What is good for digital Rangefinder

[DonzM9P]

Hi guys/girls,

Im a new member here, but not new in photography.

Anyway, I would like to ask you opinion...which one to get for digital rangefinder..maybe for a beginner rangefinder situation >

1) EPSON R-D1 ( old products with 6 megapixels make me geez in my pants)
2) M8 --- ok but some problems to it too..
3) M9 --but too expensive for my liking ..

4) Fuji X Pro 1
5) Olympus OMd-5


which one is better in your opinion...if you love leica that much maybe M9 is your best shot or the M9P..


I have a few good looking rangefinder but old one... M6 TTL, KONIKa made in germany ...

but now i need to jump into digital..

for the price of EPSON R-D1 is ridiculous i think...for $1500-$1800 USD used....i can get brand new Nikon D7000 for $1500 with 35mm lens..( its not rangefinder..but its a monster digital ball LOL )

hope you guys can help me

cheers

 

[kaxdd]

FYI, XPro1 and OMD are not rangefinders. I'll gladly take RD1 anytime. A 6MP camera is more than enough for me since I don't print anything bigger than 5R (not sure about your kind of work if you need to print humongous size). Even when I full screen my image taken at 6MP, it looks good for me (I don't pixel peep).

 

[lordpain]

Hi guys/girls,

Im a new member here, but not new in photography.

Anyway, I would like to ask you opinion...which one to get for digital rangefinder..maybe for a beginner rangefinder situation >

1) EPSON R-D1 ( old products with 6 megapixels make me geez in my pants)
2) M8 --- ok but some problems to it too..
3) M9 --but too expensive for my liking ..

4) Fuji X Pro 1
5) Olympus OMd-5


which one is better in your opinion...if you love leica that much maybe M9 is your best shot or the M9P..


I have a few good looking rangefinder but old one... M6 TTL, KONIKa made in germany ...

but now i need to jump into digital..

for the price of EPSON R-D1 is ridiculous i think...for $1500-$1800 USD used....i can get brand new Nikon D7000 for $1500 with 35mm lens..( its not rangefinder..but its a monster digital ball LOL )

hope you guys can help me

cheers

Its abit difficult to decide for you because you might be comparing apples to oranges.

The Leica M8 and M9 is a whopping 5k difference. I am sure if you are complaining RD-1 prices to be ridiculous, M9 is worst. Then again, they are very different cameras. Rd-1 is 1,6 crop, M8 is 1.3, M9 is full frame. Essentially, M9 and M9p are essentially the same camera; in my opinion, useless upgrades if you are strictly into performance.

 

[nordleadx]

I use M3, M6, M7 and M8. Currently my M8 is in Germany for the 6 time.

Before my om-d , I got a GXR . Pic quality very nice but shutter lag is horrible.

Some pics from my OM-D with m mount lens. Take a look and see if they are good enough note , I tried video with OM-D and its freaking nice !!!

50mm cron latest ver ( pre asph)



Canon f0.95



if looking for wider lens , it can be a disadvantage for the expansive Leica glass because of the 2x crop. Than again theres the 12mm f2, its light and nice and cost many times less than a leica 24mm cron. My cron 28mm asph is 4k and the 12mm is selling less than 1.1k new.

12mm f2

 

[sinned79]

4) Fuji X Pro 1
5) Olympus OMd-5

since when they are range finders?

 

[Larken]

If you can afford the M9 without batting an eyelid, I'd say go for it. Between the m8 and the epson rd1, I'd go for the rd1. Take note that I am partial to the RD1 as I own one, and the megapixel count has never actually given me any problems. 6 MP, while relatively low compared to modern cameras, is low, but those are very good 6 megapixels. I have several complaints about the RD1 (having to buy 2gb cards, swivel screen pretty much useless for previewing), but the good mostly outweighs the bad. The camera, considering its age, is still a very capable camera, being able to use a variety of legacy glasses.

4 and 5 are aren't actually rangefinders. if you want an actual rangefinder focusing experience, you'd not get it; though both are still awesome cameras.

Consider this: do you actually want the rangefinder focusing experience, or do you just want to be able to use M mount lenses on a digital body? If its the former, then you only have the RD1, M8 and M9 to choose from. The crop factor is different for each camera, and M9 is the only full frame option. And yes, the RD1 still commands an impressive price despite its age. I saw a few on Buy and Sell going for about 1500-2000 sgd. Prices for the m8 and m9 are way higher.

If its just the desire to use the lenses, you have the choice between the x pro 1, nex series (nex 7 especially), the ricoh gxr m mount among others. But note that the crop factor is applicable to each camera and they are more or less affected by a few issues (i.e. xpro 1's evf lag, lack of peaking; nex 7's magenta shift around corners etc.)

At this time, I'm using the RD1 as my system setup and my x100 as my primary camera.

 

[agawads]

there are R-D1, R-D1s, R-D1x and R-D1xG.

price diff not much, and there is this at BnS http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/buy-...s/1096522-wtsell-rangefinder-epson-r-d1x.html

this is without the grip, which the grip is nice to have.

R-D1x(G) takes 32GB SDHC cards.

value for money if u r not going into full frame 35mm and going with digital RF experience.

 

[DonzM9P]

Very nice opinion guys..

I really one a rangefinders to use my M - lenses from my M6 TTL ..

So RD1 & M8 ( M9 is out of the way for now )

For OMD5 and Xpro1 ( a lot of people in different forum saying they are the digital rangefinders New Generation). Maybe this 2 in the same category as Leica X2 latest camera.

RD1xG is sure looks nice with the grip, because you need to bring them all day long on your hand..so thats the plus there...

Ok thats good to know that RD1 - 6mp is good..

I want a digital rangefinder feels like the old film rangefinders..(well maybe at least a bit LOL)

@nordleadx..thanks for the pictures..they look nice.. I didnt know OMD-5 can receive M mount lens. Which one you like better? OMD or the Leica M8 ( eventho 6 times in the hospital) . Hows the picture turn out compare to Leica M8 ?


@Larken..thanks for your input on the RD1..so the 6mp is good enough for sure then.. I like the idea i can use all my M mount lenses. And I love the idea i can manually focus with the lens using digital body. I dont think I can achieve that by using Xpro 1 ( have their own lenses ) and OMD 5( their own lenses too)
Sorry to ask this...is the Fuji X100 is a rangefinder category ? and how good it the X100 ?

@ agawads..yes I love to hold and take photo with rangefinders...and I saw the ad for sell of the RD1 ..but cant bite it at the moment because Im not in Sg...
I think I agree with you with the grip ..but seriously I wish the grip can also be an add on to the body

 

[sinned79]

Sorry to ask this...is the Fuji X100 is a rangefinder category ? and how good it the X100 ?

nope. its not a range finder as well. X100 is fixed lens. u cannot use your m lens on this cam.

 

[hookonclassic]

Hi DonzM9P....I would recommend go straight to M9P...the answer is in your nick here...:angel:...don't waste your time and start enjoy the good quality image it produces with your M lenses...

 

[DonzM9P]

Hi hookon, wk ahka thats why it called nickname...thats a wish come true for sure..

but at this moment, i dont want to stop using digital rangefinder just because of the $$$ yet..

 

[tweakmax]

I use M3, M6, M7 and M8. Currently my M8 is in Germany for the 6 time.

Before my om-d , I got a GXR . Pic quality very nice but shutter lag is horrible.

Some pics from my OM-D with m mount lens. Take a look and see if they are good enough note , I tried video with OM-D and its freaking nice !!!

50mm cron latest ver ( pre asph)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bentay/7259877350/in/photostream

Canon f0.95

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bentay/7254069592/in/photostream

if looking for wider lens , it can be a disadvantage for the expansive Leica glass because of the 2x crop. Than again theres the 12mm f2, its light and nice and cost many times less than a leica 24mm cron. My cron 28mm asph is 4k and the 12mm is selling less than 1.1k new.

12mm f2

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bentay/7240071176/in/photostream

Ur pics got the 3d effect!

 

[agawads]

bro DonzM9P, i feature of the Epson Rf is the feel of using the film advance lever to "****" the shutter although it is digital, u still need to use that to shoot!

but the choice is yours... a full frame digital is every RFer's dream!

 

[Larken]

Heh, you'd find that alot of camera companies are cashing in on the craze of rangefinder-styled cameras as consumers are suckers for the retro-look (not judging here, I'm one of the suckers:bsmilie. But despite looking like a rangefinder, they don't operate like one, which uses triangulation to focus.

The NEX 7 and Ricoh uses peaking via EVF, and the xpro1 using just the EVF and magnification where you check the focus by eye (I was actually considering getting the x pro 1 to use as another digital body for my lenses, but the lack of peaking and the EVF lag that I heard of made me hold my horses).

The OMD, while a great camera system, uses a m43 sized sensor, which is not recommended if you want to use your old lenses as the crop factor would make almost any lens you have into short teles.

The x100 is still my favorite camera, colors are great and raws are easy to work with. The pictures are often sharp and detailed, not to mention that shooting @iso 3200 without concern is a great thing. But of course the camera has its quirks, and it definitely is not a rangefinder.

The Epson RD1 is a little bit of a one of a kind camera. After I got it, there were at least 5 occasions I was considering to sell it off (to get the xpro1), but I'm glad I persevered with it. Still learning about the camera everytime I use it.

Side note: iso 1600 is the max that the RD1 can go, and I shoot @1600 all the time. While I never actually tried a Leica, I heard they don't manage past 400 or 800 well, which is another point in the Epson's favor.

 

[nordleadx]

@nordleadx..thanks for the pictures..they look nice.. I didnt know OMD-5 can receive M mount lens. Which one you like better? OMD or the Leica M8 ( eventho 6 times in the hospital) . Hows the picture turn out compare to Leica M8 ?

M8 on low iso , it has some magic and the sensor records fine details. OM-D also not bad in low iso .

M series very nice ,RD system is old, very slow and preview also very slow..

Will need a bag of battery to shoot whole day.. When I was using it , I had 8 batteries with 2 charger...

 

[NDividualistic]

I agree with the M series not really tat great in high iso (preferably not over iso 800) no offence to M users, but told by a M8 user fre. I yet to try on the M8 or the RD-1s, but to my understanding even thou RD-1s it just 6mp but pretty good in high iso 1600 and to be frank, it is only one of the 2 digital RF around, Leica - M8/M9 or Epson - RD-1/1s/1x, correct me if im wrong.

 

[virtualme78]

Other than the quirks the M8 has, it definitely has its plus points. For example, able to pick up details and able to do IR photography without having to mod it.

 

[Fudgecakes]

Since we're already on this topic, why does a range finder cost so much. As said above a d7k with Lens can cost the same as the RD-1 body only, what are the reasons that people have the mad on for RF?

 

[DonzM9P]

I was also wondering over the price of these rangefinders...I can get $1515 for Nikon D7000 with 2 lenses...

Canon 5D Mark III - $4000(body)

the Xpro 1 is $2450 ..

The Fuji X100 - $1199

the X100 limited edition of 10,000 cost $1749

The OMD-5 - $1199 ( body only) - lenses vary from 45mm - $499, VF3 Electronic Viewfinder $199, 12mm Lens $999, FL 300R Flash - $199 , Olympus Macro Arm Light - $199, Olympus Pen MZuiko 75-300mm lens - $999

Used
M8 - $1500 - $2700

Epson R-D1xG- $1500 - 2300


I've done a lot of research on the price range of all the potential candidates LOL

 

[DonzM9P]

Larken, are you using Iso1600 because of street photos ? if Leica cant use ISO moreo then 400/800 ...then its a useless kit for $5k