The Ricohflex was a series of 6×6 TLR made by Riken Optical Industries (Ricoh) in the 1950s. The focusing rings around the taking and viewing lens are geared up for synchronous focusing, just as previous Kodak Reflex I/II. Its coated Anastigmat triplet lens provides great result in its class. The Ricohflex has a simple, modular-designed and low-cost box structure.
List of models:
- Ricohflex III (1950 September)
The Ricohflex III of 1950 had a pair of similar Ricoh Anastigmat 1:3.5 f=80mm lenses with AR coated. It was the world’s first mass-produced twin-lens reflex camera. {C}
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| Ricohflex III Click for more pictures |
- Ricohflex III B (1951 March)
The production volume was more than 10,000 units per month. Due to the massive production, Riken used a conveyor belt assembly line . {C}
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| Ricohflex IIIB Click for more pictures |
- Ricohflex IIII / IV (1952)
The first ones are labelled IIII which was later revised to correct Roman Numeral IV.
- Ricohflex VI (1953 February)
The Ricohflex VI had a combination of Anastigmat camera lens and Viewer finder lens. {C}
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| Ricohflex VI Click for more pictures |
- Ricohflex VII (1954 February) [with Riken or Seikosha Rapid shutter]
The model VII was released to the market on February, 1954. It had a Ricoh Anastigmat 1:3.5/8cm front-element focusing lens geared to the Ricoh Viewer 1:3,5/8cm lens for viewfinder focusing. Most of it had a Riken shutter with B mode and speeds from 1/25-1/100 sec. The shutter used the same lever to cock the shutter (pull up) and fire the shutter (push down). The Seikosha Rapid version comes with B mode and speeds from 1-1/500 sec .The camera has the capability of using 120 film or 135 film with the optional COLOR BACK insert. {C}
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| Ricohflex VII |
- Ricohflex VII M (SEIKOSHA MX shutter) (1954 October)
- Ricohflex VII S (with self-timer) (1955 January)
The VII M model comes with a SEIKOSHA MX shutter with B mode and speeds from 1-1/300 sec.
- Ricohflex Model T (Made in Taiwan version)
- Super Ricohflex (1956)
There are at least 3 different versions of the Super Ricoflex, with different shutters and front plate styles. These model were primarily sold to the U.S. market. It’s the most sold Ricohflex.
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| Super Ricohflex |
- Ricohflex Holiday (1956 December)
- Ricohflex Million (1957 September)
- Ricohflex New Million (1958)
The Million has adjustable red windows for either 120 or 127 format (with exchangeable 127 film insert). Additionally it comes with a hot flash socket on the front plate.
Various copies of the geared-lens Ricohflex were made, including the following:
- Akumiflex
- one version of the Cosmoflex
- Dorimaflex
- Halina A1
- Koniken
- Monade Flex
- Rolex
- Ruvinalflex
- Silverflex
- Tsubasaflex or Tubasaflex
Bibliography 
Edit
- Hayashi Teruaki (林輝昭). “Sengo no kamera 1: Nigan-refu kamera” (戦後のカメラ1・二眼レフカメラ, Postwar cameras 1: TLR cameras). Kamera Rebyū: Kurashikku Kamera Senka (カメラレビュー クラシックカメラ専科) / Camera Review: All about Historical Cameras no.14, October 1989. No ISBN number. Rikō kamera no subete (リコーカメラのすべて, special issue on Ricoh). Pp.26–32.
Links Edit
- Ricohflex / Diacord / Ricohmatic 6×6 TLRs at Greg Erker’s [1]
- Ricohflex Model-T at http://www.flickr.com
In French:
- on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand
- Ricoh Ricohflex (new) Million
- Ricoh Ricohflex Diamond
- Ricoh Ricohflex Diamond G
- Ricoh Ricohflex Diamond L
- Ricoh Ricohflex Diamond M
- Ricoh Ricohflex Holiday
- Ricoh Ricohflex Mod.B
- Ricoh Ricohflex Mod.B
- Ricoh Ricohflex Model III
- Ricoh Ricohflex Model III
- Ricoh Ricohflex Model IIIB
- Ricoh Ricohflex Model IIII
- Ricoh Ricohflex Model IV
- Ricoh Ricohflex Model T
- Ricoh Ricohflex Model VI
- Ricoh Ricohflex model VII
- Ricoh Ricohflex Model VII (Seikosha)
- Ricoh Ricohflex Model VIIM
- Ricoh Ricohflex Model VIIS
- Ricoh Ricohflex New Diamond
- Ricoh Ricohflex New Diamond II
- Ricoh Ricohflex Super
In Japanese:
- リコーカメラ全機種リスト > 1946-1960
- Ricohflex VI and more pictures at Hayata Camera Laboratory
- Ricohflex VII at Itō Sadanobu’s camera collection
- リコーフレックス 一直線
- リコーフレックスのシリーズ
In Traditional Chinese:
TLRgraphy 