Epson R-D1 review

A very detailed personal review by Josh Root about the new Epson (Voigtlander) RD-1 camera.

The camera seems to keep the design of the Bessa series for the body (a clean black finishing) and it features an EM mount which is compatible with a big range of very high quality lenses. It is the first digital camera which accepts Leica L- and M-mounts and also it is told to be the first real digital rangefinder.

Of course all for a super high price.. 🙁 I don’t have the camera but with a price like 3000$ , I could not see the point where Epson contributed to this product. Nice and very good functioning Bessa bodies could be bought for a rather cheap price, while according to the comments of the people the camera does not have the “digital” quality that nowadays lots of DSlr and even some compacts are achieving. Even in the fields that rangefinders are strong, it seems that Epson R-D1 was not able to achieve the results that were expected. Apart from it I am also sceptic about using the Epson brand directly on the product which makes the product seem very consumer-market oriented and might not transmit the same feelings of confidence and exclusivity that Voigtlander could.

Anyways, if you have Leica lenses and you are a fan of rangefinders, just read this review, it is very well told and written :
120 minutes with the Epson RD-1