Epson updates digital rangefinder
By
Mike Tomkins
(Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 14:47 EST)
Seiko Epson Corp. in Japan has today announced an update to its R-D1 digital rangefinder, developed in cooperation with Cosina Corp. and first unveiled at the 2004 PMA show in Las Vegas.
The Epson R-D1s is a relatively minor update, with the changes mostly confined to firmware (although specs provided by the company list the new model as 30 grams lighter than its elder sibling). Both models feature a 6.1 megapixel APS-C sized CCD image sensor, store images on SD memory cards, and accept most - but not all - Leica M (or, with an adapter, Leica L)-mount lenses.
Changes in the R-D1s include a new RAW+JPEG shooting mode (which captures both Raw and maximum-quality JPEG images in the same shot), a new AdobeRGB color space option in addition to the existing sRGB (color space of images is indicated in Playback mode). There's also a new long-exposure noise removal function (although it isn't clear at what shutter speed this kicks in), and a Quick View function that displays the just-captured image on the LCD for 3 or 10 seconds, but can be disabled altogether.
The playback zoom function now works for Raw files (not just JPEG images as was the case in the R-D1), and has been extended from the original 9.4x maximum zoom to a new high of 16x. The camera's Film1, Film2 and Film3 user settings groups have also been altered so that they now default to three specific situations - Portrait, Landscape or Night Scene (although they can still be changed by the user, to adjust contrast, saturation, etc. to your preferred settings).
The Epson Photolier software bundled with the camera has been altered to offer a new 13.54 megapixel interpolated resolution when working with Raw files. Adobe Photoshop Elements has been dropped from the camera bundle, and a new leather case (part number RD1SC1) is being offered as an optional accessory.
Externally, the R-D1s looks identical to the existing R-D1, whose announcement we covered in a March 2004 news item. Product specifications follow below:
| Epson R-D1s | | General | | Camera Type | Other | | Manufacturer | Epson | | Model Number | R-D1s | | Dimensions | 5.6 x 3.5 x 1.6"
142.0 x 88.5 x 39.5mm | | Weight | 560.0 g
19.6 oz | | Image Capture | | Sensor Type | APS-C
6.10 megapixels (total) | | Filter Type | RGBG | | Focal Length Multiplier | 1.53 | | Aspect Ratio | 3:2 | | Image Dimensions | 3008 x 2000 (6.0 megapixels)
2240 x 1488 (3.3 megapixels)
| | Image Quality | 3 levels | | Image Preview / Review | | Viewfinder | Yes, Rangefinder (1x field of view) | | LCD | 2.0", 235,000 pixels
100% field of view | | Playback Zoom | 16.0x max | | Lens | | Lens Type | Varies with lens used, thread size unknown | | Lens Mount | EM mount (Leica M compatible) | | Image Stabilization | No | | Aperture Range | Varies with lens used | | Focusing System | Fixed Focus
Manual Focus possible (0) steps | | Exposure | | ISO Sensitivity | 200, 400, 800,1600 | | Shutter Speed | 1 - 1/2000 second | | Exposure Modes | Aperture, Manual | | Metering Modes | Center Weighted | | Exposure Compensation | +/- 2.0EV in 1/3EV increments | | White Balance | Image Sensor - Auto / fine / shady / cloudy / incandescent / fluorescent | | Creative | | Scene Modes | None | | Self Timer | Yes, None seconds | | Time Lapse | No | | Movie Format | None without audio
Max. frame-rate: 0 frames per second | | Storage | | Recording Medium | SD/MMC, None | | File System | FAT16, complies with Design Rule for Camera File System (DCF) | | File Format | CCD-RAW, RAW (.ERF), JPEG (EXIF v2.21) | | Connectivity | | Video | No | | Other | None | | Power | | Battery Type | Lithium Ion Rechargeable | | Battery Form Factor | Proprietary EPALB1 | | Product Bundle | | Software | Epson Photolier, Epson RAW plugin | | Battery / Charger | Proprietary EPALB1 Lithium Ion Rechargeable battery and charger | | Flash Memory | 0.0MB | | Other | | Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) compliant | Yes | | Internal Microphone | No | | Tripod Mount | Yes, Metal | | Remote Control | Yes, Wired (shutter button) | | Operating System Compatibility | Windows, MacOS | | |
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