Review: Epson R-D1 2004 CCD Digital Rangefinder

The Epson R-D1, released in 2004, was the world's first digital rangefinder. Even today, photographers still use the R-D1 for its CCD sensor and vintage-style handling. But how does it perform today? In this in-depth Epson R-D1 review, MPB resident photographer Ian Howorth explores the Epson R-D1's specs and performance. Check out the test images, and see how the camera's image quality compares to that of a modern mirrorless camera. 

This review covers:

• Specs

• Design & handling

• Image quality

• Battery life & usability

• Verdict

You’d be forgiven for thinking that a 2015 Sony A7S II would wipe the floor with a digital camera released more than a decade earlier. But this is the legendary Epson R-D1 rangefinder we’re talking about. 

I’ll admit, at first, I knew very little about the Epson R-D1. I knew it was a rangefinder and one of the first digital cameras to rival film. After spending a few days with the Epson, I learned a lot more about it other than what the spec sheet reads. However, the tech specs are still important to get a basic understanding of what a camera has to offer.

Specs

• 6.1 megapixels

• Maximum ISO: 1600

• 12-bit CCD RAW sensor

• Shutter speed: bulb, 1/2000

• 2-inch TFT LCD

• Leica M Mount

• Manual focus only

• 1FPS shooting speed

The R-D1 has a CCD sensor, which has a different architecture than a CMOS sensor—like the one in the Sony A7S II. So while CMOS has become the more prevalent tech, CCD sensors render images slightly differently. CCD sensors have a reputation for colour science that lends itself to a vintage feel as well as stunning black-and-white conversions. Learn more about CCD vs CMOS sensors.

Design and handling

As we’ve learned from many legacy cameras—like our head-to-head Nikon D700 vs Canon 5D Mark II review—specs aren’t everything. You can’t argue against character and individual taste, no matter how many times you throw dynamic range tests, resolution and ISO performance at someone.

So, what about the camera? Well, it was a joy to look at and to hold in my hand. Admirers of well-made rangefinders, like Leica, Konica and Zeiss, will appreciate the solid construction of this beautiful camera. In terms of design, it's not dissimilar to a Voigtländer Bessa R film camera—albeit with a slightly more tech feel.

Top plate

The top plate is wonderful, with ‘Epson Digital Rangefinder’ etched on the left-hand side to the right of the menu wheel. Leica M3 users will be familiar with this wheel, used for winding your film. To the left of the hot shoe mount, we have the frameline selector. This allows you to manually compensate for 28mm, 35mm and 50mm fields of view within the viewfinder.

 Viewfinder

Talking of viewfinders, the R-D1 is very bright. Though not as good as a Leica’s, it does have a nice and bright rangefinder patch, allowing you to line up your edges for perfect focusing. Considering the R-D1 was released in 2004, the viewfinder is very impressive. It’s worth mentioning that this camera is manual focus only. No autofocus wizardry here.

Dials & controls

Immediately to the right of the hot shoe, you have—by far—my favourite dial. I mean, just look at it! Four hands give you measurements for white balance, battery life, RAW/JPEG setting and remaining images on the outside bezel. 

To the right of that, you have the shutter speed and ISO dial. Fujifilm shooters will recognise this, it’s all housed within the same dial. Lifting the dial gives you access to ISO, and rotating after pressing the release button gives you access to shutter speeds ranging from 1/2000 to bulb.

You’re probably wondering why this digital camera has something that looks like a film advance lever. Well, it does have a function—it cocks the shutter, which has to be done every time you fire it. This does make the process very reminiscent of shooting film—a joy or a pain in the backside, depending on your standpoint. Suffice it to say, this camera has no continuous shooting function. It’s as fast as you can advance the lever.

If you’re interested in recreating film photography using a digital camera, the Epson R-D1 is certainly one option. For example, you can use a digital infrared camera for the Kodak Aerochrome look. 

Rear LCD

The rear LCD, as you might expect, is pretty basic. It pretty much just confirms you’ve taken a photo. No bells and whistles, no fancy OLED displays. Saying that, I found it better than many of the top flight LCDs of cameras from the bigger manufacturers of the day. 

I did find myself underexposing slightly to bring the highlights down a touch after reviewing my images, something I found I didn't need to do. There is quite a gulf between the image the LCD shows you and the image captured, in terms of dynamic range.

Menu system

The menu system is pretty fiddly, and it does remind us how far we’ve come in terms of making complex menus easier to navigate with touchscreen and joysticks. Fortunately, this is a simpler system than what we are used to now, so once you’re set up, you should rarely have to spend too much time here.

Influence and impact

One of the things that really surprised me about the Epson R-D1 was how much they got right, and how much they have influenced modern designs. Fujifilm comes to mind, with their X-Pro and X100 series, employing the ISO dial inside the shutter dial to make space up top. Whether or not this was copied from the R-D1 is up to debate, but you have to admire Epson for incorporating it way back in 2004.

Fujifilm later doubled down on vintage, both in camera design and imagery. While Fujifilm has since become synonymous with film-like photography—partially thanks to those famous Fujifilm presets and Fujifilm recipes—the Epson R-D1 was one of the first to bring analogue-like cameras into the modern age. 

In fact, the Epson R-D1 is an ‘honourable mention’ in our top film-like digital cameras. 

Flippable screen

The flippable screen is really the game changer. How many cameras have you owned that didn’t have one and left you in dire need of one? Epson was churning these out from day one. I even like the fact that they included a full-frame to APS-C conversion chart if you flipped the LCD while shooting. This was to remind you of the conversion but also to make the camera look aesthetically pleasing if you chose to shoot in a more analogue way. The Fujifilm X-Pro 3 anyone? Read our Fujifilm X-Pro 3 review.

This camera, being as quirky as it is, didn't really need a comparison. Aside from a Leica M8 Black, there isn't anything really like it. Enter the trusty Sony A7S II. This camera's 12-megapixel sensor might seem at odds with its image quality. From a resolution point of view, it might leave you a bit cold, but make no mistake, from an image quality perspective, this is one of the finest sensors ever made.

Image quality

I did edit these photos somewhat. But only very lightly—just basic correction, using the same preset for both files. I found that the inherent difference in both sensors made them respond very differently to the preset. The Sony A7S II renders much more neutral colours, and the Epson R-D1 with a slight magenta bias.

As you might expect from an early CCD sensor, there is much less dynamic range on tap, which in turn creates a more contrasty image.

Having high dynamic range opens up the options the sensor is giving you. If the images are a tad flat, you can add contrast later. One of the gripes that many people have with the Sony A7S II sensor is that it’s almost too good and too neutral straight-out-of-camera. The Epson R-D1, on the other hand, has bags of character straight off the bat. That’s a dream for people who like it, not so much if you don’t.

Focusing is a cinch. Many of you who have shot with a Leica, or other rangefinders, will be familiar with the range-finder patch. Simply focus the lens until the edges—horizontal or vertical—are lined up, and you’re in focus.

You’d be wrong to think this little gem tops out at really low ISO, which traditionally hampered CCD sensors. At 400 ISO, it’s just getting warmed up. Sure, the contrast increases the higher the ISO, but it still renders very pleasing images with heaps of character. 

At golden hour, the camera shone. Increasing the ISO from the base 200 to 400 introduced just a little more texture to the image, giving it extra pop. 

I never thought I would shoot a 20-year-old CCD APS-C sensor and add grain in Lightroom at 800 ISO. This surprised me, but pleasantly so—I would even go as far as to say I preferred the images with the added grain. The CCD sensor produces a very unusual texture that I haven’t experienced before, other than when shooting expired 35mm film. 

You could incorporate this into your workflow by creating a Lightroom preset. 

In shooting with CCD sensors in the past, I realised just how good black-and-white conversion can be—and the Epson R-D1 does not disappoint. I’ve found similar experiences with other CCD-sensored cameras, like the Leica M8 and some medium-format digital backs. CCD tech seems to create such pleasing black-and-white images. They are punchy and contrasty, creating a classic black-and-white aesthetic, similar to pushed Ilford HP-5 or Kodak Tri-X.

One of the things that would make or break this little wonder camera is the shooting speed. One thing is to convince anyone to shoot manual lenses in an autofocus age, but another is to try then to sell them a cocking digital shutter that has no continuous shooting. It’s a hard sell.

So, towards the end of the day, I noticed one of Brighton’s most spectacular displays—the starling murmurations. It’s really a sight to behold around sundown, and capturing this requires a good vantage point and ideally a fast shooting speed. These starlings move fast, creating beautiful shapes very quickly that need to be captured equally as quickly.

Battery life

It was shooting the starlings at their most impressive that I noticed one of the camera’s quirks. Once the battery begins to drain, it affects the camera's start up time. Well, not starting up as such, but waking up from idle to take a shot. Although the battery was beyond the halfway point, it wasn’t anywhere near dead yet. Replacing the battery was easy enough. However, they don’t last very long, so carrying plenty and replacing often is key. I had six with me that day, and I used four of them in about three-and-a-half hours.

Once I replaced the dead battery with a fresh one, advancing the lever was not slow. I probably missed a fraction of a moment because I was too slow in my winding, but I got there in the end. Everything just takes a little longer and requires a bit more patience, so long as you’re okay with that. This camera will always reward you and make you feel like you've made a photograph together rather than let it do all the donkey work for you.

Usability

So, what kind of photographer would use the Epson R-D1 today? Well, that’s a tricky one. This is a genuinely awesome little camera, it natively accepts the-best-of-the-best when it comes to lenses—Leica M. While its sensor is no longer the most cutting-edge, they have an incredible vibe straight off the camera. And, make no mistake, those ERF RAW files allow plenty of editing to create a look. From a design perspective, it’s not tough and purposeful looking like a modern DSLR, but it’s much more subtle.

From a usability point of view, putting it simply, it's fun. Lots of fun. Its quirky advance lever and the beautiful Seiko-designed dials scream quality in a way that those who like well-engineered things will appreciate. Think of it as a beautiful item that you can ogle, hold and appreciate that can also provide you with beautiful photographs.

We used the Sony A7S II as a modern, low-resolution camera body to compare against the R-D1's CCD sensor. But you can also use Sony cameras to mount vintage lenses. For example, in the past, we've tested the Helios 44-2 on Sony A7 III, the 1913 Kodak Vest lens on Sony A9 and old Nikon primes on a Z7. You don’t necessarily need an older camera body—like the Epson R-D1—to capture unique, vintage-style images.

Some manufacturers, like Leica, are reissuing vintage lenses for the modern age. So, if you have the money to spend, you could double up and mount a Leica M Thambar to your Epson R-D1. Check out our Leica Thambar 90mm f/2.2 review.

I’ve always chosen cameras for what they can do rather than what they look like, but it's impossible not to appreciate the R-D1 for its design. Not only is it beautifully made, it has that magic combination of being aesthetically pleasing and functional. 

Verdict: Great for web, but limited by resolution

Would the Epson R-D1 find itself in my camera bag today? If I were shooting mainly for web use, it would be a wholehearted yes. But as it stands, I don't have room for it. I’m not sure what niche it would cover that isn't covered by my existing cameras. 

The other issue is the resolution. It would be possible to print up to a decent size. An 8x10 print, perhaps even a little bigger, wouldn’t be an issue. However, if you’ve become used to the now-standard 24 megapixels, the R-D1’s 6-megapixel resolution will show its limitations. If you want to mainly share your work online, then the R-D1 does a lot with its six megapixels. After all, image quality isn’t just about resolution; it’s also about colour, texture and the overall rendering quality. 

The R-D1’s quirks, short battery life, advanced lever and slow shooting speed wouldn’t be enough to put me off. If anything, its limitations can aid the overall shooting experience. This is still a wonderfully designed camera. 

I loved shooting with this camera; it made me feel like I was in two worlds. I can’t imagine what it must have been like back in 2004, but it's refreshing to know that even today, the Epson R-D1 is not only enjoyable but totally relevant.

Does it hold up against modern tech? It depends on how you look at it. If you’re looking at replacing a modern camera that requires you to autofocus quickly and do much for you, then no. But if you're looking for a photography experience that combines the slower, considered pace of film with the convenience of digital, then the R-D1 is one of the very best.

Read more camera gear guides on the MPB content hub.

FAQs

Did the Epson R-D1 allow the use of Leica M-mount lenses?

Yes, the R-D1 had a Leica M lens mount, so it was compatible with the huge range of Leica M-mount lenses both old and new. This was a major advantage over digital cameras with proprietary lens mounts.

How did image quality from the R-D1 sensor compare to film rangefinders?

While image quality was good for the time, it did not quite match the look and feel of shots from contemporary film rangefinders like the Leica M7. The sensor technology still had some limitations compared to film.

What accessories and upgrades were available for the R-D1?

Epson offered a digital back upgrade to 10 megapixels for improved resolution. There were also optional optical viewfinders and external flash options. Many M-mount lenses and filters could be used.

How important was the R-D1 to the development of digital photography?

As the first digital rangefinder, the R-D1 pioneered the concept and showed the potential of digital rangefinder cameras. It paved the way for later models from Leica, which have become the standard in digital rangefinders.

Does Epson still produce digital rangefinder cameras today?

No, the R-D1 was Epson's only foray into digital rangefinder cameras. While it generated interest and acclaim, it was also somewhat niche. Epson has focused more on action cameras and drones in recent years rather than additional rangefinders.