Big Beautiful Prints (from R-D1 RAW files)

AusDLK

AusDLK

Famous Photographer
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In some ways this is water under the dam (or is it water over the bridge...?) but I am making some 11x17" prints for an upcoming exhibition many of which I took with the R-D1 this past summer and I am extremely impressed with the results.

The prints are black and white processed through EpsonRAW and PS CS2 and printed using Qimage using ABW mode on an Epson R2400.

I say "it is water under/over the dam/bridge" because I have sold one R-D1 and am waiting to conclude the deal on a second so I won't be creating any new photographs with this camera.

But... for those of you who own and use the R-D1, I don't think that you need envy any other digital camera. It is capable of stunningly detailed prints even with fair amount of cropping.

Clearly lower ISO performance is best but I am holding a beautiful 11x17" print exposed at 800 ISO that has sock-knocking potential.

I don't regret my decision but the R-D1 is a fine performer indeed.
 
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I too think the R-D1 is an excellent performer. You pay a lot extra to get a small improvement in the M8. The sensor in the R-D1 produces very clean files, in some ways they appear cleaner than the M8's on my 24" monitor at the pixel peeping level. So I cocur with your findings though I haven't made large prints.
 
There's a certain quality to the sensor in the RD. I made 12 x 18's and they are really nice...up against my 5D stuff..well there's surely a difference but and this is a very STRONG butt...the rd appears more photographic and the 5D is much more digital....I tested it against my D60 and with the same pixel size....the RD shines above....maybe it's cause of good glass...even the best Canon L glass doesn't compare even close to Leica glass....

I'm happy........and still glad I sold the M8's....
 
I get my 1st R D1 tomorrow. Excitement !!! I love to hear this....just hope it is ready to work when it arrives so I won't have to send it off.

I have yet to see prints let alone 11x14 prints from this camera but the JPEGs look really good to me and I would concur they have warmth that I don't see much if ever with other digital cameras.
DwF
http://www.pbase.com/bitonal/mostly_rangefinder_pics/html
 
Deffinitely a real warmth. I was reviewing a couple of pics in camera taken around sunset and was really taken aback by that, je ne sais quoi, Epson glow. Yes, that's it -- the Epson glow. (I am totally serious here, folks). I'll post a few pics when next I am near them.

/Ira
 
Okay I just enjoyed a nice Old Rasputin Imperial Stout so I'm stepping out here but the first time I checked the R D1 out (Samy's Camera in 2005) I was impressed with feel of the in house pics I took and then viewed on the LCD screen...... a jpeg on a small LCD! This is the first time I've dared reveal that but I have a feeling I will like this camera. I had a similar excitement when I got my first Hexar AF. That proved accurate.
DwF
http://www.pbase.com/bitonal/mostly_rangefinder_pics
 
Ira I agree- the Epson has a "glow" which I think has something to do with it's bundled RAW converter (the Epson software paints color like my Lightroom converter I use with my M8 where as the C1 software that came bundled with my M8 painted images in a somewhat "dry" light). Here are a few of my images that I consider to have the Epson Glow:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/140/331564046_2da029a9e9_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/134/324634618_2e5729a2e0_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/150/336490729_2a15ed89f0_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/115/316284095_744d4fd584_o.jpg
 
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DwF,
I just added one more : )

The first and fourth were shot with the Zeiss Biogon 21mm f2.8
The second and third were shot with the CV 12mm f5.?

Thanks and I'm glad you liked them- I love the Epson R-D1 too : )
 
Sailor Ted said:
DwF,
I just added one more : )

The first and fourth were shot with the Zeiss Biogon 21mm f2.8
The second and third were shot with the CV 12mm f5.?

Thanks and I'm glad you liked them- I love the Epson R-D1 too : )
Click to expand...

Ok, so now I have much more apperciation for those super-wides. Did you use an external viewfinder made for the R-D1?

/Ira
 
Topdog1 said:
Ted,
Beautiful coloration. Inquiring mids want to know re: pic #1: Did you pay her 50 cents? :)

/Ira
Click to expand...

Actually she tugged at my heart so I left her a buck- and I visit her every time I fly to the city for a weekend shoot (I love street photography and short of hopping to NYC, SF is my second but much more frequent choice). I always leave something for that little old lady : )
 
Yeah, they're nice. are they SF?

Do you shoot witht he CV 21 also? I have a 28 3.5 and if 21 becomes my walk around, I guess I will have to fork out for a Zeiss or Leitz. I can't imagine having an f4 as my regular glass after shooting rangefinders so long. never mind the Leicas, even my Auto S3 is fast at f1.8!
 
Topdog1 said:
Ok, so now I have much more apperciation for those super-wides. Did you use an external viewfinder made for the R-D1?

/Ira
Click to expand...

Of course and if you’d like to see more, check out my flickr account. My sets, Chung King Shopping Arcade, 7-Days in Hong Kong, and Symmetric HK have lots of wide-angle shots all taken with the R-D1s.
 
DwF said:
Yeah, they're nice. are they SF?

Do you shoot witht he CV 21 also? I have a 28 3.5 and if 21 becomes my walk around, I guess I will have to fork out for a Zeiss or Leitz. I can't imagine having an f4 as my regular glass after shooting rangefinders so long. never mind the Leicas, even my Auto S3 is fast at f1.8!
Click to expand...

That's my issue with the CV glass as well- too slow. Also at under a grand the Zeiss glass while not inexpensive is still a good value compaired to Leica glass and has a better "feel" IMO compaired to CV fare. That said, the CV 12mm lens is one of my absolute favorite lenses- a definate "top three lens if stuck on a desert island" along with the 21mm Zeiss Biogon and Leica 35mm Summilux, for R-D1 or M8.
 
Okay what's EFOV? I have a 35 ASPH that I will likely make my portrait lens...the 50 'Cron and 90 Elmarit..... well they're for sports now :) or wildlife.

Where can I get a Biogon 21 for 1000.?
 
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