Ricoh 500RF lightmeter problems

[Big_Alec]

Okay so I purchased a cheap 500RF, I've just fitted a new battery but the lightmeter doesn't appear to be working.
When I look through the viewfinder on th right hand side I see the list of apertures from 2.8 through to 16 but nothing to indictaor which setting I should use.
Moving the aperture ring on the lens has no effect nor does changing the shutter speed.
I have checked the battery contacts and they look clean.
I have removed the front of the lens and there are two wires connected to the light meter cell.

Any other ideas?

 

[Armoured]

On this camera, you set the shutter speed and then set the aperture to A for Auto; the meter will indicate what aperture it has chosen if it is working and in range. Easy to check by swinging from light to dark. I believe the meter will also swing to indicate desired aperture in manual but not certain.

It may simply be that the meter is dead after years of neglect. Probably not worth fixing. If you are using negative film, you may want to just try estimating with sunny 16. Or buy an expensive meter )

 

[Big_Alec]

Thanks

I had another look at it yesterday evening before I saw your reply.
When I change the film speed setting on the lens I see that a needle on the lightmeter in the viewfinder moves.

But...

I had imagined that have set the film speed if I then looked through the viewfinder and rotated the shutter speed ring on the lens that the neddle would move up and down to indicate which aperture to use.

Am I expecting too much from this camera?

Edit: I've just found an on-line manual for a 500G which explains it as you did.

I'll try setting it to 'A' and 1/60th and seeing what happens.

 

[sevo]

I had imagined that have set the film speed if I then looked through the viewfinder and rotated the shutter speed ring on the lens that the neddle would move up and down to indicate which aperture to use.

On the Ricoh 500GX, the aperture indicator needle tracks the measurement (and hence changes to the shutter speed ring) in real time, both in automatic and manual mode (but in the latter, you are not shown the set aperture, so that you have to take the camera off the eye to transfer measurements). I suppose it should be the same on the 500G, but I have none at hand.

Sevo

 

[Big_Alec]

I've just had another play with it.
I tried cleaning the battery contacts again and I think that's cured it.

I set the aperture ring to 'A', looked through the viewfinder with the film speed set to 200asa and the shutter speed set to 1/125th I got a reading of between f4 and f5.6 in the shade and f16 pointed towards the sun.

Yay! 🙂

Time to put a film in and see how my £1 (plus 99pence cost of battery) camera fares.

 

[Armoured]

Congrats! It is a fine small camera. I have said before, and still think, one of the most underrated lenses around. Although if I keep saying that and anyone listens, won't be.