R-D1 inflation

mascarenhas

mascarenhas

Established
Local time
10:37 PM
Joined
Jul 13, 2006
Messages
62
Location
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
View My Gallery
I'm kicking myself for not getting one of the Epson refurb R-D1s for $1,400 six months ago! I thought I could snap one up on eBay for about that but the one they have now is going for $1,700 with still four hours until the auction closes... was there an R-D1 "inflation" in the past few months?
 
Prices have been going up and down ever since Leica announced the M8. It seems prices are now rather stable somehwere between $1750 en $1400. Prices vary, sometimes because of looks, sometiems because the seller just wants a higher price. You have to decide what price is best for you.
 
I noticed that, the one on eBay ended up going for $1725. I have seen nicer ones sold here and on pnet for less than that in the last couple months, so I decided to wait some more and see if I can snap one up for around $1,500.

RML said:
Prices have been going up and down ever since Leica announced the M8. It seems prices are now rather stable somehwere between $1750 en $1400. Prices vary, sometimes because of looks, sometiems because the seller just wants a higher price. You have to decide what price is best for you.
Click to expand...
 
Yeah I tried to get a refurb at Epson's site. They would not accept a debit card and my credit card was topped out at the moment. Bom, I lost it. So I got a ZI and am happy for it.
 
I don't know. I'm not into comparing apples and oranges, really. Both cameras have their strong and weak points. Everyone has to find out for himself if he cam live with the weak points and whether the strong points are buying points.
 
ywenz said:
RD-1 is awesome.. seriously. the images in the RD-1 gallery is much much better than the M8's.. Is it just me? or do others think so as well?

http://www.flickr.com/groups/r-d1/


http://www.flickr.com/groups/leica_m8
Click to expand...
wicked vid, ywenz 😀

yep, the R-D1 is awsome, and seems to me the price is pretty settled now. I wouldn't expect a big change while they've got life in them! After all, unique, first of a kind, brilliant quality...

(ps I don't have one 😱 )

-- edit -- and you won't catch me with an M8 either 😀
 
RML said:
I don't know. I'm not into comparing apples and oranges, really.
Click to expand...

It's not apples and oranges comparison by any stretch of the imagination. They're both cameras. One produce images of much more pleasing result than the other. I think it's a fair assumption that the level of talent in both groups of owners are equivalent... the M8 images are just simply lifeless when compared to the RD-1 images..

Or maybe my assumption was incorrect.. Leica has greater brand name recognition than Epson which suggests that the avereage RD-1 buyer most likely is more involved and more passionate about photography than the run of the mill rich guy who buys the M8 because he is vaguely aware of this "premium" "Leica" brand, and a rich guy such as himself should own a camera that is aligned with his income bracket. Due to the infiltration of these types of M8 owners, the overall quality of the images in the M8 gallery takes a hit... Yes, this makes sense to me.
 

Attachments

  • Leica II_33.jpg
    Leica II_33.jpg
    113.9 KB · Views: 0
Last edited:
ywenz said:
It's not apples and oranges comparison by any stretch of the imagination. They're both cameras. One produces images of much more pleasing result than the other. I think it's a fair assumption that the level of talent in both groups of owners are equivalent... the M8 images are just simply lifeless when compared to the RD-1 images..
Click to expand...

With all due respect and no offence meant but... it is apples and oranges. Just like comparing Tri-x in a Leica M2 and FP4+ in a Canon 7 is apples and oranges. They're both B&W film in a camera but they are different. You either like the one or the other or both. Then, how about lenses, and developing, and printing? Would these aspects matter in how the result looks like? Of course they do. Perhaps more than the kind of film initially used.

Apples and oranges.
 
RML said:
With all due respect and no offence meant but... it is apples and oranges. Just like comparing Tri-x in a Leica M2 and FP4+ in a Canon 7 is apples and oranges.
Click to expand...

comparing apples to oranges would be like comparing the looks of an African elephant to the styling of the new stainless steel iMac.

For the scenario you've provided, one can say things like "The handling of the M2 is better than the Canon 7." or "Tri-x grains looks great whereas FP4+ grains looks bad".

You can not put "iMac" and "African elephant" in the same sentence, short of the sentence I've typed above.
 
Last edited:
Rd-1 an Incredible Camera for the Price

Rd-1 an Incredible Camera for the Price

I was able to pick up an RD-1 updated to "S" in super condition from a forum member a couple of months ago and haven't regretted the just over $1,700 price tag for a minute. The images are incredible and if down the road I find that I need to send it off to Steve's Camera or whoever for a lube and an oil change so be it. I wouldn't be surprised that for at least the immediate future, $1,700 for one in top shape doesn't become the standard asking/starting price. 🙂
 
It's not really difference in fruit....your choice of which fruit....

both record digitally, process as raw....so the real common denominator is not the camera but in fact the lens......that's where the real truth lies....


at this moment, I have both cameras...yep, got the M8 again...but will end up in a short time dumping it again....lens for lens, file for file.....

well, unfortunately, there is a certain quality and life in the well.....

less expensive camera....the higher priced one let me down once again.....


so to compare the 2 is really to be expected, afterall...what else is there to compare to...and which one if either, will be the benchmark for the future.....the answer remains to be seen...but I feel that it's some time before Leica steps up and does what they are supposed to do....I have a major collection of Leica's and stopped with the M8.......

in the future....who knows......meanwhile, I'm hungry but I can't decide between an apple or an orange....later....don
 
I got my RD1 refurb last October, updated to "s" firmware. The reason I bought it was originally to be a backup for an M8 which I planned to get as soon as available. Once I saw the IR filter business and the recall I opted to wait on the M8, but now I have one. In the meantime I had a chance to get to know the RD1, but now with the M8 I am seeing that the RD1 will be as I intended originally, a backup. I don't care for the way the rangefinder patch doesn't travel with the framelines for parallax, I don't like the manual frame selector, or that 28mm (=~42mm) is the widest frame in the camera. I appreciate the quietness of the RD1 so perhaps it will also get used in some situations where that's an issue. But to tell the honest truth I don't trust either of them as far as I can spit, and when I go on an important trip I will probably bring a film Leica along too.
 
So the Rd-1s is just a firmware upgrade? Is that a user upgrade, or does it have to go to an Epson service center? Apologies for the dumb question - I'm just beginning to consider whether to purchase one of these.
 
Actually what I read was different, that alignment issues are there for the "s" also, but adjustment now requires taking the top off the camera vs just gaining access under the hot shoe. That was one reason I passed on the opportunity to get a demo "s" from Japan for $1800 (getting a demo non-"s" from Epson USA with a year's warranty for $1400 was the other reason😀 ) Yes the firmware upgrade was a freebie off Epson's website (I think it may have been the UK site, don't remember). If you google Epson+RD1+firmware upgrade you'll probably get a link.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom