Get a used RD1 while my M8 is at Solms???

[colorflow]

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Well my M8 has only be gone for 3 days and it's getting unbearable. Took some film shots with my M6, but no instant gratification, Didn't expect I would be addicted to digital so quickly.

 

So I am thinking of picking up a used Epson in the meantime. (I expect the M8 will have alonger stay at Solms since it not only needs the upgrade, but also is broken). Is it worth getting a used Epson? Does anyone know how much it is on the used market? I considered getting a second M8, but decided to wait for their next iteration.

 

I'm bummed out...

 

Alan

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[barjohn]

They generally run from $1,500 to $1,700 and can be found new from Japan on ebay from around $2,200. Occasionally, you can get one from the Epson site that is refurbished with a discount coupon that members on Rangefinderforum will post for around $1,400. When they appear, they are usually gone in a few hours.

[rami G]

The R-D1 is the most charming camera I own. The sensor is really great (but only 6mp), it has a very weak AA filter, I find the high iso to be much better than with the M8 (I did some downsamples and still think so). The design belongs to the MOMA and the analog dials and the reversable LCD that you can hide make the camera really a design masterpiece. To note that the fact that the R-D1 had undergone a Major firmware upgrade make it a much more "ready" product thant the M8. I don't claim that it hold up to the M8 image quality, but in a whole year that I had both the R-D1 and the 5D I hardly used the 5D hadful number of times. The only major difference in use between the RD-1 and the M8 is the light fall off with wide angel lenses. But the Epson is an extremely "lovable" camera. I know very few people who has it and don't like it. (sorry for a rather "emotional", rather than technical response...)

[rami G]

BTW, if it was not clear from my post, I own the R-D1, the M8 and the 5D... If I sell any of them it will be the 5D, not the Epson.

[colorflow]

BTW, if it was not clear from my post, I own the R-D1, the M8 and the 5D... If I sell any of them it will be the 5D, not the Epson.

Thanks Rami, I am going to start looking for one. I need a backup for the M8 anyway.

 

Alan

[barjohn]

Here is a link to one that is available for $1,600 without the lens and $2,000 with it.

 

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost-classifieds/showproduct.php?product=3788&cat=3

 

Here is a link to a new one:

 

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost-classifieds/showproduct.php?product=3612&cat=3

 

This one below may be sold but you can check:

 

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost-classifieds/showproduct.php?product=3605&cat=3

[lct]

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The R-D1 is my second favourite camera ever, with the M3, but i find it difficult to advise others to buy it due to its QC issues.

I have been lucky enough to get good bodies personally but many people have not been that happy to say the least.

My advice FWIW: If you're after that camera, do prefer the R-D1 to the R-D1s as the rangefinder of the latter is more difficult to adjust by oneself. I know it i own both.

Also try to get a body with Epson warranty or find out a good crafstman not too far from your home, because the rangefinder may be well aligned when it leaves the repair shop and become more or less misaligned at the time of delivery.

[Cindy Flood]

My first generation M8 is also off to Solms. Mine needs more than just the upgrade, too. I recently sold my 5D and am now using a little Canon XTi with a Leice 35mm summicron-R on it. It is a little bigger than the M8, but not much. It is a little harder to focus than the M8. It makes a nice backup to the M8 because it is not too much of an investment and it can do macro and action in a pinch (with other lenses).

[colorflow]

Here is a link to one that is available for $1,600 without the lens and $2,000 with it.

 

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost-classifieds/showproduct.php?product=3788&cat=3

 

Here is a link to a new one:

 

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost-classifieds/showproduct.php?product=3612&cat=3

 

This one below may be sold but you can check:

 

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost-classifieds/showproduct.php?product=3605&cat=3

 

Thanks John, I am looking at these. Perhaps I should get one with some kind of warranty since sounds like it also has QC issues?

 

Alan

[barjohn]

Well, I owned one of the refurbs and I can tell you that the biggest issue is with the RF alignment. However, on the RD1 (not RD1s) it is easy to do and there are ample instructions on the web for doing it. Once I aligned mine, it was great and I didn't have anyother problems. I would have kept it if I could have justified another $1,500 for a second camera (as a hobby I couldn't). I really liked the camera and the ergonomics are better in some ways and worse in others. There are several really good third party repair locations and you can actually obtain virtually any part for the camera from a distributor in Germany. It takes excellent pictures within its 6MP limitation. If you follow the threads on it, almost all of the QC issues are related to the RF and those are fixable by any individual with moderate mechanical skills. The only failure issue I have seen that requires real expertise is a shutter failure. There have been a few reported but the shutter is made by COPAL and should be pretty reliable. It is hard to get a perspective on such failures with the way the Internet magnifies such issues.