newcomer in RF world, any advice?

[capronimus]

Hi everybody!!
I have been a DSLR´s user since long time ago. My lovely first camera was a film Nikon F70 and, after that, i "went digital" with a Olympus E300.
When I saw, in 2004, for the first time Epson R-D1 i fall in love with that classic look, but money was a problem by then.
Today, finally, i´ve just purchased a new RD1s with a Carl-Zeiss Biogon T*35 f/2 and i´m nervous as with a new love. Will this relationship with my first and new RF camera will last?
I´m a beginner in this world so any advice would be welcome.
thanks to you all in advance...

Roberto
Zaragoza, Spain

 

[payasam]

Welcome, Roberto. It's up to you to make the relationship last: cameras are faithful creatures.

 

[RML]

Congrats! That's one giant leap of faith to enter the world of rf with an R-D1 and a CZ Biogon! 🙂 I hope you enjoy it.

 

[capronimus]

Welcome, Roberto. It's up to you to make the relationship last: cameras are faithful creatures.

you´re right!

NB:lovely pictures in your gallery; i enjoy speciallly "Hill road repair" and "First Day of Spring"

 

[capronimus]

Congrats! That's one giant leap of faith to enter the world of rf with an R-D1 and a CZ Biogon! 🙂 I hope you enjoy it.

Thanks!

NB: very useful your blog links

 

[payasam]

Thank you, Roberto: though "first day of spring" must be someone else's work. I'm going the other way from you, as it happens. Just got an E-300 after selling a Leica IIIc and a couple of lenses. You've come to RF all right, but you're still digital.

 

[Terao]

Shoot fast and loose. Forget about autofocus autometer everything and experiment. Walk around with the lens set to hyperfocal distance at f/8 and see how you get on. Admire the excellent B&W modes. Get used to that wonderful widescreen finder view (in comparison to your E300). Enjoy the fact that you can see that guy who is just about to walk into your shot...

 

[BillBingham2]

Roberto,

Welcome, great way to jump in with both feet. RF is a long lasting love affair, worry not. I find SLRs (I have not moved to a DSLR yet) much better for longer lenses (anything over 135 and RF for anything wider than a 75. The space between them (75 to 135) works fine in either.

The suggestion about hyperfocal distance is a good one, but I’m not sure if a 35 is wide enough for that sort of thing. The 35 turns into “Normal” lens on the RD-1 and your choice is a GREAT one.

The best way to get better is to shoot and ask for critiques, the Internet rocks for that. You might want to look into what is called PAW (Picture A Week) effort from folks, they are fun to learn and grow.

Again, welcome to one of the best places on the net.

B2 (;->

 

[RichC]

Welcome Roberto.

No shooting advice, but if you haven't already done so, check out my R-D1 website: lots of practical advice on the camera, e.g. the meter's not centre weighted but "centre bottom left" weighted (there is a good reason), so if you're taking portrait-format shots, you need to hold the camera viewfinder-end down - held the other way up you'll meter the sky and thus underexpose!

 

[mn4367]

Welcome Roberto!

That's a very good combination, I also started with it ;-), and I enjoy it even more now.
I also strongly encourage you to take a look at Rich's site, it is a great collection of info about the R-D1 (thanks Rich!).

 

[RichC]

take a look at Rich's site, it is a great collection of info about the R-D1 (thanks Rich!).

Thanks!

If anyone has any new info, spots any mistakes, thinks something could be written more clearly, please do let me know!