Electronically controlled RF camera HEXAR RF
A review and Photo example of the HEXAR RF.
Table of contents
Gallery
- Lenses: KM HEXANON 35mm, KM HEXANON 50mm
- Film: Kodachrome PKR-64, FUJIFILM ACROSS 100
Review
1．Overview
The Hexar RF is a Leica M-mount compatible rangefinder film camera released by Konica in 1999.
This rangefinder camera is equipped with electronic devices such as automatic film winding, an LCD film counter, and AE exposure control. It requires two CR2 batteries, and if there are no batteries, the shutter will not release and you cannot take pictures.
The viewfinder magnification is 0.6x and the baseline length is 69.2mm.
2．Usability
The Hexar RF is an M-mount compatible film camera that I ended up with, as I didn’t have the financial means to buy a film Leica M body at the time. Before this camera, I used the MINOLTA CLE, Rollei 35 RF (same as the Bessa-R2), and the CONTAX G1/G2.
Compared to the M-type Leica, the shutter sound is a little louder, which may be a matter of personal preference, but it has many advantages that the M-type Leica does not have, such as a functional display in the viewfinder and automatic electric film winding.
The camera’s viewfinder magnification is 0.6x, so the image is small, which is good for using lenses with a focal length of 50mm or less, but when using a large aperture lens of F2 class with a long focal length of 75mm/90mm, I was worried about the focus accuracy, and I could only shoot with a limited number of films, so I rarely used lenses with a focal length of more than 50mm.
This is a highly automated camera, and the film spool does not require the user to place the film in a gap; instead, the camera automatically winds the film to the initial position when the film is loaded into the camera.
The film is wound as the protrusions on the spool catch on the perforations (holes on either side of the film) of the loaded film.
There is no problem if the film is wound to its initial position when the back is closed, but in rare cases the following can happen, so care must be taken.
If the protrusions on the spool and the perforations in the film are significantly misaligned when the film is loaded and the back is closed, and the film is then loaded repeatedly, the protrusions on the spool will wear out due to interference between the spool and the film perforations.
When the protrusions on the spool wear out, eventually the perforations in the film will not catch on the protrusions on the spool and the film will no longer wind to the initial position, and the film will no longer wind to the initial position. The first camera I used, the Hexar RF, was fully automatic, so I didn’t pay much attention to the film I loaded and kept shooting, but the spool wore out and the film stopped winding, so I had to ask for a repair to replace the spool.
This is because the protrusions on the spool are made of plastic, so they are prone to wear.
As a user, I think it is safe to use the camera so that the spool does not spin freely, so that the wear is minimized by tightening the back cover when the film is set in the camera and the protrusions on the spool are aligned when setting the film in the camera.
The Hexar RF is already an old camera, and there will be no repair parts in 2024, so if you are buying a used one, it will be necessary to check whether the protrusions on the spool of the camera are abnormally worn.
I realized from the description on this page that film without a DX code does not wind automatically, Camera Talk 10, 1999, Leica Boogie Woogie’s Conclusion (Field Camerama note by NAGY), and I felt relieved to understand why the film would not wind when using a suspicious film. The film does not advance automatically, but you can take pictures if you set the film correctly and release the shutter.
The reference book, “All about HEXAR RF: Exploring the Appeal of the Latest Rangefinder Camera with Hexar RF” (Aimook 2005) is a good book with plenty of information on the Hexar RF, but it was published in 2000 and so does not include any information on the HEXAR RF LIMITED body or the M-HEXANON 50mm F1.2 Limited, M-HEXANON 35mm, and M-HEXANON 21-35mm lenses that were released after that, so please note that.
3．Summary
To sum up the Hexar RF, the 0.6x viewfinder is suitable for use with wide-angle lenses from 28mm to 35mm. The viewfinder can be used comfortably up to about 50mm.
It is an excellent rangefinder camera for everyday use such as snapshots. The automatic electric winding is very convenient.
The controls are conveniently located on the top plate and can be used without having to refer to the manual.
Specifications and comparison with other cameras
The Zeiss Ikon (COSINA / released in 2005) has a long base length and a large magnification, making it easier to see through the viewfinder and more accurate.
The Rollei 35 RF (BESSA_OEM) has a large viewfinder magnification but a short base length, so the effective base length is smaller.
| Camera | HEXAR RF | Rollei 35 RF | Zeiss Ikon |
| Finder Mechanisim | Real-image reverse Galilean perspective finder | Real-image reverse Galilean perspective finder | Real-image reverse Galilean perspective finder |
| Viewfinder Magnification | x0.6 | x0.7 | x0.74 |
| Finder Frame | 28,90 / 35,135 / 50,75 | 40 / 50 / 80 | 28,85 / 35 / 50 |
| Baseline length(mm) | 69.2 | 37 | 75 |
| Effective baseline length(mm) | 41.5 | 25.9 | 55.5 |
| Shutter Mechanisim | Electronically controlled vertically moving metal focal plane shutter | Vertical travel laminar metal focal plane shutter | Electronically controlled vertically moving metal focal plane shutter |
| Shutter speed(sec) | 1/4000〜16(Auto) 1/4000〜1(Manual) | 1/2000〜1 | 1/2000〜1 |
| Photometry method | Shutter curtain, TTL direct metering | Center weighted TTL average metering upon light depression of shutter release | Center weighted TTL average metering upon light depression of shutter release |
| Battery | CR2-3V x2 | LR44/SR44 x2 | CR-1/3N x1 SR44 x2 LR44 x2 |
| Size(mm) W x H x D | 139.5 × 80 × 35 | 135.5 × 81 × 25.5〜33.5 | 138 × 77.5 × 32 |
| Weight(g) | 560 | 440 | 460 |
| Release date | Normal (1999.1） Limited（2001） | 2002 (2006 sales end) | 2005.10 |
Options
- Flash HX-18W
- Leather case
- Konica M mount lens
| Focal length | Lens name | Release date | Technical Report |
| 28mm | M-HEXANON f28 / F2.8 | 1999年 | 28/50/90mm-PDF |
| 50mm | M-HEXANON f50 / F2 | 1999年 | 28/50/90mm-PDF |
| 90mm | M-HEXANON f90 / F2.8 | 1999年 | 28/50/90mm-PDF |
| 35mm | M-HEXANON f35 / F2 | 2000年 | 35mm-PDF |
| 50mm | M-HEXANON f50 / F1.2 | 2001年 | 50mm/F1.2-PDF |
| 21-35mm | M-HEXANON f21-35 / F3.4-4 | 2002年 | 21-35mm-PDF |
Reference links
Update history
- 2024.05.18
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