Just got an Epson RD-1

ped

ped

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Yes
..And I lOVE IT!

I have been mainly using a DSLR for a while, but recently my grandfather gave me a 1950's 'Braun Paxette' 35mm rangefinder which I have really loved using. http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=221978 The prints are amazing and the size makes it more portable than the DSLR.

I have always fancied a digital rangefinder but with really only four out there (RD-1, Leica M8,8.2 and 9) it was always going to be an expensive venture. I recently sold a bass guitar for 1.5K so I thought why not.

Luckily there was one on eBay within driving distance so I jumped at the chance after doing lots of research. I bought a Voigtlander 28mm f1.9 Ultron lens from Ffordes photographic who were brilliant, with Leica screw to M adapter.

I'll post some pictures of the camera and some pictures FROM the camera very soon, but this thing is a joy to use. The pictures are excellent, the analog dials (by Seiko) look brilliant and are very readable, and with the screen rotated and flipped round it's just like using my grandfather's Paxette.

Anyone else here had experience with the Epson RD-1?

Cheers
ped
 
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I've looked at ads for these and considered buying one but never did. Actually I was looking at an ad for one at Ffordes yesterday. In the end I went for a Bessa R.

I hope that you continue to be very happy with your RD1. You swine! :)
 
The one at Ffrodes was my backup in case I lost the one on eBay - luckily it finished at about 8am so I won - you snooze you loose!!

Always fancied a Bessa; now that I have the lenses it would make sense to have one as a backup, wouldn't it??

I love the fact that you cock the shutter with a lever. It's just lovely!
 
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Lovely.

I didn't know it has a flip out screen.
 
Yeah it's one of my fave features - I turn the screen of and only flip it out and look at them later, rather than after each shot. It makes you think you are using a film camera. On the back there is a neat scale showing the effective focal lengths of various lenses instead of an old ASA/DIN table you might find on a film camera.
 
Very nice.

I'll watch out for any RD1 pictures you post. In the meantime, as you've tempted me with your new toy here's a picture of my little Bessa. It takes nice shots :)

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Very nice mate I really wanted a Bessa with all the toys on it, and I think it would seriously be a good idea as a backup. I keep seeing olive green ones on eBay which look pretty cool. I am definitely a film shooter at heart and it would be good to see my lens without the crop factor, too.

Cheers
ped
 
Here are some new shots taken with the R-D1. I am loving using it, I even put some camera bag inserts into a small 'manbag' so I can carry it everywhere.

Cheers
ped

Amazing low light performance (f1.9 ISO1200)
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Nice colours
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Very nice, I continue to be impressed.

BTW. I put my Bessa up for sale but no one wanted it.
 
Gorgeous. I've always fancied an RD1.

(And Woof Woof, please stop tempting me with gratuitous photos of your lovely Bessa!)
 
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Thanks Paul it's a cool camera without a doubt. Don't use my DSLR much any more, unless I need directional flash or zoom... I'll certainly use both alongside each other, with my film camera, too.

ped
 
The are fantastic images.

What sort of shutter speeds can you hand hold at? Are they supposed to be pretty good due to the lack of mirror etc
 
Hi,

I can comfortably hold the camera steady at shutter speeds of 1/15 but then I always have had steady hands! Actually since owning the camera I haven't made a blurry image from motion blur due to slow speed; especially with the f1.9 lens I always have enough speed for pretty much any situation.
 
Hehe sorry, but it makes up for years of staring at other peoples cameras and thinking the same!! Funny I didn't go for a DSLR though, probably in the minority here.

1/160, ISO1200, f2.5, very low light
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So the epson rd1 is a digital camera that looks like a film camera? Why is it so expensive? It looks amazing, great shots!
 
MrCraigBerry said:
So the epson rd1 is a digital camera that looks like a film camera? Why is it so expensive? It looks amazing, great shots!
Click to expand...

Yes an no - it's the world's first digital rangefinder camera (which is a type of camera all by itself, very different from an SLR). It looks like a film camera because it is a rangefinder, rather than to look retro. It does however take some cues from the film rangefinder it is based upon, the Voigtlander Bessa series, in that it has all manual controls and a 'film lever' which is used to cock the shutter. What makes it so nice to use is that it feels exactly like a film camera to use - with the screen flipped back there is no difference whatsoever except the ability to change the ISO to cater for more variety in light conditions etc. The only other digital rangefinders are by Leica, the M8, 8.2 and 9.

There are many benefits to a rangefinder system including size and portability (this fits nicely into a small manbag and as a result I take it everywhere), the viewfinder has a 1:1 view (another world first I believe)

There are also some factors people consider drawbacks, such as the difficulty in using longer lenses, they can be quite hefty when all metal construction, you view through a window with framelines as opposed to through the lens as in an SLR, some people prefer all automated control like autofocus and exposure, etc.

I like it for it's quality, low light ability, feel and size. I still have an SLR (Olympus OM10) and DSLR (Samsung GX1L) alongside my film rangefinder (Braun Paxette) because I believe they all help me get what I want from different situations. For example the other day To took my DSLR to the wildlife park, a rangefinder wouldn't have been as good in this environment. I do, however, like to know that with the rangefinder I can compose the shot with my naked eye and bring the camera up to take the shot knowing it sees exactly what my eye sees.

Cheers
ped

*cough - especially for Ian - cough cough*
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Quick update. i have been using the camera for some months now and feel a few observations might be called for, or of interest to those looking for an R-D1 (probably not that likely!)

1. The image quality is fantastic - especially at high ISO. This means I can shoot at night time without a flash, I even took some pictures in a nightclub where I set the shutter speed manually and got lucky with some funky light conditions (will post images later)

2. The viewfinder really is awesome. 1:1 means I can have both eyes open and this has taken lots of getting used to - but when it becomes the norm it feels like taking pictures is so natural.

3. The shutter speed dial is a little stiff when rotating with one finger and it locks in the AE position unless you press a little button, which can be fiddly. Howevver there is a mod you can do to stop this, but I am not going to do this myself - I usually use the dial between 30 and 500 anyway so it doesn't lock

4. The sensor is nice and clean on my camera after blowing dust from it a few weeks ago, it was dirty before and dust showed up at f22. This camera is great for landscape shots but I am tempted to buy a wider lens, too...

5. I have taken it everywhere, and used it in places I wouldn't bring my DSLR for fear of having to lug it about or look a bit random

6. The camera handles well, it's quite comfortable but I don't have the little focusing lever on my lens which I would like to try

7. Sometimes the camera goes into sleep mode (currently two minutes of inactivity). In this mode you need to press the shutter to wake it before taking a shot. I have missed a couple of shots because of this but it does save a lot of power; I can switch the camera on and leave it on all day, taking a full card of shots (about 150 RAW + JPEG images)

8. Although 'only' 6mp, the noise control is much better than my DSLR and other cameras 15mp or more. The files are also more manegable on my laptop in Lightroom 3.

9. I love the black + white images from the camera. The colour is very accurate but black and white looks superb, and the noise, where present, becomes part of the image.

10. I am faster to focus having read some tips - focus to infinity after every shot and then when you focus closer you rotate the lens in one direction to superimpose the image coming from the left hand side. This has allowed me also to focus in very low light with decent accuract even at f1.9

11. Tempted to paint the R-D1 writing black... not sure why, might look cool.

Cheers
ped
 
I think that you left out one big rangefinder advantage...the uninterrupted view.

I continue to be impressed...What do you think explains the good ISO performance? The low mp count?

The only comfort I have is my GF1. If the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 had distance markings and maybe less rotation too I'd say that it would be a very good rangefinder replacement, but I still wouldn't have an uninterrupted view.

PS. My Bessa never sold.
 
Do you mean the uninterrupted view as in no blackout when taking the shot, like the mirror up in an SLR? That's a good advantage yeah and one I hadn't thought about as much as the others as my other camera is a rangefinder film camera but I do also use film and digital SLRs. Actually I quite like the blackout affect especially on the Olympus (shown above) because sometimes you can see the capture for a split second.

The comparatively low MP count is the reason for the good ISO performance apparently, I read somewhere the lower megapixel sensor has some property that means noise is more pleasing and uniform, or something. Whatever the technical reason, I never even consider noise like I do on my DSLR when shooting at higher ISO.

The bessa never sold? Some people don't know a good thing when they see it!

Here are a couple of shots I mentioned - top one was at f2.8 and the bottom was f1.9 I think in a dark basement (the 99 comedy club, Leicester square)

Cheers
ped

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Yes, that's what I meant about uninterrupted view and IMVHO it's a much underrated feature.

As for mp counts, saying that fewer is better could get you lynched, the mp thing is just too contentious to get into. :lol:

The shots look very well saturated. Did you process them or are they in camera JPEG's?
 
I agree.

I have a 3mp camera that cost £50 before it went into the bargain section for £10 and I have A4 prints that look just great to me but some people just can't get enough mp's and suggesting that high mp count cameras take noisy pictures just leads to page after page of argument.
 
I'm very envious! I like the look of the RD-1, and would love something like that. I was in Prague on business this week, and with lugging a heavy laptop and items for the training course I was giving there was no way my 5D was making the trip too. I looked at RD-1s a while back, but the price is prohibitive. Now the Fuji X100 has tweaked my interest also, but there's just something about the idea of a proper rangefinder, and no, I'll never pay leica money for one.

What I don't understand is why Cosina don't come out with a Bessa D. I'm sure they could do it, perhaps taking some lessons from the RD-1 which they were involved with, and it would let them sell a great many more voigtlander lenses.
 
I'm glad someone is still persuing the idea. I honestly think Epson did a fantastic job the first time round. The X100 and the like are great cameras too, but they definitely don't feel the same, to me. The R-D1 just doesn't get in the way, at all. You don't even need the screen.

What I like best is the fantastic performance in low light. The ISO1600 looks amazing, it's something I use intentionally rather than as a substitute for a faster lens/better light.

ped
 
I remember this thread and the lovely RD-1 and the lovely pictures too.

My Bessa R eventually sold but I do still think about buying another or an RD-1 but believe it or not this little toy is too a very film like experience especially with that lens.

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Yup.

Looks very similar to my 25mm MFT mount Voigtlander.
 
Steve, where did you get yours from? I can't find any in the UK. I might have to resort to sourcing one from Japan.
 
Oz! But there is a shop in Japan that was advertising the later X version with grip for approx 150,000 yen, an ex demo model according to a Japanese colleague of mine. Unfortunately there's no English translation of the site and it's hard to tell just what is what. Pity because I would have got it but then again, I've no idea how old the advert is!

There's one or two now on RFF classifieds.

Mine has a stated 114 actuation's and the pics testify to it's pristine condition.
 
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