wlaidlaw Posted December 28, 2011 Share #1 Posted December 28, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) One of my local dealers in France (and soon to open a branch in Brighton UK), DPM Images, has a Hexar RF M mount film camera body and flash for sale for only €290. I have a couple of dealings with these people and they seem pleasant and helpful. For someone looking for a cheap M body, this seems a bit of a bargain. I know that there is some question about the back focus distance of the Hexar RF body but I cannot remember what the final conclusion on this issue was. I think Dante Stella has written on it. Link to item here. Hexar 24x36 RF + Flash | Occasions-Destockage-Bonnes affaires | Centre Conseil Leica Var I have no connection with DPM other than being an occasional customer. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 28, 2011 Posted December 28, 2011 Hi wlaidlaw, Take a look here Hexar RF and flash for sale cheap!. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaques Posted December 28, 2011 Share #2 Posted December 28, 2011 that whole back focus issue was totally over-rated in my experience. That is a good price considering it is arguably a better M body than the m7. Certainly not as attractive- but very nice to use. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share #3 Posted December 28, 2011 Jacques, Dante Stella, who is very good technically, thinks it is a non issue with a difference maybe around 0.01mm if anything at all, which depends on how you allow for film bowing. On the other hand Ken Rockwell, who is much less good technically, thinks it makes the Hexar a "non-buy". Erwin sits on the fence - ouch. I have certainly used a friend's Hexar lenses on my M8, with no problems. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rona!d Posted December 28, 2011 Share #4 Posted December 28, 2011 That camera doesn´t look in very good shape plus collected a LOT of dust. The price is quite appealing though and Ken Rockwell (who had a loaner - for how long?) proofed again that he can summarize everything written about cameras in foras (but YEARS later), even the arguable stuff, adding some "loaner experience" and boom, we have a "bible proof test";) As an ex-owner for years AND Leica lover I completely disagree with his build quality/just a bad copy arguments. The Hexar RF in no way feels cheap. Back in it´s days some repair companies offered FFD fine tuning for Leica lenses, mine had that and it was as good as my Leica Ms. The finder is a bit small for the exposure display, you need to look straight through with a certain eye-angle to see the display - not so good when you wear glasses. That was my only complaint. The Hexar RF is a great every day film body, when you have your lazy, not in a Leica mood day. It winds and rewinds film with a build in motor which makes the camera not as big and heavy as an M with the latest motor, plus it uses cheaper batteries for that and even with rewinding every film it showed up with less energy consumption/longer battery life. Too bad worldwide service is a little problem and risk today. Thats maybe the strongest reason I wouldn´t recommend an Hexar RF for the higher prices Mister Rockwell mentioned (but are they really on Leica level? If so, not on M7 level which would be the camera to compare with). Back in the days of 500,-€ for a VERY good Hexar RF it was an unbeaten offer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted January 1, 2012 Share #5 Posted January 1, 2012 I've used my Hexar RF for a while now with a 50 Summilux asph and a 90 APO-Summicron asph wide open and I haven't noticed any back-focus issues. Apart perhaps from a Noctilux I expect that these two lenses would provide the sternest test for (constant) back-focus. Assuming the camera and flash are fully functional €290 sounds like an excellent price for the pair. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaques Posted January 1, 2012 Share #6 Posted January 1, 2012 well I truest Dante on this one- and my own experience. I noticed no focus issue at all. From what I heard- if this problem existed at all- it only affected early cameras. rockwell shoots from the hip- often misses- and often contradicts himself. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted January 1, 2012 Author Share #7 Posted January 1, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) It's gone anyway. Some lucky snapper has "snapped" it up. At that price, you could easily have got a CLA done and still have a real bargain. I regretted getting a Contax G2 rather than the Hexar but Contax was offering us beta testers the G2 and lenses at such huge discounts after we had tested them, that I just could not resist. When they shut Contax UK down in 2003, they gave the two of us in the UK, a free new lens as a thank you present (I got a 35/2 Planar G). I got enough from selling my G1, 2 and 16/21/28/35/45/90/35-70 lenses to buy my M8 and a 35 ASPH Summilux. The Hexar was designed by the same design bureau in Japan that designed the G, used the same shutter and a development of the same wind on mechanism. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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