R-D1 vs D200

[jl-lb.ms]

I had wanted an R-D1 for several years, but never thought it feasible and so had gone through first a Nikon D70 and later a D200. I finally broke down and got an R-D1 just recently and love it in simple terms of the experience of using it. Just this week we're having a major car show all over the Mississippi Gulf Coast and I've been using both the R-D1 and the D200. Maybe I just don't have the hang of the R-D1 yet, but the D200 just is such a workhorse. It just gets the job done.

I had some problems (all in me) with framing in the R-D1, especially with the Heliar 15 with an external viewfinder. Things tend to get cut off. Another nice feature of a reflex- WYSIWYG.

Anybody else working both sides of the fence? Any suggestions? I will post some of the best of both after the week is over; I am processing on the order of 2-300 daily.

John

[victoriapio]

John,

Whoa. If you are cutting off parts of the subject with the 15mm then you are REALLY close. (which is kind of a good thing with such a wide angle lens)

I also use a Canon 1dsmk2 but was fortunate to have a lot of rangefinder experience years ago. Using a RF requires very good "camera technique" that can take a while to learn but be patient, it will come.

Be sure:
1. You are using a 21mm external viewfinder on the RD1s, not the 15mm that comes with the lens.
2. If you are real close to your subject, use the dotted lines (parallex compensation) on the top of the viewfinder for framing, not the solid line.
3. You don't mention having a focus problem but be sure to remember the hyperfocal distance crop factor too.

That lens has such a large dof, you should be able to preset your focus for most situations, then frame carefully through the external viewfinder then snap away.

I also use the 15mm a lot on the rd1s and aside from the vignetting, it is a wonderful lens especially for the money.

Hope this helps,

O.C.

[Epimetheus]

I shoot daily with all kinds of cameras including DSLR. I recently purchased R-D1 and I haven’t touched my DSLR after that. The image quality in even the cheapest modern DSLR beats R-D1 but I love using it anyway and wouldn’t trade it for anything. For the same price I could have gotten pretty hot DSLR but non of the recently announced cameras are interesting enough.

[BigSteveG]

I bought a D200 for general use and it siuts that purpose quite well. I do want a 30mm Sigma 1.4 lens for it to complement the slow zoom that came with it. I've no plans for a digital rangefinder. My 2 M's keep me happy.

[Tuolumne]

I use them both. I find the D200 just gets the job done - whatever it is. Pretty much as people have said - it's a workhorse. I like the r-d1 for its simplicity and image quality. I disagree with the above remark that says most dslrs have better image quality than the R-D1. I find its images to have a unique and very beautiful quality that completely eludes the other dslrs I have seen and used, including the D200.

/T