btgc
Veteran
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.
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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