i do love my rd1s and don't see me getting rid of them.
it might be confusing with the 2 different crop factors, hadn't given that much thought.
the rd1s are working well for me, my + feedback on flickr has never been so high.
pickett, you just can't help yourself, can you?
Joe, as you wouldn't, I too did not sell my R-D1.
I got a second hand M8.2 a few weeks back and love it.
Both cameras are entirely different machines with different quirks and advantages. None exchanges for the other in my opinion.
My biggest struggle even after several weeks is, to get the right B&W look with the M8.2, which looks like my pushed Tri-X.
The R-D1 gave me this on day one - even the B&W jpgs are great!
The biggest plus for me is the worlds better rangefinder (it sticks precisely and framing is as precise as it can get with a RF).
Only the magnification is a let down, when one is accustomed to the huuge x1.0 R-D1 viewfinder (please EPSON, pretty please make a successor!!!).
After a few days of usage, I wrote a short "brainstorming list" of differences in regards to the R-D1 on my website. You might be interested, to read these points from a standpoint of an R-D1 user.
Here is the link:
http://www.teknopunk.com/articles/about_the_Leica_M8.2.html
Here is a shortened excerpt:
First brainstorming on the Leica M8.2 in respect to the EPSON R-D1:
•smaller crop factor of x1.3 versus x1.5 with the R-D1 - preferred lenses change once again for me
•my favorite lens on the R-D1, the Leica 28 Summicron ASPH is now veeeery wide
•the 35 Summicron ASPH takes it’s place instead most of the time on the camera
•the flaws of the 35 Summicron on the R-D1 (coma on outer frame light sources as in night shots) is now much reduced (don’t know, if this is due to the different sensor architecture, the completely missing AA filter on the M8.2 or the software corrections, Leica does within the camera with help of the coded lens)
•the M8.2 lacks the direct ISO speed control of the R-D1 - changing ISO is quite direct and quick (except, when the camera freezes during data processing) but forces the photographer, to look at a LCD menu
•the R-D1 ISO speed can be set blind folded by feel
•write times, image review and zooming for focus checking is as slow as with the much older R-D1, which is a pity
•the M8.2 clogs rather fast with it’s inadequate buffer and write speed in quick consecutive shooting
•the Leica M8.2 lacks any distinctive detents in it’s shutter speed dial at certain positions - no blind setting of exposure values in badly lit environment (the R-D1 shutter speed can be set by feel, as well, as the shutter speed on any previous Leica M)
•exposure lock in AE mode works as with the M7 - half press the shutter release and a small dot in the viewfinder signals lock, paired with the displayed shutter speed
•works quicker for me than the seperate exposure lock button on the R-D1
•detent for continious drive mode is too weak - the R-D1 on/off swith is not as nicely machined but much more functional and less obstrusive to the users fingers (the way, it works on the M7 is much better - on/off - thats all one needs)
•the battery and remaining shots LCD is a very nice and useful touch - it is not lit though and therefore completely useless in low light (my preferred light)
•no backup display of battery/ remaining exposures
•R-D1 status display might be a bit playful, resembling analogue needle displays, but much, much more readable in bad light - point for EPSON here
•the Leica rangefinder is unreached in clarity, precision - going to the R-D1 after handling a Leica M feels dull
•Leica messed up their great rangefinder and bright lines with the wrong magnification!
•the M8.2 uses a magnification factor of 0.68 - way too small for using other lenses than 24/28/35mm
•the need of using a magnifying diopter ruins viewability, brilliance, contrast and usability in low light
•R-D1 has a x1.0 magnification and a wonderful huge, bright viewfinder window, which is a joy to use (if only the rangefinder patch had parallax correction and the bright lines were more brilliant)
•the M8.2 feels more compact due to its lower height, it is slightly heavier though
•the top deck is much cleaner, leading not only to a better look, but to less catching of clothes, stucking in tight bags or jacket pockets
•I miss the shutter cocking lever of the R-D1 much - very much actually (A Leica M film advance lever to manually cock a mechanical shutter a la Leica M7 with the smooth feeling of that from the M6 or MP would be worth the upgrade to an M10 to me as the only improvement over the M8/ M9)
•the shutter is quite noiseless - subjectively less loud than the metallic chunk of the R-D1
•the following shutter motor drive noise makes the camera more obvious though
•Leica offers the “discreet mode” setting for the M8.2 and M9, which allows the photographer, to disconnect the otherwise automatic noisy shutter cocking from taking the photograph - the noise is delayed, as long one holds the shutter release button depressed after taking the shot - a very nice compromise
•a mechanic shutter cocking lever though would provide not only almost silent working, but another very nice handling plus + a quicker continous shooting rate in quick action + the deletion of the then not needed “C” mode position on the on/off switch
•the hotshoe is smoothly integrated into the topdeck design and Nikon flashes do fit much tighter and wobble free on the M8.2
•exposure compensation in AE mode works by half pressing the shutter and scrolling the thumb wheel - exposure compensation value is displayed in the viewfinder while setting and indicated by a blinking dot (the awful DX film speed warning dot from the Leica M7) - much better as EPSON, who crammed these values on the shutter speed dial
•shutter speed dial turns endless without stop as in traditional Leica M (bad idea - impossible to set shutter speed blind)
•I love the simple shutter speed dial of the Leica M6 (one can read the light in a scene by the eye, preset aperture and shutter speed by feel without exposing the camera, preset focus by feel and shoot very unobstrusive)
•too many buttons on the back of the M8.2 - the “delete”, “protect” and “info” buttons are largely irrelevant for working with the camera
•the “set” button is in the completely wrong position - it belongs right in the center of the directional pad as with other professional cameras
•to use important camera functions as ISO speed and WB, one has to take the left hand away from the lens, watch the LCD and confirm every setting by pressing the “set” button with the left hand
•digital functions of the camera can not be used completely with only the right hand, which would be more ideal
•to enter a menu point, one has to press the notorious “set” button instead of just entering the menu point by pressing the “right” button
•to exit a menu with saving changes, one has to press the “set” button with the left hand instead of just pressing the “left” button with the right hand
•changing the battery is quicker than doing so with the Nikon D3, despite one has to take off the bottom plate
•changing the SD card is as quick as well and not more time consuming or more difficult than overriding the safety lock of the Nikon D3 CF card door (which I also like very, very much)
•don’t understand people complaining about the bottom plate, being a nostalgic design fault or hideous solution at all
•the Leica bottom plate solution allows to have battery and SD card to be acessed via one entrance bay, the implementation is very quick and logic
•every long time Leica film shooter with some practice changes battery and SD cards quicker on this camera as a fulltime journalist can change battery and CF card/s in a Nikon D3
•only pitty, Leica didn’t take the chance, to make the M weather tight and implement a sealed bottom plate
