Ricoh SLX 500
Posted 3-7-'04

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FEATURES YOU'LL LIKE

·     Through-the-lens viewing ends accidental subject cropping ... you see your exact picture in brilliant viewfinder before you take it.

·     Through-the-lens focusing: Micro-prism image rangefinder plus focusing screen make extra-sharp pictures easier to take.

·     Through-the-lens system US exposure meter measures light with high degree of accuracy.

·     Single-stroke film-advance lever also cocks shutter, counts exposures and prevents double exposures. www.4butkus.org

·      Instant-return mirror automatically returns to viewing position the instant exposure is made - no viewfinder "blackout" to delay picture taking.

·     Automatic diaphragm you focus and compose with lens at its widest opening - prevents viewfinder dimming when smaller lens openings are selected.

·     Auto Rikenon lens lets you produce slides and prints of superior sharpness and color fidelity.

·      Focal plane shutter: A range of speeds from 1/30 sec. to 1/500 sec. plus bulb let you "freeze" swift action as well as take photos of excellent quality.

* Hot Shoe makes it easy to take flash pictures with the electronic flash unit.

KNOW YOUR CAMERA

A) Film Speed Selector B) Shutter Speed Dial C) Film-Advance Lever D) Shutter Release Button  E) Cable Release Socket  F) Exposure Counter  G) Neck Strap Eyelet H) Preview Lever and Exposure Meter Switch  I) F-stop Ring J) Depth of Field Scale  K) Distance Scale  L) Focusing Ring  M) Film Rewind Knob

N) Hot Shoe 0) Viewfinder Eyepiece  P) Focal Plane Shutter  Q) Film Rewind Shaft R) Flash Socket (X-type)  S) Film Chamber  T) Back Cover Latch U) Battery Compartment Cover  V) Rewind Button  W) Film Take-up Spool  X) Film Pressure Plate  Y) Sprocket Teeth (2)

FILM LOADING

Always load camera in shade, never in bright or direct sunlight. Use good quality standard 35 mm (12, 20 or 36 exposures) film, color or black and white.

Press Shutter Release Button (D) to see that the shutter has been released. Pull Back Cover Latch (T) until camera back clicks open (Fig. 1). Swing open camera back and place film cartridge into Film Chamber (S). To place film cartridge properly make sure that the projected core of the film cartridge comes to bottom of camera (Fig. 2) and rotate Film Rewind Knob (M) back and forth so that Film Rewind Shaft (Q) engages film cartridge and film cartridge is seated in place (Fig. 3).

Pull tapered end of film across back of camera and insert into and through any one of the slits of Film Take-up Spool (W). Rotate Film Take-up Spool (W) by advancing Film-Advance Lever (C) to take up film slack and check to see that the tip of film has been firmly hooked onto Film Take-up Spool (W). Wind film and press Shutter Release Button (D) each time until a set of sprocket holes on the film engage Sprocket Teeth (Y) (Fig. 4). Close camera back and snap it shut. Advance Film-Advance Lever (C) two or three times depressing Shutter Release Button (D) each time until Exposure Counter (F) is set to "1", ready for your first picture (Fig. 5). Set the camera for the film which you are using. To set film speed pull up Shutter Speed Dial (B) and rotate it until the ASA number of your film is opposite the red marker (Fig. 6). Check the in­struction sheet packaged with your film for the correct ASA speed for that film. If you are using German film, refer to Fig. 7 for the relation between ASA and DIN. www.4butkus.org

 

When you check the camera before loading the film, do not turn the sprocket or Film Take-up Spool (W) after advancing Film-Ad­vance Lever (C). Besides, do not turn the sprocket at 350 . degrees before advancing Film-Advance Lever (C).

BATTERY LOADING

Unscrew Battery Compartment Cover (U) with a coin and remove it. Wipe off the surface of the mercury battery (packaged with your camera) with cloth and place the mercury battery in the compartment with plus "+" end up (Fig. 8). Make double sure that the mercury battery was loaded correctly and replace the cover. If the mercury battery is placed incorrectly, the exposure meter needle will not move. The mercury battery is the power source of automatic ex­posure system and will last for about one year. Replace the mercury battery when the exposure meter needle does not move in bright or direct sunlight with Exposure Meter Switch (H) pressed. For replace­ment use Eveready EPX625, Mallory RM625 or equivalent

 * The mercury battery may explode if disposed in fire.

CORRECT EXPOSURE

Correct exposure is achieved by setting the lens (f-stop) and shutter in correct combination for the film, subject and lighting condition. As your SLX 500 camera has a built-in through-the-lens system CdS exposure meter, you can adjust exposure with high degree of ac­curacy in the following manner.

1. Set shutter speed by rotating Shutter Speed Dial (B). A shutter speed ranging from 1/60 - 1/250 sec. will suit your normal outdoor picture-taking and 1/30 sec. and "B" (bulb) for indoor.  (Read "Setting the shutter" carefully).
2. Rotate F-stop Ring (1) and set the lens at its full opening (Smallest number).

If the exposure meter needle is in the area of "+" indicator (Fig. 10), this is overexposure. Select a smaller lens opening or a faster shutter speed. If, on the contrary, the needle stays in the area of "-" indicator (Fig. 11), this means underexposure - choose a larger lens opening or a slower shutter speed. www.4butkus.org

4. Focus the lens and release the shutter. For focusing the lens, refer to "Viewing and focusing".

You may set F-stop first and then shutter speed. Other procedure is same as above. This setting may be used when you take a portrait or the like making your subject attractive with the back ground and the scene in front of your subject blurred. How your subject stands out depends on F-stop setting (Refer to "Depth of field"). Hold your camera firm or use a steady support like tripod if you have to use a slow shutter speed.

* Correct exposure may not be obtained when you expose the subject with your eye away from Viewfinder Eyepiece (0) or with the sunlight in front of your because your face may reflect inside the viewfinder, which will influence the exposure meter.

* Press Exposure Meter Switch (H) until it completely stops.

SETTING THE SHUTTER
Simply turn Shutter Speed Dial (B) until the desired shutter speed number is set opposite the white marker (Fig. 12). Make sure the Dial is set at a click stop. Do not set Shutter Speed Dial (B) in between two shutter speeds. Always set it at a click stop. The shutter speed setting governs the amount of time the film is ex­posed to light. "60" (1/60 sec.) is recommended for subjects not in motion. Where motion exists, shutter speeds ranging from 1/125 to 1/500 should be used.

To achieve maximum depth of field (area of sharpness in front of and behind subject), or when shooting in poorly lit areas, 1/30 and B (bulb) are available. When using "B" (bulb), use a tripod or other firm support to prevent blurring of the picture. When set at "B" the shutter will remain open as long as Shutter Release Button (D) is depressed. The "B" setting is ideal for long night exposure using street lights or electric signs as a light source, or under poor light con­ditions when flash cannot be used.

·    Do not turn Shutter Speed Dial (B) with Shutter Release Button (D) pressed.

·    Do not depress Shutter Release Button (D) with Film-Advance Lever (C) not completely advanced.

·    Do not wind Film-Advance Lever (C) while pressing Shutter Release Button (D).

SETTING THE LENS

Rotate F-stop Ring (I) until the desired f-stop number is opposite the red marker (Fig. 13). Click stops are provided to prevent accidental movement from setting made.

The lens opening determines the amount of light entering the lens and striking and exposing the film. The smaller the f-stop number (f2.0, f2.8 etc.) the wider the lens opening and the greater the amount of light entering the lens. The larger the f-stop number (f16, f11 etc.) the smaller the lens opening and the smaller the amount of light entering the lens. As the lens opening is moved from f16 to f11 the amount of light entering the lens is doubled; as the lens opening is moved from f2.0 to f2.8 the amount of entering light is cut in half. You may set F-stop Ring (1) in between two f-stop numbers if necessary.

VIEWING AND FOCUSING

Look into Viewfinder Eyepiece (0) to compose your picture and focus the lens. Rotate Focusing Ring (L) until subject becomes clear in the micro-prism image, the center circle area (Fig. 14). When your subject appears sharp in the micro-prism image, your picture has been focused. To take the picture hold the camera as steady as you can and press Shutter Release Button (D) slowly and smoothly. Since you are viewing through the lens there is no parallax problem ... what you are viewing in the viewfinder will appear in your picture. Even when you shoot close-ups there is no danger of accidental cropping as may oc­cur when the viewfinder is above or to one side of the lens.

DEPTH OF FIELD
A portion of the picture in front of and behind your subject will also be sharp. If you wish to know how much of an area will be sharp in your final picture, this can be predetermined in two ways.

Depth of Field Pre-viewer

Pressing Preview Lever (H) will set the lens at the corresponding opening you previously set on F-stop Ring (1) (Fig. 15 ) This will enable you to preview the area of sharpness in the picture before you take it. The viewfinder will become dark corresponding to F-stop you previously set on F-stop Ring (1). The Preview Lever (H) will automatically return to its original position when you leave your finger off the lever and the viewfinder will become bright. www.4butkus.org

Depth of Field Scale

After you have set the lens opening and have focused the camera, area of sharpness in front of and behind your subject can also be determined on the Depth of Field Scale (J). Locate on Depth of Field Scale (J) the two numbers corresponding to the f-stop you have set on F-stop Ring (I). The distance between these two f numbers of Distance Scale (K) will be the area of sharpness in your picture. For example, if F-stop Ring (I) is set at 8 (f8), about 3.5 - 10 m (11.5 - 33 ft.) will be in focus when Focusing Ring (L) is set at 5 m (16.5 ft.) (Fig. 16).

CHANGING THE LENS

Your camera is equipped with a 50 mm Practica type screw mount lens, the focal length of which is proper for general-purpose picture taking. You may select additional Practica type screw mount lenses from wide range of Rikenon lenses which include extremely wide lenses through long focal length telephoto and zoom lenses. Rikenon lenses are made of selected high quality materials under severe quali­ty control to give high performance and full satisfaction. To remove the lens, continuously turn the lens in a counterclockwise direction until it can be removed (Fig. 17). To insert another lens, turn the lens in a clockwise direction until the lens is secured in posi­tion.

·     Never change the lens with Preview Lever (H) pressed.

FLASH PICTURES

Your camera has Hot Shoe (N) on top of camera which permits you to use a direct contact type electronic flash unit and Flash Socket (R) on one side of body to enable you to use electronic flash unit with con­necting cord.

If your electronic flash unit is of direct contact type, simply mount it onto Hot Shoe (N) (Fig. 18). No other setting is necessary. If you have an electronic flash unit with connecting cord, mount the flash unit onto Hot Shoe (N) and connect the end of connecting cord to Flash Socket (R).

Regardless the type of electronic flash unit, set shutter speed at 1/60 or 1/30. Setting the shutter speed at faster speed than 1/60 will result in unsynchronized picture.

·     Flash Bulbs cannot be used because only X contact via Hot Shoe (N) or Flash Socket (R) is available. www.4butkus.org

·     Never deeply touch the central part of Flash Socket (R) when you use an electronic flash unit by mounting it onto Hot Shoe (N).

UNLOADING FILM

Always unload your camera in the shade, never in bright light.

After the last picture on the roll has been taken, depress Shutter Release Button (D). Press Rewind Button (V) and lift up crank on Film Rewind Knob (M). Turn crank in a clockwise direction until the entire roll has been rewound. Tension on the crank will decrease noticeably (Fig. 19). Open camera back by pulling Back Cover Latch (T), and remove the film cartridge. Have film processed as soon as possible.

TIPS FOR BETTER PICTURES

·     Read the instruction book carefully

·      Before you go on a trip or photograph a special event, shoot a practice roll

·      Keep fingers and neckstrap clear of the camera lens.

·     When you reach the end of the roll of film [check Exposure Counter (F), Film-Advance Lever (C) becomes harder to advance .. don't try for "Just one more shot", it's time to rewind.

·     Protect your camera from dust, water, rain dampness, salt air, dirt and rough handling. Do not expose your camera or film to excessively high or low temperatures.

·      Put lens cap to protect the lens.

 ·      Do not place lens with its pin on rear part pressed.