M6 issue with loading? After loading the film check to see if the rewind crank rotates each time you shoot. Simple.

The Hexar RF was my first M-mount camera. I love it. The low magnification of the viewfinder makes for great eye relief for an eyeglass wearer like myself. I agree with you about the option of aperture priority, too. The speed it affords can often mean the difference between getting the shot or missing out on a moment. One area where we diverge, however, is the motor drive. Don't get me wrong, I agree with you completely concerning the hypothetical purist who objects to a motor-driven M-mount camera "on principle." I would just have preferred that the motor drive be optional. However, the designers included two features directly related to the motor drive which real gems. First, is the ability to pause the rewind of the film at end-of-roll. The camera senses when you reach roll's end and starts the rewind process automatically, but switching the camera off with the shutter mode dial surrounding the shutter release temporarily halts the process, which dutifully resumes once the camera is switched back on. In situations where the steady whir of the rewind motor might be inappropriate, this is very handy. On an occasion when I was shooting a musical performance with a Contax ST, I reached end-of-roll and the rather loud rewind on that camera drew a few icy glances from audience members. Another well-considered feature related to rewind is the brief pause after the rewind process is nearly complete. When the camera senses the film has come off the take up spool, it automatically pauses rewinding for a few seconds, giving the operator the opportunity to open the back or turn off the camera. This is a very welcome option I usually exercise for any film I intend to develop myself, as it eliminates the need to fish out the film from the can with a leader extractor. Another little quirk of the camera, which is only a minor annoyance, is the two-step whir it makes after a shutter actuation when the camera is set to single-shot mode. It's odd how that second little "whir" is not present when set to continuous mode. These are, of course, only minor quibbles for what is a wonderful picture-making machine which gives you entre into a world of extraordinary glass, including Konica's own small family of excellent KM and L-mount lenses.

Great video. As an RF owner I can comment as well. The things that might be problematic for some: - I find the viewfinder patch is a bit picky when it comes to eye placement. You need to be centered well in the VF or it can be tricky to focus. - The magnification is something like 0.6x which is probably not ideal for some. As an eyeglass wearer, its great for me though. - The film advance is not exactly loud, but its much louder than something like the Minolta CLE. Can't comment on Leica shutters ;) - Needs batteries, but they do last a long time. Good things: - Extremely fast film loading, and rewind, with option to leave the leader out if you want. - 1/4000 shutter speed! - build quality is fantastic. - AP auto + exposure comp - VF works well for glass wearers.

Absolutely love this camera. I also have a Zeiss Ikon ZM and many film Leica bodies (my main camera being a M2). I like them all for different reasons. But if I ever do a portrait session the Hexar always comes along. With that 4000 shutter speed you can open up the lens getting that nice shallow depth of field.

One of the reasons I bought a few months ago the RF was your first video. Im very happy with this beauty. As you say, the issue of the durability is always present but its the same with any non-mechanical camera, in reality the problem is how difficult its to repair or find parts. I really love the results of the RF, the rangefinder patch is very contrasty and easy to focus in 1.4, the exposure is always correct and if for some reason I have to shoot without thinking so much this that incredible option of aperture priority. Of course the price (3 times less than an M7) is a great factor in favor, I think that also 1/4000sec speed and how quiet and fast it is when advancing the fim is also a great razon to buy. Cheers from Argentina

Thanks for the review, very interesting.

This is the first 35mm camera I purchased. I've thoroughly enjoyed it. Very consistent and reliable.

I’ve always been torn between the RF and the M6.. what always draws me back to the M6 is having an advance lever. Do you find yourself missing this feature on the RF? For me, there’s something about pressing a button that seems less satisfying when shooting film.

The first 5 minutes have little to do with this review :(

Funny I find your video because I've been interested in buying this camera, being that M6 is super pricey right now. Did you get yours local or from a Japanese Ebay seller? Also just curious, but do you like rangefinders? I've never tried one.

How bout frameline.