RD-1 LCD issue - ideas and repairs

ryback

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Well, as some other users reported, I´ve also some kind of mystic lcd issue.

I´ve an RD-1 with RD-1s firmware.
Lcd worked, but since yesterday it won´t turn on.
I´ve tried the following:
turn cam off, battery out, wait one night. Turn cam on without battery to kill any restcapacity. Turn cam off. Fresh and full battery (from epson) in the camera, power on, no lcd.
But, and that´s the strange part, if I access firmwaremode (hold menue & user button and power on the cam) the lcd works. *confusing*

So my questions:

Is there no one who repaired this problem him/herself? Or figured out what problem thats really is??
The users out there with this issue: do you tried to access firmwaremode to check if the lcd itself is broken?
Is this problem maybe connected only to RD-1 cams that are upgraded to RD-1s firmware?

I really hope to get some more details on this problem as I won´t send my cam to the other side of the planet. :D

thanx so far

p.s.: I´m new in the world of digital rf-cams but I´m really in love with my epson. :D
 
I only have anecdotal evidence, but have you been switching the LCD orientation frequently?

Mine died in the middle of a trip when I decided to shoot with the LCD flipped in for a few days. Made me go, 'Oh. I guess its finally time for me to send it in.' But I tried something weird - I flipped the LCD in/out about 5-10 times, and suddenly, the LCD turned back on on the last try and is still working till today.

My guess is that when the LCD is flipped in, the screen would not work, and for some reason, the internal circuitry just failed to register the fact that I had flipped it outwards. I probably got lucky repeating the motion several times and the flip took. Now I leave the screen facing outwards at all time.

I know it sounds weird, but if it works, could save your camera a trip back to Japan:)
 
Epson still services the R-D1. On their website (link below), the date up to which they guarantee to have parts for the R-D1 is 30th April 2013, and for the R-D1s its 30th September 2016. Interestingly, there's no date listed for the R-D1x. Since the R-D1 and R-D1s are the exact same camera, you're covered until 30th September 2016 for sure.

http://www.epson.jp/support/shuri/10_digital_camera.htm

You can send your camera to Epson via a middleman such as Bellamy at http://japancamerahunter.com/

Here you Go.
 
hm, ok, that maybe make sense. the lcd has a switch that register the flipout-mode, so that it can´t be on if it is flipped toward the body you mean?

if thats true, you can figure out the following for me: if the display is on and you flip it around, does it turn off? if yes, that can really be my problem.

I only have anecdotal evidence, but have you been switching the LCD orientation frequently?

Mine died in the middle of a trip when I decided to shoot with the LCD flipped in for a few days. Made me go, 'Oh. I guess its finally time for me to send it in.' But I tried something weird - I flipped the LCD in/out about 5-10 times, and suddenly, the LCD turned back on on the last try and is still working till today.

My guess is that when the LCD is flipped in, the screen would not work, and for some reason, the internal circuitry just failed to register the fact that I had flipped it outwards. I probably got lucky repeating the motion several times and the flip took. Now I leave the screen facing outwards at all time.

I know it sounds weird, but if it works, could save your camera a trip back to Japan:)
 
The LCD on mine is a bit erratic as well. When it dies, which is usually after having flipped it, I have always made it come alive again by randomly flipping the LCD in and out and turning the camera on/off a few times. No system to it, but it has always worked for me. It has been on a long working streak lately, so now I just leave it exposed.
There must be a small switch somewhere in the LCD hinge. Sometimes it catches, sometimes it doesn't.
 
hm, ok, that maybe make sense. the lcd has a switch that register the flipout-mode, so that it can´t be on if it is flipped toward the body you mean?

if thats true, you can figure out the following for me: if the display is on and you flip it around, does it turn off? if yes, that can really be my problem.

That is exactly why I suggested it - when the display is on and you start to flip it inwards, the LCD turns off at about the halfway mark. Randomly flipping my panel got it to work again after it supposedly 'died' on me. Never flipped it again after it came back on.
 
From Rich Cutler's site (http://r-d1.info/service-and-repair/common-faults/):

There have been rare reports of the LCD screen dying: it simply stops working.
This may be fixable yourself if you’re happy to dismantle your camera and have some knowledge of electrical circuits; The most common reason for this fault is a blown internal fuse or a faulty switch on the LCD swivel mechanism, or a combination—the latter can cause the former.
 
ok, tadaaaa!! back to life. :D

so for all those who might have a broken lcd, try these steps:
1. check if lcd itself (or might be a fuse) is the problme. For that, bring the cam to firmwaremode (hold menue & userbutton at startup) if display turns on, no fuse or so will be your problem.
2. If the orientation switch in the hinge is the problem, jiggle the lcd a little bit as you want to flip it in close mode. Not too much pressure and not to hard. Don´t panic, maybe you need some tries, but well, for me, it worked. :D
I´ve made that several times and now its working again.

Thanx to Larken so far. :D:D

In some cold winter days, I´ll open the cam and identify the problem a little bit more exact, so it should be possible to repair this ourself instead of sending the cam through the half world. But for now, cam is running and I´m off to amsterdam, figure out what this beautiful cam can achieve. :D
 
Wow ryback, that's some awesome pictures. I'm definitely not doing my rd1 any justice at all. :D

Could you share the lens choice and slight description of your post processing techniques?
 
hey larken,

well its pretty simple and not much "magic" on them. :D
the lens is an old jupiter 50mm f2. not in best condition but I like it.

the postprocessing is only in the amsterdam-pics - it´s an photoshop action I´ve made to simulate a personal variation of the classic crossprocessing. the cam was set to standard and the other pics are only slightly contrast increased. thats it. maybe this is the reason why I love this cam so much - because you don´t have to do so much with the pics. great just out of the cam. :D
 
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