What brand of camera do you use?

[Jeff Canes]

LOVE IT!!!

Sorry.. I had to chime in.. as far as I know Iron and I are the only ones on this forum that use one.

BTW.. You missed it when they were going for $1400 about a year ago.. direct from Epson (refurb)

Wow that was a good price, I’m a little afraid that I would be disappoint with the Epson, because it seem like a step backward from my 1D MIIn

 

[usayit]

If you have never shot with a rangefinder, dropping $1400-2200 isn't the best way to try out....

Please don't say its a step backwards. I shoot with a 1D MarkII as well and there are somethings that the Epson (or a rangefinder in general) can do that the 1D (or any SLR) can't.. won't.

For one.. I find much more enjoyment out of it... Paired with the Noctilux it is a low-light king.

Either way.. us rangefinder folk seem to be a rare breed these days... Iron is even more rare.. he shoots with an M8 and an Epson.

Yeh.. when I got news of the $1400 offering, Epson was releasing them in small batches. A whole bunch of us were frantically trying to get in on the deal. I was literally checking their website every other hour with my CC number in hand. Finally got my order in twice... once was late at night which got cancelled by Epson due to lack of availability.. the next was that next morning (6am). I like to think I earned mine at that price...

 

[table1349]

I have the greatest husband in the world.. He sold his 1967 Camaro SS and bought me all new camera eqiupment for my 21st birthday last year. I have yet to beat that birthday present.

As Sergeant at Arm for the American Chapter of the Male Species Club I here by do revoke your husband's life time membership to the Male Species Club for selling a 1967 Camaro SS with out the required hardship clause for the need of alcohol or sex. To do so otherwise is at least considered sedition if not out right treason. :lmao::lmao:

Seriously, I hope you got lots of good equipment for it, including a studio.


As for my choice of equipment, I'm partial to the equipment that I have now.:razz:

 

[Sideburns]

YAY! Canon is winning!

Not that I care, I'm just posting to say that I love Canon. Everything else is cool too, but I don't have the money to invest in 3 or 4 different systems.

 

[Jeff Canes]

If you have never shot with a rangefinder, dropping $1400-2200 isn't the best way to try out....

Please don't say its a step backwards. I shoot with a 1D MarkII as well and there are somethings that the Epson (or a rangefinder in general) can do that the 1D (or any SLR) can't.. won't.

For one.. I find much more enjoyment out of it... Paired with the Noctilux it is a low-light king.---

One of the 6 Canons is a nearly cosmetically mint 1959 Canon IV EP that I got from Mitica. I like it size and weight but the shutter tends to stick when it not used. So each time before load it, you have to work the shutter free and shot the whole roll. Already have the 25mm & 90mm Cosina-Voigtlander lenses so I’ve been thinking about getting one of the Voigtlander film bodies, and adding the Epson or Leica that would make a very nice travel setup

But it’s hard for me to justifying getting a whole different setup, because that would make the third complete setups for me, already have a full set of lenses for both EOS and FD, camera budget wise I should not think about it for 1 to 2 years, but it would make a nice package for the Germany meet up, getting the 5D or its replacement would likely would make more sense

The reason I think that it would be a step back, is because of the different I saw going from the 10D to 1D MIIn, 6mp/1.6 crop to 8mp/1.3crop seems a 100 time better

 

[Iron Flatline]

GAS = Gear Acquisition Syndrome.

I love my Rangefinders, and I love digital.

The discipline inherent to shooting RFs is very different. There is definitely an aspect of it that is somewhat anachronistic. Think of it a little like adding complexity to something that needs refreshing - like telemark skiing, for instance.

Rangefinders take you back to a more classic way of shooting - all manual, with primes - that actually makes life a little easier once you're back in the groove. I find I ultimately spend less time thinking about the mechanical aspects, and more about composition and the image per se. Both the R-D1 and the M8 have an Aperture Priority mode, and then all you need worry about is focus. And if you're shooting in the street at f/8, everything more than 5 feet away will be in focus anyway, so all you do it bring up the camera, take your picture, and move on.

Also, because you can't just "fire away" with an RF, I find that I come home with a lot less shots... but a lot more keepers.

It's really quite simple: if you want to shoot people, a high-end SLR with a fancy lens is like pointing a gun at a person. A small Rangefinder looks to many people like a Point-and-Shoot. You can go places and shoot things you'd never have access to with a big SLR, no matter how self-confident you are.

There's also a question of equipment fetishism - at least in my case. For instance, the R-D1 has a manul lever for cocking the shutter after each shot. I absolutely LOVE that.

 

[Iron Flatline]

Oh, and in terms of pixel count and all that, yeah, the Epson R-D1 is step back - but it has a B&W preview mode even when shooting RAW.

The Leica M8 would be a step forward. But it's a $5,000 step, and that's before you've bought a lens...

I paid about $2,300 for my Epson, but it came with three Voigtlaender lenses (28mm Skopar f/3.5, 35mm Ultron f/1.7, and 50mm Nokton f/1.5), as well as a Luigi half-case.

You may go ga-ga over Luigi's work here: Not the prettiest site, but GREAT cases. True craftsmanship, just like a good RF.

 

[kittymaguire]

I use a canon 30D

 

[Deimodius]

I am not allowed to vote in the poll. :-(

My cameras (that I actually use, i have others in my "collection")
1. Olympus E-500 dSLR
2. Nikon 5000 Pro-sumer digital
3. Practika Nova 1b (film SLR)
4. Pentax ME Super (film SLR)

At work I use a Nikon d70s dSLR

 

[xfloggingkylex]

Pentax K10D and Pentax K1000.

 

[usayit]

Already have the 25mm & 90mm Cosina-Voigtlander lenses so I’ve been thinking about getting one of the Voigtlander film bodies, and adding the Epson or Leica that would make a very nice travel setup

The Epson has 3 frame lines, 28, 50, and 35. So using the 25mm would require a bit of an estimation using the 28mm framelines. As for the 90mm, not only would you have to estimate (or use a cold shoe viewfinder) you would also be pushing the accuracy because of the short base length of the R-D1 finder.

But it’s hard for me to justifying getting a whole different setup, because that would make the third complete setups for me, already have a full set of lenses for both EOS and FD, camera budget wise I should not think about it for 1 to 2 years, but it would make a nice package for the Germany meet up, getting the 5D or its replacement would likely would make more sense

Ah thats ok! Part of the fun (assuming funding is not an issue). I"ve got a system of Pentax 67, Pentax 645, Asahi Pentax 35mm, Canon FD, Canon EOS, and Leica(Epson). Even some even older cameras that really don't see use (some probably not working). Yeh.. I know.. I'm hopeless.

The reason I think that it would be a step back, is because of the different I saw going from the 10D to 1D MIIn, 6mp/1.6 crop to 8mp/1.3crop seems a 100 time better

Ah.. now I understand by what you mean "step back". For me, I consider it more of a different "tool" to enjoy. Asking me which is better an R-D1 or my Canon SLR is like asking me to choose between a '57 vette or a '06 vette.

Oh btw... the difference between a 6mp/1.6 crop (10D), 6mp/1.5 crop (R-D1) and 8mp/1.3 (1D MII) is very small. All three are essentially equal in terms of pixel density. What places the 1DMII in a unique spot is the wonderful technology (06 vette) incorporated seemlessly. What places the Epson R-D1 in a unique spot is the LACK of technology (57 vette).. a classic design.

 

[Iron Flatline]

May I provide the following gratuitous image to help along the '57 analogy (keeping in mind that this is a 2004 digital camera...)

Epson R-D1 with 21mm f/3.5 Skopar lens, and external Viewfinder... dressed in a black leather Luigi Half-Case...

Go on, tell me you don't want one

 

[usayit]

Hey.. Iron...

I've been meaning to PM you.. I could have sworn you already had a Leica 28mm ... if so, let me know if you are looking to sell that Skopar. I'd be first in line.

I have to say....
When you decided to purchase that R-D1 after owning an M8 for several months I kinda expected you to come back disappointed. Nice to know that the R-D1 holds up under the expectations of an M8 owner.

 

[Iron Flatline]

Uh, actually that's f/4, sorry.

 

[Iron Flatline]

I will let you know once I've worked with it for a while. Right now I've got a religious divide - Voigtlaenders on the R-D1, Leicas on the M8. I also own a 35mm Nokton f/1.2 - the Noctilux of Voigtlaenders...

I don't know what it is, but I've completely drunk the Kool-Aid on dRF cameras. I love the R-D1. The only analogy I can think of is that I used to own a really high-end high-performance late-model car. I never felt totally comfortable driving it, even felt a little bit like an imposter. I also owned a slightly more common (but still very nice) car, and I ended up enjoying it more at times. I just wasn't as nervous parking it, for instance.

It's a little like that - at times the M8 feels like a Ferrari 360, but the Epson is just like a 911. I'm less self-conscious in how I handle it. I always feel like I have to get the perfectly exposed image with the M8. Screw it, I'll just toss the R-D1 on a seat next to me, whereas I gently place the M8. I'll over-expose, I'll fire away...

Of course, the R-D1 is actually a little more sensitive and fragile than the solid-as-steel M8... LOL