Misadventure with Ricoh FF-1

[camera.bear]

I just recently got a Ricoh FF-1 and loaded it with film. I proceeded to snap away taking pictures. I then noticed that when I advanced the film, that the rewind crank was not moving, a way to tell if the film is transporting correctly. I tried another shoot and no movement. I thought that the film was not seated on the take-up spool. I proceeded to open the camera to rethread the film only to discover that the film was winding on just as it should. As I was only on frame 10. I closed the camera and continued on and finished the roll. I will hopefully have something to post once I have the film developed.

After removing the film and exploring a bit, I have found that the end of the rewind shaft that engages the film canister is ratcheted. It is free to rotate independent of the rewind crank until the crank handle is folded out. Then it will only move with the handle to rewind the film. It will not engage if the rewind handle is turned backwards. I have never seen this level of engineering on a rewind crank on any of my other cameras.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Interesting. I just checked my Sears Mini 35 (Ricoh FF-1s) and it behaves in exactly the same manner.
Add this one to the list of my other pocket 35mm cameras that also require extreme care in loading...

Chris

 

[camera.bear]

Something Went Horribly Wrong

Something Went Horribly Wrong

My problems with the Ricoh FF-1 have been compounded. These pictures look overexposed, but I made the mistake of shooting Ektar 100 with the camera set to 400 ASA. Did the processor overcorrect them for underexposure or are my batteries low even thoug the green light is coming on when the shutter release is pressed? I would like to know and then try another roll of film in the camera.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

The photocell is located right next to the VF front viewing window.
Blocking it with a stray finger could lead to overexposure.
However since you exposed at EI400 I doubt this is the case.

Like most pocket cameras my best results with the Sears Mini 35 have been using ISO400 film.

Chris

 

[pinkarmy]

my FF-1 arrived yesterday.
It looks real handsome.
i have happy times with my HI-Color 35 so i have great expectation for it -- esp. after my Minox GT got THAT shutter problem.
thanks for the useful tips and i hope more FF-1 users share theirs too.

 

[Huss]

These cameras are so good I now have three of them! FF-1 x2 and Sears mini35 (FF1-S).
No issues, excellent exposures and fantastic lenses.

 

[Coconut_Head]

These cameras are so good I now have three of them! FF-1 x2 and Sears mini35 (FF1-S).
No issues, excellent exposures and fantastic lenses.

Hey did you ever run into issues?

I got an FF-1s a couple weeks ago. The first roll seemed to shoot fine, assuming that the noise when releasing the shutter is supposed to be THAT quiet and soft.
But now I think I’ve run into a problem. I don’t think the shutter is releasing. Half the time I don’t hear that faint tap, but sometimes I think I do - but I’m starting to think that that faint tap might not be the right noise I’m supposed to be hearing anyway. Very hard to tell. And I’ve tried 3 different sets of LR44 batteries, one set completely new - doesn’t seem to make a difference and I don’t see any “green LED light” that’s supposed to tell me I have sufficient battery - but I never saw this light to begin with.

Any ideas? Just read how someone ordered this exact camera 3 times from Japan, all described as Mint+++++, but they were all broken

 

[Freakscene]

Hey did you ever run into issues?

I got an FF-1s a couple weeks ago. The first roll seemed to shoot fine, assuming that the noise when releasing the shutter is supposed to be THAT quiet and soft.
But now I think I’ve run into a problem. I don’t think the shutter is releasing. Half the time I don’t hear that faint tap, but sometimes I think I do - but I’m starting to think that that faint tap might not be the right noise I’m supposed to be hearing anyway. Very hard to tell. And I’ve tried 3 different sets of LR44 batteries, one set completely new - doesn’t seem to make a difference and I don’t see any “green LED light” that’s supposed to tell me I have sufficient battery - but I never saw this light to begin with.

Any ideas? Just read how someone ordered this exact camera 3 times from Japan, all described as Mint+++++, but they were all broken

@Huss has not been on the site since August 2020 and will not be back.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

I dropped my first Ricoh FF-1 from about eye level into soft sand at the beach; it no longer functioned.
Something inside got knocked loose. Fortunately the repairman needed no replacement parts.

Chris

 

[Coconut_Head]

I dropped my first Ricoh FF-1 from about eye level into soft sand at the beach; it no longer functioned.
Something inside got knocked loose. Fortunately the repairman needed no replacement parts.

Chris

How much did the repair cost?

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Sorry, it was perhaps 20 years ago so I can't recall.
If you can find someone willing to repair yours please keep us posted.

Chris