Ricoh XR-P - a photo on Flickriver

Ricoh XR-P
            Ricoh XR-P Multi_Program with Rikenon P 1.7/50
and additional release grip

Pentax introduced their KA-mount with electronic contacts in 1983 with the Pentax Super A, now the according cameras were able to set the f-stop on the lens, programmed shutter and shutter priority automatic exposure were possible. It seems, that Pentax didn't want to share that feature with other camera manufacturers, like Pentax did it in 1975 with the K-mount before, which was an "open design". So Ricoh, which usually followed the common progress in camera design, had to develop something by itself. The result were those Rikenon P lenses, with one electronic contact and a "P" on the f-stop ring. (That contact sometimes got a nightmare to users of a Pentax AF-SLR: it slips into the hole of the AF-coupling and makes it impossible to unmount the lens.) So, as far I know, this Ricoh XR-P from 1984 was the first Ricoh with programmed shutter AE, not only that, it came at once with three P-modes ("multi-program") instead of a shift ability: Pa for fast shutter speeds, Pd for a great depth-of-field and P something between them. On the camera's back is a little diagram which shows the "programs".

Some hints about the exposure modes:
* For P-mode set the aperture ring to P, the shutter speed dial to A and select a P-mode with the selector around the shutter button. A P is displayed in the viewfinder.
* For aperture priority AE select an f-stop on the lens and set the shutter speed dial to A.
* For manual mode select f-stop and shutter speed as you like, M is displayed in the viewer and the shutter speed the camera suggests is blinking.
* The XR-P has no shutter speed priority AE. If you set the f-stop ring to P and select a shutter speed you get something Ricoh calls "shutter bias program AE". That means the camera works in P-mode and uses only shutter speeds from the selected one to 1/2000 s, but no slower one. Slower shutter speeds are only used when the greatest aperture is reached and the selected shutter speed is not sufficient, then the camera gives a warning.

The XR-P offers some other interesting features. Some of them you find barely on other cameras.
* On the right side you see a red lamp with a dial. The lamp also serves as start/stop button for the self-timer or the interval timer. For the self-timer you can select a delay of 10 or 0 seconds. In case of 0 (zero) seconds, the button "serves as a handy 'Left Hand' shutter release" - haha, those funny Ricoh engineers. The interval timer works only with a winder of course, possible times are 2, 15 or 60 s.
* The TV-mode on the dial is intended to take pictures from a TV screen, actually from those TV sets with a tube - you remember? Such an old TV transmits 25 frames a second (in PAL/SECAM), so the shutter speed should not be faster than 1/25 s, if it is faster you will see a big, horizontally stripe on the screen on your foto. You can even select a TV system with the P-mode dial, because they require different shutter speeds: Pd 1/25 s for PAL/SECAM, P 1/30 s for NTSC, Pa 1/4 s for vintage computer monitors. The correct exposure is achieved by setting the f-stop ring to P, the camera will chose an appropriate aperture. The f-stop and also the shutter speed and "TV" is indicated in the viewer. What a feature!


Other specs and features:
* The LC-display in the viewer is really extensive: modes, shutter speeds, under/overexposure, low battery warning, etc. The viewer also has a so called "Judas window" which optically shows the selected f-stop on the f-stop ring - or P. In case of P, the f-stop selected by the camera is displayed by the LCD. And Ricoh has learned from the XR7: the LCD can be illuminated, unfortunately that function is combined with the AE-lock, but the AE-lock works as on/off button while the viewer is only illuminated when the button is pressed - it's just awful.
* TTL-flash
* Multi-exposure lever
* Cancellable beep
* Connection for a winder
* Data back available
* Thread for cable release
* PC-socket for x-sync
* Metal focal plane shutter, vertically traveling, electronically
* Shutter speed range manual: 4 s to 1/2000 s and B
* Shutter speed range automatic: 16 s to 1/2000 s
* 4 button cells LR44 required
* PC-socket
* Film speed range: 12 to 3200 ISO
* Exposure compensation -2 to +2 EV
* The Ricoh XR-P has no DOF-preview

The successor of the XR-P is the XR-X, with built-in winder and a really updated outfit - with lots of buttons instead of dials and so ..
The KR-30SP (XR-20SP) is a simplified version of the XR-P.
   
Taken on: August 2, 2023
Tags:
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xrp
vintage
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Sets appears in: • Black SLRs with Film Advance Lever • ordinary exposure tools
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