How many of you have had problems with your Epson R-D1?

[driggett]

I would like to take a poll to see what percentage has had problems with their Epson R-D1.
Thanks,
Chris

 

[pfogle]

Chris... I'm on my fourth body, but is it a winner? Well, I'm going to stick with it, though it's really not a lot better than my first! So maybe there should be a category - 'got fed up with trying to get a winner' 😉

Anyway, it's like a marriage... I've learned to love it!

cheers
Phil

 

[JonasYip]

I said "no problems" above, though I actually do have a hot pixel. But it doesn't bother me at all, so it's not really a "problem".

Also, interestingly, when I convert with rawshooter the hot pixel pretty much disappears... and that's my default converter now unless I need one of the special features of Epson's RAW converter.

j

 

[driggett]

Thanks Jonas. I am only looking for problem reports where the problem is nearly unusable or is too much of on annoyance.
Thanks,
Chris

 

[jlw]

Chris... I'm on my fourth body, but is it a winner? Well, I'm going to stick with it, though it's really not a lot better than my first!

I think Phil has been unwittingly performing a public service for the rest of us by absorbing ALL the defective R-D 1s! Talk about a run of bad luck...

...Anyway, I'm happy to report that my official-US-import R-D 1 was fine right out of the box. I get a couple of hot pixels on ISO 1600 shots, but I've owned enough digital cameras by now (all of which have had at least a few) that I don't sweat it too much.

 

[jlw]

Maybe we should be collecting serial numbers to see if the bad ones fall into a particular range -- mine (no problems) is 0017xx.

 

[Sean Reid]

Mine is 0016xx and I've had no problems. I do sometimes have one stuck pixel in JPEG mode at ISO 1600 which I'd missed until recently because I almost never use JPEG mode. It doesn't bother me at all. Some paint has chipped off my on/off switch but that's of no consequence either.

Sean

 

[andrewch]

Mine is 12xx and I have not had any problem.

 

[DanielT]

Mine is 0021xx and I have not had any problem.


Daniel

 

[Jim Watts]

Mine is 24xx. I voted no problem as the faults were not such a big issue as to make me risk changing the camera and getting a worst example.

3 hot pixels and slight front focusing with my 35mm Cron. The later is a compatibilty problem so the R-D1 is not entirely to blame. Otherwise VERY HAPPY with the R-D1.

 

[nf3996]

My first R-D1 had an LCD screen that wouldn't work. I could take photos and load them into a PC, but I couldn't set up any camera menus nor could I check the results of my efforts on the camera itself. I'm in the UK and bought it from Ffordes, who replaced it immediately. I didn't keep the first one long enough to record the serial number, but my second one (serial #0024xx) works perfectly.

 

[David Kieltyka]

No problems here other than a hot pixel or three at ISO 1600. I've noticed, as Jonas notes above, RAW Shooter Essentials does its own form of hot pixel remapping. Not a big deal but a nice touch nonetheless. My R-D1's serial number is in the 18xx range.

-Dave-

 

[SimonPJ]

My first R-D1 (18xx) started to produce about 25% blank (black) frames after about 900 exposures. (i.e. 1 in 4 exposures was blank.)

My second R-D1 (35xx) suffered from intermittent shutter release 'freeze'. For every hour that I was shooting I was having at least a couple of occasions when I needed to switch on and off to get the shutter out of its frozen/sleeping state.

No third R-D1. I took a refund after the second one with hardware/firmware problems.

(The poll doesn't allow you to report your experience if none of your R-D1's have been problem free).

 

[Doc William]

Exposure problems

Exposure problems

Hey gang,
Two problems I am encountering are:
1) Typically underexposing in all situations by 1 1/2 stops. (The histogram confirms this).
2) The little red shutter speed indicator is sometimes impossible to read if there at all.
Anyone else having these problems? Should I send it back for a new one?

Cheers,
bill :bang:

 

[Jim Watts]

Hey gang,
Two problems I am encountering are:
1) Typically underexposing in all situations by 1 1/2 stops. (The histogram confirms this).
2) The little red shutter speed indicator is sometimes impossible to read if there at all.
Anyone else having these problems? Should I send it back for a new one?

Cheers,
bill :bang:

Hi Doc,
Sorry to hear of your problems.
1. I take it that you are use to centre weighted rather than matrix metering,it has to be used with some care. Any bright areas in the metering area on the R-D1 do cause under exposure.
Which lenses are you using and under what conditions? Sean has noted here and in his reviews the difference in contrast of various lenses on the R-D1 and this has been my experience also. My 35mm f/2 Cron (3rd type) is quite low contrast so in flat lighting I typically add two thirds of a stop to bring the histogram over to the right or images are under exposed. In sunlight though its fine. I'm tending to think Sean's suggestion of different contrast lenses for different light is a good idea. 11/2 stops does sound a bit much though. Try to check it against a good meter on a plain evenly lit surface. Mines within 1/2 stop of my Sekonic 308BII.

2. With my glasses on I struggle to see the shutter speeds but its O.K. with glasses off. Remember the speeds are only lit when the shutter is wound on.

 

[Jim Watts]

Doc,
I just saw the lenses you are using in your other post in the Just curious-How many R-D1s does this list have? thread, so low contrast lenses in flat lighting shouldn't be the problem.

 

[Doc William]

Jim,
Thanks. Yeah, their is a problem with the viewfinder also, the images don't line up in the vertical dimension. Will tr4y to take it back and try again. Thanks again.
bill

 

[Jim Watts]

Bill,
Yes lots of people have had frameline accuracy problems here so you are probably better going for an exchange. What Serial number range is your R-D1? It seems Epson are still not getting the quality control issues with the R-D1 sorted which is a bit annoying and can't be doing them any favours in marketing what they see as a prestige product.

 

[TimF]

On the (early) one I had, the rangefinder was misaligned. Took it back to get the problem fixed, but after three weeks it came back not done.

As I wasn't prepared to spend £2000 on a camera that wasn't serviceable (in all aspects) I got my money back.

 

[Doc William]

Bill,
Yes lots of people have had frameline accuracy problems here so you are probably better going for an exchange. What Serial number range is your R-D1? It seems Epson are still not getting the quality control issues with the R-D1 sorted which is a bit annoying and can't be doing them any favours in marketing what they see as a prestige product.

Hey Jim,
Yeah Callumet allowed me to exchange the camera today. Took the new one into the parking lot and so far so good. No underexposure problems as well.
Old (with allignment problem) # 001720
New (no obvious problem) # 001782

Cheers,
bill