Ricoh 500 RF

[PeterW]

Hi all,

I seem to have wandered a bit OT with polycarbonates, so here's a genuine rangefinder posting.

I see a short time ago that 'tuna' mentioned a Ricoh Elnica, which I hadn't come across, and a short time ago I picked up another little Ricoh compact which I've never heard mentioned anywhere, a Ricoh 500 RF.

It's quite different from the plain Ricoh 500 which, if I recall correctly, had a lever wind on the bottom. This has a conventional lever wind on top.

It's not very heavy nor very solid feeling but it seems a reasonably well made little camera. The lens is Rickenon f/2.8 40mm. It's got a CdS cell inside the lens mounting for fully automatic exposure, or you can go fully manual with stops from 2.8 to 16 and speeds from 1/8 sec to 1/500 sec. ASA settings on auto go from 25 to 800. I haven't tried a battery in it but the manual setttings seem to be OK. It's got a hot shoe for X synchronisation.The viewfinder is nice and clear with a well defined yellow rangefinder spot.

On the minus side, the light seals inside the door have mutated to a sticky mess, and the plastic (here we go again) rewind crank handle is broken off. The light seals should be easy to fix, and a may have a rewind crank that will fit somewhere in my odds and sods box. It cost me £1, about $1.7 US or 1.4 Euros at the current rate of exchange.
I must fettle it up and try it out, but it will have to wait a little while because there are three other cameras I've fixed but haven't yet tried out. Anyone got, or had, a Ricoh 500 RF?

Peter

[David Silver]

Hi Peter,

I've never heard of the Ricoh 500 RF, but it sure sounds to me like the Ricoh 500G that you're describing! Early 1970's, quite compact, and very well made. I've used one (although I also had to replace the light seals, a far too common problem with ALL these little 1960's and 1970's rangefinder cameras) and was very pleased with the results. If you get a chance, I'd like to see a picture of your 500 RF. I'm thinking it may be the same as the 500G, but specified for the European market.

Dave

[PeterW]

Here it is, Dave. I found a rewind crank to fit it in my spares box. Sorry about the small DOF, the pic was taken by the light of a single desk lamp with white paper reflector.

Peter

[David Silver]

Hi Peter,

Fascinating! It appears to be a cross between the 500G of 1971 and the 500GX of 1976! I wonder if it's a unique model made ONLY for European distribution. I have no record of it for American distribution, nor can I find it in any of my (admittedly limited) Riken literature. One little tidbit...does it have a provision for making double exposures? This was the primary extra feature (other than cosmetic differences) that distniguished the 500GX.

Dave

[Rachel]

There was one for sale on eBay UK recently.

[PeterW]

Hi,

No Dave, there's no provision I can find for double exposure.

I couldn't find the one on Ebay UK that Rachel mentioned, maybe as the auction has ended it's been deleted.

I did find a 500G on Ebay, and looking at the picture I can see a few differences.

On the G the shutter button is different; there is a Ricoh name under the viewfinder window - not there on my 500 RF; the G wind-on lever seems to be metal with a plastic tip - on my RF it's all plastic; The G has a metal rewind crank (like the one I've fitted) without a low surround on the plastic insert of the top plate - the RF crank which broke was all plastic and set in a low surround; on the G the black plastic insert in the top plate seems to extend all the way across - on the RF it doesn't, and the exposure counter window is outside it.

Another point, on several sites I found mention of a self-timer attachment for the 500 RF, and a picture of one looked very much like the AutoKnipps timer with a sleeve to screw over the rewind button after taking off a screwed cover (similar to the old Leica cable release). On my RF there is a built-in self-timer, or delayed action timer, on the front, like that on the G but again it's plastic not metal.

It could seem you're correct, Dave, and this is a limited hybrid version for one particular market, maybe as you say the UK.

Peter

[David Silver]

Hi Peter,

Without the double exposure capability, it's then closer to the 500G than the 500GX. The subtle cosmetic differences aside, the 500 RF is basically a 500G. Fascinating. I found a reference to another 500 RF for sale yesterday...and it was also in the UK! I'm curious why there would be an accessory self-timer for the 500 RF (or any of the 1970's 500 series since they all came supplied with an integral self-timer!). Is it possible the references were to 500 rangefinder cameras in general (ie. the earlier 1950's-1960's series) rather than the specific 500 RF model? I've seen Riken accessory self-timers for that earlier series and they are indeed of the AutoKnipps type. Anyway, I'm making a note of the 500 RF so that when I sit down to help Jim McKeown with his next edition of the Price Guide we'll be sure to have it in there this time!

Dave

[PeterW]

Could be, Dave. Maybe the sellers of the self timers were using RF as a generic term for rangefinders and not one particular model.

Peter

[heath]

Several months ago my supervisor at work said he had an old camera for me. He knows I collect cameras and had seen a few that I had taken to work. About 2 weeks later he handed me a smal vinyl bag. This bag contained a Ricoh 500GX, in great condition apart from the paste that was emulating the light seals. Everything works (or seems to work). I asked him how much he wanted for it and he said I could have it as all it was doing was taking up space 9even thought it is one of the smallest cameras I have, if not the smallest). I like my supervisor.

Heath