Ricoh's simple 1989 AF compact — 35mm f/3.9 lens, fixed 1/125 shutter, sold as Shotmaster AF in the US
The Ricoh S-30 is an autofocus 35mm point-and-shoot introduced in 1989, known in the United States as the Shotmaster AF. Ricoh designed it as an affordable, deliberately simple camera — larger than the premium compacts of the day and aimed particularly at price-conscious markets where an uncomplicated family camera was the priority.
The lens is a 35mm f/3.9 Ricoh design with three elements in three groups. A single-point active autofocus system works across three focus zones from 1m to infinity, and the mechanical shutter is fixed at 1/125 second, with the working aperture set by film speed rather than metered light — ISO 100 film, for example, fixes it at f/8. DX coding covers ISO 100-400 with a manual ISO 1000 option. The built-in flash reaches about 3.6m, film transport is fully motorised with mid-roll rewind, and power comes from one CR123A lithium cell or two AA batteries. It measures 132x68x53mm and weighs 230g.
With a fixed shutter speed and film-speed-set aperture, the S-30 leans entirely on the exposure latitude of colour negative film — which is exactly how it was meant to be used. It suits beginners and casual shooters who want a chunky, uncomplicated 35mm camera with a decent moderate-wide prime, and it has no pretensions beyond daylight and flash-range snapshots.
The camera needs battery power to fire, so confirm it wakes, advances and rewinds; the option of AA power is a practical bonus over lithium-only rivals. Check the flash charges and fires, the AF and lens windows are clean, and the film-door seals have not crumbled. Listings may use the US Shotmaster AF name — it is the same camera and prices should be compared across both.