RE: [CVUG] Epson R-D1 review

Karen, I looked at the photos today. Unfortunately I don't have Japanese so
I couldn't decipher the details on the photos.  Thanx for this. So you got
to use the camera?? So Cool.
I didn't see much noise, if any on my screen at work. I was just wondering
why they don't have an ISO 100 setting.  That would be really nice.  Couple
of questions if I could, when you say the photog has to mind the camera, are
you talking about being aware of the exposure range in the scene, etc as
well as of course, choosing apeture, DOF etc.  Secondly, I was curious on
what your shot to shot times were between pictures in raw. And lastly, I
assume that when ready and exposure and focus set manually or on AE that
there is virtually no lag time when pressing the shutter?  Anyways thanx for
presenting the review and your candid thoughts.

Cheers
Barry Fisher
-----Original Message-----
From: leica-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:leica-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On
Behalf Of Karen Nakamura
Sent: Monday, June 21, 2004 3:28 PM
To: CVUG
Cc: leica@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; lug@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [CVUG] Epson R-D1 review


>
http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2004/0621/dcr016.htm


I'm in Shanghai right now, so this is just a quick and dirty summary:

  *  Seiko Epson is famous for its printers but the larger Epson group
has also been making computers as well as being an early participant
in digital cameras.
* They produced models such as the CP-200/500 but then had apparently
retreated from the digital camera market.
* But together with Cosina, they have re-entered the high-end digital
camera market
* It looks like the Bessa R2, but is actually entirely new in the inside.
* The "EM" mount is compatible with the Leica M mount and the Leica S
mount with an adapter
* The lenses I used for this test were the Color Skopar 21f/4, 28
f/3.,5 35 f/2.5 PII, 50 f/2.,5 , and 75 f/2.5. Also the C-V Nokton 50
f/1.5, and Ricoh GR 21 f/3.,5 and 28 f/2.8.

* I was not permitted to shoot in  JPEG mode, only the RAW mode by Epson
* I used the included Photolier v.1.0.1 software to convert to JPEG
* I did not modify the white balance or other settings

* [skip all the camera feature description since we know that]

* WIth the 21mm f/4, I should note that many digital cameras suffer
from "front focusing error" (where the AF focuses slightly to the
front of the image plane.  The R-D1 focused accurately at full
aperture, using its full baselength of 38.2mm.  The 1.0x
magnification finder was nice.

[see  photos 1a and 2a of two buildings with cloudy sky; 21mm f/4, ISO 200]

* The image on the left is full aperture. The image improved
stopping down to f/5.6 (right side).  However, you may note that the
window blinds on the edges of the frame exhibit some color fringing.
This appears to be worse than other digital cameras. There is also
some light falloff, but that is caused by the lens.

* [photos 2a 2b : 28mm f/3.5 full aperture and then stopped down to
f/5.6] There is still color fringing on the f/5.6 photo

* [ 3a/3b: 35mm f/2.5  full aperture and stopped down to f/5.6]

* [4a/4b: 50mm f/2.5 full aperture and stopped down to f/5.6]


* I did not increase the sharpness in the RAW images or otherwise
manipulate them. The color fringing was the only objectionable issue
that I could find.

* This uses the SONY imaging CCD found in other cameras, but the
image "flavor" produced by the chip appears different.

* 5a/5b:  75mm f/2.5 full and f/5.6

* 6a/6b: Noise reduction ON (left) and OFF (right)

* Using the 75mm lens, you have to be very careful or it is easy to
misfocus (photo 7; AE+1)

* AWB seems excellent (8a = AWB, 8b = Daylight)

* 9a = AWB, 9b = tungsten

* 10a = AWB, 10b = florescent

*11a = ISO 200; 11b = ISO 400, 11c = ISO 800
* 12 = ISO 1600


* This is not just a simple point and shoot camera, but one where the
photographer must pay attention to it.  In one sense ,its more
complicated than a digital SLR.  But those photographers who have
confidence in themselves should give it a shot.








--
Karen Nakamura
http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/

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