It is currently 28 Mar 2024, 21:31


My Review of the Seiko Spirit Lupin the 3rd EPD

Discussion on MODERN LED, LCD, OLED and E-INK watches
  • Author
  • Message
Offline

AlmightyTallest

Wizard

Wizard

  • Posts: 360
  • Joined: 02 Jun 2005, 05:36
  • Location: U.S.A.

My Review of the Seiko Spirit Lupin the 3rd EPD

Post26 Oct 2012, 15:56

Hey Guys!!

I've been collecting vintage digital watches for over 20 years now, but one thing I have not really done until now is purchase something truely, well, new. I got the urge a few years ago when I saw all the reivews of Seiko's EPD watch, especially so after the positive reviews and great photos from our own forum member Huertecilla really made me want to go out and get one for myself. Unfortunately the cost was just a bit too high for me to justify at the time and I had always hoped for perhaps a used one to show up that I could afford. In the meantime I purchased a Phosphor E-ink watch to satisfy my curiosity for E-ink as a watch technology and was impressed with what possibilities there were with this new type of display technology.

Fast forward two years and I came across these Limited edition Seiko EPD watches featuring some Anime from Lupin the 3rd and Golgo 13. Both of which were characters I remembered in my youth, Lupin was featured in a 1983 Laser Disc Arcade game called "Cliff Hanger" as well as an Anime movie called "The Count of Monte Cristo" and Golgo 13 I remembered as a NES game in the late 80's.

For those unfamiliar with the franchise, here's some videos of the Cliff Hanger arcade machine, and how the game plays out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc5MKWJ7j6Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tQqf8nciH0&feature=related

Oh, the memories of the old Laserdisc games!! Groups of us kids and teenagers crowded around arcade machines wanting to see and play the latest games we could find, and break the scoring records of our buddies and enemies... Good times!! Especially for me seeing and playing Cliff Hanger in the early 80's at the local mall our grandparents brought us to see really brought back memories. Also adding to the urge was the fact that these new EPD watches were lower cost than the Seiko Brightz I had yearned for just a few short years ago.

It didn't take long, a few days of research and I had made my choice for the Lupin the 3rd EPD watch, the SBPA007J model.

Upon recieving it the other day, I liked the black hard coating and the smooth metal bracelet, and the simple squared tv look of the face of the watch. I also liked that the face wasn't cluttered in any way, only the simple, elegently stated "SEIKO" label at the top of the display. One thing I noticed is that with this newer EPD module, it seems Seiko changed the font of the simple time and date display from the Brightz model. The digits were a little more thinner and in a different font than the Seiko Brightz epd.

Image

Image

Image

Another feature I liked was the second time display that showed very large digits, without the shading effect that the Seiko Brightz had. For me, this modified second display helped make the watch more readable under certain lower light conditions without having to use the LED lights on the watch.

Image

But the 3rd time display is what sold me for this watch. Each hour is illustrated with some of the Lupin the 3rd characters, something that's unique and fun to have displayed when you want to get conversations started!

Image

I can't say too much about the quality of the radio timekeeping and solar power usage, as aside from a few changes to how the module displays things it seems to be identical to the Seiko Brightz module, with this Seiko Spirit though, it seems the font stayed the same as Brightz with the world time function, but the nice globe displaying the city in the Brightz has been replaced by a more simple flat map on the left side of the screen. I preferred the globe in the Brightz though lol.

The watch will count seconds just like the Brightz model, but only for a minute at a time. Then you have to press the top left button again to run another minute.

One complaint is that I did have some reservations about the domed hardlex crystal which is a significant part of the face of this watch. I would have liked to have had a sapphire instead, or a crystal that was more protected by the case. I wonder if most purchasers of this watch would not have minded, as they kept them stored away as the attractive limited edition watch they are, but that's not how I keep mine! :D I figure these were meant to be used and enjoyed, and so hopefully if my crystal gets too scratched up, I can get a replacement from Seiko years down the line... Hopefully. :)

Another slight complaint was that I had hoped the black hard coating over stainless would reach to the edges of each link in the bracelet, instead of just being on the top portions of the links, but it's still not a big problem for me.

Image

For the future, I hope that watch manufacturers would get more creative with the E-ink medium, these watches would be perfect in my opinion if they had a simple moon graph option, and would show the position of the moon in the sky like my old Casio Moon Graph did. or perhaps a full calendar display showing the entire month.

But the way the prices are going down, these watches seem like a better value, especially if you avoid the special edition models and just go for the Stainless SBPA001 and SBPA003, which I think are around $450 and hopefully prices will get lower, and more features introduced as we saw with LCD watches as they progressed.

For me, this is a really nice new style watch, comfortable fit, neat smooth fonts and graphics, insanely readable at almost any angle from your eyes. But not too flashy, just flashy enough to grab people's interest, and look professional when it needs to. My new daily wear watch!! :D

I didn't have time to take any more photos, but if anyone is interested I can probably take some of the various screens and menus if interested. I had hoped to take some of my collection out and photograph this watch with them, but it will have to wait. :)
Offline
User avatar

planetlcd

Techie

Techie

  • Posts: 113
  • Joined: 22 Mar 2010, 13:45
  • Location: Australia

Re: My Review of the Seiko Spirit Lupin the 3rd EPD

Post30 Oct 2012, 09:30

Wow! thanks for your review, I owned the previous model with the Sapphire Crystal glass and miss the excellent display. I didn't like the writing that was all over the dial.

This model you review here has a much cleaner look on the dial, wish the glass was a Sapphire glass as I do like the shape of this model compared to the last one. Would have considered it with a Sapphire glass.

Looking forward to see new models from Seiko and hopefully other companies jump on board and give us new watches to choose from.

Thanks Again :)
Offline
User avatar

holly35

Techno Mage

Techno Mage

  • Posts: 682
  • Joined: 03 Jan 2005, 16:53
  • Location: scotland

Re: My Review of the Seiko Spirit Lupin the 3rd EPD

Post30 Oct 2012, 09:53

I agree,sapphire would have been better.i like the look of this one over the original SDGA, which is functional rather than beautiful. I think Seiko could have done much better with the original in terms of styling. Taking DNA from the 0624 case and bracelet would have been fantastic. (just have a look at Hannes Wettsteins Ventura v-tec Delta, possibly the most beautiful digital watch of all :?: it has strong 0624 overtones.)Instead it looks rather industrial and dull.
As epd technology develops we will soon have £10 epd watches,which will do the SDGA no favours.
Offline

ronaldheld

Wizard

Wizard

  • Posts: 394
  • Joined: 14 Jan 2004, 16:23

Re: My Review of the Seiko Spirit Lupin the 3rd EPD

Post30 Oct 2012, 13:24

Good review. I though about a EPD watch a few times, but settled on a GPS watch.
Offline

AlmightyTallest

Wizard

Wizard

  • Posts: 360
  • Joined: 02 Jun 2005, 05:36
  • Location: U.S.A.

Re: My Review of the Seiko Spirit Lupin the 3rd EPD

Post30 Oct 2012, 16:24

Thanks for the encouragement guys,

I have to recharge the camera, but I'll take a few more photos to better illustrate how this watch looks, my photos above don't do this watch justice.

At any rate, I think Seiko did a great job with this lower cost model, I also enjoy the style better than the origional EPD watch, and like the function buttons on the sides of the watch. I'm about 500km outside of the optimum range for the Fort Collins radio signal, but the watch has reliably picked up the signal within four minutes after 2AM each morning for over a week now.

Another difference I learned from the origional module, is that when the minute changes, there is no time that the time is not fully displayed.... What I mean is that if it's 10:22, and the digits are in black, the instant it becomes 10:23 the digits all flash in white, then reset themselves in black within a second to eliminate any ghosting of the display. I find it facinating to watch. :)
Offline

AlmightyTallest

Wizard

Wizard

  • Posts: 360
  • Joined: 02 Jun 2005, 05:36
  • Location: U.S.A.

Re: My Review of the Seiko Spirit Lupin the 3rd EPD

Post30 Oct 2012, 17:11

We all love photos, and the camera is back in action, so I figured I'd try and take some better photos than I did origionally.

Here goes:

This blurry photo below shows the solar cell details, neatly arranged outside of the display area similar to the origional SDGA models:

Image

Other views of the great readability of the display:

Image


Image


The world time map and display:


Image

The 5th time display option, in this case showing the time as 10:40

Image

The seconds display, which can be brought up any time by pressing the button at the top left while on any timekeeping screen.

Image

The default display, notice just how white this paper display is.

Image

The amazing angle at which the time can be read is great!! I notice I don't even have to tilt my watch while driving because of this.

Image

Details of the side push buttons for the menu, the middle button is for the two very bright white LED lights on the right side of the screen.

Image

Details of the back of the watch case, the watch is water resistant to 10bar, and the manual says that service isn't required except periodic check ups every 4 years!

Image

Another style of time display, sometimes because of angle or lighting conditions these are more easily readable without having to use the LED lights.

Image
Offline
User avatar

Kasper

Guru

Guru

  • Posts: 2442
  • Joined: 25 Aug 2011, 10:25
  • Location: Belgium

Re: My Review of the Seiko Spirit Lupin the 3rd EPD

Post30 Oct 2012, 18:20

thanks for the indept review..we appreciate this very much.

a month ago, i was standing with the seiko epd brightz in my hand and i was not impressed at all....the quality was good but they could have done so much more..The display was full of contrast but it took ages to change the display to something other.
So i was a bit dissapointed...i wanted fast changing display, i want to make my own hands or have more choices to change it, there is to much clutter on the screen etc.
http://vimeo.com/26115420

this one looks more interesting cause of the price but is it still as slow as the more expensive model?
Hey you all...this board is FREE and without ADS, so at least post something every now and then to show your appreciation.


Get the latest active topics of the board here.
http://www.newdwf.com/search.php?search_id=active_topics

- Kasper -
Offline

AlmightyTallest

Wizard

Wizard

  • Posts: 360
  • Joined: 02 Jun 2005, 05:36
  • Location: U.S.A.

Re: My Review of the Seiko Spirit Lupin the 3rd EPD

Post30 Oct 2012, 18:45

Excellent points kasper, after watching your video, I can say that this newer version seems to update much faster. There's still a lag time, but it's not nearly as long as what was shown in the video you provided.

I'm not good a making movies, but here's a link to my model of watch in the video below, and you can see it change to get a better idea of it's faster update speed.

It seems that after a year of the origional EPD debut, that Seiko modified the hardware so that it processes the image change faster. I just went into my menu and selected the Radio wave feature, which required 7 button presses, but was able to view the info and back out to the time (which required another four button presses) in a mere 12 seconds. Not really much more time than it takes to navigate some lcd menus on my Casio's so there is some improvement in the update speed.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOeFRdjtpPA
Offline

Huertecilla

Wizard

Wizard

  • Posts: 401
  • Joined: 11 Feb 2011, 14:44
  • Location: Andalucía

Re: My Review of the Seiko Spirit Lupin the 3rd EPD

Post18 Apr 2013, 17:18

holly35 wrote:I agree,sapphire would have been better.i like the look of this one over the original SDGA, which is functional rather than beautiful. I think Seiko could have done much better with the original in terms of styling. Taking DNA from the 0624 case and bracelet would have been fantastic.


They did.

Image

Not enough for yoúr taste perhaps but as it is, it is contemporay design with a wink to the ancestor.
Yes the sapphire on the SDGA is something else. Mine is my daily wear, which means that with all the hands on an eco-farm it can be called a beater.
I have bashed it against a wide variety of immovable objects and dropped it on granite and concrete. Seiko obviously has the chamfering perfected as there is neither a scratch nor a chip.
´Design oder nicht sein´

Return to Modern Digitals

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 29 guests