Ricoh 500 and family

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Ricoh 500 variants

Ricoh kept recycling camera model names, which look haphazard and seem to have no clear rationale.

The Cameras presented under the ‘Ricoh 500’ name variants are a typical example. The first in the series, the 1957 Ricoh 500, was a rebrand of the Ricoh 35 Delux of that year. The Ricoh 35 name was also widely used for all types of cameras, with different suffix letters.

A refreshed model under the Ricoh 500 name came out in 1960 with the exact specifications but a slightly updated style. In between, in 1958, came the Ricoh 519 and 519 Delux, having a 1.9/45 lens. The Ricoh Jet, the same as the 519, perhaps for a different market, came in 1960.

The 519 had an added selenium meter under the 519M name, as had the 520M, with the 520M CdS following.

The automatic 500 G and 500 GX, with a redesigned style, followed in the 1970s, with a host of other 500 with different suffixes and identical designs offered till 1982.

As if this is not confusing enough, some 500 models had siblings under several Ricoh 35 models.

See list of Ricoh 500 variants below

Model	Introduced	Lens		Meter	Mode
500	1957	Ricomat	2.8/45	N/A	Manual
519	1958	Rikenon	1.9/45	N/A	Manual
519 Deluxe	1958	Rikenon	1.9/45	N/A	Manual
519 M	1959	Rikenon	1.9/45	Selnium	Manual
500 2nd version	1960	Ricomat	2.8/45	N/A	Manual
Jet	1960	Ricomat	1.9/45	N/A	Manual
520 M	1965	Kominar	2.0/48	Selnium	Manual
520 M CdS	1966	Rikenon	2.0/48	CdS	Manual
500 G	1971	Rikenon	2.8/40	CdS	Auto
500 GX	1976	Rikenon	2.8/40	CdS	Auto
Other Ricoh 500 family models are probably meant for specific distributors or markets.
500 GS	1976	Rikenon	2.8/40	CdS	Auto
500 ME	1980	Rikenon	2.8/40	CdS	Auto
500 ST	1980	Rikenon	2.8/41	CdS	Auto
500 ZF	1982	Rikenon	2.8/42	CdS	Auto
500 RF	1982	Rikenon	2.8/43	CdS	Auto

Ricoh 500

The Ricoh 500 name was used for two similar models, both rangefinders. The early body is a tad shorter and has a flat top, and the front two viewer windows are each singularly farmed. The late model has a stepped top, and the viewer windows are contained within one frame. The early model is widely seen in online articles and for sale, and the second is pretty elusive. I do not see a difference in the resale value of both. Further, the 2^nd model, with a 1.9/45 lens, was also sold under Ricoh Jet; I am not sure if for a different market or distributor.

The camera is well-made, sturdy and almost self-explanatory. It is a notch above most Japanese cameras of the time, well on par with German products. Just slap a Nikon or Canon badge on it, and you have a legend in hand. My unit carries a <EP> mark, meaning it was sold in the GI commissary stores in post-war Japan.

• The camera top is bland. The self-resetting frame counter in a bubble is well-marked and readable, which is atypical of Ricoh. The tritgger, hot shoew and rewind lsver complete the offering.
• The bottom has two German-style locking rings at the ends; it takes turning both towards the red arrow / ‘O’ mark to slide open the back. One ring has a memo film speed, and the other a mount thread.
• A large, say oversized, fold-down winder lever that unnaturally falls towards the left thumb takes a long swing to cock the shutter and progresses the frame. The winder is accessible even with the cover on once the end arm is folded out.  Note that the winder is connected to the camera’s back, so it cannot be used when the back is removed, meaning film loading could be challenging. It is borrowed from the Ricoh / Riken 35; however, in the Ricoh 35, there is also a knob winder.
• The rangefinder viewer is bright and clear, much larger than the run-of-the-mill models of the era. The focusing patch is as clear and offers generous travel, making it easy to focus. The early model has no parallax lines, which were added with the 2^nd
• The top back has a push button to release the rewind clutch.
• The action is on the lens barrel:
  • Closest to the body is the distance dial, marked with meters and feet. It is assisted via two large finger rests and can operate efficiently with either hand.
  • The next dial is the aperture setting, values visible via a groove.
  • The dial after is the shutter speed selector, with EV values engraved in between the dials. A combination can be set, where the shutter speed and the aperture will retain the same ratio upon shutter speed change.
  • At the top front is a tiny notch showing X/M synch and V for self-timer, again German style.
  • The lens is a lacklustre 2.8/45, much improved with a faster 1.9/45 option on the 2^nd model and the Ricoh Jet, essentially the same camera.

My camera is well preserved, with no blemish on the body or skin. I am unsure if this is typical of the model or just well-kept by the original owner. All speeds work, although slow ones are lazy. A good cleaning will restore it to its initial glory. The Ricoh 500 seem to be a very popular model, judging by the number of cameras offered for sale and the many online articles about it. It is almost embarrassing to see such an able camera selling for peanuts just because it is named Ricoh. As food for thought, Ricoh divested itself of the camera trade just to recently take over Pentax, so much in a name.

For the shooter, it is an able camera, old-world craftmanship, no battery needed, that will probably shoot till the end of days. For the collector, it is a good example of Japanese mechanical camera heydays, available at a fraction of the price asked for Nikon or Canon models of the time.

Ricoh 500 first edition images

Ricoh 500 second edition