C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile →rangefinder-35mm
The Ricoh 500 RF is a 35mm compact rangefinder camera introduced in 1979, carrying a fixed Color Rikenon 35mm f/2.8 lens. It provides automatic exposure -- the camera sets shutter speed based on the selected aperture and the meter reading -- with a coincident-image rangefinder for focusing. The body is compact and metal-built in the tradition of the Ricoh 500 series, a line Ricoh developed across the 1960s and 1970s as a range of mid-tier rangefinder compacts.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile →BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
View profile →BW
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
A compact 1979 rangefinder with a fixed Color Rikenon 35/2.8 and aperture-priority auto exposure.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm (24x36mm) |
| Lens | Color Rikenon 35mm f/2.8 (fixed) |
| Focus | Manual coincident-image rangefinder |
| Shutter | Electronic, ~4s - 1/500s |
| Flash sync | ~1/100s |
| Meter | TTL center-weighted |
| Exposure modes | Aperture-priority AE |
| ISO range | 25 - 800 |
| Viewfinder | Optical with rangefinder patch |
| Battery | 2x AA |
Ricoh's 500-series rangefinders stretch back to the early 1960s with cameras like the Ricoh 500 and 500G. Through successive models -- the 500G, 500GX, 500ME -- Ricoh refined the package, adding features while maintaining the compact rangefinder form. The 500 RF arrived near the end of this evolution in 1979, by which point competitors had already begun releasing autofocus compacts (the Konica C35 AF appeared in 1977, the Canon AF35M in 1979).
The 500 RF represents Ricoh's answer that retained manual rangefinder focus -- arguably more precise for deliberate shooting -- while matching the AE convenience that consumers increasingly expected. Within a few years the market decisively moved to fully automatic cameras, and Ricoh's subsequent compact lines reflected that shift. The 500 RF stands as one of the last compact rangefinders with meaningful manual focus in the Japanese mid-tier market.
The camera relates closely to the Ricoh 500G (1971), which used a similar lens and body concept but with a fully manual shutter -- the 500 RF added auto exposure in the same basic package.
The 500 RF is a competent representative of a transitional moment in compact camera design: the late 1970s, when auto-exposure was becoming expected but autofocus had not yet displaced rangefinder focusing for compact cameras. Photographers who preferred the precision and tactile engagement of rangefinder focus could use the 500 RF with the convenience of not having to set shutter speeds manually.
The Color Rikenon 35mm f/2.8 is optically capable -- Ricoh's Rikenon name indicated their better lens coatings -- and 35mm provides a useful field of view for street and documentary work. Today the 500 RF is a practical shooter for film photographers who want a compact, quiet camera with a genuine rangefinder and a moderate wide-angle fixed lens.
The 500 RF uses a fixed lens and does not accept interchangeable optics. The Color Rikenon 35mm f/2.8 includes a filter thread for standard screw-in filters. A hot shoe accepts electronic flash units; a PC sync socket provides additional compatibility. No dedicated accessories beyond the standard case and strap appear to have been marketed with the 500 RF.
C41
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
View profile →C41
Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
View profile →Ricoh 500 RF
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