What is really nice about the Ricoh 500G/GX camera is you can operate them without a battery. I may be wrong, but the only difference between a G and a GX is a double-exposure feature added to the GX.
PIA to repair/CLA though. You have to really tear the camera apart to do any work on it, as it is constructed in a front half/rear half style, so anything that needs to be done entails removing the leatherette.
It is on par with a Konica C35 as far as size is concerned, but with the added capability of full manual control, or automatic. Great little camera to put in the pocket for a stoll down the path, or to do street photography. And, it's a rangefinder too! Not one of those zone focusing pretenders like the Yashica ME (which I happen to own a couple, and love them). I also have a 500G, but it is in dire need of a seal replacement that I haven't gotten around to yet. So I'm looking forward to getting it in shape here shortly, as soon as I can clear the bench of an old folder 6x9 that is in the process of being rebuilt.
You don't see many of the GX model on eBay because there weren't that many produced, and folks tend to hold on to them. Check the sales record to figure a decent price, but I recall that when I was trying to get one, the auctions would go crazy high. Then one with a BIN price just a little lower would just sit there, and I would suppose that was from the bidders thinking they could still beat that on an auction.
PF
