Epson R-D1 Digital Rangefinder Camera

[megaweb]

Shown only in prototype form and behind glass at PMA this year Epson has today fully revealed their R-D1 'Rangefinder Digital Camera'. This camera has come out of a collaboration between Epson and Cosina, it supports Leica M mount and L mount with an adapter and has a six megapixel APS size sensor with an output image size of 3008 x 2000 pixels (which sounds to me like the sensor used by Nikon in the D100 & D70). Epson's timing for this announcement is the 2004 Photo Expo to be held in Tokyo between 19th and 21st March. This announcement has received a lot of attention from the Japanese websites who have lots of images of the camera, see inside for links.

click below link for more info

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0403/04031101epsonrd1.asp

 

[Kit]

I find this weird. Of all the people who can come out with this camera, it has to be Epson.....

 

[chyeo]

I find this weird. Of all the people who can come out with this camera, it has to be Epson.....

my sentiments exactly. i thought leica or bessa would do it instead.

 

[denizenx]

the jap coys usually have a lot of crossed subsidiaries one what... all are actually in the same few industries... who wd say epson makes watches too?

 

[offspring]

woohoo!!!

D-RF.. finally

 

[mpenza]

would this be released in Singapore? hopefully, it's not a limited edition thingie for the Japanese markets.

 

[XXX Boy]

I find this weird. Of all the people who can come out with this camera, it has to be Epson.....

It is not weird at all! For your info Epson is Seiko. And after all, Seiko is not new to the photographic world. Seiko manufactured shutter mech for many cameras. :think:

 

[d7t3]

i love the 'rewind lever' which looks like it's the power switch. quirky but 'stealthy' design

 

[XXX Boy]

I like the idea of using a Leica-M lens on a digital body! :thumbsup:
But the price will just break my heart! :bheart:

 

[czeyang]

I like the idea of using a Leica-M lens on a digital body! :thumbsup:
But the price will just break my heart! :bheart:

Price of M lens? or digital body? or both??

 

[XXX Boy]

Price of M lens? or digital body? or both??

Price of a M lens is all right lor. I can get a 2nd hand one pretty cheap. It is the digital body lor that break my heart! :blah:

 

[y0gi0h]

Hopefully they use a better shutter than the one used in the Bessa R which is loud as thunder and tat-shiok to use (but I think that's a fat hope)

Leica really ku-ku, keep saying that it's not possible to produce a digital-M. see wat happen now??

Anyway, I still luv my Leica M's :heart:

 

[Nikonian Foo]

Epson Seiko got big factory in Malaysia...Could the camera or the CCD be made by our neighbour?

 

[sulhan]

If thats the one......they make watches.... :bsmilie:

Its opposite the mercedes assembly factory.....in JB...


rgds,
me

 

[xmen1977]

I find this weird. Of all the people who can come out with this camera, it has to be Epson.....

dun forget, Epson also make lcd panel sensors for some projectors in the industry

 

[XXX Boy]

Wonder why it still have a film advance lever since it is a digital camera? :dunno:

 

[Ansel]

Hopefully they use a better shutter than the one used in the Bessa R which is loud as thunder and tat-shiok to use (but I think that's a fat hope)
:

I have heard a lot of complaints about the bessa R shutter being loud, but I rarely read any explanations on why it is such. Actually there are two reasons why the Bessa R shutter is that loud:

1) It is made of metal.
2) There are actually 2 layers of shutter, unlike an SLR which has only one layer. One layer which is the shutter itself, and an outer layer to ensure no light leakage when the camera is pointed at something really bright such as the sun.

Advantage of a metal shutter will be that you can achieve a higher x-sync speed and higher maximum shutter speed.

So, for those who own bessas, you know you have superior shutter, albeit a little loud compared to the likes of Leicas.

 

[Ansel]

Wonder why it still have a film advance lever since it is a digital camera? :dunno:

Read that it might be used for cocking the mechanical shutter and to give die hard manual users the feel of a mechanical camera.

 

[y0gi0h]

The Nikon F2AS that I used to have, must have one of the loudest shutter but it's a solid kind of shutter noise, not like that sh*t dropping kind (sorry, for lack of better words).

YMMV.

 

[Cash]

the dRF is a step forward technologically but a step back philosophically as far as the M goes. imo

most folks using the Ms weren't really worried about film costs in the beginning and it's confusing why any M owner would wanna stick a M lens over a ccd sensor for that pixelated look.