New Nikon Digital Rangefinder!

[maddoc]

The train fare from Yokohama to Nishi-Oi Station or Oimachi Station is 280 yen (about $3.00)


Around April 11th to 13th works for me 🙄😀

I always wonder why trains in Tokyo area are much cheaper compared to Sapporo. 280円 is just sufficient to return from my favorite bar to my home here ... :bang:

... will try to be there (either Yokohama or Tokyo) around April 11th ! 🙂😉

 

[amateriat]

ROFL! Ok, now that was funny! 😀

Oh, I SO second that! 😛

Yes, this is the Internets version of a shaggy-dog story (aren't there so many of them out here?), but this 'un was more or less harmless. I say the OP deserves a mild virtual spanking in response, but no more. Far worse things have happened.


- Barrett

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

So very trolly! Why oh why must you mock the faithful?

 

[BillBingham2]

Very warped, very very warped.

Thanks for bringing a smile to my face.

B2 (;-0

 

[emraphoto]

wait a minute! this was a joke?!?!

no, no... it's cool. i knew it was a joke. it's not like i was typing whilst checking my credit card balance or anything. sheesh.

 

[italy74]

Now... just imagine if a real DRF comes out from Nikon or Zeiss...

 

[Jan Van Laethem]

Ok, the meeting point is 35° 36' 10.58" North & 139° 43' 30.22" East! Just let me know when 😉

P.S. Not sure about you, but its about a 40 minute trip for me 😀

Did anyone notice the "S" designation in the model name Coolpix S230? So it is a true rangefinder after all, only we missed all the others after the S4 ceased production.

I don't think I will be able to make it to the meeting point, but if they are on sale when you get there, I'll have two: one in jet black for myself and one in gloss red for my wife. 😀

 

[Jan Van Laethem]

Oops, I didn't realize the pilgrimage to the Nikon factory was for a commemorative Nikon F. But I'll have one of those as well. Black with waistlevel finder please. 😉

 

[jonmanjiro]

Oops, I didn't realize the pilgrimage to the Nikon factory was for a commemorative Nikon F. But I'll have one of those as well. Black with waistlevel finder please. 😉

We can ask the Nikon engineers how much longer until the Nikon dRF hits the shelves while we're there, Jan. Kill two birds with one stone, as the saying goes :angel:

 

[snegron]

Finally! There is still hope! Here is proof that the idea of the digital rangefinder has not been abandoned!

http://www.epson.jp/osirase/2009/090227.htm

Ok, so it may not be a Nikon, but it is a new digital rangefinder! It would be nice though if they decide to ship some here to the U.S. instead of just being limited to Japan only. Hopefully Nikon will be inspired by this and finally decide to give us an SP-D! 🙂

 

[Eugen Mezei]

Why do we need a rangefinder? In fact we need only something that shows us when te picture will be on focus and to know if the lens really focused on the object we intended. Autofocus does the first thing faster and often better then we could by hand. Problem is the second point, we never get a feedback from the AF system where exactly he did focussed.
Now imagine a the AF would mark with a tiny dot in the finder or on the LCD the point he exactly hit the object with his IR-beam. Would this not be the same as a rangefinder?

Eugen

 

[amateriat]

Finally! There is still hope! Here is proof that the idea of the digital rangefinder has not been abandoned!

http://www.epson.jp/osirase/2009/090227.htm

Ok, so it may not be a Nikon, but it is a new digital rangefinder! It would be nice though if they decide to ship some here to the U.S. instead of just being limited to Japan only. Hopefully Nikon will be inspired by this and finally decide to give us an SP-D! 🙂

I hope this isn't a slick punchline to a lame shaggy-dog story...

Why do we need a rangefinder? In fact we need only something that shows us when te picture will be on focus and to know if the lens really focused on the object we intended. Autofocus does the first thing faster and often better then we could by hand. Problem is the second point, we never get a feedback from the AF system where exactly he did focussed.
Now imagine a the AF would mark with a tiny dot in the finder or on the LCD the point he exactly hit the object with his IR-beam. Would this not be the same as a rangefinder?

Eugen

No.


- Barrett

 

[snegron]

I hope this isn't a slick punchline to a lame shaggy-dog story...



No.


- Barrett

No, this is not a "slick punchline to a lame shaggy-dog story"! It is the new Epson RD1-X digital rangefinder! It has a bigger LCD screen, supports high capacity SD-HC cards, and some other improvements over the original RD1. The good news (IMO) is that the RD project wasn't scrapped completely. This brings new light to the idea that there is still an interest in the digital rangefinder concept. My guess is that Cosina will follow up with their version of an R4-D; then (hopefully) Nikon will jump in and produce the digital rangefinder we have all been waiting for! 🙂

 

[RFluhver]

Hey boys, all kidding aside, I am seriously wondering if Nikon plans to release a digital RF. What with the M8's and now the M9's recent successes. Or maybe Nikon just decide to leave the RF alone to Leica now as the whole RF (specifically dRF) buying segment is probably too small anyway.

Would all you Nikon aficionados be attracted to a Nikon dRF?

 

[keytarjunkie]

Hey boys, all kidding aside, I am seriously wondering if Nikon plans to release a digital RF. What with the M8's and now the M9's recent successes. Or maybe Nikon just decide to leave the RF alone to Leica now as the whole RF (specifically dRF) buying segment is probably too small anyway.

Would all you Nikon aficionados be attracted to a Nikon dRF?

If you're asking about a 1950's-S-styled digital Nikon, it's not going to happen. Nikon had fun with the S3 and SP, but those were mainly for collectors and promotion (don't get me wrong, if I got my hands on one I'd use it for the rest of my life). I don't think Nikon is committed to the very small market of Nikon rangefinder users. I think we WILL see a small non-SLR interchangeable lens camera from Nikon soon, but I highly doubt it will have a rangefinder and/or be designed to take S-mount lenses.

 

[flyingoko]

Here's my stab at mocking up a digital Nikon S3. Full size CCD sensor as per D800, 36 megapixels, takes the entire range of S-mount lenses.

(Scroll to the bottom of this RF vs Nikon DSLR-themed blogpost)

http://jeziorki.blogspot.com/2013/03/d3200-shoots-x100.html

 

[Range-rover]

Now that's a digital camera.

Range

 

[Stefcuoz]

I think that for mr. kobayasky of CV, would be a joke to design and sell 5000/10000 Rds3 nikon mount rangefinder .....

 

[Highway 61]

Full size CCD sensor as per D800, 36 megapixels, takes the entire range of S-mount lenses

I wonder which S-mount lens would be capable of delivering an acceptable image in front of a 36MP sensor (even the Millenium Nikkor couldn't). C'mon guys... 😀

 

[flyingoko]

Point is... there's a huge gap in the market, between the Leica M and the X100. Nikon has the ability to go upmarket of the 1 (which I've yet to see around someone's neck, actually shooting). A solid, advanced amateur/pro level digital rangefinder that you don't mind getting brassy round the corners, is sorely needed.

As for lenses - the S-mount allows (as does the M) to put high quality FX optics into a smaller barrel.

This needs more discussion. For every forum member knocking the idea, I'm sure there are many more who see the market for a quality digital rangefinder.