Hin's Photo Corner

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• Hin's Camera Gear

I have been using my Ricoh xr-p for few months for my nostalgic path in going back to 35mm film which I started with photography. Though I only have used it for no more than 5 rolls of film, I can say that I like the camera. I actually sold my Pentax SuperProgram and kept the Ricoh as my main manual focus film camera. It is compatible with all the Pentax K mount and I have ordered a copy of Tamron adaptall-2 adapter for Ricoh xr-p. The infamous Ricoh P pin is used in the auto programmed mode in Ricoh xr-p.

So far the Ricoh xr-p has met my interest on b&w film and I hope I can go further into slide films. I don't see myself developing film at home but I hope I manage to cut down the cost with my inexpensive Canon 8000F scanner and my planned purchase of Vuescan software.

I have several gripes against the Ricoh xr-p. It is not built as strong and trouble-free like the Pentax K1000, ME Super and SuperProgram. I have done three separate purchases of used Ricoh xr-p bodies, I got two lemons in getting stuck shutter release and various other problems related to broken shutter and mirror locked up. One frequent complain with the xr-p is about the absence of optical DOF preview. For me I have the most problem on how easy the electronics and mechanical parts can fail on the Ricoh. Though the minus, I love the rich features on the xr-p, especially on the rich array of information display that go with the optical viewfinder. For reference, I have a scanned copy of the user menu on the optical viewfinder display




The viewfinder's field of view covers 93% and magnification at .88X. I especially like the diagonal split screen and I find it easier to obtain focus than the horizontal split screen. And there is the auto exposure lock that doubles up with added lighting in viewfinder and I find it valuable in shooting indoor or when the available light is dim.

The ricoh xr-p is compatible with all Pentax K mounts. It is unfortunate that the Pentax A data pin is not the same as the Ricoh P pin. What that means is that the various program modes are not enabled but the metering work the usual way like a Pentax film body in Av mode as long as I select A on the shutter dial and select aperture on aperture ring. If I select a shutter speed instead, the optical viewfinder will indicate overexposure and underexposure with the set aperture. Here are the few lens that I have used with xr-p to great liking

• Tamron SP 17mm f/3.5 in adaptall-2 mount (51B)
• Cosina 55mm f/1.2 in K mount
• Access P-MC 35-70mm f/2.5-3.5 1:2.6 Macro Zoom in R/K

And I plan to use the following lens with my Ricoh xr-p soon with both slides and films.

• Vivitar 24mm f/2.8 from Cosina in P/K-AR mount
• Rikenon P 35mm f/2.8 in R/K mount
• Tamron SP 35-80mm f/2.8-3.8 1:2.5
• Pentax FA 77mm f/1.8 limited

Related:

• The Ricoh Love with Ricoh xr-p
• Canon 8800F flatbed film scanner
• Night Walking Scenes with 51B
• Ricoh P pin and R/K mount
• FotoExpress in San Jose for film development
• Pentax DA limited on SuperProgram
• Pentax MX
• Pentax 645N
• My 1st 35mm film camera -- Praktica MTL5
• Hin's Camera Gear

My Access 35-70mm f/2.5-3.5 is in R/K mount which works with Ricoh xr-p film camera. I find the Ricoh pin retractable but the pin sticks out too much that it is found to jam in my Pentax K-x body. I have altered the lens to remove the Ricoh pin in order to use it in my Pentax body. The zoom is actually quite good when I tried it on b&w film with Ricoh xr-p.

When I test it on Pentax K-x, it is just a beautiful and functional short zoom. Its close focus is 1:2.7. It is unfortunate that it overlaps with my Tamron SP 35-80mm f/2.8-3.8 that I have decided to sell it to others.








Impressions & Notes

• Very surprising zoom lens with good performance throughout
  
• Color is vivid and good contrast
• Close up quite useful in 1:2.7
• Two touch zoom
• Ricoh P pin needs to be removed for Pentax digital bodies. P pin will jam AF/MF switch connector on Pentax digital bodies
  
• Focus Throw a bit short for precision in manual focusing
• Size is smaller than Tamron SP 35-80mm f/2.8-3.8
  
• Filter size is 58mm, solid construction.
  

Related

• Ricoh P pin and R/K mount
• Tamron SP 35-80mm f/2.8-3.8 adaptall-2 (01A)
  
• BW400CN film experience with Foto Express San Jose
• Access P-MC 70-210mm f/3.5 in R/K mount
• Hin's Camera Gear
  

I got this lens in a package of used Ricoh xr-p body. It is in Ricoh R/K mount that works in (P) programmed mode in Ricoh xr series of camera. It has the notorious Ricoh pin that can jam a digital Pentax bodies. Though the Ricoh pin is retractable, it does stick out too much and will jam onto the AF/MF connector on the Pentax bodies. It will work like a K mount lens on a non-AF Pentax film bodies.

It is quite easy to remove the pin and the zoom lens will just work like a regular manual K mount lens. I use it in M mode and do stop-down metering with the green button on K20D. In Pentax K-x body in M mode, (+/-) Av button acts like the green button with a easier access location.

The lens looks almost identical to the Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f/3.5 by Tokina, the version 2 in the first three versions recommended by Mark Roberts. The filter size 62mm, the lens barrel, and the weight looks like the same lens to me



I test it out with Pentax K-x and performance closely resembles what I like about the Tokina Series 1 zoom.










Impressions & Notes

• It is quite good in sharpness
• Constant f/3.5 throughout the zoom
• Contrast can be better if a hood is added
• Close up is about 1:4 but I have not confirmed
• No zoom creep, 1-touch zoom, 62mm filter size, zoom quite easy to handle, good for MF
• Lens is small and lightweight as compared to v1 and v3 of Vivitar Series 1 zooms made by Kiron and Komine
• Good control of CA/PF in short experience with the zoom
  

Related:

• Access P-MC 35-70mm f/2.5-3.5 in R/K mount
  
• Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f/3.5 by Tokina
• Ricoh P pin and R/K mount
• Comparing Vivitar Series 1 zooms
• Tamron SP 70-210mm f/3.5 adaptall-2 19AH
• Pentax K-x and M42 lenses
• Pentax K-x White
  
• Hin's Camera Gear
  

I got this Rikenon lens that came with Ricoh xr-p as a package. I got carried away with my excitement on 35mm film camera with Ricoh xr-p that I bidded up two other similar bodies that I was supposed to gift to friend. Long story short, I have got two dead bodies on Ricoh xr-p film body and both have similar shutter problems.

I tried out the this lens on Pentax K-x White. The lens has Ricoh P pin and the aperture ring has the P selection for programmed mode in Ricoh xr series of cameras. The lens works fine on Pentax digital bodies without any pin stuck issue as I have explained in my earlier post about Rioch P pin

Safe if

• P pin tip is found a rounded ball-head type
• P pin is small and that when you use your thumb to glide over the pin, you don't feel it sticking out upon pressing it down
• P pin is found retractable

When mounted on Pentax K-x, it works as a Pentax K manual lens. I have to use green button for stop-down metering. There is the undocumented observation about K-x in working with green button on K lens, it has an extra mirror slap that goes with stop-down metering operation. So far, I have not found a clue why the mirror slap is required in the metering.

In actual use, the extra noise does bother me a bit as every green button will have the extra noise on the mirror slapping. I ran few test shots on the lens with stop-down metering, they are not too bad. The lens is all plastic but I find it resemble closely the lens from Cosina.

I have purchased this Vivitar plastic lens for a while. From this website, it looks like a lens made from Cosina although I am not sure.

• Who made that Vivitar lens
  

I purchased this very cheaply in a bundle with a Pentax P5 film camera and it turns out to be a gem in my gear. It is one of my prime that I used frequently for night time street photography and landscape shots. Though the lens is not well built in construction, it is all plastic and light weight. But pictures taken with my Pentax K100D are great with the lens. Lens flare and ghosting are seen in shooting into the sun light and harsh lighting at night. And I am yet to find a lens hood.

My impressions:

• Very inexpensive for wide angle prime at 24mm
  
• It has the 'A' setting on aperture which is a big bonus for me for manual lens
• Focus ring is half turn and it is great for manual focusing
• Lens flare are seen in shots taken with this lens without a lens hood. I need to add a compatible wide lens hood for 52mm size.
• Quite sharp wide open at f/2.8
• Very light and compact for walk around and street photography
• Filter size is 52mm
• The PK-A/R mount doesn't have the protruding pin like some of the Ricoh lens

Test Shots: