RICOHFLEX-RM700 (1 unit only)

Riken/Ricoh produced low and high end Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) cameras in the 1950's and into the 1960's. The Ricohflex family are budget priced models with 3 element lenses that are geared together for focusing. The bodies are made from sheet steel with a thicker steel lens plate. Many models used the Riken shutter that would only flash sync at 1/50. Shutter speeds are limited compared to Rolleiflex's and Rolleicords of that era (most have only 1/25, 1/50, 1/100 and B). All have the "red window" method to stop on the next frame though Riken produced an Auto-Stop featurethat was factory installed on some cameras and could be user installed. They use push-on filters.

The original Diacord model (a.k.a Ricohflex Dia) as well as the Diacord G and L and Ricohmatic 225 have a cast aluminum body and helical focusing with a lever on each side of the lens panel (called "Duo-Lever Focusing System" in the Diacord G manual.). Better shutters were used giving more speeds: 1/10-1/300 (Dia), 1-1/400 (G) or 1-1/500(L and 225). The lens in the Dia is a 3 element design (AFAIK) and some Diacord G's have a 3 element Riconar lens. Later G's as well as the L's and 225 have the well regarded Rikenon 4-element (tessar style) lens. The Diacord models still use knob advance with separate shutter cocking levers, but the 225 uses a crank to wind and simultaneously cock the shutter. All models have automatic stop on the next frame and thus don't have the red window. They use Bay 1 filters and accessories (except for Dia). Click here if you want to build your own Bay 1 lens shade.
All models use 120 film to produce twelve 6x6 cm images. Some models have an insert (called Ricohkin or Color Adapter) which allows portrait orientation shots to be taken on 35 mm film. The Super Ricohflex came in several versions. The one with multiple red windows on the back works with an insert to allow 127 film to be used. There were additional models like the Super 44 ( Photo ) which takes 127 format film but these aren't covered here. No models were made that use 220 film.