Luminous Landscape Epson RD-1 field test

Luminous Landscape has now posted a detailed field test of the Epson RD-1. I found

it quite worthwhile. It's at:

http://luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/epson-rd1.shtml

It seems to be a quite positive review. The price is a shock though.

A fairly through article. Good enough for me anyway. But I'm not a huge stickler for "lens tests" and the like.

The Epson retails for the same as any bottom-end Leica M. Considering it's the only

digital rangefinder at the moment, they could probably charge $8000 and still sell a fair

number.

Hm, tax return will be around 1000 Euro. A second mortgage? Selling my car?

Volker maybe your car but not mine, a 96 Ford Explorer XL, 5 speed with V6 total value $1,600.

my 1997 Audi A4 may fetch something around 2000, if I clean it first :-)<div></div>

for 3000$ you get a 2 year old sensor in a new body....doesnt seem worth it to me....why not just get the d100 and a ton of lenses for that?

Grant, I've got a Canon D60 with some lenses but during those three weeks in Cuba the SLR stayed in my room mostly and the Contax G2 and TVS where with me.<br><br>

 

To be true, I bought the D60 as a stop gap until Kyocera brings a digital G, which will never happen :-(<br><br>

 

<img src="http://www.hett.org/web/files/0001/025_23.jpg" width="510"><br>

Contax TVS, BW400CN in Matanzas, Cuba

volker, you using a contax rather than the d60 means what? you would spend 3000$ on a contax if they put the d60 sensor in it?

Jep, I'd spent 3000$ on a digital Contax G2, but it'd better be full frame as I want to use my 28 as a wide angle :-).

 

But I don't see Kyocera producing anything in this niche, as far as I'm concerned the G line is dead and I don't expect anything new.

This is no problem for me, as I have all I want and I will use it as long as it works.

 

So the best bet seems to be something with a M-Mount and APS-C sized sensor. The Epson is first of kind and hopefully the follow ups will be better and cheaper.

so you would spend 3k on a sensor you already have just because its in a contax body? thats what youre telling me?

For $1,435, you can get a Canon Digital Rebel, 18-55 zoom, 35/f2, 50/f1.4, 85/f1.8, and a 1 GB CF card. Well, after rebates, that's how much it costs. If you substitute a 28/f1.8 for the 85 and 35, the package only costs $1,275. Decisions, decisions . . .

 

I would really like a digital that accepts my M lenses. But not at double the price it will cost to put together a complete Canon outfit.

Grant, I'm telling you I would spent 3000 on a sensor as good or better than what I allready have in a smaller package!

 

The D60 with a Canon 28/2.8 is at least three times the volume as a Contax G2 with 45/2.

yea you and everyone else would do that, that i get...what i dont get is why someone would by a 2 year old sensor in a new chassy for 3k$....its like having a ferrari with a 4 cylinder toyota engine...

Jep, that's not too far off. In case of the Epson it's something like a Toyota Celica based Ferrari Daytona replica :-)

 

I don't think Leicas offering will be in the 3000 Euro range, the M7 is 3150 Euro in germany, so I'll wait what Zeiss and Cosina are up to.

good luck with that

2006,Digital M.I'll just wait,money's there locked away making more money.

Volker, I hope you didn't go to Cuba and then take nothing but B&W !

RD-1? Only makes sense if you have several thousands of dollars worth of

Leica lenses already and don't mind having them all turn into mild telephotos.

 

For anyone interested in wide-angle photography, the RD-1 is laughable.

Sure you can get yourself a CV 12 or 15 -- in which case you don't actually get

to use the viewfinder -- but this just seems like bending over backwards.

 

On the other hand, if you REAAAAAAALLLLLY like 50mm and you've got a

35/1.4 ASPH sitting around (plus $3,000 extra dollars), then the RD-1 is a

fantastic toy.

 

BTW, anyone who thinks a teeny camera is going to make them disappear on

"the street" is out of touch with reality.

@Trevor, no, just three rolls BW400CN. The box with Tri-X came a week after I'd left. In Havana I shot machinegun style and came back with 411 pictures from the D60 and two rolls BW400CN.

All in all I shot 7 rolls Sensia 100, two rolls noname 200, three rolls Fujipress 800 and the three rolls BW400CN. I didn't count the DSLR pictures.

 

 

 

@Donald, invisibility is not what I'm after, but with 70 others in a bus made for 40 smaller IS better :-)

<I>BTW, anyone who thinks a teeny camera is going to make them disappear on "the

street" is out of touch with reality.</I><P>

 

Absolutely true.

Volker now THERE'S a reason for compactness I haven't heard before!

Personally, though, I'd be tempted to find another ride! : )

Donald, I was in Cuba, either take the bus or walk!

Also, the quality of the sensor <I>and the technology behind it doing the signal

processing</I> will drive the end-result far greater than the quality/pedigree of the lens

in front of it - within reason of course. Where Grant was going, I think...