News on the R-D1 future ?

I hope this real info is of some use in damping speculation.
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Well, I don't really see how a "kinda, sorta, maybe...but not before next year" would do anything to dampen speculation! :D
 
Does this mean that we should start posting our desired feature set for the rd-2?
Someone could start a poll and email the results to the apropriate division of epson.

I want:
Big sensor
No LCD
Low digital noise
 
I'll third that especially if it's a competent and reasonably priced alternative to the M8. Keep the M-mount digital RF movement moving with healthy competition and affordable alternatives. We RF-users are nice people and we deserve it.
 
That's a rather vague information, but assuming Epson would really plan to produce a R-D1 successor, they'll have to improve quality control and reliability of the camera, otherwise they'll face another Waterloo. I wouldnt expect a fullframe sensor for now, but an improved APS-C with more pixels, less noise and higher sensitivity (ISO3200). Personally I'd prefer a viewfinder with lower magnification to include 21mm framelines. Cropped this would be a 31.5mm field of view, my guess is this should be makeable with a 0.75 finder magnification. Another improvement would be an inbuilt grip, alowing a larger battery department. I find the LCD useful but it must not be swivable. A longer effective baselength is not likely if they'll built it up on a Bessa chassis again.
Didier
 
When the RD-1 came out Leica was still insisting a digital M was "impossible", and then they quickly announced it was suddenly "possible" but was a couple years off in the future :rolleyes: So Epson got away with the $3K price. But a lot of people will gladly pay $6000 for the real McCoy vs a clone for half price. That was the case with $2500 MP's vs $500 Bessas. If they buy-in the same chip Nikon buys for the D200 and put it in a body based on the Zeiss Ikon rather than the Bessa, and sell it for $1999, I think it will be a hit. But only if they contract out repairs to reputable shops around the world and give them tools, parts and training.
 
Didier said:
an improved APS-C with more pixels, less noise and higher sensitivity (ISO3200).
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More MPx isn't necessary IMO. 6 MPx is plenty and adding another 2-4 MPx isn't going to do much for image quality.
Less noise... well, that would be nice but the R-D1 is already no slouch.
Higher iso values... iso3200 or even iso6400 would be nice additions, but not necessary IMO.


Personally I'd prefer a viewfinder with lower magnification to include 21mm framelines. Cropped this would be a 31.5mm field of view, my guess is this should be makeable with a 0.75 finder magnification.
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I've grown accustomed to the 1:1 magnification and like it. I'd like to keep it. But I would like to see framelines for 90mm.


Another improvement would be an inbuilt grip, alowing a larger battery department.
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I'd love a common battery type, not necessarily a bigger one. And a grip... no need for that.


I find the LCD useful but it must not be swivable.
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Indeed. Skip the costs of the swivelling mechanism and just give me a display. I keep the display on my R-D1 turned so I can see it all the time anyway.


A longer effective baselength is not likely if they'll built it up on a Bessa chassis again.
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Actually, it could be done. The Zeiss Ikon has a noticeably larger baselength than the Bessas and the R-D1.
 
RML said:
...Actually, it could be done. The Zeiss Ikon has a noticeably larger baselength than the Bessas and the R-D1.
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That's a Zeiss design, Cosina is "only" manufacturing it. I doubt they're allowed to use it for the Epson body. I'd rather expect to see that design in future Zeiss digital rangefinder.
 
I like the design pretty much as is.
At this point, any modern sensor would do nicely...10mp because they can and because it would market better.
A longer baseline would be nice, but not a deal killer if they don't have it.
I would hope they'd keep the cocking lever. I really like that.
I also like the LCD screen as is. Seems perfect to me, to be able to use it when you want and make it go away when you want to easily ignore it.
I think they could sell all they want at $2500 and quite a few at $3000.
 
One thing that occurs to me about the posting at dpreview.
The person states that Epson is unsure about re-introducing the RD-1, but if they decide to, they'll do it in the 1st quater of next year.
If this is the case, they'd have to produce the very same camera. It's hard to imagine they could go from "unsure" to re-introduction in such a short time if there were any design changes.
Perhaps they will simply announce in the first quarter?
 
dazedgonebye said:
One thing that occurs to me about the posting at dpreview.
The person states that Epson is unsure about re-introducing the RD-1, but if they decide to, they'll do it in the 1st quater of next year.
If this is the case, they'd have to produce the very same camera. It's hard to imagine they could go from "unsure" to re-introduction in such a short time if there were any design changes.
Perhaps they will simply announce in the first quarter?
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Either it'll be an announcement or Epson has been secretly working on an R-D2. I hope the latter. :)
 
Didier said:
That's a Zeiss design, Cosina is "only" manufacturing it. I doubt they're allowed to use it for the Epson body. I'd rather expect to see that design in future Zeiss digital rangefinder.
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You're absolutely right, Didier. I was just pointing out that a longer base is possible. And I doubt Zeiss holds any patents on how to turn a short base into a longer one. :)
 
it might be new 12mpx Cmos sensor from Sony which Epson is buying. who knows :)

but I dont think I'd want to get new same body with 12mpx if it is not larger sensor. I don't want either see changes for the body as didier sugested. He should go to M8 instead. It has everything as Didier wants. So let the original Epson body be :)

1:1 vf is gorgeous. I dont mind ext vf for wide stuffs anyway and use internal for longer primes. It'd be nice with a de-magnifier in some cases anyway
 
swiwel lcd is very purposeful because it'd protect the display then one is on rough enviroment (street photography). Also closed lcd swivel makes the camera looking like as a usual film body even better with stroke lever.

body grip? oh my god. it makes compactness worse ala d70 body which I want get off quickly. Remember it is RF body. not Nikon D3 or whatever

hope Epson is not enough stupid to make some changes to the body.
 
I've only used an RD-1 for about ten minutes, but the 1:1 finder is wonderful. I'd add 75mm framelines and a longer baselength. The rest of the camera I can't comment on, but if it comes for real it might just be my first digital... :eek:
 
I never should have read this thread....
I'm letting myself get excited at the prospect of a R-D2 and am trying to figure out how I'd fund one.
 
Dang. I guess I'd better start saving any spare money I get, just in case.

I agree that they couldn't just re-introduce the same camera. I'd guess that the original sensor electronics etc. aren't even available any more. Just updating to curently-available contract components probably would increase the pixel count, speed up buffer flush, and add compatibility with higher-capacity SD cards.

In all honesty, even if there were no other improvements than those, I'd really want to buy the new camera. The R-D 1 just works so well that I don't feel there's really much on it that needs changing.

(Sure, I'd like to see a longer RF base and a 75mm frameline, but those would just be frosting on the cake.)
 
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