[Leica] Sold My Two R-D1's Today

[leica at screengang.com (Didier Ludwig)]

David

I respect your decision, and can understand your concerns about the RD1, 
especially the reliability of the RF. I was in the same evaluating mill 
(film or digital, if digital, RF or DSLR?) like you, but finally decided for 
the R-D1s. As I'm not a professional photographer like you, I can (or have 
to) live with it's flaws.

But you can not blame digital technology for losing files. I have lost film 
negative rolls in the past, too, or processed them wrongly or inadequately, 
without blaming the film technology for that. I just accepted it as a part 
of the risk. Same with digital. I have lost important client data after a 
harddisc crash 10 years ago (and lost the client, too) and since then do 
backup everything, including my RAW files. But following Murphy's law it 
could happen again at any time. That's life.

The battery issue is true. It's boring to think about it, but, once more, 
one must accept and handle it. I have bought 3 additional accus, have two in 
the camera bag, one on my desk or in my pocket, one in the camera. Change 
and recharge them frequently.

As for the file writing delay, it's true it's slow especially in RAW+JPG 
mode, but usually not a matter. The only moment where it was too slow for me 
(sports event), I changed to "JPG only" mode. But it's true a DSLR with AF 
and fat buffer does a much better job in such situations. OTOH, when I think 
of the motordriven Nikon F2 that a friend had borrowed me for many years, it 
was shooting horryibly fast - but for 36 exposures only. I lost more time 
for un-and recharging the film rolls than with a slow digital camera.

I must say the convenience and imediateness of the digital post processing 
keeps me on the digital side. Shoot, go home, look at your pictures. Live 
with the flaws. Nothing's perfect.

I'm happy to read that Vick bought one of your Epson's, so it stays in the 
family. Looking forward to yours and his further picture posts,

Didier






>When at least one folder of RAW files from my European trip was found to be
>missing this morning, it was the final straw.
>
>I listed an R-D1 for sale here and on RFf and CVUG and it was sold within
>six hours. Then to someone who had inquired about the first camera, I sold
>the second.
>
>Plain and simple, rangefinder digital photography is just not in the cards
>for me.
>
>It is (probably) well known what I think of the M8. And while I generally
>like the R-D1 very much, it represented just too much of a compromise for
>me.
>
>Here are the specific reasons (besides the lost image files) that I decided
>to part with the cameras:
>
>1. the unreliable nature of the rangefinder (I didn't *really* want to learn
>how to align it myself)
>
>2. the battery (I don't want to have to worry about charging it -- I want to
>grab my camera and go without a thought to the battery)
>
>3. the SD card (when I click the shutter, I want the camera to take a
>picture -- no matter what and sometimes I want to take more than two in
>rapid succession)
>
>So, digital rangefinders are a complete bust as far as I'm concerned.
>
>I will just have learn to love DSLR's for those tasks not suited to film
>rangefinder photography.
>
>Dave.
>
>-- 
>Web Site: www.david-keenan.com
>2007 PAW: www.david-keenan.com/paw
>2006 EuroBlog: www.david-keenan.com/euroblog
>
>_______________________________________________
>Leica Users Group.
>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information