hexar RF is similar in form-factor to
Major controls, including shutter release button, surrounding off/mode switch, film-speed/exposure-compensation dial and shutter speed dial are located on the right-hand side of the top plate, as seen from the rear, as is the LCD displaying the current frame count. The viewfinder is located on the upper left-hand side of the camera. The manual rewind button, release catch for the camera back and cable release socket are on the left-hand side of the camera. The lens mount release and frameline preview lever are located on the front of the camera. The bottom plate has the cover for the batteries and a tripod socket.
Film transport
The Konica Hexar RF has a hinged, swing-open, camera back with cut-out view window to show the
Film is automatically advanced to the next frame (and the
Film transport is very different from
Shutter
The Konica Hexar RF has a
Shutter speeds between 16 seconds and 1/4000th of a second (continuous) are supported in aperture priority auto-exposure metering mode. Shutter speeds from one second to 1/4000th of a second (in discrete steps) may be selected in manual exposure mode. A bulb (B) mode is also supported (the shutter remains open while shutter release is activated).
Shutter release modes (and film advance) are controlled by a 4-position switch surrounding the top-mounted shutter release button. Positions are:
- off the camera is off (the LCD frame counter remains on while batteries are present, giving an indication that batteries are charged).
- single-shot the shutter is released and one frame advanced each time the shutter release is activated
- continuous the shutter is released and film advanced for as long as the shutter release is activated, at approximately 2.5 frames per second
- self-timer the shutter is released, and one frame advanced, 10 seconds after shutter release is activated
Shutter release is activated by pressing the top-mounted shutter release button or by a
Exposure metering
The Konica Hexar RF meters for exposure either by aperture priority auto-exposure (with AE lock and +/-2EV exposure compensation) or in metered-manual mode. Aperture priority is selected by setting the shutter speed dial to either the AE or AE lock position. Manual exposure is set by selecting a specific shutter speed on the shutter speed dial (there is a central interlock button to prevent accidentally moving the dial from the AE modes to a manually selected shutter speed).
Exposure metering is through-the-lens (
Electronic flash
The Konica Hexar RF has an
Packaging
The Konica Hexar RF was sold either "body only" or as a set in a presentation box containing the Konica Hexar RF
Konica M-Hexanon lenses
Subsequently, in 2001, an M-Hexanon 35 mm f2 lens was released,[4] and a new-model 50 mm f1.2 lens was produced, for release only with a 2001-release limited-edition version of the Hexar RF camera.
In 2002 a dual
- M-Hexanon 28mm f/2.8 (1999)
- M-Hexanon 35mm f/2 (1999)
- M-Hexanon 50mm f/1.2 (2001)
- M-Hexanon 50mm f/2 (1999)
- M-Hexanon 90mm f/2.8 (1999)
- M-Hexanon Dual 21-35mm f/3.4-4 (2002)
Konica's Leica-mount Hexanon lenses (whether
Other Konica rangefinder lenses
Konica produced rangefinder lenses for the Leica mount in the 1950s and produced a series of so-called "L-mount" lenses, in limited quantities, for the same mount in the late 1990s through 2001.
The range of Leica thread mount lenses produced by Konica includes:
1950s
- 50/3.5 Hexar collapsible
- 50 mm f/1.9 Hexanon
- 60/1.2 Hexanon
1990s - 2001
- 35/2 L Hexanon (1996)
- 35/2 L UC-Hexanon (2001)
- 50/2.4 L Hexanon collapsible (1997)
- 60/1.2 L Hexanon (1999)[6]
2001 Limited Edition
Konica produced a chrome-finish Hexar RF Limited camera, targeted for the year 2001 (the new millennium) in a limited release of 2001 units, supplied in a boxed set including a new M-Hexanon 50 mm f1.2 lens and HX-18 flash.[1] The lens was only manufactured for this set, so examples are unavailable except in conjunction with the limited-edition kit or the (apparently few) occasions where components of the kit have been separated. This means that most are held by collectors or those willing to pay "collectible" prices.
Hexar RF Half-Frame
At some phase of the production of the Hexar RF, Konica made 50 units of a half-frame variant of the camera[7] named Hexar 72.
Successors
Production of the Konica Hexar RF
Konica Minolta has since announced[10] "Konica Minolta ceased the entire customer services for Konica Minolta cameras and related products, as of 31 December 2010." It appears that services such as downloads for camera manuals were withdrawn at roughly the time of this announcement.
References
- ^ a b c d e "CameraQuest: Konica Hexar RF". Stephen Gandy. 2006. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ "Leica FAQ: Are leica M lenses compatible with the Konica Hexar RF". Andrew Nemeth. 2006. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ "Hands off my flange!". Dante Stella. 2002. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ "The Development of the Konica M-HEXANON 35 mm F2.0 (Japanese Language)" (PDF). Konica Minolta. 2001. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ "CameraQuest: New Generation Multi-Focal Rangefinder Lenses". Stephen Gandy. 2002. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ "CameraQuest: Konica 60/1.2 Leica Screw Mount". Stephen Gandy. 2003. Retrieved 2008-01-16.
- ^ "What-Might-Have-Been Dept". RFF user "amateriat". 2006. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ "Notification of the Integration and Reorganization of the Konica Minolta Group". Konica Minolta. 2003. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ "Konica Minolta Announces Withdrawal Plan for Camera Business and Photo Business". Konica Minolta. 2006. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ "Camera & Photo Support". Konica Minolta. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
External links
- [1] Manual for the Hexar RF from a Konica Minolta web site (no longer available for download)
- [2] Hexar RF on Stephen Gandy's CameraQuest Site
- [3] Hexar RF on Dante Stella's photography web site
- [4] Hexar RF on Karen Nakamura's Photoethnography Site.
- [5] Leica FAQ entry by Andrew Nemeth
- (6) info about Konica hexar RF on camdex.fr