Konica Hexar
Encyclopedia
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 because
of the quality of its lens, rangefinder
-style ergonomics and
interesting and useful operating modes (notably its "silent mode").
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 is
often compared with other high-quality lenses such as those from Leica. It is often
stated that the lens is a copy of the Leica Summicron 35mm f2 lens, although this does
not appear to be the case. The source of this statement may be a pair of articles by Dante
Stella where he states that photos taken with the Hexar have a similar "look" to those taken
with a 35mm Summicron, but notes that the lens seems more similar to a Nikon
35mm f1.8
lens design.
uses projected parallax
-corrected
brightline framelines which shows the field of view to be captured when a photograph
is
taken. The centre of the viewfinder shows the point at which autofocus
will be
attempted, and a lamp in the viewfinder indicates when focus
has
been achieved. The viewfinder is located on the far upper left-hand side of the camera (when
seen from the rear) in a position similar to that traditionally used for
rangefinder camera
s.
camera with
equivalent lens and handgrip fitted. Construction is of cast-aluminium
, finished in flat
black or silver (later model), with a raised plastic hand-grip.
Controls are an aperture
control dial with central shutter release button, power/mode
selection switch and a series of six multi-function buttons located on the top right-hand
side of the camera (when seen from the rear), along with a multi-function LCD display.
show details of the film
loaded in the camera
. Film loading,
advance and rewind is motorised and automatic. A button to manually trigger film rewind is
also provided. Film sensitivity can be detected via standard DX encoding
or 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 the
manual rewind button pressed), the film is wound back into the film canister, with a brief
pause to allow the film to be removed "leader out" if desired.
Hexar is its "silent mode", which can be selected by a button on the
camera top plate, when powering up. This enables a slower, but much quieter,
film
advance, shutter
cocking and
autofocus
. In normal operation the Hexar is very quiet. It is nearly inaudible at any
distance from the camera in "silent" mode (Leica
rangefinder camera
s, reputed to be very quiet, are not as quiet as
the Hexar when in "silent mode".) In Hexar Silver models, "silent mode" was disabled at the
factory, apparently due to a dispute over intellectual property
.
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.
stepper motor
shutter
. There is no provision for non-electronic shutter
release: charged batteries
are always required for shutter
operation. Shutter speeds between 30 seconds and 1/250th of a second are provided.
can be set with an active-infrared
autofocus
or by manual adjustment. In autofocus mode, a central indicator in the viewfinder
shows the point the camera will attempt to focus on and a lamp in the viewfinder indicates
that focus has been achieved when the shutter release is half pressed. Focus remains locked
until 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 by
reading 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.
metering in aperture priority
auto-exposure or programmed exposure modes (with AE lock
and +/-2EV
exposure compensation
) or exposure can be manually set
(with exposure metering still available). Light is metered through a sensor on the front of
the camera body rather than using TTL
metering or a sensor inside the
filter ring. This means that manual camera settings (ISO value or
exposure 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 with
a time delay of approximately 10 seconds (cancelable).
with a dedicated Konica Hx-14 flash unit. Automatic flash exposure is available when used
with this HX-14 unit, in variable-aperture automatic mode when set to [P]rogram mode (useful
for fill-flash), fixed-aperture automatic flash mode when set to [A] or [M] modes or manual
mode when the flash is set to "P-full". Manual flash is possible with other flash units,
including non-Konica units.
units:
For a time, Konica offered an upgrade to retrofit these features to earlier-model cameras. 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.
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 autodate
film back. Later-production samples of this unit supported additional features, as noted
above. A "Rhodium" finish (metallic pinkish in color) was available as an alternative to the
more standard black finish. This model was also marketet as "Titanium" in some 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 and
with "silent mode" disabled at the factory, apparently due to a dispute over
intellectual property
. These models can have silent mode re-enabled through a somewhat
arcane set of "programming" steps that can be readily discovered through internet searches.
later released a rangefinder
camera, the Hexar RF
, with some (perhaps
superficial) similarities to the Hexar camera. They also released a
Leica 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. In 2006 Sony
acquired photographic assets from Konica Minolta
, with the latter company withdrawing
from all photography-related activity. 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
was a Japanese manufacturer of, among other products, film, film cameras, camera accessories, photographic and photo-processing equipment, photocopiers, fax machines and laser printers.- History :...
Hexar is a 35 mm
135 film
The term 135 was introduced by Kodak in 1934 as a designation for cartridge film wide, specifically for still photography. It quickly grew in popularity, surpassing 120 film by the late 1960s to become the most popular photographic film format...
fixed-lens
Photographic lens
A camera lens is an optical lens or assembly of lenses used in conjunction with a camera body and mechanism to make images of objects either on photographic film or on other media capable of storing an image chemically or electronically.While in principle a simple convex lens will suffice, in...
,
fixed focal length
Focal length
The focal length of an optical system is a measure of how strongly the system converges or diverges light. For an optical system in air, it is the distance over which initially collimated rays are brought to a focus...
autofocus
Autofocus
An autofocus optical system uses a sensor, a control system and a motor to focus fully automatic or on a manually selected point or area. An electronic rangefinder has a display instead of the motor; the adjustment of the optical system has to be done manually until indication...
camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
which was produced through the 1990s. It was introduced to the market in 1993. While styled like a rangefinder camera
Rangefinder camera
A rangefinder camera is a camera fitted with a rangefinder: a range-finding focusing mechanism allowing the photographer to measure the subject distance and take photographs that are in sharp focus...
, 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 because
of the quality of its lens, rangefinder
Rangefinder camera
A rangefinder camera is a camera fitted with a rangefinder: a range-finding focusing mechanism allowing the photographer to measure the subject distance and take photographs that are in sharp focus...
-style ergonomics and
interesting and useful operating modes (notably its "silent mode").
Lens
The camera is fitted with a 35mm fixed-focal lengthFocal length
The focal length of an optical system is a measure of how strongly the system converges or diverges light. For an optical system in air, it is the distance over which initially collimated rays are brought to a focus...
lens
Photographic lens
A camera lens is an optical lens or assembly of lenses used in conjunction with a camera body and mechanism to make images of objects either on photographic film or on other media capable of storing an image chemically or electronically.While in principle a simple convex lens will suffice, in...
with autofocus
Autofocus
An autofocus optical system uses a sensor, a control system and a motor to focus fully automatic or on a manually selected point or area. An electronic rangefinder has a display instead of the motor; the adjustment of the optical system has to be done manually until indication...
and with a large maximum aperture
Aperture
In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture of an optical system is the opening that determines the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane. The aperture determines how collimated the admitted rays are,...
of f2.
The lens accepts lens filters
Photographic filter
In photography and videography, a filter is a camera accessory consisting of an optical filter that can be inserted in the optical path. The filter can be a square or oblong shape mounted in a holder accessory, or, more commonly, a glass or plastic disk with a metal or plastic ring frame, which...
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
Lens hood
In photography, a lens hood or lens shade is a device used on the end of a lens to block the sun or other light source in order to prevent glare and lens flare....
surrounds the lens.
The lens on the Hexar is considered to be of high quality for this type of camera and is
often compared with other high-quality lenses such as those from Leica. It is often
stated that the lens is a copy of the Leica Summicron 35mm f2 lens, although this does
not appear to be the case. The source of this statement may be a pair of articles by Dante
Stella where he states that photos taken with the Hexar have a similar "look" to those taken
with a 35mm Summicron, but notes that the lens seems more similar to a Nikon
Nikon
, also known as just Nikon, is a multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and imaging. Its products include cameras, binoculars, microscopes, measurement instruments, and the steppers used in the photolithography steps of semiconductor fabrication, of which...
35mm f1.8
lens design.
Viewfinder
The viewfinderViewfinder
In photography, a viewfinder is what the photographer looks through to compose, and in many cases to focus, the picture. Most viewfinders are separate, and suffer parallax, while the single-lens reflex camera lets the viewfinder use the main optical system. Viewfinders are used in many cameras of...
uses projected parallax
Parallax
Parallax is a displacement or difference in the apparent position of an object viewed along two different lines of sight, and is measured by the angle or semi-angle of inclination between those two lines. The term is derived from the Greek παράλλαξις , meaning "alteration"...
-corrected
brightline framelines which shows the field of view to be captured when a photograph
Photograph
A photograph is an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic imager such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are created using a camera, which uses a lens to focus the scene's visible wavelengths of light into a reproduction of...
is
taken. The centre of the viewfinder shows the point at which autofocus
Autofocus
An autofocus optical system uses a sensor, a control system and a motor to focus fully automatic or on a manually selected point or area. An electronic rangefinder has a display instead of the motor; the adjustment of the optical system has to be done manually until indication...
will be
attempted, and a lamp in the viewfinder indicates when focus
Focus (optics)
In geometrical optics, a focus, also called an image point, is the point where light rays originating from a point on the object converge. Although the focus is conceptually a point, physically the focus has a spatial extent, called the blur circle. This non-ideal focusing may be caused by...
has
been achieved. The viewfinder is located on the far upper left-hand side of the camera (when
seen from the rear) in a position similar to that traditionally used for
rangefinder camera
Rangefinder camera
A rangefinder camera is a camera fitted with a rangefinder: a range-finding focusing mechanism allowing the photographer to measure the subject distance and take photographs that are in sharp focus...
s.
Camera body
The Hexar is similar in form-factor to a Leica M mountLeica M mount
The Leica M mount is a camera lens mount introduced in 1954 with the Leica M3, and a range of lenses. It has been on all the Leica M series up to the current film Leica M7 and digital Leica M9....
camera with
equivalent lens and handgrip fitted. Construction is of cast-aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
, finished in flat
black or silver (later model), with a raised plastic hand-grip.
Controls are an aperture
Aperture
In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture of an optical system is the opening that determines the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane. The aperture determines how collimated the admitted rays are,...
control dial with central shutter release button, power/mode
selection switch and a series of six multi-function buttons located on the top right-hand
side of the camera (when seen from the rear), along with a multi-function LCD display.
Film transport
The camera has a hinged, swing-open, camera back with cut-out view window toshow details of the film
Photographic film
Photographic film is a sheet of plastic coated with an emulsion containing light-sensitive silver halide salts with variable crystal sizes that determine the sensitivity, contrast and resolution of the film...
loaded in the camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
. Film loading,
advance and rewind is motorised and automatic. A button to manually trigger film rewind is
also provided. Film sensitivity can be detected via standard DX encoding
DX encoding
DX encoding is an ANSI and I3A standard, originally introduced by Kodak in March 1983, for marking 135 and APS photographic film and film cartridges...
or the ISO value can be selected manually.
Film is automatically advanced to the next frame (and the
shutter
Shutter (photography)
In photography, a shutter is a device that allows light to pass for a determined period of time, for the purpose of exposing photographic film or a light-sensitive electronic sensor to light to capture a permanent image of a scene...
cocked) after each shutter activation. When the end of a film is reached (or the
manual rewind button pressed), the film is wound back into the film canister, with a brief
pause to allow the film to be removed "leader out" if desired.
Silent Mode
One notable feature of the KonicaKonica
was a Japanese manufacturer of, among other products, film, film cameras, camera accessories, photographic and photo-processing equipment, photocopiers, fax machines and laser printers.- History :...
Hexar is its "silent mode", which can be selected by a button on the
camera top plate, when powering up. This enables a slower, but much quieter,
film
Photographic film
Photographic film is a sheet of plastic coated with an emulsion containing light-sensitive silver halide salts with variable crystal sizes that determine the sensitivity, contrast and resolution of the film...
advance, shutter
Shutter (photography)
In photography, a shutter is a device that allows light to pass for a determined period of time, for the purpose of exposing photographic film or a light-sensitive electronic sensor to light to capture a permanent image of a scene...
cocking and
autofocus
Autofocus
An autofocus optical system uses a sensor, a control system and a motor to focus fully automatic or on a manually selected point or area. An electronic rangefinder has a display instead of the motor; the adjustment of the optical system has to be done manually until indication...
. In normal operation the Hexar is very quiet. It is nearly inaudible at any
distance from the camera in "silent" mode (Leica
rangefinder camera
Rangefinder camera
A rangefinder camera is a camera fitted with a rangefinder: a range-finding focusing mechanism allowing the photographer to measure the subject distance and take photographs that are in sharp focus...
s, reputed to be very quiet, are not as quiet as
the Hexar when in "silent mode".) In Hexar Silver models, "silent mode" was disabled at the
factory, apparently due to a dispute over intellectual property
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
.
This model can have silent mode re-enabled through a somewhat arcane set of "programming"
steps that can be readily discovered through internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
searches. Note that this
"firmware
Firmware
In electronic systems and computing, firmware is a term often used to denote the fixed, usually rather small, programs and/or data structures that internally control various electronic devices...
change" is not without risk and all steps must be completed exactly correctly.
Shutter
The camera uses an electromagneticElectromagnetism
Electromagnetism is one of the four fundamental interactions in nature. The other three are the strong interaction, the weak interaction and gravitation...
stepper motor
Stepper motor
A stepper motor is a brushless, electric motor that can divide a full rotation into a large number of steps. The motor's position can be controlled precisely without any feedback mechanism , as long as the motor is carefully sized to the application...
shutter
Shutter (photography)
In photography, a shutter is a device that allows light to pass for a determined period of time, for the purpose of exposing photographic film or a light-sensitive electronic sensor to light to capture a permanent image of a scene...
. There is no provision for non-electronic shutter
release: charged batteries
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
are always required for shutter
operation. Shutter speeds between 30 seconds and 1/250th of a second are provided.
Focus
FocusFocus (optics)
In geometrical optics, a focus, also called an image point, is the point where light rays originating from a point on the object converge. Although the focus is conceptually a point, physically the focus has a spatial extent, called the blur circle. This non-ideal focusing may be caused by...
can be set with an active-infrared
Infrared
Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
autofocus
Autofocus
An autofocus optical system uses a sensor, a control system and a motor to focus fully automatic or on a manually selected point or area. An electronic rangefinder has a display instead of the motor; the adjustment of the optical system has to be done manually until indication...
or by manual adjustment. In autofocus mode, a central indicator in the viewfinder
Viewfinder
In photography, a viewfinder is what the photographer looks through to compose, and in many cases to focus, the picture. Most viewfinders are separate, and suffer parallax, while the single-lens reflex camera lets the viewfinder use the main optical system. Viewfinders are used in many cameras of...
shows the point the camera will attempt to focus on and a lamp in the viewfinder indicates
that focus has been achieved when the shutter release is half pressed. Focus remains locked
until 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 by
reading 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.
Exposure metering
The camera provides automatic exposureExposure (photography)
In photography, exposure is the total amount of light allowed to fall on the photographic medium during the process of taking a photograph. Exposure is measured in lux seconds, and can be computed from exposure value and scene luminance over a specified area.In photographic jargon, an exposure...
metering in aperture priority
Aperture priority
Aperture priority, often abbreviated A or Av on a camera mode dial, is a setting on some cameras that allows the user to choose a specific aperture value while the camera selects a shutter speed to match. The camera will ensure proper exposure...
auto-exposure or programmed exposure modes (with AE lock
and +/-2EV
Exposure value
In photography, exposure value denotes all combinations of a camera's shutter speed and relative aperture that give the same exposure. In an attempt to simplify choosing among combinations of equivalent camera settings, the concept was developed by the German shutter manufacturer in the 1950s...
exposure compensation
Exposure compensation
Exposure compensation is a technique for adjusting the exposure indicated by a photographic exposure meter, in consideration of factors that may cause the indicated exposure to result in a less-than-optimal image. Factors considered may include unusual lighting distribution, variations within a...
) or exposure can be manually set
(with exposure metering still available). Light is metered through a sensor on the front of
the camera body rather than using TTL
Through-the-lens
Through-the-lens metering is a photographic term describing a feature of cameras capable of measuring light levels in a scene through their taking lenses, as opposed to a separate metering window...
metering or a sensor inside the
filter ring. This means that manual camera settings (ISO value or
exposure compensation
Exposure compensation
Exposure compensation is a technique for adjusting the exposure indicated by a photographic exposure meter, in consideration of factors that may cause the indicated exposure to result in a less-than-optimal image. Factors considered may include unusual lighting distribution, variations within a...
) must be used to account for light reduction due to any filter
Photographic filter
In photography and videography, a filter is a camera accessory consisting of an optical filter that can be inserted in the optical path. The filter can be a square or oblong shape mounted in a holder accessory, or, more commonly, a glass or plastic disk with a metal or plastic ring frame, which...
fitted.
Exposure modes are selected via the four-position power/mode switch as follows:
- off the camera is switched off
- P Program AE (auto-exposure) mode. Exposure is set by calculating the correct shutter speed for the given lighting, film sensitivity and currently-selected aperture. If the calculated shutter speed is higher than the maximum available (1/250th of a second) the aperture is closed to expose with an achievable shutter speed value. If the calculated shutter speed is lower than the "camera shake" shutter speed (default 1/30 of a second, but variable from 1/4 to 1/60) the aperture is opened to expose with that shutter speed.
- A Aperture priority AE mode. Exposure is set by calculating the correct shutter speed or the given lighting, film sensitivity and currently-selected aperture. If that shutter speed is not available the photo is taken with the closest available shutter speed, but the aperture value is not varied.
- M Manual exposure mode. Exposure is set by the user indicating the aperture value via the aperture dial and the shutter speed via push-buttons on the camera top plate. Half-pressing the shutter release will set the shutter speed value to the correct value as calculated by the camera's metering system, which the user can then vary.
A self-timer button, also on the camera's top plate, can be used to trigger an exposure with
a time delay of approximately 10 seconds (cancelable).
Electronic flash
The camera has a flash hot-shoe, and was often soldwith a dedicated Konica Hx-14 flash unit. Automatic flash exposure is available when used
with this HX-14 unit, in variable-aperture automatic mode when set to [P]rogram mode (useful
for fill-flash), fixed-aperture automatic flash mode when set to [A] or [M] modes or manual
mode when the flash is set to "P-full". Manual flash is possible with other flash units,
including non-Konica units.
Additional features
Later-production examples of the Hexar supported four features not available in earlierunits:
- multiple exposures
- AF focusing for infraredInfraredInfrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
Kodak and KonicaKonicawas a Japanese manufacturer of, among other products, film, film cameras, camera accessories, photographic and photo-processing equipment, photocopiers, fax machines and laser printers.- History :...
films135 filmThe term 135 was introduced by Kodak in 1934 as a designation for cartridge film wide, specifically for still photography. It quickly grew in popularity, surpassing 120 film by the late 1960s to become the most popular photographic film format... - Guide number flash exposure using detected autofocusAutofocusAn autofocus optical system uses a sensor, a control system and a motor to focus fully automatic or on a manually selected point or area. An electronic rangefinder has a display instead of the motor; the adjustment of the optical system has to be done manually until indication...
range - a manual exposure mode with spot metering
For a time, Konica offered an upgrade to retrofit these features to earlier-model cameras. 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
Firmware
In electronic systems and computing, firmware is a term often used to denote the fixed, usually rather small, programs and/or data structures that internally control various electronic devices...
change" is not without risk and all steps must be completed exactly correctly.
Models and packaging
The KonicaKonica
was a Japanese manufacturer of, among other products, film, film cameras, camera accessories, photographic and photo-processing equipment, photocopiers, fax machines and laser printers.- History :...
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 autodate
film back. Later-production samples of this unit supported additional features, as noted
above. A "Rhodium" finish (metallic pinkish in color) was available as an alternative to the
more standard black finish. This model was also marketet as "Titanium" in some markets.
In 1993 two limited-edition versions of the Hexar were released:
- Classic Hexar: "Classic: 1993 silver chrome finish Hexars commemorating the 120th Anniversary of Konica. Hard to find since only 2000 were made, special gray presentation box, top plate engraved "120 Years, Since 1873."" This model supported auto-bracketingBracketingIn photography, bracketing is the general technique of taking several shots of the same subject using different or the same camera settings. Bracketing is useful and often recommended in situations that make it difficult to obtain a satisfactory image with a single shot, especially when a small...
of exposureExposure (photography)In photography, exposure is the total amount of light allowed to fall on the photographic medium during the process of taking a photograph. Exposure is measured in lux seconds, and can be computed from exposure value and scene luminance over a specified area.In photographic jargon, an exposure...
, a feature not found in other models (except, perhaps, the Gold Hexar below). - Gold Hexar: "Konica's Gold Hexar is very stylishly done with a burnished gold finish, rather than the shiny gold finish used by most gold cameras. The packaging is first rate as well, with a special red velvet lined presentation walnut embossed case. The inside case is labeled "Konica's 120th Anniversary."" 500 Gold Hexars were produced.
In 1997 the Hexar Silver replaced earlier models, finished in a silver color and
with "silent mode" disabled at the factory, apparently due to a dispute over
intellectual property
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
. These models can have silent mode re-enabled through a somewhat
arcane set of "programming" steps that can be readily discovered through internet searches.
Successors
KonicaKonica
was a Japanese manufacturer of, among other products, film, film cameras, camera accessories, photographic and photo-processing equipment, photocopiers, fax machines and laser printers.- History :...
later released a rangefinder
Rangefinder
A rangefinder is a device that measures distance from the observer to a target, for the purposes of surveying, determining focus in photography, or accurately aiming a weapon. Some devices use active methods to measure ; others measure distance using trigonometry...
camera, the Hexar RF
Hexar RF
The Konica Hexar RF was a 35 mm rangefinder camera sold by Konica. Itwas introduced to the market on 13 October 1999. and subsequently discontinued some time before the end of 2003...
, with some (perhaps
superficial) similarities to the Hexar camera. They also released a
Leica thread mount
M39 lens mount
The M39 lens mount is a screw thread mounting system for attaching lenses to 35 mm cameras, primarily rangefinder Leicas. It is also the most common mount for Photographic enlarger lenses....
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
Konica
was a Japanese manufacturer of, among other products, film, film cameras, camera accessories, photographic and photo-processing equipment, photocopiers, fax machines and laser printers.- History :...
and Minolta
Minolta
Minolta Co., Ltd. was a Japanese worldwide manufacturer of cameras, camera accessories, photocopiers, fax machines, and laser printers. Minolta was founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1928 as . It is perhaps best known for making the first integrated autofocus 35mm SLR camera system...
merged to form Konica Minolta
Konica Minolta
is a Japanese manufacturer of office equipment, medical imaging, graphic imaging, optical devices, and measuring instruments. It is headquartered in the Marunouchi Center Building in Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, with a Kansai office in Nishi-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture...
in 2003. In 2006 Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
acquired photographic assets from Konica Minolta
Konica Minolta
is a Japanese manufacturer of office equipment, medical imaging, graphic imaging, optical devices, and measuring instruments. It is headquartered in the Marunouchi Center Building in Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, with a Kansai office in Nishi-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture...
, with the latter company withdrawing
from all photography-related activity. The targets of the acquisition by Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
were the designs and tooling for Minolta
Minolta
Minolta Co., Ltd. was a Japanese worldwide manufacturer of cameras, camera accessories, photocopiers, fax machines, and laser printers. Minolta was founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1928 as . It is perhaps best known for making the first integrated autofocus 35mm SLR camera system...
/Konica Minolta
Konica Minolta
is a Japanese manufacturer of office equipment, medical imaging, graphic imaging, optical devices, and measuring instruments. It is headquartered in the Marunouchi Center Building in Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, with a Kansai office in Nishi-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture...
SLR
Single-lens reflex camera
A single-lens reflex camera is a camera that typically uses a semi-automatic moving mirror system that permits the photographer to see exactly what will be captured by the film or digital imaging system, as opposed to pre-SLR cameras where the view through the viewfinder could be significantly...
cameras and accessories. It is not known whether
Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
acquired other photographic assets such as film camera designs or whether those are
retained by Konica Minolta
Konica Minolta
is a Japanese manufacturer of office equipment, medical imaging, graphic imaging, optical devices, and measuring instruments. It is headquartered in the Marunouchi Center Building in Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, with a Kansai office in Nishi-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture...
. 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.
External links
- http://ca.konicaminolta.com/support/manuals/film-cameras/hexar_cle_tc1/hexar/HEXAR.pdf Manual for the Hexar Silver from a Konica MinoltaKonica Minoltais a Japanese manufacturer of office equipment, medical imaging, graphic imaging, optical devices, and measuring instruments. It is headquartered in the Marunouchi Center Building in Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, with a Kansai office in Nishi-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture...
web site - http://www.cameraquest.com/konhex.htm Hexar "AF" on Stephen Gandy's CameraQuest Site
- http://www.dantestella.com/technical/hexar.html Hexar Black on Dante Stella's photography web site
- http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Konica_Hexar Camerapedia article on the Hexar
- http://photo.net/photo/hexar.html Konica Hexar Review by Richard Caruana created in 1996 followed by 10 years of ongoing discussion and very useful information on the photo.net web site