Ricoh's slim wide-angle compact — the R1s, fixed 30mm f/3.5, program AE autofocus, 1995.
The Ricoh R1s is a fixed-lens 35mm compact from Ricoh's mid-1990s R1 line, a family built around an unusually slim body and a wide 30mm lens. It followed the 1994 R1 as a revised version and was also sold rebadged as the Rollei Prego Micron. It sat in the premium end of the point-and-shoot market, aimed at photographers who wanted a pocketable wide-angle camera rather than the more common 35mm or zoom compacts of the era.
Built for 35mm film, the R1s carries a fixed 30mm f/3.5 lens and offers a panorama-wide mode that switches to a 24mm angle of view at a fixed f/8 aperture. Focusing is by passive autofocus, exposure is fully programmed AE, and the camera has a built-in flash with a red-eye reduction setting. It runs on a single CR2 lithium cell, which powers the autofocus, meter, film transport and flash.
The wide 30mm coverage and thin profile make the R1s suited to street shooting, travel and general everyday use where a discreet camera is preferred. It fits in a coat pocket and its wide lens captures more of a scene than a standard 35mm or 38mm compact. As with most programmed compacts, control over aperture and shutter is limited, so it rewards a photographer who works with the camera's automation rather than against it.
When buying a used R1s, check that the autofocus locks and confirms rather than hunting, and that the lens is free of haze, fungus and separation. Confirm the LCD data panel shows a clean display without missing segments or bleed. Test the flash across its modes, listen for a smooth, quiet film wind and rewind, and inspect the battery compartment and door for corrosion from a leaked CR2 cell. Verify the panorama-wide switch operates and that light seals around the film door are intact.