Ricoh Auto TLS EE

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The Auto TLS EE is an SLR for 35mm film, introduced in 1973[1] by Ricoh. While it accepts any 42mm screw-mount lens, when used with proprietary Rikenon lenses set to "EE"[2] it offers shutter-priority autoexposure: The body is able to set the correct lens f-stop automatically in response to the brightness of the scene, with a viewfinder needle indicating the chosen aperture.

Because the M42 mount was not designed with a linkage to tell the body what the lens speed is, this must be set manually using a dial surrounding the rewind crank. When lenses other than the Rikenon-EE type are mounted, the indicated f-stop must be transferred to the lens's aperture ring by the user. Stopdown metering is also possible, by matching the needle to an index mark in the viewfinder, with the lens at its working aperture (e.g. by pressing the depth-of-field preview lever).

The CdS metering circuit measuring through the lens is powered by one PX675 1.35v mercury battery. The horizontally-traveling focal plane shutter offers a range from 1/1000 sec. through 1 sec. plus B, with flash sync at 1/60th sec.

Ricoh would switch to the bayonet Pentax K mount with the 1977 XR-1 and XR-2.

Notes

  1. A July, 1973, magazine ad introduces this model to the US, contradicting the 1976 date stated in the Ricoh Japan page linked below. (Popular Photography Vol. 73, No. 1; page 39).
  2. In addition to the standard 50mm f/1.7 lens, this table (scanned at OrphanCameras.com) shows four additional focal lengths from 28mm to 200mm were offered.

Links

In Japanese