HU: Ricoh 500ME ... spring wind!

Trius

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Auction 7586045469. I have never seen one of these, never even heard of a spring wind version!
 
500me

500me

I have a Ricoh 500ME. It's a nice wee camera. nice size, fairly strudy and has a not bad lens.
But I HATE the viewfunder. the focus spot is too small and it's a funny wee diamond shape. I find it very murky and small and on anything other than a bright contrast between things it's too hard to make out the double image.

It can have the film winder as an extra, I think it also works with the 35ZF and the 500GX.
I think the 500ME is an export version of the 500GX but with some features of the ZF
The ME stands for Mutiple Exposure and it's a bit tricky to make it work, though it does work. Ricoh seem a bit obsessed with multi exposures. Every one of their cameras I've used has had that feature.

I have photos taken of and with it on here.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mck74/sets/954669/
 
This is exactly like the one on my Ricoh 500 RF, itself the subject of a recent post - http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16271&highlight=ricoh+500.

It's an add-on, clockwork accessory and usually gives 10 shots per wind, makes an amusing whirring noise and potentially produces around 1 shot per second. It makes the camera almost square which might improve stability and handling. Equally it could be of use to street photographers, but I tend to view it as a bit of fun, prefering my Ricoh as nature intended :)
 
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I had a whole Ricoh 500ME kit, with the winder and a tiny flashgun. The winder definitely helped handling and was fun, the lens was quite good. Another good point was the metered manual mode. The controls were too small for me so it had to go eventually.
 
OT - Ricoh 500G feedback

OT - Ricoh 500G feedback

In the 1970's Ricoh sold several models built around that lens.

The Ricoh 500G was the first "real" 35mm camera I owned. :)

It has the same sharp 40/2.8 Rikenon lens, rangefinder focus,
shutter priority AE with exposure lock and full metered manual
using PX675 cell; speeds 1/8 - 1/500, self-timer and hot shoe.

Ricoh 500G's are cheap and plentiful used on the big auction site.
Many have non-working meters, but that's usually an easy repair.
Unless recently replaced, these invariably need new back foam.

Stephen Gandy told me he has been meaning to add this model
to his Compact RF's of the 1970's section of Cameraquest.
When he does, this "sleeper" may start getting more expensive...

"Excelsior, you fathead!"
-Chris-
 
There were a slew of f2.8/35 to 38mm fixed RFs at that time. I had the Konica C35-V and now have the C35. They're fun little cameras, and all had very good to excellent lenses.
 
Trius said:
There were a slew of f2.8/35 to 38mm fixed RFs at that time. I had the Konica C35-V and now have the C35. They're fun little cameras, and all had very good to excellent lenses.

One look at Cameraquest will illustrate your point. I have owned
and used many of the cameras listed there and agree completely.

But have you ever owned a Ricoh? No, I didn't think so... ;)

My point is that the Ricoh 500G is as good or better than most.
And since few are familiar with Ricoh, they can be a real bargain...

"Excelsior, you fathead!"
-Chris-
 
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