Ricoh's early fixed-lens 35mm rangefinder — leaf shutter, selenium meter, 1957.
The Ricoh 500 is a fixed-lens 35mm rangefinder made by Ricoh of Japan, introduced in 1957. It was an early entry in Ricoh's long line of compact 35mm rangefinders, aimed at general photographers wanting a coupled rangefinder and a leaf shutter in an affordable body.
This is a coupled-rangefinder 35mm camera with a fixed lens and a leaf shutter. Exposure is set manually with reference to a selenium meter that needs no battery on the metered versions, and focusing is by the coupled rangefinder. The leaf shutter operates within the lens and the camera functions mechanically.
The Ricoh 500 suits users who want a compact, mechanical rangefinder for general and street photography. Its self-contained design and simple controls make it a practical vintage travel camera for those comfortable with manual focus and exposure.
On inspection, if the camera has a selenium meter confirm it still responds to light, as these cells fade over time. Check the lens for haze and fungus, verify the rangefinder patch is present and aligned, test the leaf shutter across its speeds for sticking, and assess the light seals and film-advance feel. A dead selenium cell cannot be recharged.