R-D1s in 2020 ?

[krötenblender]

In 4K screens and above, these old files have to be stretched to cover the whole screen. This does not result noticeable loss in quality?

Not really. I have a 5k iMac, so in 1:1, the files of my R-D1 only cover a part of the screen. But since the pixels are too small to be seen individually anyway and also since the scaling algorithms used by modern software are pretty good, you won't notice any obvious degration.

Of course, if you are a pixel-peeper... then you will see it. But then you wouldn't buy a R-D1 in the first place. The camera still produces very pleasing images with great and smooth colors.

 

[Lee Rust]

As long as you keep the limitations in mind, 6mp is plenty most of the time. I like the small RAW files and the JPGs have their own unique texture and organic colors. I rarely look at the LCD, love the mechanical nature of the camera operation and always carry three extra batteries.

 

[Guaranteed]

Lol, I still have four or five Lenmar batteries in the original blister packs floating about somewhere for when all my OEM and 1st set of Lenmars die.

 

[Rob-F]

There are just two things that have kept me away from the R-D1. I don't like the crop factor, and there had been a problem, from the outset, with getting them repaired. I don't imagine that situation has improved. If it were not for those issues scaring me away, I think I'd have gotten one a long time ago!

 

[ranger9]

Crop factor is just a bourgeois concept (is a Rolleiflex a crop-factor Linhof?) but if you don't personally like the sensor size, then fine. Repairability is no worse than a lot of other discontinued camera models... the shutter is a standard modular type, the cocking mechanism is common to many Cosina models, so various independents can often repair them. (Anybody know if Steve's Camera Service still works on them? They did a good job on mine, but that was several years ago.) So the main thing you'd have to worry about would be failure of a proprietary electronic component, which is a risk factor with most older electronic cameras. What most people actually are worried about is not that it might suddenly turn into a paperweight, but that it would be an expensive paperweight...

 

[krötenblender]

Crop factor is just a bourgeois concept

That is brilliant! Mind, if I cite that in other forums...? 😀

 

[pr1uk2]

Posted a couple of photos and the camera seems to be great, feels just right
https://www.flickr.com/photos_user.gne?path=&nsid=144474640@N04&page=&details=1
I always liked black & white and always leave the camera on ISO 200 just like the old films days I only ever used 200 back then

 

[Out to Lunch]

On Epson service, there was a discussion about this a while back. As far as I recall, the R-D1s and R-D1x are still serviced by Epson Japan. One way of getting the camera to Epson, is to go through https://www.japancamerahunter.com/ who, against a fee, will act as your local representative. He can also source Epson cameras and batteries in Japan.

 

[shawn]

Curious if anyone has any ERF filed they would be willing to share? I tried to find samples online and could not find any raws files. Out of curiosity I converted Epson Photo Raw to be able to run under OSX 10.14.6 but have no files to test it on to see if it works completely.

Thanks,

Shawn

 

[ranger9]

Here's a link to a zip containing a little clutch of Epson ERF files that you can download for testing. Don't expect them to be super-sharp, as I shot a lot of them with the 7Artisans 50mm f/1.1 lens at full aperture.

I manage my ERF files in Lightroom CC, so would be interested to see what the conversions from Epson Photo Raw look like. I haven't tried using Photo Raw in years.

https://adobe.ly/377Bpjf

 

[ranger9]

Same files converted by Lightroom:

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[shawn]

Awesome, thanks.

This confirmed the conversion works. I used Wine to convert the Windows version of Epson Photo Raw to a Mac OSX application. It imported and processed your files fine.

I left all image parameters at default. You can see the conversions here.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/39387871@N06/28013n

Thanks again.

Shawn

 

[ranger9]

Wow, that's a fascinating way to get the application onto a modern MacOS version! Thanks for the info.

 

[xayraa33]

Wow, I just checked the going prices for these used cameras... 1,400 USD and up.

A new Sony A7 II or a Canon EOS RP sounds like a better deal....but if you are a big fan of the Epson and its built-in M mount and real optical RF operation then nothing else will do.. other than a digital Leica M.

 

[Monochrom]

It´s a cult camera and gave me great results back then, but when i bought a zm 35mm lens the sensor just couldnt give me the results i was expecting. Don´t know if today is a real alternative.

 

[shawn]

Wow, I just checked the going prices for these used cameras... 1,400 USD and up.

A new Sony A7 II or a Canon EOS RP sounds like a better deal....but if you are a big fan of the Epson and its built-in M mount and real optical RF operation then nothing else will do.. other than a digital Leica M.

And the Leica’s don’t have the 1:1 viewfinder.

Shawn

 

[ranger9]

Wow, I just checked the going prices for these used cameras... 1,400 USD and up.

A new Sony A7 II or a Canon EOS RP sounds like a better deal....but if you are a big fan of the Epson and its built-in M mount and real optical RF operation then nothing else will do.. other than a digital Leica M.

I wonder whether those $1,400-and-up figures are actual selling prices or only asking prices. I'd be surprised if many are changing hands in that range. Last year just out of curiosity I asked a classic camera dealer what he'd give me for mine and he said he wasn’t interested in it regardless of price.

I bought mine when they first came out and have had it ever since, so current prices don't concern me much. I don't use it much because 6mp seems pretty limiting, but I don't really have any issues with the way it works. Sure, I'd rather have a Leica M10P to get the 24mp and longer rangefinder base (although it would be hard to give up the R-D1's full-life-size viewfinder) but I doubt if I'll ever have that much money to spend on a single camera.

Re the Sony/Canon/other adapted mirrorless solution, one pragmatic thing I'll say is that it's surprisingly hard to focus vintage-style wide-aperture lenses on them... I've particularly run into this with my 7Artisans 50/1.1 and 75/1.2 as well as old crocks such as my 85/1.5 Canon LTM. All these lenses have some spherical aberration, which means that instead of a single point of best focus, they have a sort of “tunnel of pretty good focus,” and when trying to focus through the lens you wind up sawing back and forth trying to decide which point is best, whereas with an optical rangefinder you can bang right into correct focus with no fuss.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Crop factor is just a bourgeois concept (is a Rolleiflex a crop-factor Linhof?) but if you don't personally like the sensor size, then fine. ...

I don't care for sensor size as long as where are decent lenses and framelines to support it.

Industar-69 28 2.8 is awesome half-frame 10$ lens on M8. Color Skopar 25 f4 is fine. M8 has framelines for it.

R-D1 28x1.5=42. Not even 35 FOV. 42 and narrower is too limiting, IMO. While M8 has 24 framelines, 24x1.33=32.

R-D1 is 42, 50 mm FOV camera. Not something I want as RF camera. It is like back to USSR again. 21, 28 and 35 would be my choice for 1.5 crop, but they never came with APS-C RF lenses (cheaper to make) to support this crop factor.

 

[shawn]

https://www.checkaflip.com for Epson rangefinder has an average selling price of about 1070usd with a pretty wide range of prices in there. Natcam or usedphotopro recently had one for around 1200 and it was gone quickly. KEH just had an excellent plus one for 800 during their sale. Popflash has a RD1X for $1500 right now.

Shawn

 

[shawn]

I don't care for sensor size as long as where are decent lenses and framelines to support it.

Industar-69 28 2.8 is awesome half-frame 10$ lens on M8. Color Skopar 24 f4 is fine. M8 has framelines for it.

R-D1 28x1.5=42. Not even 35 FOV. 42 and narrower is too limiting, IMO. While M8 has 24 framelines, 24x1.33=32.

R-D1 is 42, 50 mm FOV camera. Not something I want as RF camera. It is like back to USSR again. 21, 28 and 35 would be my choice for 1.5 crop, but they never came with APS-C RF lenses (cheaper to make) to support this crop factor.

The entire viewfinder is supposed to be about right for a 24mm lens. With both eyes open you should get a superimposed black border that is about a 35mm fov.

Shawn