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TO SECOND SECTION

You are to be congratulated for possessing the RICOH 500, the first Japanese camera that adjusts itself automatically to various apertures and shutter speeds when setting it to the pertinent light value, a camera which boasts of many other fine features, too, a true product for both professionals and amateurs alike.4www.butkus.org


CAMERA PARTS

	(1) Eyelets (2) Range-finder window (3) M-F-X synchronization lever (4) Lens (5) Triggermatic -Action lever (6) View-finder window (7) DUO-LEVER focusing (8) Flash terminal (European standard)
(9) Rapid rewind crank (10) Accessory Shoe (11) Cordless flash contact (hot shoe) (12) Shutter release button (13) Film counter (14) Shutter speed setting ring (15) Light value figures (16) Diaphragm setting ring window4www.butkus.org

	(17) Light value adjusting ring (18) Distance scale (19) Depth-of-field scale (20) Rewinding spindle slot (21) View-and-rangefinder eyepiece (22) Film rail (23) Rewinding release (24) Sprocket (25) Take-up spool (26) Take-up spool slot
(27) Device for setting back film counter automatically to starting point (28) Back cover locking disc (29) Tripod bushing (American standard) (30) Film pressure plate4www.butkus.org (31) Cartridge positioning spring (32) Film-type indicator (33) Back cover locking disc

OPENING AND LOADING THE CAMERA

Avoid direct sunlight. Use 35 mm films in cartridge (not In magazines), 20 or 36 frames

( I ) Turn back cover locking discs so that the red <lots come in line with the red 0. (See Figure 4) ( 2 ) Place fingers against both sides of the back cover and pull down gently, holding the camera firmly. When putting on the cover again follow a reverse process, making sure it is fully engaged. Be sure the edges are it' position and the film pressure plate does not catch and get scratched.

Turn back cover locking discs so that the red dots come in line with the black C. (See Figure 5.) ( 3 ) Place your new film cartridge in the chamber below the rewinding spindle. (See Figure 6.)4www.butkus.org ( 4 ) Engage the end of your unexposed film firmly in the inner take-up spool slot. (See Figure 7.)

( 5 ) Make sure the perforations on the film are properly engaged on the teeth of the sprocket, and that the film is properly centered. Taking care that the film cartridge does not jump or fall out of the chamber turn the flange in the direction indicated by the white arrow. If it refuses to turn any more, it means the shutter is cocked; so do not force it on any account. Just release the shutter and it will go on turning. (See Figure 8 ) ( 6 ) Make sure that the film end is properly engaged in the take-up spool slot, and then wipe off any particles of dust or finger marks on the film pressure plate with a soft brush or piece of gauze. When you have done this, put on the cover gently and firmly, taking good care that the film pressure plate does not get caught on the edge of the film, and turn the back cover locking discs, in the direction indicated by black arrow, so that the red dots come in line with C. ( 7 ) At the bottom of the camera, and on one of the back cover locking discs, you will find your film type indicator with ASA numbers. These ASA numbers stand for degrees of sensitiveness of films to light, so that when the ASA figure is high, less exposure or faster shutter speeds are required, while in case of a film with a low sensitivity the ASA figure is also low, so that greater exposure or slower shutter speeds become necessary. 4www.butkus.org

This ASA exposure index is indicated on the packet in which your film is sold and probably in the Directions printed and enclosed in the packet. Bring this figure in line with the red dot by turning the dial with the tip of your nail on the tiny metal catch. This is done so that you might remember what the film speed is, a matter of utmost importance when taking pictures. If your film is a color film use the portion marked COLOR on a white base. If the film is a, daylight type, use the portion marked color on- a black base if me film is manufactured for use with artificial light. When the camera is empty, bring the catch (where there is no number) in line with the red dot. (See Figure 9.) ( 8 ) Bring out the triggermatic-action lever. (See Figure 10.) ( 9 ) You will note that the film counter shows "S" (Start). (See : Figure 11.) Release the shutter, or at least press the button I to ensure that it is released, and turn the triggermatic-action I lover with your left index or middle finger as far as it will go I to the left. This advances the film by one frame and cocks the shutter at the same time. If the lever will not advance, never force it; because it means the shutter has not been released. Release the shutter again and advance the film once more, and you will find that the arrow in the film counter is opposite a point closer to " I " than to " S " When the film is advanced for the 3rd time, the arrow points at " 1 ". Then set the LIGHT VALUE required and take your first picture. Anything taken on a frame before the arrow points at "1" is likely to be on an exposed part of the film, and therefore to be useless.

EXPOSURE AND LIGHT VALUE

In taking a picture a certain amount of light must pass through the lens and reach the film. This is what is called an exposure. If the amount of exposure is too great or too little, the picture will be no good. In the conventional type of camera one has to set the shutter speed and the required f stop separately. The LIGHT VALUE device eliminates all this trouble, since any change in the shutter speed due to any change in the f stop or any change in the f stop due to any change in the shutter speed is done AUTOMATICALLY. It must of course be understood that the amount of light is about the same. This is the first Japanese camera which makes AUTOMATIC the giving and ensuring of the correct exposure by simply setting the LIGHT VALUE indicator. This is a mechanical brain that computes the correct exposure for you, provided you know what the LIGHT VALUE is.

ASA/Index	Snow, mountain and sea scenery	Light subject, Distant scenes	Subjects in shade, folks in open	Dark subjects, folks in shade, building	Among trees or in light room
50	14	13	12	11	10
100	15	14	13	12	11
200	16	15	14	13	12

a. For October to March subtract I from figures indicated. 
b, For mornings and evenings subtract 2 from figures indicated whatever the time of year. 
c. Your light exposure meter gives readings that tally with the figures given here. 
d. For color film you are strongly advised to use an electric exposure meter. 
e. Fit your electric exposure meter into the accessory shoe of the camera.

1. Set your light value by referring to the light-value table' or by taking a reading from an electric exposure meter. 2. Turn the light value adjusting ring and bring it into the required position. (See Figure 13, which shows that the light value is " 11 "). Disregard all shutter speeds and the relative openings in setting the light value. Just shoot. 3. If either shutter speed or opening (which affects depth of field of focus shown on a chart on another page) is not what you want, turn the shutter speed setting ring until your desired speed or opening is indicated. (Set Figure 14.)4www.butkus.org When you want to have everything in sharp focus, turn the shutter speed setting ring to the left. If on the other hand you wish to have things on the far and near side of your subject out of focus, turn the ring to the right.

The extent to Which things are in sharp focus may be found by reading the depth of field scale. (See Figure 15 and 16.)

The f stops must be interpreted on the scale in such readings of depths of held as being a rough guide.

When the required shutter speed is a fast one, turn the shutter speed setting ring to the right until the required speed is brought in line with the red mark arrow V.

When the required shutter speed is a slow one, turn the ring to the left until the required speed is brought in line with the same red arrow V

Make sure that the shutter speeds are brought exactly in line with the click stop, since no intermediate speeds are obtainable.

So long as there is no change in the light value, the required exposure is constantly arid automatically ensured, whatever the shutter speed or f stop you set. However, at f/2.8 the f stop window stops moving any farther, so that if you move the shutter speed setting ring beyond this point, the light value figure will get out of line, and the result will be underexposure.

Similarly, when a slower shutter speed is required, moving the shutter speed ring beyond the f/22 point will result in the light value figure getting out of line, and this will result in overexposure.

Medial points just between the light values may be used, such as 3.5, 4.5 16.5. The only case in which the light value cannot be used is when the shutter speed is 1/500.4www.butkus.org When the shutter speed is set to " B " the shutter will remain open so long as the shutter release button is pressed. The figures stand for fractions of a second, so that I means I second, 2 means 1/2 second, 5 means 1/5 second, and 500 means 1/500 second. The aperture or opening is bigger in proportion to the smallness of the f stop number and is smaller in proportion to the largeness of the f stop number; and the opening itself is a 5-sided hole as illustrated in Figure 17.

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