Calling all R-D1 Owners, Survey for Article

1. How many R-D1 bodies do you own?

Until last week, I had two... I just sold one and bought a Canon 20D outfit (I
missed the macro, telephoto and ability to use grads and polarizers etc.) As much as I love the camera, I may sell my remaining body and my CV lenses to get a second 20D and more glass.

2. What are the serial numbers, minus the last two digits. ie: 0016xx

Both 18xx

3. How long have you owned the camera(s)?

Body 1: since Feb this year, Body 2: since Aug this year

4. Do you use the camera for professional work?

No

5. If for professional work, what type? If for non-professional work, what subjects
mainly?

Non-professional: street, people and landscape primarily

6. If used for professional work, is it a primary or secondary use camera?

NA

7. Did your R-D1 replace another camera? If so, which one?

Nikon D2H and glass

8. What are its strengths, in your personal experience, as a camera and as a system?

Light weight (carry a whole kit in a pouch), excellent low-light/low noise performance, relatively quiet operation

9. What are its weaknesses, in your personal experience, as a camera and as a system?

Rangefinder adjustment issues, short RF base, lack of telephoto (although this is not an Epson poblem, but an RF problem)

10. Have you experienced any defects/problems with your R-D1? If so, what were they?

Both bodies exhibited a small amount of off-kilter framing which is more of a nuisance than anything

11. If you did experience defects/problems, were they sufficient to send the camera in for repair/replacement/adjustment? If yes, what was the end result of that process.

No

12. If the body was replaced, was the second body acceptable or was further replacement necessary? (ie: How many replacements were needed before the camera was acceptable?)

NA

13. If you have had an R-D1 repaired or adjusted by anyone other than Epson, who did the work and what was the result?

NA

14. What features, improvements, changes would you most want to see in a successor to the R-D1?

Wider RF base, ability to display the histogram easily, eliminate the winder, ultrasonic sensor cleaning, better finish (paint)

15. Would you buy the camera again if you had to do things all over?

Yes, if I was looking for this type of camera again.


One other interesting thing to survey would be how many owners actually received their free bag etc... I never did for either body.
 
1. How many R-D1 bodies do you own?

1

2. What are the serial numbers, minus the last two digits. ie: 0016xx

0045XX

3. How long have you owned the camera(s)?

4-5 mo

4. Do you use the camera for professional work?

no

5. If for professional work, what type? If for non-professional work, what subjects mainly?

6. If used for professional work, is it a primary or secondary use camera?

7. Did your R-D1 replace another camera? If so, which one?

Panasonic LC1

8. What are its strengths, in your personal experience, as a camera and as a system?

interchangable lenses, metering, high iso. Excellent ergonomics, feel, heft, and actually, most of the overall body build is very well done.

9. What are its weaknesses, in your personal experience, as a camera and as a system?

It's not really a system per se. Although the Voigtlander lenses are made by the same company, I don't see any direct cross marketing (but I could be wrong). If there were, would electronic lenses be possible, ie, recording shutter exposures, etc? Other: iso dial is a bit hard to read. Some more info in the viewfinder would be nice (iso, image quality, etc) Getting the card in and out with Luigi's case is a pain, but I blame the c amera, not the case (don't ask me why on that one) The shutter advance arm should be a full stroke, or perhaps like Leica, a series of short ones. I don't like it ending out at a 90 degree angle. Although the body is very well built, I don't get the feeling it's as durable as an M. Perhaps this is silly, but it seems that like my car, the gauge lasts and lasts, but when it gets near empty it falls like a brick.

Even so, with all of the above, nothing is a deal killer for me. These are mostly 'they'd be nice' items.

10. Have you experienced any defects/problems with your R-D1? If so, what were they?

no

11. If you did experience defects/problems, were they sufficient to send the camera in for repair/replacement/adjustment? If yes, what was the end result of that process.

12. If the body was replaced, was the second body acceptable or was further replacement necessary? (ie: How many replacements were needed before the camera was acceptable?)

13. If you have had an R-D1 repaired or adjusted by anyone other than Epson, who did the work and what was the result?

14. What features, improvements, changes would you most want to see in a successor to the R-D1?

more info in the viewfinder, shutter advance arm being 'more real', hatches and doors that open should feel more durable.

15. Would you buy the camera again if you had to do things all over?

yes

Thanks!
 
Hi Sean.

1. One

2. 0035xx

3. One year

4. Yes

5. Portrait, art, wedding, documentary.

6. Primary

7. Not really replaced, but my Nikon FM3a has been collecting some dust...

8. Small, anonymous look, doesn't draw much attention, wonderful (small) lenses available, analogue feel, intuitive user interface meaning you don't have to use the screen to access menues and settings. "Shutter cocking" lever. Fantastic B/W!

9. Quality control, not optimized for wide angle lenses, lack of dust and moisture sealings.

10. Yes. Wonky framelines, vertically misaligned focus patch, the shutter problem.

11. Yes, waiting for new camera to arrive. Was hoping to get mine adjusted, because it is fine except for the framelines and focus patch. But Epson sends a new one.

12. N/A

13. N/A

14. Smaller body, RAW+jpeg option, full frame (dreaming..), weather sealed, memory function in preview mode (so that the camera remembers i want to see the histogram, even after i have turned the camera off and on again), different viewfinder mag. options. Faster PhotoRAW.

15. Oh yes!

Your welcome, and thanks for some great reviews.

Viktor
 
1. One
2. 45xx
3. June 2005
4. No
5. N/A
6. N/A
7. Leica M6
8. General rangefinder advantages of size, feel, etc., mechanical functions with minimal scrolling through typical digital camera menus, 1.5 magnification a plus for me, great for closeups, endless lens availability.
9. The ASA adjustment is cumbersome and hard to read and having to press the shutter twice after LCD viewing is pointless.
10. No
11. No
12. N/A
13. No
14. Easier ASA change preferably with a button and easier to read numbers, preferably in the viewfinder, more megapixels (of course), pressing the shutter once always takes a picture, built in frameline for 90mm lens, and a specialized R-D1 section of Epson with knowledgeable people to properly and promptly deal with customers and repairs. I have had no problems to attend to, but if I should have a problem the Epson service reputation which is developing does not breed confidence.
15. Yes, I love it.
 
1. How many R-D1 bodies do you own?

1

2. What are the serial numbers, minus the last two digits. ie: 0016xx

0018xx

3. How long have you owned the camera(s)?

Since March 2005

4. Do you use the camera for professional work?

No. (I am not a professional, but I have sold some photos, mostly band shots, taken with the R-D1)

5. If for professional work, what type? If for non-professional work, what subjects mainly?
Travel (the timing of my purchase was before a trip to Havana and El Salvador), band shots in low light, street photography

6. If used for professional work, is it a primary or secondary use camera?

N/a

7. Did your R-D1 replace another camera? If so, which one?

The only other camera I’ve used since I got the R-D1 has been an Olympus XA, but this is not intentional. I had thought I would be using my Mamiya 7 more, and that I will be shooting with OM1/4t in the winter. I was attracted to the R-D1 because of its similarity in size to the OM, which has long been my primary system. So if I had to pick one, I would say the OM.

8. What are its strengths, in your personal experience, as a camera and as a system?

Size. Comfortable to use. Easily accessible ISO change by feel. Exceptional low-light capabilities. Especially when combined with the fact that with a rangefinder I can handhold at slower shutter speeds. Doesn’t look like a digital. For travel, doesn’t look like an expensive camera. Like the flip around screen.

9. What are its weaknesses, in your personal experience, as a camera and as a system?
As a glasses wearer, I can’t go wider than the 35mm without having to consider an auxiliary finder.

10. Have you experienced any defects/problems with your R-D1? If so, what were they?
Wonky framelines.

11. If you did experience defects/problems, were they sufficient to send the camera in for repair/replacement/adjustment? If yes, what was the end result of that process.
I haven’t sent it in, because everything else works so well, and I have heard to many stories about hot pixels, rangefinder problems. May even consider DAG if they can do the viewfinder adjustment.

12. If the body was replaced, was the second body acceptable or was further replacement necessary? (ie: How many replacements were needed before the camera was acceptable?)
n/a

13. If you have had an R-D1 repaired or adjusted by anyone other than Epson, who did the work and what was the result?
n/a
14. What features, improvements, changes would you most want to see in a successor to the R-D1?
Better battery life and/or charger that can charge either quicker or charge more than one battery at a time. I agree with suggestions that the new Nikon sensor would be nice. An option for less than 1 to 1 viewfinder magnification would be good for wider lenses, but I do like the 1 to 1, for the work I have done with the 35mm and 50mm lenses.

Better QC. Longer warranty.

That shutter would always fire when pressed.
Better system for exposure compensation (which I do use a lot)

Weatherproofing.

15. Would you buy the camera again if you had to do things all over?

Absolutely
 
1. How many R-D1 bodies do you own?
One (did own - sold it during the Summer)

2. What are the serial numbers, minus the last two digits. ie: 0016xx
0017xx

3. How long have you owned the camera(s)?
I owned it for around 8 or 9 months.

4. Do you use the camera for professional work?
Yes.

5. If for professional work, what type? If for non-professional work, what subjects mainly?
Travel stock.

6. If used for professional work, is it a primary or secondary use camera?
For a long period it was the primary use camera.

7. Did your R-D1 replace another camera? If so, which one?
I used it instead of my Leica M bodies.

8. What are its strengths, in your personal experience, as a camera and as a system?
Size; fact it is a rangefinder (though not the finder itself); simple and traditional dial interface for changing shutter speeds, etc; foldaway LCD.


9. What are its weaknesses, in your personal experience, as a camera and as a system?
Lack of ISO 100 (or slower); narrow range of shutter speeds (only going as far as 1/2000), LCD defaults to no histogram setting each time you turn the camera off; silly 'watch' style gauge (would much prefer simple digital LCD showing various settings); only adequate battery life; 1/125 sync speed too slow for a modern (non-cloth) shutter; and, above all, poor quality and unreliable short baselength finder.

10 Have you experienced any defects/problems with your R-D1? If so, what were they?
Wonky framelines, some RF inaccuracy. Mysterious non-responsive shutter just at the moment when you really need the camera to take the shot (this defect is unforgivable in a camera costing this much).

11. If you did experience defects/problems, were they sufficient to send the camera in for repair/replacement/adjustment? If yes, what was the end result of that process.
Yes, sent in because of drunken framelines. Epson UK returned the camera claiming that it was okay (they even had a technician send me printouts 'proving' that the framlines were true) but I knew this was (what we English call) bollocks.

12. If the body was replaced, was the second body acceptable or was further replacement necessary? (ie: How many replacements were needed before the camera was acceptable?)
n/a

13. If you have had an R-D1 repaired or adjusted by anyone other than Epson, who did the work and what was the result?
n/a

14. What features, improvements, changes would you most want to see in a successor to the R-D1?
Larger sensor with more pixels (Leica's proposed 1.3ish crop and 10+MP sound about right).
Much better quality rangefinder with longer baselength.
Faster sync speed and faster top shutter speed.
Lower ISOs.
Modern simple top plate LCD readout for settings.
Better quality fit and finish.
Better software.

15. Would you buy the camera again if you had to do things all over?
No.
 
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One more thing they could improve is the rangefinder accuracy. Drop the old fashioned "slide frame coverage", and make it more accurate to what you actually capture on the sensor. Shouldn't be too difficult although i know there are small differences in actual mm from different lens manufactorers.

Viktor
 
You mean make the framelines more accurate? If yes, I agree and have already put a section about that in the article.

Cheers,

Sean
 
Questions:

1. How many R-D1 bodies do you own? One.

2. What are the serial numbers, minus the last two digits. ie: 0016xx 0019xx

3. How long have you owned the camera(s)? 5 months.

4. Do you use the camera for professional work? No

5. If for professional work, what type? If for non-professional work, what subjects mainly? Street, nature, miscellaneous. 99% of the time I carry it with me everywhere.

6. If used for professional work, is it a primary or secondary use camera?

7. Did your R-D1 replace another camera? If so, which one?

8. What are its strengths, in your personal experience, as a camera and as a system? No appreciable learning curve time due to similarity between it and Leica M’s. Simple, intuitive, and direct controls. I love the winder, it’s so natural. Ability to accept multiple lenses. Size and shape close to Leica M.

9. What are its weaknesses, in your personal experience, as a camera and as a system? No workable method of dealing with chromatic aberration via the software. Other packages handle this area far better than Epson. No ISO 100 or lower. Fair noise handling. Limited to three focal lengths. No real effort to include a stand-alone MAC package and apparently NO interest in upgrading the existing software to better handle some processing needs. (Hint) QC issues and apparent lack of facility for handling repairs is a real concern for the future.

10. Have you experienced any defects/problems with your R-D1? If so, what were they? A few hot/stuck pixels, mostly in JPEG so I quit using it and now exclusively shoot RAW. Although there are still one or two, it is not a problem as far as I am concerned.

11. If you did experience defects/problems, were they sufficient to send the camera in for repair/replacement/adjustment? If yes, what was the end result of that process. No, just pixel related and I was afraid to send it in for fear of receiving one with far worse problems.

12. If the body was replaced, was the second body acceptable or was further replacement necessary? (ie: How many replacements were needed before the camera was acceptable?)

13. If you have had an R-D1 repaired or adjusted by anyone other than Epson, who did the work and what was the result?

14. What features, improvements, changes would you most want to see in a successor to the R-D1? MORE focal lengths!
Full frame or as close to it as practicable. Bump up the pixels to 10-12 and offer at a minimum 100 ISO. Better noise handling. Histogram button.

15. Would you buy the camera again if you had to do things all over Thanks! Assuming the identical climate, i.e., no other digital RF choices, absolutely yes! I do not regret the purchase.
 
Oh yes, I forgot about frameline accuracy. Everyone who uses rangefinders knows that framelines are just a 'guide' but the RD-1 frames seem woefully inadequate in this regard.
 
Sean Reid said:
1. How many R-D1 bodies do you own?
Click to expand...
One.

2. What are the serial numbers, minus the last two digits. ie: 0016xx
Click to expand...
0017XX, then 0046XX

3. How long have you owned the camera(s)?
Click to expand...
11 months.

4. Do you use the camera for professional work?
Click to expand...
Yes.

5. If for professional work, what type? If for non-professional work, what subjects mainly?
Click to expand...
Professional: wedding. Non-professional: street.

6. If used for professional work, is it a primary or secondary use camera?
Click to expand...
Secondary to Canon EOS.

7. Did your R-D1 replace another camera? If so, which one?
Click to expand...
No, complemented existing DSLR system.

8. What are its strengths, in your personal experience, as a camera and as a system?
Click to expand...
Leica glass wide open for available light. Enough said. :)

9. What are its weaknesses, in your personal experience, as a camera and as a system?
Click to expand...
Price, price, and price, for both the R-D1 and the Leica's M-lenses. If I were doing it all over again, I'd stick to use the used market since the "new" premium for both body and lenses is rather absurd.

10. Have you experienced any defects/problems with your R-D1? If so, what were they?
Click to expand...
Mode dial broke (turned and clicked but no camera response) after 11 months.

11. If you did experience defects/problems, were they sufficient to send the camera in for repair/replacement/adjustment? If yes, what was the end result of that process.
Click to expand...
Epson replaced with brand new R-D1 at no charge under warranty.

12. If the body was replaced, was the second body acceptable or was further replacement necessary? (ie: How many replacements were needed before the camera was acceptable?)
Click to expand...
Just the one replacement.

13. If you have had an R-D1 repaired or adjusted by anyone other than Epson, who did the work and what was the result?
Click to expand...
Camera was sent to authorized Epson store, which did all the contacts and paperwork with Epson. I simply dropped it off with a copy of my B&H receipt and picked up the replacement unit at the store two weeks later.

14. What features, improvements, changes would you most want to see in a successor to the R-D1?
Click to expand...
Same as pretty much any other digital camera: better dynamic range and better high ISO performance. 6, 8, 10, whatever megapixels, it's not about the resolution but the depth and tonality.

15. Would you buy the camera again if you had to do things all over?
Click to expand...
Emphatic yes. Putting the intuitive manual controls of a rangefinder and the fabulous Leica lenses together with the convenience and immediacy of digital is a match made in heaven. It's hard for me to imagine any serious photographer that would not enjoy using this camera. Here's hoping that prices continue to drop.
 
1. One

2. 0013xx

3. 8 months

4. No

5. N/A

6. N/A

7. Prior to the acquisition of the R-D1, my main RF was my Bessa R2a. I've since sold the R2a and tend to use the R-D1 over any of my other film RF bodies.

8. Biggest strength would be its digital format. It speeds up the learning process for new RF users like myself. As a system, its ability to accept M and LTM lenses are its strong points. A great variety of lenses instantly made available at varying price ranges.

9. Incompatibility with some lenses, especially with longer lenses. Short baselength makes focusing a challenge. Crop factor is a bit too much, negating the excellent properties of some of the wider lenses. Battery life too short. Poor quality control... the usual problems... misaligned rangefinder, inaccurate framelines, too many hot pixels etc...

10. All 3 framelines seem a bit inaccurate on my body. Hot pixels.

11. Never considered repairs as I learnt to live with the shortcomings.

12. Never replaced.

13. Never repaired.

14. Full frame or near full frame. I like the film advance lever of the R-D1 and the other features which make it seem like a very filmlike digital camera and hope future models will retain them. Better quality control. Longer battery life. Longer baselength.

15. I would, but maybe a used copy the second time round. It wasn't worth the money I paid for new.
 
1. How many R-D1 bodies do you own?
One

2. What are the serial numbers, minus the last two digits. ie: 0016xx
24xx

3. How long have you owned the camera(s)?
1 year. Now just out of warranty.

4. Do you use the camera for professional work?
I don't really work as a professional, but have used it for the odd freelance job.

5. If for professional work, what type? If for non-professional work, what subjects mainly?
Odd jobs of Event coverage for local press and web sites.
Non-pro: ‘Street’ photography. Available (low) light, some Jazz.

6. If used for professional work, is it a primary or secondary use camera?
I would let the job type determine which for me would be the most suitable camera to use in any situation pro or non-pro. Although this is mainly a format size choice when using film as I usually favour the rangefinder ‘way of seeing’ with all formats from 35mm to 5x4. The Canon 20D has proved useful (my first SLR for over 15 years) but has not seen as much use as the R-D1.

7. Did your R-D1 replace another camera? If so, which one?
It did not replace any camera as such but I traded one of my two Plaubel 67 rangefinders to offset the cost. Since getting the R-D1 (plus a Cannon 20D a few months earlier) my use of my film cameras has dropped by about 80% with my Leica M4 having had the least amount of film through it in the 25+ years I have owned it. So the R-D1 has totally altered my camera usage.

8. What are its strengths, in your personal experience, as a camera and as a system?
All the strengths of a good traditional film rangefinder such as the M4. Relatively small and discrete. Most essential functions accessible without the need to work through complicated menu systems. Manual focus. Advantages of digital workflow.
I'm able to use a very wide range of lenses with different characteristics.

9. What are its weaknesses, in your personal experience, as a camera and as a system?
Battery life could be better.
28mm (43mm) frame lines difficult to see properly with glasses.
No built in frame lines for my favourite lens for street photography which would be 35mm on 35mm film. 24mm (36mm with 1.5 crop).

10. Have you experienced any defects/problems with your R-D1? If so, what were they?
No real problems. A few locked/hot pixels mainly in jpeg mode. Covering material coming away, paint easily flakes but I don’t regard any of these as serious.

11. If you did experience defects/problems, were they sufficient to send the camera in for repair/replacement/adjustment? If yes, what was the end result of that process.
N/A

12. If the body was replaced, was the second body acceptable or was further replacement necessary? (ie: How many replacements were needed before the camera was acceptable?)
N/A

13. If you have had an R-D1 repaired or adjusted by anyone other than Epson, who did the work and what was the result?
N/A

14. What features, improvements, changes would you most want to see in a successor to the R-D1?
I would prefer a successor to have built parallax corrected frame lines for the moderately wide angle lenses which I favour. Either by going to a full frame sensor (which I think is unlikely) or by retaining the 1.5 crop factor and having frames for 21mm (32mm) 24mm (36mm) and 35/40mm (53/60mm). Spacing/Eye point high enough to see the 21mm frame lines with glasses. Less safety factor (greater accuracy) on the frame lines. I don't mind sacrificing the 1:1 viewfinder for say a 0.72X to make this work, but then would like a longer rangefinder base to compensate.
I would prefer exposure lock on first pressure on the shutter button rather than the separate button.
LCD display to stay at last used screen when the camera powers down e.g. Histogram. Better still that this can be set to display briefly after each shot if wanted.
8 or 10 megapixel sensor but ONLY if could be done with lower noise performance out to 3200 iso.

15. Would you buy the camera again if you had to do things all over?
Yes. I love this camera, but I do have worries about Epson's ongoing support especially now that my camera is out of warranty
 
In my number 14. above perhaps a better choice if it could be achieved would be 18mm (27mm). 24/25mm (36mm) and 35mm (53mm). This would be dependant on Cosina or another manufacturer producing a decent 18mm lens, but I beleive one was 'on the cards' some time ago.

Even though I already own a 21mm this would be a better range without over complicating the finder. My real desire is to get the 24mm (36mm) with good Eye Point and frame accuracy.
 
Sean,

With regard to your questions:

1. - 1 body
2. - 45xx
3. - 11 months or so
4. - non-professional
5. - n/a
6. - n/a
7. - no - R-D1 is additional, rather than a replacement
8. - Strengths - fast, compact, fairly quiet, fairly low noise, good image quality, excellent exposure accuracy, wonderful range of lenses
9. - Weaknesses - quality control, not quite enough pixels (10M or 12M would be much better), balky cold-weather performance
10. - First body had a shutter that sometimes failed to fire
11. - The body was returned to Epson and replaced
12. - The second body has been fine
13. - N/A
14. - Improvements in R-D2? Better q/c, more pixels, lower noise, save money by getting rid of the analog dials / film advance lever. Not sure about full-frame (there are pluses and minuses). Better cold-weather performance. 75mm frame lines.
15. - I would buy it again in a heartbeat.

Cheers,
Kirk
 
1. One

2. 0013xx

3. 4 months

4. Ocassionally

5. Company events. Mainly Portraits, landscape and snaps for general uses.

6. Primary.

7. Nikon D2H, Canon 20D.

8. The power of RF + digital. It reproduces the quality and colour which is superior to other DSLRs no matter I am using CV, Zeiss or Leica lenses.

9. As a camera, I expect it's noise performance could be better (already good though), and up to iso 3200 and a smaller crop factor. As a system, I have no complaint.

10. Nothing yet, very satisfied and endurable.

11. N/A

12. N/A

13. N/A

14. Same as Q9), crop factor, noise performance, and perhaps 8M-10M pixel too.

15. YES!

Thanks!

Sean[/QUOTE]
 
1. One

2. 0003xx

3. 16 months

4. No

7. M6 and Pentax *istD

8. The only digital camera with the M mount

9. Poor QC, price, lack of experienced and fast repair service

10. RF coupling became sticky.

11. The defective RF unit was replaced by Epson (but not properly adjusted vertically). The replacement took 4 weeks even in Japan.

14.
- Better RF adjustment and stability
- Larger sensor (if not full-frame)
- Automatic (not manual) shutter charge
- Larger buffer memory
- Shorter wake-up lag from sleep mode

15. Yes, if there are no other digital M cameras.
 
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