KIM RF//ONE
— “one eye, one frame, go.”
A minimalist digital rangefinder built for pure street flow: see → decide → shoot → move. No distracto-tech, no scrolling, no “checking.” Just a small titanium brick that makes you hunger for the next frame.
1) Design laws (non‑negotiable)
- No rear screen. (Optional detachable “review slate” for studio only.)
- Zero menu diving. Every core setting must have a physical control.
- Optical-first viewing. Your eye stays on reality, not a TV.
- Instant-ready. Sleep → wake → shoot in a heartbeat.
- Fewer features, harder commitment. The camera forces decisiveness.
2) Body + feel (industrial design)
- Form: clean rectangular “brick,” subtle wedge for grip, hard edges softened by micro-chamfers.
- Materials: bead-blasted titanium top/bottom, magnesium internal frame, textured vulcanite-style wrap.
- Dimensions: ~135mm (W) × 78mm (H) × 33mm (D). Pocketable jacket-brick.
- Weather sealing: gaskets on every seam; one door for battery/port.
- Sound: near-silent by default; optional tactile “click” tone (felt, not heard).
3) Controls (only what earns its existence)
Everything you touch has a job.
Top plate
- Shutter button (threaded for classic cable release vibe)
- Shutter speed dial: 1/4000 → 1s + A
- ISO dial: 100 → 12800 + AUTO
- Exposure comp dial: -3 … +3 (with a center detent)
- One “FOCUS/FRAME” lever (thumb): toggles focusing aid style + frameline preview
Back
- One button: “LAST” (press = last frame in finder for 1.5s; hold = lock/star)
- One switch: ON/OFF (no mode wheel, no nonsense)
Lens
- Aperture ring (with confident detents)
- Manual focus ring (butter-smooth, hard stops)
4) The viewfinder (the signature flex)
Hybrid Optical Rangefinder + Digital Overlay
- Bright optical window with framelines (28/35/50/75/90 equivalent)
- Digital overlay (micro-LED) for: shutter, ISO, exposure meter, focus confirmation
- “Digital split-image patch” in the center:
- Uses on-sensor phase detect + microdisplay to create a true split-image alignment feel
- When aligned, the patch snaps into coherence—fast, addictive, precise
- Parallax correction: framelines subtly shift as you focus
This is the soul: you’re looking at the world, with just enough data to strike.
5) Sensor + output philosophy
Two variants so the camera can be a weapon or a paintbrush.
- RF//ONE Mono
- Full-frame monochrome sensor (no Bayer), tuned for insane micro-contrast
- The ultimate “one look” commitment machine
- RF//ONE Color
- Full-frame color sensor with restrained color science (natural skin, deep reds, clean shadows)
Both share:
- Ultra-thin cover glass + offset microlenses optimized for compact rangefinder lenses
- Shutter: electronic-first (silent), with a mechanical fallback for extreme light/banding scenarios
- Files: DNG + “KIM JPG” (a single baked look you actually trust)
6) Storage + power (minimal but pro)
- Internal NVMe: 512GB (fast, tough, no card anxiety)
- One hidden SD slot (backup only; inside battery door)
- USB‑C: charge + fast transfer + tether (no HDMI, no ports party)
- Battery: removable, sized for a full day of street work
7) Software: an operating system that refuses to waste your life
- Two exposure modes only
- A (Aperture Priority): your default street samurai mode
- M (Manual): for controlled light / flash / deliberate work
- Auto ISO can be capped with a single dial gesture
- No in-camera app store, no social, no filters buffet
- Review is intentionally “thin”
- Press LAST → see the last frame in the viewfinder only
- No browsing a gallery on the camera
- If you want full review: plug in phone or computer
Result: you shoot more, think cleaner, and stop negotiating with yourself.
8) Lens ecosystem (tiny primes, big intent)
Mount concept: M-compatible “K-RF” mount
- Physical compatibility with classic compact rangefinder lenses
- Lens profiles stored on camera (auto-correct vignetting/color shift if you want)
- Launch lenses (all small, all fast enough, all sharp enough):
- 28mm f/2.8 pancake (daily carry king)
- 35mm f/2 (street standard)
- 50mm f/2 (clean portrait + everyday)
9) One killer feature: “Frame Discipline”
A physical DISCIPLINE slider (side of body):
- OFF: normal shooting
- ON: after each shot, the camera briefly “blanks” overlays for 0.7s
(you re-enter the world instantly—no checking, no second-guessing)
It trains the mythic habit: trust your eye.
If you want, I can also write the one-page product manifesto (launch copy), plus a front/back/top control diagram in text form so an industrial designer can sketch it in 10 minutes.