Am I mad?

Dralowid · 04-30-2012

Help!

I am on the verge of buying and R-D1. I have 21 mmCV, 35 2.8 Summaron, various 50's including Elmar M, an Elmarit M 90mm and 135 Tele Elmar.

I accept that 135mm may be a bit much but guess the 90 would be OK?

I've been using an M6ttl for years...will I enjoy the Epson or am I mad???

And before you ask there is no way I can justify to myself the cost of an M8/9 etc.

...and what is worse, all my lenses are chrome!

Comments and opinions gratefully received.

Michael

I Love Film · 04-30-2012

I've bought and sold four of them. I sold the last thinking if it broke I would have a $1600 paperweight on my hands and bought a Leica M9.

I miss the R-D1 and if I can get another good one cheap (around $600), I might buy another one.

The camera has a unique color signature, and in my opinion is more fun to use than the M9. Too bad it is not full frame.

Pablito · 04-30-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dralowid

...and what is worse, all my lenses are chrome!

I can't think of anything worse. All your pictures will be ruined.

I Love Film · 04-30-2012

Before I started reading these types of forums I would never have believed that people took mismatched lens colors seriously.

Ditto for camera straps, "red or black" dots, bags, leather cases, etc. etc.

It's like a bunch of teenage girls dressing their Barbie dolls.

Sparrow · 04-30-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pablito

I can't think of anything worse. All your pictures will be ruined.

^ .............

Keith · 04-30-2012

I was always convinced that the crop factor would bother me on the RD-1 because it bothered me on my M8 when I had it. There's two points to consider here though ... the RD-1 is pretty decent at 1600 ISO which the M8 certainly wasn't and the Epson is a very nice handling camera and to me seems very intuative to shoot with which wasn't a shining quality of the Digital Leica for me.

Those lenses you have will be pretty good on the RD-1 where a 50mm becomes a 75mm portrait lens, the 35mm becomes a fairly normal 50mmm and your 21mm becomes a 32mm or there abouts. The 90mm would be stretching it a little because the camera does have a fairly short rangefinder base length ... though the 1:1 viewfinder helps here.

I've had numerous M's and the RD-1 is right up there with them IMO. The rangefinder is very good making the camera extremely quick to focus and the shutter is much quieter than any Bessa I've owned ... not much louder than my M2 in fact. Supposedly the rangefinder is a bit flakey and may require the odd adjustment but if your reasonably handy it's not hard to DIY. I'm a new RD-1 owner and I love the thing ... but we all have different priorities in a camera so try before you buy if it's at all possible.

rbelyell · 04-30-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by I Love Film

Before I started reading these types of forums I would never have believed that people took mismatched lens colors seriously.

Ditto for camera straps, "red or black" dots, bags, leather cases, etc. etc.

It's like a bunch of teenage girls dressing their Barbie dolls.

hey man, remember 'its better to look good than to feel good'!

Dralowid · 04-30-2012

Do they actually come on the market for $600 or is reality around the $1000+ mark?

Michael

photografity · 04-30-2012

R-D1 for $600.............. I'll gladly buy 2!!!!! Gimme the link!!!!!!!!

I Love Film · 04-30-2012

I've seen them for $750 - $1250

Peter Wijninga · 04-30-2012

The below $ 1000 I've seen were not in good shape. I have an R-D1 and an R-D1s and they were both mint when I bought them second-hand in Japan, respectively for $1600 and $ 1800. The R-D1 from Matsuiyatore/Ebay, and the R-D1-s through a camera service which is now managed by RFF's sponsor, www.japancamerahunter.com

jippiejee · 04-30-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by I Love Film

It's like a bunch of teenage girls dressing their Barbie dolls.

I just prefer a fine camera that looks good over a shabby one that looks bad...

rxmd · 04-30-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by jippiejee

I just prefer a fine camera that looks good over a shabby one that looks bad...

Yeah, just like it's preferably to be healthy and rich, rather than ill and poor.

umcelinho · 04-30-2012

chrome lens on black body = sexy as hell

photografity · 04-30-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by umcelinho

chrome lens on black body = sexy as hell

Agreed

krötenblender · 04-30-2012

Right. My silver collapsible 1957 Elmar looks so cool on my R-D1, that people sometimes can't stop staring.

And to the TO: No, you are not mad. The R-D1 is a very fine camera, which has much more character and style than the M9, which I also have. IQ is incredible given its age, colors are just wonderful. If it were FF and would have a higher resolution, the M9 would be gone in a blink.

paradoxbox · 04-30-2012

Agree that Epson is crazy not to re-release the R-D1 with a larger sensor.

But then again Leica had major issues to overcome regarding vignetting etc. I understand it's a huge R&D sinkhole.

photografity · 04-30-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by paradoxbox

Agree that Epson is crazy not to re-release the R-D1 with a larger sensor.

But then again Leica had major issues to overcome regarding vignetting etc. I understand it's a huge R&D sinkhole.

We can always petition Cosina/ Epson to release a R-D2 with the Fuji XP1 sensor

huntjump · 04-30-2012

Under $800, i have never seen but i'm sure it has happened. $950-1075 is a safe price for an R-D1 today, paying a bit more if its more minty. R-D1s command a slightly higher price, though, it adds no significant benefits so long as you upgrade your R-D1 firmware.

i think the R-D1 will suit your M6ttl quite nicely. The R-D1 has been a fellow companion to my m6 for a year now. the limitations are clear, but you just wont know what hte hype is until you try one

Keith · 04-30-2012

I don't think it would even need to be full frame. If the same camera had a sensor of the current generation that was comfortable up to 6400 ISO the slower wides that are available without selling your kids would be much more usable.

Imagine if Epson/Cosina did release a full frame version for $3000.00 ... add that to the current crop of toy digitals using M mount lenses via adapters and see what happens to the prices and availability of M mount glass!

I aplogise for the 'toy digitals' remark ... sort of!

willie_901 · 04-30-2012

M mount glass will have litte appeal to us toy camera users. We prefer toy lenses to produce toy images.

I see no reason to ever buy another M mount lens.

Keith · 04-30-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dralowid

Do they actually come on the market for $600 or is reality around the $1000+ mark?

Michael

I felt I was very fortunate to pick mine up here for $850. It's not 'mint' and I had to adjust the rangefinder but after watching and seldom seeing them below $1100 I'm well pleased. That said I believe the price I paid represents the true value of a camera with a ten year old 6 megapixel sensor. A real beater should go for a fair bit less.

A large part of this camera's success in holding a relatively high value is it's obvious charisma IMO.

Cagliostro73 · 05-02-2012

I was very lucky in finding mine. € 600 and 250 shutter count. Almost mint. You are not mad, man. You would be mad to loose a chance to have one.
Look in Italy on the bay. Now there's one at 700 euros...
Good luck.

donz · 05-30-2012

It would be good if I can get RD1 at below the $1000..like Keith said, something that is old at 6mp ..should not be to high in price..technology run very fast!

now where is the best place to find them ? LOL

gilpen123 · 05-30-2012

My favorite in the RD1 is a 35 which is 50ish in the crop. The 90 is workable just shoot a little further to have a good estimate of the framing. Here's some sample with the 90.