[magkelly]

I've had two people now ask me about my Ricoh that I am selling, asking if it's a particular version. Someone clue me in? All it says on it is Ricoh Rikenon 1:2 50MM/52 with a sign that looks like a circle crossed out and "Lens made in Japan" and that's it. They keep asking me if it's the F2 version? Usually there's more info there a digit:digit.digit that indicates more about the lens but in this case there's actually not on this lens. Am I right in assuming the lens that they want would be 1:1.2 maybe instead? I'm hoping I got the lens right and priced it accordingly. Thought I had, but now I'm not sure. It does NOT say XR on it at all either. Does that mean it's the F2? I can't see it being the earlier one I don't think. Thanks!

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Last edited by magkelly; 12-16-2011 at 11:42 AM.

[boriscleto]

Your lens would be the F2 version. 1:2 = F2. As in F-stop. They probably want to know because they heard the Ricoh 50mm F2 is supposed to be a super sharp lens. It's really just a kit lens, but it is better than their low-end kit lens which was F2.8.

[magkelly]

Okay, I'll change it in my post then. I looked at the listing in the database and it looked right but I just wasn't sure there for a sec. People kept asking and I thought maybe there was a difference I wasn't getting. Thanks! The database has it at like $18 and that's pretty low for what it's going elsewhere. I saw a few copies around and most of them were more than mine. I don't know. If I have to discount it by that much to sell it I just might keep it. No way I'd take $18 for it. Might keep it for a while longer in that case. I was rather undecided on that one because I have several other Ricoh lenses and I don't have another 50MM. I've got several Pentax ones including 2 Takumars now so keeping it seemed redundant but maybe I will. I'm going to think about it for the rest of the day, check the auctions on them I was watching etc.

[Philoslothical]

52 with a sign that looks like a circle crossed out

The ⌀52(mm) just means it has a filter thread size of 52mm.

[boriscleto]

The best place to find info on Ricoh.

Ricoh Camera instruction manuals

Ricoh Photographic product catalogue

[Vranx]

The Ricoh old testament is here:

The Unofficial Guide to Ricoh Cameras and Rikenon Lenses

You should be able to identify your lens easily on those pages.

BTW, makes good hope for the Pentax-Ricoh merger... They knew what they were doing!

[magkelly]

According to what I am reading I have lens #153024 and that's it so far as serial # goes. It does not match any # of any lens on that database so far as I can tell. This is very weird. Lens pulled from sale pending further investigation. Someone just said this to me in an IM and I'm trying to figure out what he means.

"I figure u have a typo somehwere just dontt know which way, its either f2 for $50 or f1.2 for $500."

I replied

"Well earlier someone said it was the F2 version but it actually says Rikenon 1:2 50MM, Ricoh, Lens Made In Japan, 52MM and I had it listed till a sec ago for $35. Are you now telling me it's worth far more than that because I am getting very confused here? I'm now pulling it off the sale list until I know what the heck I am doing. But that is exactly what it says there's no $50 or $500 there. Thanks."

No reply as yet but now I'm very curious as to what lens I've got exactly. I'm getting a bit confused by his IM's. I can't seem to match up a this lens to one in that database with those numbers. I've looked. Now either I'm being a total dunce today (Which is very possible because I've got a bit of a migraine and I'm trying to read and type which can be weird.) Or this lens isn't on there?

Could use some help here. I though I had a common little cheapie Ricoh lens. Not? It would make my day if it was worth that but I don't see how it can be. There are several just like this on Ebay all look like they're going for between $35-40 to me. Thanks!

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Last edited by magkelly; 12-16-2011 at 08:29 PM.

[Nick Siebers]

Your lens is, based on what you have written, a 50mm f/2 lens. This can also be expressed as 1:2 or f2, as you seem to know. If it said on it 1:1.2, it would be worth a lot more. As it is, $35 sounds just about right.

Of course, if you put a picture here of the front, we can be absolutely sure.

[magkelly]

Your lens is, based on what you have written, a 50mm f/2 lens. This can also be expressed as 1:2 or f2, as you seem to know. If it said on it 1:1.2, it would be worth a lot more. As it is, $35 sounds just about right.

Of course, if you put a picture here of the front, we can be absolutely sure.

It doesn't say 1:1.2 so I'm pretty sure I'm okay. Thanks. I was watching 2 just like it on auction this weekend and both of them went for around that. Mine is absolutely no different. There are a couple on there now going for about that. Their pics are the same lens, exactly. They might as well be my lens.

I actually need to go and take pics of the lens on my K1000 too. I should have put that one on the list too and I just forgot. I may make another sale thread and just list all the Ricoh I have on it. I was thinking about selling them all actually. I'm cutting way back on my manual lenses. My eyes just cannot hack using them a lot anymore. I still intend to keep my K mount 50MM 1.7 and maybe my 50/55MM M42 Takumar and the 105MM Takumar, but I'm thinking everything else can just go. I'm not likely to put enough use into them to make it work keeping them anymore and I could really use the $$$ right now.

I haven't sold much this past month or so online and I have a TON of stuff listed, non-photography. 2 weeks before Christmas and I have nothing to show for busting my arse for months, nothing via my little web store, my listings on CL, nothing. Lots of lookieloos as my ex-boss used to call them but no actual buyers. I've been answering 100 emails a week, questions et all, but nothing has come out of it. You can't tell me that this economy doesn't have people running scared. I know better. Locally, online, unless you're talking coveted personal electronics maybe people are hoarding every penny like it's the last one they might ever make.

Locally the Target, Walmart, ToysRUs etc, the shelves are still chock full of toys, and they shouldn't be by now. My friends out at the flea market are usually hopping busy by now, nothing, hardly any sales. Either everyone here is waiting till the very last minute to shop or they're just not shopping for much beyond clothes, hot electronics and stuff. I go into the stores and I just don't see people doing much but looking actually. The grocery stores seem busy but the rest? Not really. 9 days till Christmas, but nothing is flying off the shelves around here except maybe food for the family feast...

[stevebrot]

There were several versions of the Rikenon 50/2 in K-mount. As noted above, the XR-Rikenon version has sort of a cult status regarding sharpness, though it is not clear where that notion came from. I have two copies and both are decent lenses and quite sharp, but also suffer from busy bokeh.

Ricoh XR Rikenon 50mm f/2.0 Lens Reviews - Ricoh Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

The later Rikenon-P is of similar optical design, but the S and non-XR versions are not.

Here is a link to a few more photos taken with the lens:

Flickr: Search fotostevia's photostream


Steve

[m42man]

I'm a fan of the f2 Rikenon 50s - I have 3 versions, the XR, the plain Rikenon and the Rikenon-P. In terms of size and weight, the XR is the biggest/heaviest, the -P the smallest/lightest. I've compared them against a Pentax M 50/1.7, a Cosinon-S 50/2, Rikenon 50/1.7 and Helios 44M-4. The XR and plain Rikenon f2s are sharper than the others at any stopped-down aperture (peak sharpness for most of these lenses is around f4-f8, the Helios is sharpest wide open but otherwise is softer). They're at least as sharp as my S-M-C Tak 35/3.5, which is saying something!

They also have significantly better colour and contrast, in fact better than any of my vintage lenses other than my CZJ 135/3.5. And how much did I pay for these little wonders? About £10 each, off ebay, a couple of years ago. They're probably a bit dearer now, but they certainly represent fantastic value for money.

So, if you already own one, keep it. If you don't, get one!