Rangefinder Cameras

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 28. Chapters: Hexar RF, Leica M5, 35mm Bessa, Cosina Voigtländer, Leica M3, Leica M8, Leica M6, Nikon SP, Argus C3, Yashica Electro 35, Nikon S-Mount, Nikon S3, FED 2, Minolta CLE, Leica III, Leica MP, Leica M2, Ricoh 500, Epson R-D1, Leica M4, Contax I, Canon VT, Leica M9, Foca camera, Canon II, Yashica Lynx, Iloca, Minolta AL-F, Contax II, Olympus XA, Agfa Optima 1535 Sensor, Rollei 35 RF, Diax, Olympus 35SP, Olympus 35RC, Canonet, Leica M1, Olympus 35RD, Agfa Optima Flash Sensor, Nikon S4, Neoca 2s, Plaubel Makina W67. Excerpt: The Konica Hexar RF was a 35 mm rangefinder camera sold by Konica. It was introduced to the market on 13 October 1999. and subsequently discontinued (apparently without official notice) some time before the end of 2003. The camera used the "Bayonet Konica KM mount", a copy of the Leica M mount, thus sharing interchangeable lenses with those designed for Leica cameras and others compatible with them. The Hexar RF has a combined rangefinder/viewfinder modeled on that of Leica cameras, a similar body shape and size - and so is similar to Leica M mount cameras in many aspects of operation. The Konica Hexar RF accepts lenses designed for the "Bayonet Konica KM mount" a copy of the Leica M mount. Because of this, the Hexar RF can mount and focus lenses designed for the Leica and other compatible M mount cameras or, when used with an adapter, the earlier Leica thread mount lenses (note that due to physical constraints there is no adapter to allow bayonet mount lenses to be fitted to a Leica screw-mount camera). 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 Leica M mount . Some earlier testers reported problems using Leica lenses on Hexar RF cameras. Konica made no comment on the issue, and continued to refer to their lens mount by their own name, with no reference to Leica. 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. Hexar RF with 35mm lens, showing viewfinder (on right) and second window for split im