Ricoh FF-70 report

btgc

btgc

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So, at last I have received my first Ricoh camera. As there's so little info on it, I'll record here impressions in case anybody has put eye on one but hasn't find a lot of info like with Mju or Yashica T-series.

This camera is rare and thus catches attention. Some on photo.net suggest it as good one and refer as FF-1 w/ motorwind. I've not used FF-1 thus don't know. Well, Ricoh seems to be very special company, judging from this P&S, having 5/5 f2.8 lens, protected by sliding metallic shield. Metal back door. Tension rollers on back door too. Good finish, techie look. Imagine full DX reader w/ 9+1 contacts, w/ manual override allowing ISO settings 25-1600 with 1/3 increments (25, 32, 40, 50, 64, 80, 100, 125, 160, 200, 250, 320, 400, 500, 640, 800, 1000, 1250, 1600). Backlite button adds +2 stop exposure compensation. If canister has DX code on it (I haven't seen one without), ISO sets to that and you CAN NOT change ISO setting pressing ISO button. So you have workaround - just tape ISO part of DX code and voila! - I've checked this. If you tape whole DX code camera will not know how many frames are there and I think, rewind after 12 or 24 exposures, I had issue with this. Also info on latitude would be hidden, if FF-70 uses it - I wouldn't be surprised if Ricoh did it. Google will return many sites with DX code explained, e.g. http://www.nelsontan.com/articles/dxcode.html

Another bling-bling feature is huge LCD, showing status of film (loaded, on-spool, finished, ...? tbf), total/current frame, ISO value, BLC and battery status.

Instead of having detachable flash unit, used on some good cameras of that times or pop-out flash, operated manually (common on P&S of that times), FF-70 has built-in flash, activated automatically. If camera decides light is too low, it starts to charge flash and pop out button with flash symbol on it - one has to press this button down after shot. Well, that's fine. But I want longer exposure with no flash, how I get this ? As I mentioned, there's no dedicated flash control button, like on simplest P&S cameras. After some minutes I figured out to keep flash button down while camera tries to erect it - reverse logic, but it works. Voila ! This suppresses flash and forces longer exposures (up to 2sec).
I have to admit - this is genious solution. Instead of pressing small button (hello, Mju/Epic users :) ) you just hold down reasonably large button, if need ambient light. Or don't if need picture by all means. Ricoh makes me wonder again.

Focus ir casual 3-zone with indication in finder - common on P&S of that times. One thing seems promising - aiming camera at window frame it chose "close" distance, and after slightly moved to look through window - "far" distance symbol lights on. No casual glass restriction ? Will see later.

Tomorrow morning I'll clean film chamber, a bit dusty, load and show pictures when finished. If anybody interested, feel free to ask :)

Updated some time later: after film is rewound, it's left with tip outside. If roll is really finished - not hard to wind in completely. I find this feature rather useful.
 
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btgc said:
Instead of having detachable flash unit, used on some good cameras of that times or pop-out flash, operated manually (common on P&S of that times), FF-70 has built-in flash, activated automatically. If camera decides light is too low, it starts to charge flash and pop out button with flash symbol on it - one has to press this button down after shot. Well, that's fine. But I want longer exposure with no flash, how I get this ? As I mentioned, there's no dedicated flash control button, like on simplest P&S cameras. After some minutes I figured out to keep flash button down while camera tries to erect it - reverse logic, but it works. Voila ! This suppresses flash and forces longer exposures (up to 2sec).
:)
Click to expand...
The flash control is similar to Nikon L35AF2. In that camera the flash pops out automatically if the exposure time with available light is longer than 1/30 seconds, but after you have pressed the shutter halfway down, you can press the flash down to deactivate it and activate the slow shutter mode. It really is a very good system that works for both casual and serious shooters.

Most cameras at the time had a flash indication LED and you had to manually activate the flash by pressing a button. This was not good for casual shooters, who often forgot to activate the flash. So later the very small buttons for flash deactivation became standard, sometimes requiring multiple presses for the right mode... The Canon Top Shot a.k.a. Sure Shot Supreme has an even more awkward system: if the camera wants to use flash, you will have to press a small button on the underside of the camera continuously to keep to flash off. The button is flush to the camera body, so you have to use fingernails! The whole thing looks like an afterthought, a small concession to serious shooters in an otherwise "idiot proof" P&S camera.
 
Dr. Strangelove, you seem to be nuts on this cameras, that's nice to meet one who likes 'em :) Yeah, kind of fool-proof flash. Now I realized that if I want flash in very bright day to soften harsh shadows, I need to fool with metering at shadows to activate flash and recomposing. Or avoid flash at all, as flash on P&S of those days virtually didn't have fill-flash mode and always fire at full power.

After loading film, I can make update on ISO override: if DX code is read, manual override doesn't work, you are stuck on what is read from canister. OK, I still can set BLC, pity it resets after each shot but this is OK on P&S.
 
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btgc said:
Dr. Strangelove, you seem to be nuts on this cameras, that's nice to meet one who likes 'em :) Yeah, kind of fool-proof flash. Now I realized that if I want flash in very bright day to soften harsh shadows, I need to fool with metering at shadows to activate flash and recomposing. Or avoid flash at all, as flash on P&S of those days virtually didn't have fill-flash mode and always fire at full power.

After loading film, I can make update on ISO override: if DX code is read, manual override doesn't work, you are stuck on what is read from canister. OK, I still can set BLC, pity it resets after each shot but this is OK on P&S.
Click to expand...
Yes, I like them. They are still undervalued in a similar way as fixed lens rangefinders used to be until the 1990s. Most of them are capable of producing very good quality photographs. About the only things the later mjuu/Stylus, Konica Big Mini and Yashica T4 have over them are slightly more advanced metering and smaller size, but they lack the very useful zone focus indication in the viewfinder. None of the later cameras sport a 5 element lens either.

I would just cover the metering cell with a finger in order to activate the flash for fill flash. Yet it's true that the flash system in most of these 1980s point&shoots is flashmatic; that is the camera sets the right aperture according to film sensitivity and triangulated range and the flash always fires at full power.

About the ISO override: just tape over the DX sense pins in the camera and you always get to choose the ISO manually, since the camera thinks that it's using a non-DX coded film. Or actually you only have to tape over the first pin, which is the DX code sense bit.
 
Thanks for advice, I just hoped that manual override can be used also with auto detection. Big deal - I'll mask DX area on canister, as I taped'n'scratched DX code for use in Mju (to overexpose).

Today shot half of roll and noticed how good it handles! Btw motor noise isn't so terrible, I recall that Canon MC revs louder. Next week will develop bunch of film (on weekend will load Electro35, so all together) , then will see how negatives look.
 
Th FF70 sounds interesting, especially with a 5/5 lens. I like the second photo - seems to be a good lens on this camera.
 
thanks zuikologist, this is P&S I love once I packed it out :) It makes me think if I really need looking for 500-series Ricoh rangefinder (well, it has manual mode but there are other manual cameras too).
 
Forgive me for eaves dropping but I wonder if the two lenses I stumbled across would be of any interest to you.
I purchased a used Canon zoom 90-WP recently and included in the accessories I found two switchable lens options for your camera.(-Ricoh FF 70/90 ) I would much prefer that they fit my camera and maybe the investment was justified a little by the assumption that they would.
Either way, I started searching around to learn more about them and arrived at your thread. If you have interest in these I am all ears... I hope I am not out of line for inquiring
On a side note,
Stumbling into and joining this forum was an unexpected positive . After a short time snooping around, I have realized an immeadiate appreciation for this forum and look forward to returning soon.
 
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Hi rckymtnhigh and andyandcaroline,

Thanks for your offers as it shows that my admission hasn't been lost in debris of Net. Yeah, sometimes small paths can lead to big roads. I'm still using FF-70 from time to time, when noisy advance isn't issue. Having had some wider and longer lenses for SLR, I could go for aux lenses as collectors option, though...I'm user and don't want to accumulate gear not giving it at least monthly use.

That Sigma roar is craziest add-on for P&S I have ever seen ! If I would be deeper in P&S world, I'd go for offers of both of you. I hope some FF-enthusiastic people could pop out to see this wonders.
 
Fair enough ,
The lenses had hopes of adoption so I will try to let them down easy.
Maybe even let em out of their cases for a while to cheer em up. ;)
 
Took a quick search - do yours are such as item 7630899256 on eBay ?

Interesting gadget for those don't willing to tie up with interchangeable lens cameras and stay with P&S.
Btw how long is that tele adapter and how close allows close-up adapter?
 
uploaded 3 pictures of those lenses and didnt realize they where going to the public view gallery. Sorry to all . I know better now.
I uploaded 2 more (hopefully more worthy ) that I shot with an old digital (Olympus D-510 Zoom).
3 wrongs + 2 rights = 1 wrong? :l
 
Hi there, I´d like to thank btgc for posting this thread, it was really
useful for me, since I found a Ricoh FF-70 and wasn´t sure if it
would be good enough. Well, it was, my expectations been exceeded,
Let me show you some shots from te first roll (Kodak Ultramax at Asa 400):

( More here)








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Bye!
 
Hi El Horla, fine if it were useful for you. I see you got some pics depicting what a beast FF-70 is. Despite it's loud P&S it stands out when I have to choose.
 

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