New RD-1 Book in Japan

[jlw]

Anyway here are a couple of low res scans
1 is the cutaway model of the RD-1
2 is Parts of the RD-1
3 is the RD-1 with the Visoflex.

Mike

Thank you very much for posting these.

Is there any chance you could resave them in something other than BMP, such as maybe JPEG? They look very grainy, and I suspect this is because of the indexed color of the BMP format.

 

[mtokue]

Some better scans!
Mike

 

[David Kieltyka]

I've gotta say the idea of using a Visoflex on the R-D1 appeals to the Rube Goldberg in me. 😀

-Dave-

 

[nf3996]

Mike,

I'm in the UK and can pay you by PayPal - I'd like a book and a brochure.

Regards,

Alan

 

[mtokue]

OK People Last call for the book.
Costs are GBP 18.50 to the UK, Canada and US
I can accept payment via Paypal.
The Book and RD-1 Brochure will be sent Via Air Mail and should reach you
in 5-7 days depending on where you are located.
Thus far I have requests from the following:
Ed, nf3996(Alan) and drigget(Chris)
If there is anybody else please send me a message with your details.
Thanks
Mike.

 

[jlw]

Mike, I see you're online, so check your PMs. I just sent you the info. Thanks!

 

[Sean Reid]

Mike,

Thanks for those diagram pictures. Is there any chance you speak Japanese and can translate the names they're using for the parts in front of the sensor? I'm very curious to know. If not, can anyone else translate?

Sean

 

[mtokue]

Hi Sean,
You are in Luck! Yup I am Half Japanese-Half Scottish! Phew Got that out the way.
I have attached the Cut away Diagram with appropriate Translations.
As per-usual there are times where Japanese Just can not be Literally Translated.
Otherwise it ends up sounding like Hot air. (ie the little paragraph at the bottom!
Cheers
Mike.

 

[Sean Reid]

Mike,

Fascinating!...thank you. I'll wait to hear Epson confirm this but it looks like the camera isn't using any unusual kind of lens arrays, etc. in front of the sensor to address the acute angle of light delivery (towards the outside of the image circle) created by many RF lenses. *That* would explain why the vignetting (with certain lenses) is not more moderate on the Epson. Unofficial, of course, but it confirms a hunch I've had for months. It seems to me, at the moment, that there was no engineering breakthrough (per se) in the optical path components between the rear lens element and the CCD. It looks to be a standard DSLR set up. That has fascinating implications, in my mind. If it's true it means that any number of manufacturers could build a digital rangefinder that performs at least as well as the R-D1 (in terms of light fall-off) using ordinary and existing CCD related components. If I confirm this info. with Epson, I want make it into a special section of the next lens review. Fascinating.... Of course another manufacturer could be experimenting with more complex designs to address the light fall-off challenge.

Sean

 

[RML]

Of course another manufacturer could be experimenting with more complex designs to address the light fall-off challenge.

You mean Leica, or Zeiss, or even perhaps Nikon...? 🙂

 

[Sean Reid]

I mean Leica.

Cheers,

Sean

 

[mtokue]

Hi Sean, Regarding your coments about " it looks like the camera isn't using any unusual kind of lens arrays, etc. in front of the sensor " I'm not sure but on the next page in the book they talk about a"Micro lens array" in front of the CCD to compensate for the difference in Flange back and Backfocus between Rangefinders and SLR's.I will scan and upload the page ASAP.
The "Micro Lens array" looks like it is a very thin sheet placed directly infront of the CCD. Perhaps it is even the same as the Optical Low Pass Filter mentioned in the Camera Cut away.
Anyway I will upload the page in a few moments.
Mike.

 

[mtokue]

Here is the afforementioned Scan of the page. There is a photograph of the "Lens Array"Third from the top on the right.
Hope this helps.
Mike

 

[mtokue]

Sorry heres a slightly larger scan

 

[mtokue]

The Text basically goes through the principals of light traveling through the lens and explains how thers is a difference in the image circle due to the flangeback and backfocus gap between RF & SLRs and the size of the sensor. and the "Macro Lens array also helps the RD-1 to have a greater dynamic range compaired to other digitals using the same sized sensor.
The following page has Kodak Grey Charts showing differences in noise and sensitivity to white tone/ overexposure latitude ??. Let me know if you want me to up that page aswell.
Mike.

 

[driggett]

Mike,
Would you please translate the diagram showing the light rays going thorugh the micro lens. I want to know what is on the r-d1 and what is not.
Thanks,
Chris

 

[mtokue]

Should have read it through first the "Macro Lens Array" is discribed as being " On Chip" and there is apparently a color filter between it and the sensor.

 

[mtokue]

OK Here is the Translation of the diagram showing the light path to the CCD in the RD-1's "Special" Macro lens array and to the CCD of other Sensors.
Mike

Oh and sorry for the spelling and typos!! 😛

 

[Ed Schwartzreic]

Mike, this is really helpful. Further translation of anything that you think might not be obvious to non-Japanese speakers who are also photographically, digitally, and optically literate will facilitate our understanding and enjoyment of this book.

Ed

 

[jlw]

Mike,
It seems to me, at the moment, that there was no engineering breakthrough (per se) in the optical path components between the rear lens element and the CCD. It looks to be a standard DSLR set up. That has fascinating implications, in my mind. If it's true it means that any number of manufacturers could build a digital rangefinder that performs at least as well as the R-D1 (in terms of light fall-off) using ordinary and existing CCD related components.

I'd think that the shorter flange-to-film distance of a DRF camera would require a more refractive microlens array than needed on a DSLR to achieve the same effect.

(In other words, light rays hit the edges of a DRF imager at a steeper angle than they do in a DSLR sensor, so the microlens needs to apply more "leverage" to straighten them out.)

That causes me to suspect that while any DSLR manufacturer could do it, they could not do it using their existing microlens design.

I also suspect that the challenge of designing this microlens may be one of the things that's adding challenges to the development of the putative Leica "digital M." The more you have to bend the light, the greater the risk that it won't go where you want it to (aberrations), so doing a better job of imaging than Epson and doing so over a full 24x36mm sensor area are likely to be a tall order for the designers!