Huh? Why should you have to constantly be in the menus? I set it to my preferred ISO and RAW and then use it like any other M. I don't get this...
SteveM_NJ
Well-known
I'm happy with the camera, to me, it is only a hobby/play thing.
If there were a "next generation", i'd like there to be a more up-to-date sensor, so voted for 12.
I enjoy it "as is" and like the results, an M9 is out of my price-to-play comfort range as a hobby.
If there were a "next generation", i'd like there to be a more up-to-date sensor, so voted for 12.
I enjoy it "as is" and like the results, an M9 is out of my price-to-play comfort range as a hobby.
ebosuna
Edmundo
I love the dials and the lever, I miss them on the M8
Spyro
Well-known
Unfortunately it exists every time you mount a lens that was designed for a bigger sensor camera, which is all lenses that are available for the RD1.
Tuolumne
Veteran
The color quality and low noise of the R-D1 are due to the large sensor sites. Keep it at 6MP for that reason.
/T
/T
Vince Lupo
Whatever
Just out of curiosity (as I'm considering buying an R-D1), how does the camera perform in low light, like 400-800 ISO?
LCT
ex-newbie
No problem with Capture One. With the Epson raw converter, 800 iso is too noisy for color works IMHO.
Ezzie
E. D. Russell Roberts
Your point being? Why do you need particular lenses for the RD-1? The camera itself is designed for M lenses in general, and LTM with adapters. The M8 is no different it that respect. And since Cosina built the mechanics you can safely say that there are lenses from the same manufacturer available, not unlike the current Zeiss cameras and lenses, both built by Cosina. And lastly, isn't a 18deg Fov good enough for you, as in Voigtlander Cosina's 12mm offering?
kkdanamatt
Well-known
I just bought an RD-1 from a fellow RFF'r earlier today. I'm eager to take it on a jaunt to Indiana next month. In anticipation of using it, I bought a used Nikon D50 (which uses the same sensor as the RD-1) with the cheap 18-55 kit lens, and found the images up to 11x14 to be quite satisfactory. I think the Epson with better optics than the Nikon 18-55 will be excellent for my style of street shooting.
If I were shooting professionally, I'd spend $7000 for an M9. But I'm not and I won't.
If I were shooting professionally, I'd spend $7000 for an M9. But I'm not and I won't.
LCT
ex-newbie
The D50 uses the same sensor as the D70 and the D40 (Sony ICX453AQ). Gives very good results indeed. The R-D1 uses that of the D100 (Sony ICX413AQ) which makes very nice images as well.
flash-gordon
rangefinder freak!
I have two Epson and one m8.
Booth epson cost less then m8.
M8 was a reall disapoint, because after working with R-d1, no other digtal rf is the same.
The way we work with it is intuitive, unlike m8, the manual lever is an important step when you change from analog to digital, all mental sequence is there on the espon, unlike the m8. and the noise m8 makes......jesus....
I really enjoy my epson and I'm selling the m8 because of it.
i beleave, that until today it was the best digital camera ever made, I just can stop using it
and for me the results are great.
Cheers
Booth epson cost less then m8.
M8 was a reall disapoint, because after working with R-d1, no other digtal rf is the same.
The way we work with it is intuitive, unlike m8, the manual lever is an important step when you change from analog to digital, all mental sequence is there on the espon, unlike the m8. and the noise m8 makes......jesus....
I really enjoy my epson and I'm selling the m8 because of it.
i beleave, that until today it was the best digital camera ever made, I just can stop using it
and for me the results are great.Cheers
menos
Veteran
I have two Epson and one m8.
Booth epson cost less then m8.
M8 was a reall disapoint, because after working with R-d1, no other digtal rf is the same.
The way we work with it is intuitive, unlike m8, the manual lever is an important step when you change from analog to digital, all mental sequence is there on the espon, unlike the m8. and the noise m8 makes......jesus....
I really enjoy my epson and I'm selling the m8 because of it.
i beleave, that until today it was the best digital camera ever made, I just can stop using it
Cheers
Not so quick!
I love my R-D1 and won't give up on it (until EPSON crafts a new, improved one).
I did get a M8.2 some time ago and really, really struck long exhausting fights with it.
I fought the noise, the missing lever, the occasional freezes, the different handling, the ISO setting, the exposure compensation, the lack of shutter speed display in VF, the small magnification and most importantly, the processing of the files.
Somehow, I needed a few weeks, to really get to B&W files, I really like (EPSON gave me these right out of the camera and I loved them).
After the struggle, I can honestly say, the M8.2 is the only camera, I have always with me.
It is the camera, I use the most by far.
It is the camera with the most detailed files for prints.
I love the M8.2, but won't give up on my R-D1 as well ;-)
You might not tried long and hard enough with the M8.
If you are printing bigger than A4 and love the detailed R-D1 files with much less sharpening needed than usual DSLR files, you will love the M8!
emraphoto
Veteran
never had a megapixel concern.
better dynamic range and more robust rangefinder. that's about all i could think of.
better dynamic range and more robust rangefinder. that's about all i could think of.
LCT
ex-newbie
I'd prefer AE lock with the shutter release, a larger raw buffer and a longer based rangefinder by far. This megapix thing has little to do with photography.
RichC
Well-known
It does if the final step of your photography is large exhibition-quality prints (> A3 or 20") or if you want a photo agency to represent you - most require the equivalent of 18 MP files (you can resample 10 MP files like Leica M8's (barely) but not the Epson's 6 MP ones - my agency rejected all my R-D1 photos because their quality was too poor when resampled).
On the other hand, if you only make A4 (10") prints and don't use an agency, then 6 MP is adequate (not forgetting that as well as having more pixels, modern sensors have a wider tonal range and significantly less noise).
As I've said before, R-D1: nice ergonomics, poor build quality and - by today's standards - inadequate sensor. I haven't regretted trading it for a Leica M8...
LCT
ex-newbie
Yes of course but how many people print (if any) larger than A4 prints? Another question would be to know if photogs need to use larger LCDs than say 30" actually. When i used my film Ms A4 was the limit as well, at least for me. For A3 and larger i preferred MF by far. YMMV.
menos
Veteran
I print up to 13x19 at home - film, scanning with a flatbed, processing barely fits A3+.
The M8 fits very comfortable for printing A3+ from it, even cropped files.
The R-D1 is out of this, but indeed it is cleaner at high ISO and can be pushed further than the M8/M9 if a grainy look is tolerable (very much like pushed high speed BW film).
For tight room exhibition an R-D1 print at A4 is really beautiful, I'll keep mine.
RichC
Well-known
For better or worse, large prints are today's preference - you only have to look at some of the ginormous prints exhibited in some galleries. I live in Brighton, UK, which has a strong photographic tradition (as an aside, our Photo Fringe Festival is being curated this year by Martin Parr): you can often find prints by local photographers exhibited in various galleries, cafes and pubs - invariably, most are about 17-20" or A3 size.
Since digital cameras seem to have settled at 10-12 MP as the norm (ideal for A3 prints) and because A3 printers are now ubiquitous, most digital users who print other than just for themselves tend to print large, in line with current taste.
So, to answer your question directly: every serious photographer I know usually prints at A3. That said, all are digital users, none use film, and a significant proportion have never used a film camera (including me - I've only ever used digital, though I have bought a film camera that I intend to try out one day to see what the attraction is). The demographic of me and my photographic peers differs notably from many at RFF in our lack of a film-using background, which may account for our preference for high MP and large prints...