Bump...
Just got me one of these... A Ricoh FF 3. Verrrrrrrrry nice point-n-shooter... Haven't developed first roll yet, but the above pics are obviously very sharp. Here's what's nice about this one:
1. Undervalued relative to classic rangefinders. Most seem to go for less than $10.
2. You have to set the ISO manually, no DX on this one. And ISO setting goes from 25 to 1000 - a terrific range.
3, You control the flash. A "shake" indicator light in the VF flashes when the camera thinks you should use a flash (below 1/30th probably...) so the flash is off by default.
4. Scale/Distance indicators are in the VF.
5. No beeps, whistles, car alarms go off if shooting in dim light or you're too close to the subject like a lot of other point and shoots. - Just indicator lights in the VF.
6. Solid build quality for a PnS...
7. Handles nicely...
8. Takes two AA batteries - good for about 100 rolls (allegedly).
9. Above average and sharp pics (judging from those I've seen on the web) from its 5 element tessar variation lens.
Dislikes
1. Damned motor is way loud.
2. Unlike the Yashica T3 I have, there's no way to defeat the loud motor of the film advance. (The Yash T3 doesn't advance the film until you release the shutter button, so you can delay the motor sound if shooting discreet candids...)
3. Nice size but too big to be considered pocketable...
Quirks...
This camera has some weird endearing quirks...
1. Although it has a motorized film advance, it is not activated by closing the door after loading the film as with other point and shoots. You have to load the film, close the door, and press the shutter release button once. Then the film advances a few frames and you're ready to shoot. I first thought this camera was DOA until I realized this.
2. In reading the manual, when a roll is done (haven't completed 1st roll yet) it doesn't seem to automatically rewind when the roll is done. Instead an indicator light goes on when the film is done and you have to flick a rewind switch manually under the camera, probably...
(Advantage 9) - so the camera will allow you to rewind film mid-roll. Bet it also leaves some leader film sticking out (like the Ricoh FF 90 does) so you can reload the same roll again. Guessing... but that's probably it. Very smart, Ricoh!
3. Same strange indicator light is used if you didn't load the film right, and it's not spooling correctly...
4. The on/off flash switch is kinda weird. You slide a slider under the flash to your left that leave a little plastic piece sticking a few millimeters outside of the camera body to turn on the flash. Strange. Not sure what purpose a slider is supposed to serve over a regular on/off switch.
5. Weird max ap of 3.2... (I suspect all these lenses are crippled 2.8's... I think this is also true of the Yashica T4 vs T3.... when manufacturers found consumers mostly used the flash and didn't care about 1.8 vs 2.8 vs 3.5 anymore...)
Overall, a well-thought-out point-n-shooter from Ricoh with above average build quality, nice sharp lens, manually set ISO from that goes from 25-1000, and manual flash control with some endearing quirks but none of the annoyances of other cameras in this genre. And this (guessing) $400+ (in today's dollars) camera is cheap as chips used today (though with point-n-shoots it's very hit/miss and you might need to get a few samples before getting a good one. No repairing these babies for the most part...) This is a "polite" street shooter (as opposed to the Yashica T3 with its sneaky top plate "Super Scope" and method of delaying the film advance motor and accompanying noise...) meaning its motor is too loud with no way to delay to shoot people without their knowing it... so you have to politely ask them if they will let you take their pic...
