The RICOH 35 FLEX is the most advanced fully automatic lens shutter, SLR camera. It is easy to use and highly dependable. It has been made possible by the high experience level, excellent technical standards, and modern automated assembly lines of RICOH CO., LTD. Every camera is shipped to distributors and dealers only after having passed rigorous inspection so that it can satisfy your demands for performance, precision and durability.

Designations of Camera Components

(1) Shoulder strap buckles (2) Exposure meter window  (3) Film counter  (4) Shutter release button  (5) Cable release socket  (6) Film rewind crank (7) Film speed scale window  (8) Shutter speed scale window  (9) Diaphragm scale window  (10) Distance scale

(11) Focusing ring  (12) Diaphragm adjusting knob  (13) Shutter speed adjusting knob (14) Film rewind button  (15) Tripod mount  (16) Back cover lock  (17) Flash terminal  (18) View finder eye-piece  (19) Accessory shoe mount  (20) Film lever take-up  (21) Cassette spindle  (22) Film chamber  (23) Light shield plate  (24) Sprocket

 

(25) Film take-up spool  (26) Film slot (27) Film pressure plate (28) Cassette positioning plate (29) Film speed dial

 

• Photographing Procedure
 

1. Load camera with film. 2. Set ASA (DIN) speed dial at the speed of your film. 3. Set shutter and diaphragm at "A". 4. Take up film. 5. (a) Look into finder and decide on composition. At the same time, bring camera into focus. (b) Make sure that exposure meter pointer is not on the overexposure or underexposure warning mark. 6. Press shutter button. 7. When film is finished, rewind it into the cassette.

 


•   How to load Film

Use 35 mm film sold in cassettes. When loading film, keep it out of direct sunlight.
1. Pull back cover lock and open back cover.

2. Draw out film rewinding crank and load new film.

3. Push in crank in such a manner that film rewinding crank spindle fits into the groove of cassette spindle. If crank does not fit in well, turn crank slightly right and left while pushing it.

4. Turn film take-up spool gear right and left to make film insertion slot face upward.

• Improper Exposure Warning Mark

There are red marks at the upper and lower right-hand corners of view finder. These are improper exposure warning marks.

Proper exposure is obtained when exposure meter pointer is not on either of these marks.

• View Finder

View finder presents the same image as produced on film. There is absolutely no parallax. The interior of finder consists of a Fresnel lens, sharpness ring and split image.

• Focusing
Look into finder and obtain a clear image through sharpness ring or split image by turning focusing ring.

Out of Focus

In Focus

Out of Focus

• Depth of Field
It is a characteristic common to all lenses that the smaller the f-stop, the larger the range of distances becomes, ahead and behind the photographic subject, through which the lens remains in focus. Conversely, the larger the stop, the smaller the depth of field. In this case, the scene farther or nearer than the subject in focus tends to be blurred.
You can utilize this characteristic of the lens for effective picture results. For instance, in taking a portrait, the blurring of the background by using a wide opening will make the person stand out. On the other hand, when taking a group picture where people are standing in rows, a small opening becomes necessary to ensure that the focus is sharp on every subject.
Suppose the subject in focus is two meters away and the aperture has been set at F/8. Then a clear image is obtained for a distance of 1.7 to 2.5 meters.

•   How To Hold Camera

Camera can be held horizontally or vertically. In either case, hold it firmly against your face with both hands and press shutter button gently so that the shutter releasing operation will not move the camera.

• After Finishing the Roll of Film 

		When film has been finished, replace it in cassette by following procedure: (1) Set rewinding crank catch upright. (2) Press rewinding button and turn crank in the direction indicated by arrow. (3) When film has been completely rewound, crank suddenly becomes easier to turn. Open back cover and take out cassette. Once pressed, the rewind button remains depressed even when you release it. It automatically returns to its original position when film is advanced next time. If rewind button comes up when you release it, keep on pressing it for some time while you rewind film. Never open back cover until after film has been completely rewound. When taking out cassette, avoid direct sunlight.

• Manual Operation
Shutter and aperture can be set by hand, if you so desire.
Procedure
1. Set diaphragm adjusting knob at any desired f-stop value.

2. Then set shutter adjusting knob at any desired shutter speed.

This operation enables you to enjoy photography without depending on automatic exposure. Although exposure meter pointer in finder moves in this case, too, meter is not coupled to exposure control mechanism.

Diaphragm scale indicates the following values:	A	2.8	•	5.6	•	11	•	22
			(4)		(8)		(16)

In manual operation, shutter cannot he adjusted if diaphragm adjusting knob is set at "A". After finishing manual operation, turn the diaphragm adjusting knob back to "A".

• Flash Photography

When you want to take a picture of a quickly moving subject at night or in a dimly lighted room, or when you want to take a nicely toned picture under a glaring counter sunlight, flash photography provides the solution. The RICOH 35 FLEX has an X contact, which makes possible the use of M-and F-class flash bulbs and electronic flash.

1. Mount the special flash bracket designed specifically for this camera, and mount the flash unit on it.
2. Connect flash gun cord to flash terminal of camera and put a flash bulb in gun.
3. Set shutter adjusting knob at "A" and diaphragm adjusting knob at the value indicated by flash Guide number.

• Exposure
In flash photography, exposure is determined by the luminosity of the flash bulb and the distance between the bulb and the subject. These relations are shown by guide number in summarized form. Flash bulbs have their respective guide numbers for particular film speeds and shutter speeds.

• Method of Calculation
Guide number (in meters or feet) DIVIDED BY Distance to subject (in meters or feet) = Diaphragm value
Suppose you use ASA 100 film at a shutter speed of 1/30 second. Given these conditions, you can pick out the proper Guide number from the table printed on the flash bulb package.
If the number is expressed in meters and given as 60, and if you are going to film a subject five meters away, then diaphragm value is obtained as below:
60 DIVIDED BY  5 = 12 
Hence F/11 closest to 12.

• Telephoto and Wide Angle Lenses




 

You can convert your camera into telephoto or wide angle camera by attaching telephoto or wide angle conversion lens in front of standard lens of your camera. • How to mount Conversion lens Screw conversion lens into front ring of standard lens. Screw it until you cannot turn conversion lens any more. • Focusing and Diaphragm Adjustment the attachment of either conversion lens to camera does not cause any change in the focusing procedure. Take the focus by turning focusing ring in the same way as when standard lens alone is used. Since either conversion lens is F/2.8, all stop values of camera can be used with it either in automatic operation or in manual operation. • Accessories The following accessories are available for those who want to enlarge the scope of their photographing activity and produce more effective photographs.