Epson RD-1 - $2999!!! Am I missing something??

[roanjohn]

Why this is the cost of 2 x 20D!!!

Is it the sensor?? What does this camera has that the 20D doesn't??

-OR-

Is it the fact that you can finally use those expensive Leica lenses..... :roll:

Ro1

[daveh]

Why not? Besides being able to use those Leica lenses, I don't see a big battle brewing to dominate the massive digital range finder market. Canon prices very aggressively because it wants to dominate DSLRs. Epson may have a more modest assessment of the range finder market and may need the higher price to break even.

Now where's that digital FD body? ;)

[CyberDyneSystems]

Did the RD1 come out?

I missed that :roll:

And Yes.. it's the Leica lenses that makes it pricey... anything that touches a Leica product MUST have the 4X price inflation .. or it is NOT ALLOWED to touch the Leica.. :lol: :lol:

[Jesper]

Strange camera. And strange that it is made by Epson..... :roll:

You must really want a rangefinder camera instead of an SLR to buy this. I don't think a lot of people are going to buy that camera, and the price doesn't help to make it very popular too. It's a camera for the few rich people who have nostalgic feelings about rangefinder cameras.

[scottbergerphoto]

The specs are fairly unimpressive:
http://www.epson.co.uk/products/digital_cameras/product_spec/RD1.htm
Scott

[CyberDyneSystems]

It's just like a Minolta or Pentax Digital...

Those that have the lenses and have been holding out will get the body to fit there existing lens collection.

The little Pentax *istD is a nice digital.. but it offers no compelling reason to invest in the system. So those that are buying it for the most part are pentax lens owners.

With Leica owners.. this is probably the smae thing but the market is completely differnet.

Pentax Owners went paentax to begin with because they were "thrifty" and could care less about the name on the strap.

Leica owners are pretty much the opposite. They wanted the best AND they wanted Status.

Anyon willing to pay the $$$ for leica lenses may have no problem at all with the RD1 price.

As for the fact that its Epson.. this is an oddity.. but it HAS to be an non camera company.. Leica is not likely to team up with Canon to make a body...

I am surprised it wasn't Panasomic though? The Leica Panasonic relatiuonship is allready pretty strong.. and the Lumix Cameras are really nice.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Ha, Scott I just went to the link..

They say "The worlds First Digital Rangfinder" (which of course is not true either) like ten times in the press release.


Which is like saying.. "The worlds first Kerosene powered laptop" :lol: :lol: :lol:

I just dopn't get the retro rangefinder thing :roll:

[scottbergerphoto]

I just dopn't get the retro rangefinder thing :roll:
Hey, you never know what might happen while you're waiting for that pesky mirror to flip up and down!
Scott

[roanjohn]

There has got to be something REALLY special with those Leica lenses. They have better be SHARP!!! and CONTRASTY!!! for somebody to actually spend that much cash on this camera.

And looking at the specs, it doesn't even touch the Rebel........

...........but maybe I need to look somewhere else..................

In any case.........I was actually mildly interested in this camera while it was first introduced cuz it looked really good and it was really small......but with that price??!!?? It's CRAZY!!!

.............maybe they'll lower it when it hits the street.

Ro1

[RGorrill]

I believe if you will do a bit of checking you will find that the "Leica" by Epson was built by Cosina who already produce a rangefinder camera that uses Leica lenses - one for screw mount and the other bayonet. The high price tag is probably due to the fact that it is going after a limited market and not for the quality of the product. The genuine Leica lenses are good but so aren't the higher quality Nikon, Canon, Minolta, etc. lenses.

Leica, on the other hand, is now in the process of releasing their digital back for the Leica R8 and R8 SLR's in the range of $5K and with, I believe, an 11 megapixel sensor. I am given to understand that it is not a full frame sensor.

Bob