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I reported a dead LCD on a R-D1 body that was replaced by Epson a while back and thought I would post the end result of this fiasco.
Basically, the warranties ran out on my R-D1 body and the repairs Epson did in the past so I thought I would have to live with a dead LCD since Steve at Steve's Camera Repair took a look at it once before and was not able to find the problem. Contrary to what most people think, even though the LCD is not often used because many of the most vital functions are accessible via the external controls on the camera, the LCD is the only means of seeing and accessing many other useful functions of the camera such as formatting SD cards and hot pixel correction.
Luckily Steve kept my number and called me when he received another R-D1 that was sent in for repair. By comparing the two, he was able to figure out that the dead LCD was due to a combination of things: 1) blown fuses on the circuit board, and 2) faulty on/off switching mechanism on the LCD swivel.
Steve was awesome. He fixed the LCD, adjusted the rangefinder, and performed some maintenance on the shutter in less than 1 week...more on the order of 3-4 working days. I was fortunate that he wasn't too busy at the time and I live locally, but he is a really nice guy and stands by his work.
So, if your R-D1 has a similar dead LCD, you might want to talk to Steve before you send the camera out to Epson via an authorized Epson Repair Center because going through Epson will cost $40-$50 just for the repair center to attempt to "diagnose" the problem, plus another $500 flat rate repair fee for Epson to attempt to repair the problem or more likely than not swap your body for another questionable one. (And it goes without saying that you will likely have to wait anywhere from 2 to 8 stressful weeks before you ever see your camera again).
The amazing thing is, despite the problems I have had with this camera, I still enjoy the results I get from it. It is a great camera when everything is working, and remains the only digital rangefinder option for me at this time because even after the initial cost of the camera and subsequent repairs, it still costs less than half the price of a used M8. Although I hope to own an M8 or its successor someday, in the meantime I will continue enjoying the R-D1 and maybe even get a second body as a spare.
Basically, the warranties ran out on my R-D1 body and the repairs Epson did in the past so I thought I would have to live with a dead LCD since Steve at Steve's Camera Repair took a look at it once before and was not able to find the problem. Contrary to what most people think, even though the LCD is not often used because many of the most vital functions are accessible via the external controls on the camera, the LCD is the only means of seeing and accessing many other useful functions of the camera such as formatting SD cards and hot pixel correction.
Luckily Steve kept my number and called me when he received another R-D1 that was sent in for repair. By comparing the two, he was able to figure out that the dead LCD was due to a combination of things: 1) blown fuses on the circuit board, and 2) faulty on/off switching mechanism on the LCD swivel.
Steve was awesome. He fixed the LCD, adjusted the rangefinder, and performed some maintenance on the shutter in less than 1 week...more on the order of 3-4 working days. I was fortunate that he wasn't too busy at the time and I live locally, but he is a really nice guy and stands by his work.
So, if your R-D1 has a similar dead LCD, you might want to talk to Steve before you send the camera out to Epson via an authorized Epson Repair Center because going through Epson will cost $40-$50 just for the repair center to attempt to "diagnose" the problem, plus another $500 flat rate repair fee for Epson to attempt to repair the problem or more likely than not swap your body for another questionable one. (And it goes without saying that you will likely have to wait anywhere from 2 to 8 stressful weeks before you ever see your camera again).
The amazing thing is, despite the problems I have had with this camera, I still enjoy the results I get from it. It is a great camera when everything is working, and remains the only digital rangefinder option for me at this time because even after the initial cost of the camera and subsequent repairs, it still costs less than half the price of a used M8. Although I hope to own an M8 or its successor someday, in the meantime I will continue enjoying the R-D1 and maybe even get a second body as a spare.
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