RF alignment tips - with photos

[RichC]

Tim you said you'd post instructions on how to remove the top plate: are you still willing to do this?

I'd be really in your debt if would... 😀

 

[Bob Parsons]

Tim you said you'd post instructions on how to remove the top plate: are you still willing to do this?

I'd be really in your debt if would... 😀

I'd also like to know how to do this. 🙂 Knowing where the retaining screws are under the covers would prevent trial and error. My rangefinder is slightly out when close focusing and it would be useful to be able to correct this once the camera is out of warranty.

Bob.

 

[ZorkiKat]

None of my M bodies have had problems like that, even 40 and 30 yo M3 and M4-2, but i do agree with your comparison to Russian bodies.
Pity that the price is not the same though... 🙄

Maybe the "R" in R-D1 also stands for "Russian"? 😀

 

[LCT]

...vertically I'm not able to do anything: the patch is above the main image, so I should turn the #3 screw clockwise (for what I read in another thread). The screw can be only be turned some 20 degrees from it's "normal" position but it has no efect on the patch's vertical alignment... Could it be that the bump somehow disconnected #3 screw from the RF mechanism?...

I don't know sorry and i hope you find a solution ASAP but your experience confirms what i said i'm afraid.
The R-D1s is not the same camera as the R-D1 as far as RF is concerned. I can easily adjust vertical alignments with the R-D1 but i cannot do it with the R-D1s so that i've had to send it in to Epson under warranty.
Quite a serious issue IMO as i'm pretty sure i will experience new misalignments in the future given the poor quality of this otherwise great rangefinder.
Anyway if you hesitate between the R-D1 and the R-D1s, instead of buying both like truly yours, take the R-D1 folks and do the firmware update if it suits you.

 

[tmessenger]

Yes I'll get to it this week, sorry for the delay.

Tim

Tim you said you'd post instructions on how to remove the top plate: are you still willing to do this?

I'd be really in your debt if would... 😀

 

[Adam-T]

Anyway if you hesitate between the R-D1 and the R-D1s, instead of buying both like truly yours, take the R-D1 folks and do the firmware update if it suits you.

I`d second this because of another reason - the RD1 works with more RAW converters than the "S" model even though they`re identical cameras (bar the RF screw) - the "S" Flag added to the R-D1S in the RAW Data stops some converters from working, the Free RAWshooter essentials for one and maybe even Capture ONE (though I thought they`d updated that) - the RAW files are otherwise the same..

 

[jvr]

LCT and tmessenger: thanks for your input!

Looks like I have 3 options:

1) Live with the misaligned patch...

2) Send the Epson to someone who can fix it (I was about to send it to DAG but sending things from Portugal to the USA is apparently not an easy issue!). Maybe I'll wait for Robert White's certification to repair Epson...

3) Wait for tmessenger instructions on the top cover and try it mself... 🙂

BTW, regarding Raw Conversion, version 3.7.5 of Capture One already supports RD-1s (and quality is very good).

But I agree that a RD-1 plus upgrade is a better (and cheaper) idea than a RD-1s...

 

[jvr]

BTW, Adam, how's the 90/3.5 on the RD-1?

 

[Adam-T]

the 90 is Tack sharp wide open, the only reason you`d want to stop it down would be for Depth of field and the only reason why you`d want a Leica Elmarit M 90 would be for the Two thirds of a Stop of extra light (which really isn`t worth the money) the 90 Lanthar is as close to faultless, Optically OR mechanically as you could ask for in a lens ............

All 90s can be tricky on the RD1 (especially when your cam is out of Cal) because of the Sort base length (same for Bessas, the leica CL, Zorkis and later FEDs) but when you get it right, it`s amazing - I`ve been getting better and better at focussing the 90mm but haven`t tried it yet on the newly cal`d camera ..

Yes Capture One and the RD1 is absolutely knockout, pixel level sharpness is amazing ..

 

[LCT]

...Send the Epson to someone who can fix it (I was about to send it to DAG but sending things from Portugal to the USA is apparently not an easy issue!). Maybe I'll wait for Robert White's certification to repair Epson...

Did you purchase your R-D1s in Europe and are you still under warranty?
If so, you might wish to do like me:
- don't open the top of the camera which could void the warranty;
- call or send a fax to Epson Engineering in France (address below) who seem to repair most if not all the R-D1 and R-D1s bodies purchased in Europe.
- ask them to give you a "Numéro de retour SAV" (after-sale service number) and send them in the body with that number and a copy of your invoice together with the bar code and serial number of the body.
It worked fine for me despite the fact that i bought my R-D1s in Italy.
Best,
LCT

Epson Engineering Europe SA
60 rue Auguste Perret
Europarc
94000 Créteil
France
Tel: +33 892899999
Fax: +33 156715726

 

[jvr]

Did you purchase your R-D1s in Europe and are you still under warranty?
If so, you might wish to do like me:
- don't open the top of the camera which could void the warranty;
- call or send a fax to Epson Engineering in France (address below) who seem to repair most if not all the R-D1 and R-D1s bodies purchased in Europe.
- ask them to give you a "Numéro de retour SAV" (after-sale service number) and send them in the body with that number and a copy of your invoice together with the bar code and serial number of the body.
It worked fine for me despite the fact that i bought my R-D1s in Italy.
Best,
LCT

Epson Engineering Europe SA
60 rue Auguste Perret
Europarc
94000 Créteil
France
Tel: +33 892899999
Fax: +33 156715726

Thank you very much for the contact, I may just do that! 😀

My RD-1s was bought in the UK and has less than one year, so it must be still under warranty.

How long did I take to repair yours?

 

[LCT]

...How long did I take to repair yours?

Less than 3 weeks.

 

[tmessenger]

I've added a bit about removing the top plate for those interested.

Tim

 

[RichC]

Thanks Tim - much appreciated.

 

[Marac]

Just used your guide to set my RD1 as it was quite a way off and now, to my eyes at least, it is perfect. Thank You

 

[steveclem]

Thread bookmarked, thanks all contributors.

 

[rluka]

Just tried opening my R-D1s hot shoe this morning because of the terrible vertical misalignment.

The big #3 vertical adjust screw works just fine in my copy.
There's still horizontal misalignment though. Need to adjust it again later.