Ricohflex (geared lens)

The Ricohflex models of the 1950s were a series of 6x6 TLRs made by Riken Optical Industries (Ricoh) with geared rings around the front of the taking and viewfinder lenses for synchronous focusing.

The simplified design and a streamlined manufacturing process allowed Ricoh to greatly increase production, and offer a TLR at an attractive low price.

List of models:

• Ricohflex III

The Ricohflex III of 1950 had a pair of similar Ricoh Anastigmat 1:3.5 f=80mm lenses. Arched "Ricohflex" lettering on nameplate.

Ricohflex III image by David Donnadieu (Image rights)

• Ricohflex IIIB

The production volume was more than 10,000 units per month. For this, Riken used a conveyor belt assembly line .

Ricohflex IIIB Click for more pictures image by David Donnadieu (Image rights)

• Ricohflex IIII / IV

The first ones are labelled IIII which was later changed to the correct Roman Numeral IV.

• Ricohflex VI

The Ricohflex VI had a combination of Anastigmat camera lens and Viewer finder lens. It was also sold as the Victaflex.

In 1953 this sold at the competitive price of USD $49.95 including case.

Ricohflex VI Click for more pictures image by David Donnadieu (Image rights)

• Ricohflex VII (Riken or Seikosha shutter)

The Ricohflex VII was made in 1954. It had a Ricoh Anastigmat 1:3.5/8cm front-element focusing lens geared to the Ricoh Viewer 1:3,5/8cm lens for viewfinder focusing. It had a Riken shutter with B mode and speeds from 1/25-1/100 sec. that used the same lever to cock the shutter (pull up) and fire the shutter (push down). The camera uses 120 film or, with an adapter, 35mm film. It’s an easy to use camera giving sharp images.

Ricohflex VII image by Steve Harwood (Image rights)

• Ricohflex VIIS
• Ricohflex VIIM
• Super Ricohflex

There is a minimum of 3 different versions of the Super Ricohflex, with different shutters and front plates. This camera was primarily designed for the U.S. market. It's the most sold Ricohflex.
Lens is an anastigmat (Cooke triplet) 80mm/f3.5 with a matching viewing lens.
Riken (B-10-25-50-100 and 200) shutters are the most common; however a few have a Seikosha.
An accessory called "Color Back" to enable the camera to use 35mm film was also offered, it came with a take-up 35mm canister and a special film counter for vertical 35m exposures. Another accessory called "Auto stop" prevented waste of film or double exposures in 35mm.

Super Ricohflex image by David Donnadieu (Image rights)

Advance knob for Colorback 35mm film adapter image by Noel Parsons (Image rights)

Colorback insert for 35mm film image by Noel Parsons (Image rights)

• Ricohflex Holiday

Ricohflex Holiday image by Jason Hull (Image rights)

• Ricohflex Million
• Ricohflex New Million

Various copies of the geared-lens Ricohflex were made, including the following:

• Akumiflex
• one version of the Cosmoflex
• Da Lai (Popular) - a 1957 Chinese prototype produced as the Chang Hong II (Rainbow)
• Dorimaflex
• Halina A1
• Koniken
• Monade Flex
• Rolex
• Ruvinalflex
• Silverflex
• Sharpflex Model S (clone of a Silverflex)
• Tsubasaflex or Tubasaflex

Bibliography

• Hayashi Teruaki (林輝昭). "Sengo no kamera 1: Nigan-refu kamera" (戦後のカメラ1・二眼レフカメラ, Postwar cameras 1: TLR cameras). Kamera Rebyū: Kurashikku Kamera Senka (カメラレビュー クラシックカメラ専科) / Camera Review: All about Historical Cameras no.14, October 1989. No ISBN number. Rikō kamera no subete (リコーカメラのすべて, special issue on Ricoh). Pp.26–32.

Links

• Ricohflex / Diacord / Ricohmatic 6x6 TLRs at Greg Erker's [1]
• Ricohflex VII user manual at Butkus.org
• Super Ricohflex user manual at Butkus.org

In French:

• Ricohflex VII and Ricohflex Super at www.collection-appareils.fr
• Ricohflex IIIB at www.flickr.com
• Super Ricohflex at www.flickr.com

In Japanese:

• Ricoflex III profiled (or in Google Translate English) from Ricoh's film camera history pages
• Ricohflex VI and more pictures at Hayata Camera Laboratory
• Ricohflex VII at Itō Sadanobu's camera collection