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you could if you spoke japanese...
The dreaded black/blank frames
- Thread starter rollbahn
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you could if you spoke japanese...
paradoxbox
Well-known
actually i think there are english speakers at the epson call center. when you call epson you actually don't speak to the camera repair center, you just speak to the call center and the (almost always female) operators will relay your message to the repair people who are located in a different area
rollbahn
Member
I speak a little Japanese but handing someone about $70 to handle the entire process I am sure is well worthwhile. I think it would prove almost impossible trying to do it yourself via Epson Japan.
rollbahn
Member
I am quite excited to get it all done as I was always thinking I needed the the RF calibrated properly and get a general service but unless it was broken I probably never would have wanted to send it away for that long.
So it sort of works out well as I still haven't sold my other camera yet and I get back a properly working camera that doesn't look like I've drunk too much bourbon when I turn my lens to infinity 🙂
So it sort of works out well as I still haven't sold my other camera yet and I get back a properly working camera that doesn't look like I've drunk too much bourbon when I turn my lens to infinity 🙂
WPalank
Leica Evangelist
You did check to make sure you had the lens cap off, right? 😉
Sorry rollbahn, had to do it. Looks like you're keeping a sense of humor through all this. Hope all works out in the end.
I bought the RD-1 way back when it first came out. After I got some calibration issues sorted, man that camera was magic. Now she's carefully boxed and I will never sell it. My first entry into Rangefinder Photography, no looking back!
rollbahn
Member
Ah damn forgot to check that! 🙂
I've only had it for a short period but I really love it despite its shortcomings. I am very tempted by the M8.2 but it seems apart form the 10mp I am probably better staying with the R-D1 and getting an M9 whenever I can afford an old one down the track.
Just put up the gallery from my first shoot with the R-D1 - the colour out of the colour is so great.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122071
BTW You have to wonder whether we will see an R-D2 at some stage - the time seems so right for a lower cost good quality rangefinder.
I've only had it for a short period but I really love it despite its shortcomings. I am very tempted by the M8.2 but it seems apart form the 10mp I am probably better staying with the R-D1 and getting an M9 whenever I can afford an old one down the track.
Just put up the gallery from my first shoot with the R-D1 - the colour out of the colour is so great.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122071
BTW You have to wonder whether we will see an R-D2 at some stage - the time seems so right for a lower cost good quality rangefinder.
gilpen123
Gil
Just one more question, did you see the over/under exposed in the LCD or computer screen?
rollbahn
Member
gilpen123 - I was out shooting my daughter's sports day when it happened. I was taking random images and then suddenly blank shots. I checked my aperture, then shutter speed etc thinking I had knocked something, then the lens cap etc.
I rely on the histogram for checking exposure at this stage as the LCD is terrible as it always looks burnt out when the actual shot is fine. I have found Exp Comp of +1 is needed most of the time for me or 1/60 when the meter shows 1/125 etc.
So to answer your question I first saw it on the LCD on the camera and confirmed by histogram and then double checked when I got home.
I rely on the histogram for checking exposure at this stage as the LCD is terrible as it always looks burnt out when the actual shot is fine. I have found Exp Comp of +1 is needed most of the time for me or 1/60 when the meter shows 1/125 etc.
So to answer your question I first saw it on the LCD on the camera and confirmed by histogram and then double checked when I got home.
gilpen123
Gil
Ok looks like it needs repair. One time I did this not noticing my ISO was set at 1600 during a daytime shoot, you know what will happen with the output. Good luck with the repair, cheers!
__hh
Well-known
And you need to speak German to be able to send a Leica back? What about Canon & Nikon & Pentax & [insert camera maker not from an English speaking country here]
rollbahn
Member
Slightly different scenario here as Leica, Canon, Nikon and Pentax can be serviced (at some level pretty) much anywhere. The R-D1 has to go back to Japan plus I think there's one or two places in the US who can still fix it and defintely nowhere in Australia.
I speak some Japanese but there's no way I would want to be trying to explain things to Epson Japan 🙂
gilpen123
Gil
Steve's Camera (US) I believe can do some work on the RD1 as well.
back alley
IMAGES
it's my understanding that epson japan only deals in japanese...i could be wrong.
i know that i used a broker and all i had to do was ship it to them and pay...very simple, inexpensive and expedient.
i know that i used a broker and all i had to do was ship it to them and pay...very simple, inexpensive and expedient.
hitchhiker
Newbie
I have exactly the same problem on my old RD-1 with only original battery used. At first, the problem is not serious, but later half of them are black, and still gets worse. Steve Choi said it was due to normal wear and tear on the shutter. An shutter overhaul fixes the problem but it might come back again later. A better solution is to get the shutter replaced.
Therefore, I have no choice but to send it over to Japan EPSON. Still waiting to hear the response.
Therefore, I have no choice but to send it over to Japan EPSON. Still waiting to hear the response.
mwooten
light user
Hitchhiker,
It would be interesting to find out what Epson replaces in your camera. I doubt they send a repair list back with the camera, but I sure would like to have a more definitive reason for the black-frames. I'm still not sold on it being a shutter problem. I've had about a half-dozen in total over the years, and I have sort of suspected it to be a write-problem to the sd card. I could be very wrong -- it might be the shutter closing too soon. But it would be nice to get an answer from Epson.
--michael
It would be interesting to find out what Epson replaces in your camera. I doubt they send a repair list back with the camera, but I sure would like to have a more definitive reason for the black-frames. I'm still not sold on it being a shutter problem. I've had about a half-dozen in total over the years, and I have sort of suspected it to be a write-problem to the sd card. I could be very wrong -- it might be the shutter closing too soon. But it would be nice to get an answer from Epson.
--michael
steveclem
Well-known
Try japan camera hunter, he deals with this sort of thing.
rollbahn
Member
I got mine back from EPSON Japan finally sorry for not posting sooner with what happened.
The shutter did get replaced entirely plus they gave the camera an overall service which was great even though the RF is still off and I had to fix it myself when it got back!
Anyway so that is the black frame solution it seems.
The shutter did get replaced entirely plus they gave the camera an overall service which was great even though the RF is still off and I had to fix it myself when it got back!
Anyway so that is the black frame solution it seems.
mwooten
light user
Thanks for the follow up. I'm thinking of send mine out sometime next year for a tune up.
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
I think it's great that Epson still services this thing. They introduced it in 2004, stopped making it in 2009, don't make any cameras anymore at all, but they still service them, a nice tough in the digital age.
rollbahn
Member
rxmd - Agreed and I think that is why people feel safe buying one still. I would have blown $1000 if they weren't around to service it anymore as mine died 4 weeks after buying it.
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