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Epson R-D1s Leica-compatible digicam


If you're looking for a way to make use of that extensive collection of Leica lenses you've accumulated over the years, there's another option beside waiting (and waiting) for Leica to release the Digital M. Epson has announced a modest upgrade to the R-D1, the company's digital rangefinder, which is compatible with Leica M mount and L mount glass. The R-D1s shares its predecessor's 6 megapixel APS-C sensor, 2-inch LCD, RAW format, multiple black-and-white modes, and ISO 200-1600, and adds a few minor improvements, including a JPEG RAW mode, quick view function, Adobe RGB mode, and noise reduction for long exposures. Pricing hasn't been announced, but will probably be in line with the original R-D1, which goes for about $3,000 (and which will probably come down a bit now that this one's out, so if you can live without JPEG RAW and Adobe RGB, you may want to skip this one and see what kind of deal you can get on the D1 -- unless you'd rather keep waiting for the Digital M).