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Digital Camera Reviews and Ratings By manufacturer:
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The Epson R-D1 Digital Rangefinder is billed by Epson as the world's first Rangefinder Digital Camera. It has a 6 megapixel sensor, accepts Leica L- and M- mounts and has a 1x viewfinder (nice).
Get the Latest Price on the Epson R-D1 6.1MP Digital Rangefinder Camera (Body Only)
Luminous Landscape reviews the Epson R-D1 and writes - 'Epson’s decision to produce this unique camera was a bold one and they deserve much praise for bringing it to production. In most important respects, the R-D1 functions as the digital rangefinder that many of us have been waiting years for. Its primary flaws are that it needs a much larger RAW buffer and a histogram review mode. It also may have problems with vignetting using very short lenses but I’ll need to wait until I’m able to test it with various super wide-angle lenses to draw any conclusions. Finally, many people have complained about rangefinder focus problems with the R-D1 using certain lenses and the cause of these problems is undetermined. I did not have focus problems with the example of the R-D1 I tested using the lenses I’ve tested so far. The camera’s list of strengths is too long to reiterate here but it is a very impressive camera overall and a particularly remarkable performer especially considering that this is Epson’s first venture into the world of “serious” digital cameras. I highly recommend the Epson R-D1.'
Erwins reviews the EPSON R-D1 digital rangefinder camera and writes - 'The R-D1 proves that one can combine a classical photographic style with solid state imagery. For the person who wants state of the art technology to support his/her stream-of-consciousness approach to photography there is no alternative at this moment. One may wish that Epson will develop this line of cameras to its logical conclusion and continues to bring a breath of fresh air in a world that is ever more governed by a relentless increase in electronic gadgetry to compensate for a lack of basic photographic knowledge.'
PC Mag reviews the Epson R-D1 and advices that - 'The old-style controls are wonderful, with all the information you usually see on an LCD screen presented on analog gauges and dials: white balance settings, capture mode, number of remaining photos, and battery power. The shutter speed dial includes an aperture priority auto-exposure mode as well as exposure compensation settings that range from -2.0 EV to +2.0 EV. Lift the shutter speed dial and rotate it to choose your ISO setting (200, 400, 800, or 1,600). Aside from the aperture priority setting, the R-D1 is a manual camera: You'll need to set both the shutter speed and the aperture, based on either the in-camera meter or a handheld meter.'
See some image Samples of the Epson R-D1 at this Japanese site.
Trusted Reviews has written a review of the Epson R-D1 Digital Rangefinder where they write - 'The Epson R-D1 is an exercise in nostalgia for people with more money than sense. Brick-like handling, poor results and a major inherent design flaw make it an expensive and pointless novelty item. The only analogy I can think of would be stuffing a turbocharger into a wood-framed Morris Traveller and then asking the same price for it as a brand new Mercedes. Who’s going to buy it?'
To learn more about the Epson R-D1 Rangefinder read:
- DP Review - Epson R-D1 Digital Rangefinder Camera
- PC Watch - Pictures of the R-D1 - Japanese
- Digital Camera - More pictures of the R-D1 Rangefinder - Japanese
- DP Now - Epson R-D1 Rangefinder
Buy the Epson R-D1 6.1MP Digital Rangefinder Camera (Body Only)
Epson Launches the World's First Rangefinder Digital Camera
Seiko Epson Corporation ("Epson") has launched the Epson Rangefinder Digital Camera R-D1, the world's first rangefinder digital camera, in partnership with Cosina Corporation.
Technical collaboration
Epson has helped transform the world of photo printing into the digital world by developing inkjet printers and other digital photo printing technologies. Among the critical technologies behind the stunning quality of Epson's digitally rendered photos is digital image processing—technology for optimizing digital data as a high-quality photo image. Digital image processing technology is already being used in Epson's printer drivers, high-resolution scanners and other input and output devices, but Epson had been looking for new potentially intriguing applications for it, as well. It was while scouting the possibilities that Epson met up with Cosina, a company that can boast some of the world's foremost original optical technologies.
Cosina has developed outstanding original optics technologies in the production of camera lenses while still maintaining a rigorous fidelity to the historic photography heritage. Epson felt that if the companies were to use the rangefinder camera platform—a platform that is being left in the wake of progress toward the digital age—and if they were to merge Epson's digital image processing technology with Cosina's advanced optics technology, they might be able to discover some completely new creative photographic possibilities. This idea led to collaboration between the two companies, with engineers from both sides paying uncompromising attention to detail during product development. Thus was born the R-D1
The R-D1 dares to swim against the high tide of fully automatic electronic digital cameras. It is a digital camera that still manages to feel like a traditional manual camera, for people who appreciate the peculiar satisfaction that comes with the ability to use an analog camera well. In other words, the R-D1 is simultaneously a state-of-the-art digital camera that offers outstanding performance and image quality, and a throwback that offers camera buffs the look and feel of a vintage film camera, as well as the joy of skillfully using their camera as a tool.
Digital camera firsts
Among many digital camera firsts, the R-D1 is the world's first rangefinder digital camera. A rangefinder is a type of camera that has a built-in device for measuring distance based on the principles of triangulation. The photographer focuses the camera by superimposing two slightly different views of a scene with the rangefinder. In general, compared to an auto-focus system, performance does not change even if lenses are swapped, and focus can be achieved quickly, accurately and with a light level that is nearly the same as the unaided eye, even in dimly lit locations. In addition, since the field of view is not blocked by the action of a shutter as it is with a single-lens reflex camera, the photographer will not miss the decisive moment.
The R-D1 is also the world's first digital camera to accept Leica L- and M-mounts*2. As such, it offers a new platform that links the future with the past. A huge number of lens types — more than 200 — have been created and sold over the long history of photography. This camera gives twenty-first century photographers a way to use these famed lenses from our photographic heritage. The new camera gives photographers the chance to develop a new cult of photography by allowing them to resurrect their familiar old lenses in a digital world.
The R-D1 also uses the world's first 1x viewfinder, enabling photographers to view scenes – including panoramas - through the camera as if they were looking at scenes using their naked eyes. The camera also has the advantage of improved focus precision compared to low magnification optical finders.
Epson = Photo
With "Epson = Photo" as its watchword, Epson is committed to bringing color to life and to the way people communicate, by aspiring to create new possibilities that expand the horizons of the digital photo market and by suggesting new ways to enjoy digital photography using advanced digital image processing technology.
The R-D1 will be exhibited at the 2004 Photo Expo, which will be held from March 19-21 at the Tokyo Big Sight.
*1 Epson Rangefinder Digital Camera R-D1 is a trademark of Seiko Epson Corp.
*2 The L-mount is adaptor-compatible.
Note: Lenses with external dimensions exceeding 20.5 cannot be used with this camera. In addition, the following lenses cannot be used (correct as of March 11, 2004)
Hologon 15mm F8, Super Angulon 21 mm F4, Super Angulon 21 mm F3.4, Elmarit 28 mm F2.8 (early models), Summicron 50 mm F2 (dual range Summicron), Hektor 50 mm F2.5, and Elmar 50 mm F3.5.
Posted by Darren in our Miscellaneous category on March 11, 2004