Ricoh 35 RF shutter slow

C

Clarkey104

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Dec 10, 2015
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Hi Everyone

I have recently acquired a Ricoh 35 RF in reasonable condition. Having got myself the correct battery and installed it I opened the camera back and fired a few shots off whilst altering the shutter speed. Moving up the speeds the shutter did get progressively quicker up to the top 1/500th but it seemed to me that they all seemed too slow for each indicated speed. Bulb appears to work ok. Is it likely that thus is just me and all is fine or could the shutter be too slow, albeit proportionally so, for each speed. Any thoughts please and any cures if you think it has a problem too. Many thanks in anticipation.

John
 
Hi again Everyone

I did of course mean 500 RF not 35 RF !!

Hoping this will mean that someone out there now knows something about this camera. Am I right in saying it's pretty much identical to a 500 G?

Thanks

John
 
I think shutters are same. Great project camera, I assume. From what I recall, shutter is mechanical and AE sets aperture, right? Then no worries, just go from front to expose shutter mechanism. All speeds slow could mean main spring is tired? Dirty slow speed escapement usually affects only slow speeds, and rest run unaffected. Not that I'm expert, though.
 
As said above, slower speeds are mostly down to the escapement moving properly, the faster ones are more at the mercy of the speed of the shutter blades moving, which is a combination of springs (which will be a little tired by now) and any oil or grease on the blades, which makes them stick very easily. The addition of the auto linkages make it more complex - see my thread on overhauling a Contessamat.

One thing to mention is that all the old cameras I have suffer from slow shutter speeds. I knocked up an electronic tester for under £10 ($15), and most run outside of (slower than) the "allowable" 20-25% error, especially at the top speed, which were more marketing than performance in truth. Even after overhaul, the Contessamat is overexposing by up to 50% due to shutter speed, but it's close enough to still make good pictures. I have an Ikonta M an it runs at half speed, useful to know and I'll look at it some day, but my point is, it can be a bit of a job and first you have to decide if you will do it, and if it's worth it.
 
Thanks very much for the replies chaps. I have just found another Ricoh 500RF with a well behaved shutter and it's obvious just how slow the shutter on the other is! With nothing to lose I may as well look inside the poorly one now? I wonder if new springs are available if that what it turns out to be?
 
Probably not! Springs do become less springy, but a good clean should restore as much performance as you are likely to ever get, and probably get it close enough to be usable. You could at least then (honestly) sell it as working if you don't want to keep it. Make sure you take LOTS of photos as you go along, and do an internet search for anyone who has already overhauled one of these or a similar camera/shutter/lens/anything. Setting the auto exposure linkage will need some consideration.
 
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