| Camera Name: | Konica Hexar (also known as the "Hexar AF") |
| Type: | 35 mm fixed lens, fixed focal length, autofocus |
| Lens Mount: | fixed 35mm f2 lens |
| Focus: | active-infrared autofocus with manual focus possible |
| Exposure: | Program or aperture priority AE, manual exposure possible |
| Flash: | hot shoe electronic flash |
| Frame-Rate: | single-shot automatic film advance (~2 frame/s possible) |
| Dimensions: | 137.5mm x 76.5mm x 64.5mm; 490g without batteries |
The Konica Hexar is a 35 mm fixed-lens,fixed focal length autofocus camera which was produced through the 1990s. It was introduced to the market in 1993. While styled like a rangefinder camera, and intended for a similar style of photography, in specification it is more like a larger "point and shoot" camera.
The Konica Hexar enjoys something of a "cult status" among film camera aficionados becauseof the quality of its lens, rangefinder-style ergonomics andinteresting and useful operating modes (notably its "silent mode").[1]
The camera is fitted with a 35mm fixed-focal length lens with autofocus and with a large maximum aperture of f2.The lens accepts lens filters of 46mm diameter (however, camera settings must be manually adjusted to compensate for any reduction in light transmission caused by the filter). A metal pull-out lens hood surrounds the lens.
The lens on the Hexar is considered to be of high quality for this type of camera and isoften compared with other high-quality lenses such as those from Leica. It is oftenstated that the lens is a copy of the Leica Summicron 35mm f2 lens, although this doesnot appear to be the case. The source of this statement may be a pair of articles by DanteStella[2] [3] where he states that photos taken with the Hexar have a similar "look" to those takenwith a 35mm Summicron, but notes that the lens seems more similar to a Nikon 35mm f1.8lens design.
The viewfinder uses projected parallax-correctedbrightline framelines which shows the field of view to be captured when a photograph istaken. The centre of the viewfinder shows the point at which autofocus will beattempted, and a lamp in the viewfinder indicates when focus hasbeen achieved. The viewfinder is located on the far upper left-hand side of the camera (whenseen from the rear) in a position similar to that traditionally used forrangefinder cameras.
The Hexar is similar in form to a Leica M mount camera withequivalent lens and handgrip fitted. Construction is of cast-aluminium, finished in flatblack or silver (later model), with a raised plastic hand-grip.Controls are an aperture control dial with central shutter release button, power/modeselection switch and a series of six multi-function buttons located on the top right-handside of the camera (when seen from the rear), along with a multi-function LCD display.
The camera has a hinged, swing-open, camera back with cut-out view window toshow details of the film loaded in the camera. Film loading,advance and rewind is motorised and automatic. A button to manually trigger film rewind isalso provided. Film sensitivity can be detected via standard DX encodingor the ISO value can be selected manually.
Film is automatically advanced to the next frame (and the shutter cocked) after each shutter activation. When the end of a film is reached (or themanual rewind button pressed), the film is wound back into the film canister, with a briefpause to allow the film to be removed "leader out" if desired.
One notable feature of the Konica Hexar is its "silent mode", which can be selected by a button on thecamera top plate, when powering up. This enables a slower, but much quieter,film advance, shutter cocking andautofocus. In normal operation the Hexar is very quiet. It is nearly inaudible at anydistance from the camera in "silent" mode[1] (Leicarangefinder cameras, reputed to be very quiet, are not as quiet asthe Hexar when in "silent mode".) In Hexar Silver models, "silent mode" was disabled at thefactory, apparently due to a dispute over intellectual property.[1] This model can have silent mode re-enabled through a somewhat arcane set of "programming"steps that can be readily discovered through internet searches. Note that this"firmware change" is not without risk and all steps must be completed exactly correctly.
The camera uses an electromagnetic stepper motorshutter. There is no provision for non-electronic shutterrelease; charged batteries are always required for shutteroperation. Shutter speeds between 30 seconds and 1/250th of a second are provided.
Focus can be set with an active-infrared autofocus or by manual adjustment. In autofocus mode, a central indicator in the viewfindershows the point the camera will attempt to focus on and a lamp in the viewfinder indicatesthat focus has been achieved when the shutter release is half pressed. Focus remains lockeduntil the shutter release is pressed fully or the button released.Manual focus is initiated by a button on the top plate of the camera. Focus is adjusted byreading the focus distance from the top-mounted LCD and adjusted with the "+" and "-"buttons. A single button can be pressed to lock focus at infinity.
The camera provides automatic exposuremetering in aperture priority auto-exposure or programmed exposure modes (with AE lockand +/-2EV exposure compensation) or exposure can be manually set(with exposure metering still available). Light is metered through a sensor on the front ofthe camera body rather than using TTL metering or a sensor inside thefilter ring. This means that manual camera settings (ISO value orexposure compensation) must be used to account for light reduction due to any filter fitted.
Exposure modes are selected via the four-position power/mode switch as follows:
A self-timer button, also on the camera's top plate, can be used to trigger an exposure witha time delay of approximately 10 seconds (cancelable).
The camera has a flash hot-shoe, and was often soldwith a dedicated Konica Hx-14 flash unit. Automatic flash exposure is available when usedwith this HX-14 unit, in variable-aperture automatic mode when set to [P]rogram mode (usefulfor fill-flash), fixed-aperture automatic flash mode when set to [A] or [M] modes or manualmode when the flash is set to "P-full". Manual flash is possible with other flash units,including non-Konica units.
Later-production examples of the Hexar supported four features not available in earlierunits:[1]
For a time, Konica offered an upgrade to retrofit these features to earlier-model cameras.[1] Cameras without this modification can have this upgrade applied through a set of "programming" steps which can be discovered through internet searches (a similar in concept to the steps to enable "silent mode"). As with "silent mode" enablement, this "firmware change" is not without risk and all steps must be completed exactly correctly.
The Konica Hexar was sold either "body only" or as a set with HX-14 flash unit.Earlier models were black and came in a "standard" model or a model supporting an autodatefilm back. Later-production samples of this unit supported additional features, as notedabove. A Hexar Rhodium finish (metallic pinkish in color) was available as an alternative to themore standard black finish. A similar model was also marketed as Hexar Titanium in other markets.
In 1993 two limited-edition versions of the Hexar were released:
In 1997 the Hexar Silver replaced earlier models, finished in a silver color andwith "silent mode" disabled at the factory, apparently due to a dispute overintellectual property. These models can have silent mode re-enabled through a somewhatarcane set of "programming" steps that can be readily discovered through internet searches.
Konica later released a rangefinder camera, the Hexar RF, with some (perhaps superficial) similarities to the Hexar camera. They also released aLeica thread mount lens in 35mm focal length (the UC Hexanon 35mm f2 in so-called L mount) that is said to be a design descendant of Hexar camera's 35mm f2 lens.
Konica and Minolta merged to form Konica Minolta in 2003.[5] In 2006 Sony acquired photographic assets from Konica Minolta, with the latter company withdrawing from all photography-related activity.[6] The targets of the acquisition by Sony were the designs and tooling for Minolta/Konica Minolta SLR cameras and accessories. It is not known whether Sony acquired other photographic assets such as film camera designs or whether those are retained by Konica Minolta. Whatever the case, none of the involved companies has expressed any interest in renewed production of film cameras or digital cameras based on such designs.
Konica Minolta has since announced[7] "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.