Lens/image quality. Great viewfinder, just-right size, ergonomics, weight, speed of operation, quietness, built-in lens hood, multiple exposure functions. A solid camera.

Couple of teeny button--but no big deal.

I recently purchased a like-new Hexar Silver. Had read so much about it, and seen really fine photos from it, too. Got the filter shim from Konica Hexar USA--gratis, too. Nice of them. A real gem of a camera/lens. Discontinued ('99 I believe)but they are still out there to be had. Get one!

Customer Service

Great (see above), so far.

Similar Products Used:

Leitz-Minolta CL, Rollei 35S, Olympus XA2.

Awesome lens. Flashmatic! So cool. Quiet. I have the black version, but I seldom use the slowed motor quiet mode, since the normal mode is quieter than anything, except maybe an Oly-XA

It's pretty big. In my dreams it would have a 21-45mm zoom. That would rock.

This is really a fantastic camera with a great lens. The controls are really freaky, especially the upgraded firmware settings. This can be done at Konica for a nominal fee. My camera was out of whack, but the Adorama warranty covered it (eventually!) It took Months, until I finally convinced them that their guy was incapable of fixing it and it should be sent directly to Konica.

Customer Service

Spectacular! Konica USA treated me like a pro!

Similar Products Used:

Olympus XA, Contax IIa, Oly-SLR's

size, weight, ergonomics, fast sharp lens, quiet, sturdy. (i once dropped this camera from about 4 feet onto a carpeted floor. the impact was enough to cause the on switch to turn on. no signs of damage or any settings knocked out of whack.)

when i first got this camera it would not focus properly. the hexar repair shop had the problem fixed and the camera back to me i three weeks.

i was looking for a small size rangefinder to use instead of a point and shoot because i wanted to have a little more control than that type allows. although it was a discontinued model when i bought it, and it was a little pricy, i was impressed with the reviews that i had read. it has become a favorite of mine. it's size is in between most point and shoots and slr's. although not pocket sized, i like the way it handles. the lens is fast enough for photos at indoor concerts as well as night shots downtown without the flash. when using the flash i found that it works wonderfully, giving just the right amout of light under most circumstances. i read in one review where the writer said that if he had to leave for someplace and coud only take one camera with him, it would be the hexar. i fully agree with him. it is a great little camera and done everything i have wanted it do do. i also bought the silve model because it had all the upgrades in it already and i read where it could be sent to someone in australia to have the original "silent mode" chip installed. i haven't done this because it is very quiet as it is. quiet enough that i could take photos in a meeting without disturbing anyone. the pictures i have made with this camera exhibit wonderful color tones. black and white photos are sharp and contrasty. not too much technical detail i this review. you can read that elsewhere. just my general impressions. i like this camera.

Customer Service

great.

lens - so sharp and smooth flashmatic - great exposures (I love a little blur to convey motion) sturdy accurate meter flexibility in both AF and exposure ability to switch film mid roll with no special custom functions

perhaps a cable release? (probably wouldn't use it much... maybe for covert street shooting using hyperfocal and cable release up the sleeve) - no big deal Lack of a model with an 85 or 90 mm f2 lens (I would buy immediately and use both... and no... not the Hexar RF... don't want that) It would be nice to have an illuminated LCD and or shutter speed/aperture in viewfinder seeing as the camera is use in very dim light often.

Gee it's nice to buy a used AF camera that actually appreciates as it gets older. And it's no wonder. I have the original black version (with silent mode) and upgraded firmware. It's a very plain looking camera, but the images are far from plain. It is such a neat camera, it's capabilites are unique. For those people who gripe about how they have to reset the exposure compensation every time they turn the camera off/on because they have put a filter on the front... Don't use the + - ! Use the film speed setting! Also... if you are getting to much ghosting with flash pictures... set your minimal handshake speed setting to something faster! I frequently use this camera (in a flash bracket) for taking pictures in near darkness at wedding dances. It focuses quickly in the dark and since it uses the "flashmatic" system, it doesn't try to over expose black tuxes or underexpose white wedding gowns. For compactness, I can use the HX-14 (also have a tiny Sunpak that works great) or I use my Canon 430ez set manually to same GN as HX-14 (on brakcet), and I've had great results in manual or aperture priority with my Sunpak 120J (on auto) bouncing off ceilings (of course on bracket) I love using the manual exposure mode with the spot meter and the one touch auto speed set (you can meter off a med gray tone quickly and be sure of good exposure and still focus separately) I also love the ability to lock the focus distance by just touching the MF button. And the silent function is really, really quiet.

Customer Service

Had an occasion to use Konica Canada once. I dropped the flash... They were great... fast... good experience!

Similar Products Used:

The best MF 70 rangefinder ever made... the Olympus SPn with it's average and spot metering. Canon EOS system (EOS-5, Elan IIe, 28-70 2.8 and 70-200 2.8 and 50mm 1.8 Mk I)

Ultra-reliable, quiet and best 3,5 cm lense I've experienced, ergonomics, fine tuned autofocus (far better results compared to the Contax G2 especially with moving objects, flash and in darkness)

The two + and - buttons something on the small size, but that's of little importance

Excellent camera! Ultra-reliable, quiet and best 3,5 cm lense I've experienced. Very well done Konica!

Customer Service

the Hexar I had before the one, was once buried during a nice tequila beach party, but was well cleaned by Konica for free. Netherlands.

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Contax G2, Yashica T5, Yashica Electro 35 GSN

LENS !!!! FAST RESPONSE, QUIETNESS, FINDER BRIGHTNESS, USEFUL PROGRAM MODE

LENS CAP (EASY TO LOSE AND FORGET ON !) SMALL OPERATING BUTTONS

I BOUGHT MY HEXAR BLACK USED 6 MONTHS AGO AND EVERY TIME I LOOK AT THE PICTURES TAKEN I'M SURPRISED BY THE QUALITY. I REALLY LOVE THIS CAMERA, SHOOT A LOT OF VELVIA AND B&W AND REALLY GOT MEDIUM FORMAT QUALITY EVEN AT 24X30 CM PRINTS

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OLYMPUS OM 4 FUJI GS645S WIDE ROLLEIFLEX 3,5F

Quitness, largest aperture 2,0, lens sharpness, good handling, many features, nice P-program the list can be very long!

Filter not respondig to light meter value. the shutter speed of 1/250 on top. Manual focus.

One of the best cameras I have ever owned. I have had five of them, from the original black through the Titanium, and right now the upgraded Silver.

Customer Service

Not used

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Canonet QL 17 Canon 7 Nikon 35 ti Contax T and T2 Ricoh GR1, s, v

- Nice sober look - Accurate AF - Ultra accurate light metering - Very Sharp lens - Good exposition with flash HX-14 Auto

- 1/250 top speed - No macro mode (impossible to make close-up) - Mode selection (hiden functions: ISO, +/-) - Noisy motorisation - Silent winding mode will be appreciate

Very nice format for candid shots. Is retro look wont lure streets thief. A nice buy to those who need that kinf of camera, espacialy for reporters & streets scenes.

Value for the money, default behavior is ideal for my needs, unobtrusive. The lens lockup noted by others when using a filter may have been fixed in this more recent model - I put a filter on and deliberately tried to lock it up by close focussing and couldn't. Small and light.

The usual stuff people site - only goes up to 1/250th, fixed 35mm lens, not as quiet as I expected (but very quiet), no cable release, ungainly "manual" operation, etc.

I bought this as a streetshooter's special, and it excels in that capacity. Quiet and unobtrusive, it sports an excellent f2 35mm lens, a solid autofocus (keep your fingers away from the af window though), and a "p" system that is very intelligently designed (behaves exactly like you want it, and unlike any other camera I'm familiar with). A steal at the prices you find on ebay - the lens is often compared to the older Leica 35mm Summicron. Don't know how true that is, but it is a fine, fine lens - sharp but also superior at tonal separation. Perfect for street shooting. See for yourself - at http://www.johnsidlo.com/imagesTitlesc.html see the set of 40-odd images from NYC dated 5/17/02 through 5/19/02.

Customer Service

no idea.

Similar Products Used:

N80, Rollei 35, N950.

The lense, Smooth quiet operation The lense is sharp but smooth sharp.It''s built very very well, easy to use

1/250 top speed

I got this camera just in time because it was discontinued. I am glad I got it. The lense is awsome. It is so quiet that I can''t always tell if I shot the picture. I have handheld the camera down to 1/15th This is my favorite camera, I take it everywhere. If you can get one you won''t regret it.

Customer Service

No need so far.

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M4 leica, Bessa R Contax G1 G2