dazedgonebye
Veteran
The hearing aid batteries work well. They don't last long, but they're cheap and you can keep spares easily.
Sears 35|rf Arrives!
- Thread starter dazedgonebye
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Russ
Well-known
Cool. It's a decent little rig.
racoll
Well-known
It's a great camera. I've got a 500 G that I found at a Goodwill grand opening some months ago for $3.99 in very nice condition that works perfectly and takes beautiful photos. Have fun with it and post some pictures.
wray
Well-known
Hey, congrats on the camera. I, too, just picked up a Sears 35 RF but mine appears to be a stripped down (no me switch) version of the Ricoh 500 ME:
It also takes decent pictures:
It also takes decent pictures:
bmattock
Veteran
Yep, sweet little low-cost camera. With the Sears logo, it's so anti-cool it is cool again, and it's no toy - great lens. Yes, the seals are usually a gummy mess, and just as you said - lots of seals, acres of seals. Like a skindiver this thing is mummied up.
But it is small, quiet, and unobtrusive, and I doubt it could get stolen in Barcelona if you left it and walked away for ten minutes (don't test that).
I put it in the same class as the Oly RC, but it tends to cost less due to the Sears logo. The lens is every bit as good, IMHO. I think the lens on the Oly RD or SP beat it, but really, not by that much, and of course it is a 2.8 lens, which is a tiny bit slow. But it is a fun camera, worth having. And one gets tired of it, you can surely get your money back by selling it - just don't pay some nutso price for it. I got mine a couple years ago, don't think I paid more than $5 USD each on eBay - both needed seals, but the shutters were fine. I don't bother with the batteries, so I don't even know if the meters work on mine - don't care, use an external meter.
bmattock
Veteran
DIN/ASA is film speed (ISO = ASA). Don't need to set it unless you have the meter working and you want to shoot with the shutter speed on 'A'.
btgc
Veteran
All your spinning around 35|RF made me to purchase 500G (old style, with front plate instead of top cover) - surely for educational purposes, e.g. compare feel and usage against 35RC :angel:
Both have "slow lenses", with "limited range of speeds" - but I must admit that 35RC is pure joy to use, and guess that 500G will be very similar.
Already one cool thing about 500G - it has native softie, while late 500GX (with raised shoe) and Sears 35rf (without pipe) don't. At least on 35RC softie makes whole business a candy, because AE mechanism makes throw longer and stiffer.
Both have "slow lenses", with "limited range of speeds" - but I must admit that 35RC is pure joy to use, and guess that 500G will be very similar.
Already one cool thing about 500G - it has native softie, while late 500GX (with raised shoe) and Sears 35rf (without pipe) don't. At least on 35RC softie makes whole business a candy, because AE mechanism makes throw longer and stiffer.
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ludoo
Established
I have had a Ricoh 500RF for about a week and it's really a nice camera. What I like best about it is it can be fully manual, and its small size allows me to slip it into my cargo pants pocket.
I had to tighten the focus wheel on mine as it was wobbling a lot, and it's really easy to do even for a newbie like me. All in all a great, cheap little camera.
I had to tighten the focus wheel on mine as it was wobbling a lot, and it's really easy to do even for a newbie like me. All in all a great, cheap little camera.
MMc
Member
I purchased a Sears 35|rf on ebay and it seems to function and I have gooey seals and all. I have a question, though. What size of lens cap does it use? There was no lens cap with mine. I can't wait to get the seals cleaned up and expose a roll.
wray
Well-known
MMc
Member
Thanks for the info!
bmattock
Veteran
If you haven't gotten a seal kit yet and still want to try it out, just use gaffer's tape (or duct tape, black electrician's tape, etc) around the edges after you get the film in and go shooting. You don't want to pay for a kit and spend time installing it and find out the shutter or rangefinder is wonky and it needs a CLA or something. Good luck!
MMc
Member
Thanks for the tip! I certainly appreciate it.
Russ
Well-known
Bill58
Native Texan
Sears stuff prior to the 80s used to be of very high quality, then it all went downhill fast/ deep.
Mpeck131
Newbie
My Sears 35rf
My Sears 35rf
I bought a Sears 35rf back around 1979 while working part-time at Sears.
I just found it among my parents belongings after their deaths. It is in pristine shape, as I don’t recall ever using it. The seals needed replacing and the pictures are amazing.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/161249968@N03/shares/J86191
My Sears 35rf
I bought a Sears 35rf back around 1979 while working part-time at Sears.
I just found it among my parents belongings after their deaths. It is in pristine shape, as I don’t recall ever using it. The seals needed replacing and the pictures are amazing.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/161249968@N03/shares/J86191
zuikologist
.........................
Strange how things come around (including this thread. I see I commented back in 2008!).
I like your photos.
I like your photos.
ChrisPlatt
Thread Killer
Later Sears 35rf was based on Ricoh 500 ME (which replaced the 500G):
Chris
Chris
Mpeck131
Newbie
Shot a roll of black and white two weeks ago. Should receive them back this Friday. I have the original camera case only missing the original lens cap.
Mpeck131
Newbie
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