Ricoh "P" lens

jonhock · 12-31-2009, 09:00 PM

Happy New Year EveryBody!!
It's Real exciting here at our house. Drinkin coffee and searching for info!
Does anybody have any experience with a "Ricoh Rikenon 50mm 1:2 "P" lens? I may get one to use on my k1000, but I can't find any specific info except that the pin causes trouble with PK auto-focus cameras.

stevebrot · 01-01-2010, 12:02 AM

It is probably a pretty decent lens. I have the XR Rikenon 50/2 that the "P" is based on and have been very impressed by its sharpness and contrast. The bokeh is a not so great...a little on the busy side of things.

The hazard from the infamous Ricoh "pin" is very real. There are two variants of the "pin". One is a rigid, retractable pin and the other is a spring-loaded ball. Both are located such that they will "fall" into the AF slot drive on the camera body causing the lens to jam on to the mount. The ball type can be fairly easily wiggled out of the AF slot. The pin type is much more difficult.

The lens may be modified and made safe by disassembling the mount to remove the pin.

Steve

jonhock · 01-01-2010, 03:47 PM

Thank you Stevebrot. It sounds like it may not be worth the trouble. I'll have to keep an eye out for a Pentax A 1.7 or similar.

GerryL · 01-01-2010, 03:59 PM

Originally posted by jonhock

Thank you Stevebrot. It sounds like it may not be worth the trouble. I'll have to keep an eye out for a Pentax A 1.7 or similar.

The fix is actually easy to do.
If you can get the lens for cheap then it is worth the little trouble plus you will learn something from it (taking off the Ricoh pin).

aleonx3 · 01-01-2010, 04:06 PM

Originally posted by stevebrot

... snip...
The hazard from the infamous Ricoh "pin" is very real. There are two variants of the "pin". One is a rigid, retractable pin and the other is a spring-loaded ball. Both are located such that they will "fall" into the AF slot drive on the camera body causing the lens to jam on to the mount. The ball type can be fairly easily wiggled out of the AF slot. The pin type is much more difficult.

The lens may be modified and made safe by disassembling the mount to remove the pin.

Steve

Steve, I have all three Ricoh lens (Rikenon P f1.7, Rikenon P f2 and XR Rikenon f2). The two P lens have retractable spring loaded pins and do not protrude too much, so I don't have any issues mounting on my K100D or K10D. I didn't know that there are two variants of the Pin out there (thanks and good to know

); perhaps it depends on the year it was produced. Quality wise, they are all good, I find the XR version is a little different and slightly better since I can use A-mode (instead of using it in M-mode for some strange reasons). Also, the XR version is larger and it has the metal housing instead of plastic.

jonhock · 01-11-2010, 06:40 AM

Originally posted by stevebrot

It is probably a pretty decent lens. I have the XR Rikenon 50/2 that the "P" is based on and have been very impressed by its sharpness and contrast. The bokeh is a not so great...a little on the busy side of things.

The hazard from the infamous Ricoh "pin" is very real. There are two variants of the "pin". One is a rigid, retractable pin and the other is a spring-loaded ball. Both are located such that they will "fall" into the AF slot drive on the camera body causing the lens to jam on to the mount. The ball type can be fairly easily wiggled out of the AF slot. The pin type is much more difficult.

The lens may be modified and made safe by disassembling the mount to remove the pin.

Steve

1/11/2010 Does this hazard affect the K1000 as well, since there is no auto-focus slot? I'm not slow on the uptake, but , I'm not the quickest sometimes either. I hadn't noticed that the replies were addressing only the auto-focus aspect, which is what I found when I had originally researched my question.

Diffusion · 01-11-2010, 09:21 AM

Check the flange on the K1000 for a hole where the screw drive normally sits, but you are right, on a non-autofocus camera, the pin should just stay depressed and not do anything.
If you have an AF pentax, compare the flange and see if the hole is there or not on the K1000. (I doubt it, but never say never).

hinman · 01-12-2010, 11:11 AM

I have four lens with the Ricoh retractable P pin and three of them are tested with no problems of getting stuck in my Pentax digital bodies. But Steve's caution is very much right on checking if the pin is retractable and that if it is a ball head type of pin as shown in this picture

Ricoh P pin and Rioch R/K mount

The P pin does't serve equivalent to 'A' when mounted on Pentax bodies. The F-- will show though I seem to use it in Av mode like M42 lens. But there are variants of lenses that support both the Ricoh K-mount with P and the Pentax K-mount with A. If you are interested in manual Pentax film bodies or Ricoh xr series of film bodies, those P lens are worth considering as the pin (retractable or not) will not cause harm as they would on digital bodies where the AF/MF connector has a grove that may get the pin to stuck upon mounting. Those Pentax film bodies will take on the P lens as a manual K mount and meter in Av mode without any problem. It is unlike the crippled KAF2 mount in K10D/K20D/K-7/K-x that are inferior to the older K mount, and the newer digital bodies need to do stop-down metering in M mode.

There are fine gems in Ricoh lenses if you research into it. The pre-xr series of Ricoh mount is similar if not identical to Pentax K mount and it does not have the P pin. Those Ricoh lenses usually don't bear the 'P' signature. And the P pin comes with the Ricoh later models with added programmed mode. Some Cosina and Sigma primes are seen with both the P pin for Ricoh and A pin for Pentax and those are quite good to get -- your mileage will vary from my opinion as I love those lens that work on both Pentax as KA lens and allow Programmed mode in my Ricoh xr-p.

Cosina 24mm f/2.8 with PK-A/R
with both the Pentax A and the Ricoh P

Caution should be taken in consideration of the Ricoh P lenses if you are intended to use the Ricoh P lenses on your digital bodies. If indeed the pin get stuck, simple first measure include gentle wiggle and toggling AF/MF switch to have a chance to push back the pin while sliding the lens to clearance position of the mount.

Thanks,
Hin

hinman · 01-12-2010, 11:38 AM

Originally posted by jonhock

Happy New Year EveryBody!!
It's Real exciting here at our house. Drinkin coffee and searching for info!
Does anybody have any experience with a "Ricoh Rikenon 50mm 1:2 "P" lens? I may get one to use on my k1000, but I can't find any specific info except that the pin causes trouble with PK auto-focus cameras.

As others have noted and as far as I know, the Ricoh P lenses should work as a K-mount manual lenses on your K1000 body. The pin should stay depressed upon mounting as there is no AF connector on the mount. If you happen to have a AF film or the latest digital bodies, you need to be aware of the pin; otherwise, you can enjoy the Ricoh p lens just like the Pentax manual lenses.

estudleon · 01-12-2010, 03:27 PM

I read in the net, an old post where the P ricoh 2/50 was comparate with the leica lenses, and was the winner.

In others casus was qualificate like average lens or a very good one, like here.

Very differents opinions about it.

Rino.

estudleon · 01-12-2010, 03:33 PM

Sure everybody knows that but if anybody not....

Rikenon 50 comments (was: Re: Rikenon 50/1.4?)

Leica and ricoh commentary.

Rino.

stevebrot · 01-12-2010, 07:59 PM

Originally posted by estudleon

Sure everybody knows that but if anybody not....

Rikenon 50 comments (was: Re: Rikenon 50/1.4?)

Leica and ricoh commentary.

Rino.

Woo! Hoo! Keeping the legend alive!

Steve

(My XR Rikenon 50/2...very, very sharp...very, very busy bokeh!)

Normpixel · 01-12-2010, 11:06 PM

I may be in the "wrong" thread but (hey!) I'm a NEW MEMBER so what do I know? Anyway I've got a 55mm Ricoh AUTO RIKENON f1.4 screw mount. It takes 55mm filters, stops down to f16 and has an A/M switch (selector)... it actually looks a lot like the "early" Takumars. Since I "don't shoot film much any more" (some on PentaxForums think that I should!), I haven't used it in a while. I haven't had any auto diaphragm pin "issues" because I use(d) it with a "K" adaptor on Pentax K mount bodies. The serial number is 304682 (if "that's a clue"!) and I just wondered where it "fit" in the Ricoh/Rikenon "line-up" AND how it compared to all the 50mm Rikenons...
Mechanically it has that "quality feel"; smooth focus, good "click stop" diaphragm ring action.
I spotted it in a pawn shop (quite a few years ago) for "next to nothing" (they figured it was obsolete because it didn't fit any camera that they had ever seen).
Thanks for listening and/or "helping"! ...Normpixel...
SHOWN: Ricoh AUTO RIKENON f1.4 55mm screw mount lens with "K adapter" on Pentax P30T body

Christopher M.W.T · 01-13-2010, 07:24 AM

I have the Ricoh 50mm 1.7 and I think it's a fantastic little lens.

Light, solid build and does some brilliant photos. I actually took mine apart and removed that little pin just in case as well as removed the apperture control arm as it wasn't working properly.

Only complaint I can put against the lens is its manual focus and a slightly long min focussing distance (about twice that of the FA50). It's really sharp especially when stopped down to f2.8, personally better than the FA50.

The lens coupled with the Raynox 250 also produces some fantastic photos.

hinman · 01-14-2010, 11:06 AM

I was wrong about the metering on the Ricoh P lens. I tried my Ricoh P 35mm f/2.8 yesterday in Av mode with my Pentax K-x white, though I am not totally certain, it seemed able to meter fine like an M42 lens would in Av mode. Can Ricoh P lens owner confirm me if Rioch P lens can meter in Av mode without the need for stop-down metering with green button? The P can't sever as the A pin as the aperture is F-- and built in pttl flash can't be used.

Thanks,
Hin

12-31-2009, 09:00 PM	#1
jonhock Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Central Pennsylvania, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 420	Ricoh "P" lens Happy New Year EveryBody!! It's Real exciting here at our house. Drinkin coffee and searching for info! Does anybody have any experience with a "Ricoh Rikenon 50mm 1:2 "P" lens? I may get one to use on my k1000, but I can't find any specific info except that the pin causes trouble with PK auto-focus cameras.

01-11-2010, 06:40 AM	#6
jonhock Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Central Pennsylvania, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 420 Original Poster	Originally posted by stevebrot It is probably a pretty decent lens. I have the XR Rikenon 50/2 that the "P" is based on and have been very impressed by its sharpness and contrast. The bokeh is a not so great...a little on the busy side of things. The hazard from the infamous Ricoh "pin" is very real. There are two variants of the "pin". One is a rigid, retractable pin and the other is a spring-loaded ball. Both are located such that they will "fall" into the AF slot drive on the camera body causing the lens to jam on to the mount. The ball type can be fairly easily wiggled out of the AF slot. The pin type is much more difficult. The lens may be modified and made safe by disassembling the mount to remove the pin. Steve 1/11/2010 Does this hazard affect the K1000 as well, since there is no auto-focus slot? I'm not slow on the uptake, but , I'm not the quickest sometimes either. I hadn't noticed that the replies were addressing only the auto-focus aspect, which is what I found when I had originally researched my question. Last edited by jonhock; 01-11-2010 at 06:51 AM.

01-12-2010, 11:11 AM	#8
hinman Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fremont, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,473	I have four lens with the Ricoh retractable P pin and three of them are tested with no problems of getting stuck in my Pentax digital bodies. But Steve's caution is very much right on checking if the pin is retractable and that if it is a ball head type of pin as shown in this picture Ricoh P pin and Rioch R/K mount The P pin does't serve equivalent to 'A' when mounted on Pentax bodies. The F-- will show though I seem to use it in Av mode like M42 lens. But there are variants of lenses that support both the Ricoh K-mount with P and the Pentax K-mount with A. If you are interested in manual Pentax film bodies or Ricoh xr series of film bodies, those P lens are worth considering as the pin (retractable or not) will not cause harm as they would on digital bodies where the AF/MF connector has a grove that may get the pin to stuck upon mounting. Those Pentax film bodies will take on the P lens as a manual K mount and meter in Av mode without any problem. It is unlike the crippled KAF2 mount in K10D/K20D/K-7/K-x that are inferior to the older K mount, and the newer digital bodies need to do stop-down metering in M mode. There are fine gems in Ricoh lenses if you research into it. The pre-xr series of Ricoh mount is similar if not identical to Pentax K mount and it does not have the P pin. Those Ricoh lenses usually don't bear the 'P' signature. And the P pin comes with the Ricoh later models with added programmed mode. Some Cosina and Sigma primes are seen with both the P pin for Ricoh and A pin for Pentax and those are quite good to get -- your mileage will vary from my opinion as I love those lens that work on both Pentax as KA lens and allow Programmed mode in my Ricoh xr-p. Cosina 24mm f/2.8 with PK-A/R with both the Pentax A and the Ricoh P Caution should be taken in consideration of the Ricoh P lenses if you are intended to use the Ricoh P lenses on your digital bodies. If indeed the pin get stuck, simple first measure include gentle wiggle and toggling AF/MF switch to have a chance to push back the pin while sliding the lens to clearance position of the mount. Thanks, Hin Last edited by hinman; 01-14-2010 at 10:36 AM.

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01-01-2010, 12:02 AM	#2
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	It is probably a pretty decent lens. I have the XR Rikenon 50/2 that the "P" is based on and have been very impressed by its sharpness and contrast. The bokeh is a not so great...a little on the busy side of things. The hazard from the infamous Ricoh "pin" is very real. There are two variants of the "pin". One is a rigid, retractable pin and the other is a spring-loaded ball. Both are located such that they will "fall" into the AF slot drive on the camera body causing the lens to jam on to the mount. The ball type can be fairly easily wiggled out of the AF slot. The pin type is much more difficult. The lens may be modified and made safe by disassembling the mount to remove the pin. Steve

01-01-2010, 03:47 PM	#3
jonhock Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Central Pennsylvania, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 420 Original Poster	Thank you Stevebrot. It sounds like it may not be worth the trouble. I'll have to keep an eye out for a Pentax A 1.7 or similar.

01-01-2010, 03:59 PM	#4
GerryL Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CA Posts: 2,731	Originally posted by jonhock Thank you Stevebrot. It sounds like it may not be worth the trouble. I'll have to keep an eye out for a Pentax A 1.7 or similar. The fix is actually easy to do. If you can get the lens for cheap then it is worth the little trouble plus you will learn something from it (taking off the Ricoh pin).

01-01-2010, 04:06 PM	#5
aleonx3 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Brampton, Ontario Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,996	Originally posted by stevebrot ... snip... The hazard from the infamous Ricoh "pin" is very real. There are two variants of the "pin". One is a rigid, retractable pin and the other is a spring-loaded ball. Both are located such that they will "fall" into the AF slot drive on the camera body causing the lens to jam on to the mount. The ball type can be fairly easily wiggled out of the AF slot. The pin type is much more difficult. The lens may be modified and made safe by disassembling the mount to remove the pin. Steve Steve, I have all three Ricoh lens (Rikenon P f1.7, Rikenon P f2 and XR Rikenon f2). The two P lens have retractable spring loaded pins and do not protrude too much, so I don't have any issues mounting on my K100D or K10D. I didn't know that there are two variants of the Pin out there (thanks and good to know ); perhaps it depends on the year it was produced. Quality wise, they are all good, I find the XR version is a little different and slightly better since I can use A-mode (instead of using it in M-mode for some strange reasons). Also, the XR version is larger and it has the metal housing instead of plastic.

01-11-2010, 09:21 AM	#7
Diffusion Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 74	Check the flange on the K1000 for a hole where the screw drive normally sits, but you are right, on a non-autofocus camera, the pin should just stay depressed and not do anything. If you have an AF pentax, compare the flange and see if the hole is there or not on the K1000. (I doubt it, but never say never).

01-12-2010, 11:38 AM	#9
hinman Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fremont, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,473	Originally posted by jonhock Happy New Year EveryBody!! It's Real exciting here at our house. Drinkin coffee and searching for info! Does anybody have any experience with a "Ricoh Rikenon 50mm 1:2 "P" lens? I may get one to use on my k1000, but I can't find any specific info except that the pin causes trouble with PK auto-focus cameras. As others have noted and as far as I know, the Ricoh P lenses should work as a K-mount manual lenses on your K1000 body. The pin should stay depressed upon mounting as there is no AF connector on the mount. If you happen to have a AF film or the latest digital bodies, you need to be aware of the pin; otherwise, you can enjoy the Ricoh p lens just like the Pentax manual lenses.

01-12-2010, 03:27 PM	#10
estudleon Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 228	I read in the net, an old post where the P ricoh 2/50 was comparate with the leica lenses, and was the winner. In others casus was qualificate like average lens or a very good one, like here. Very differents opinions about it. Rino.

01-12-2010, 03:33 PM	#11
estudleon Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 228	Sure everybody knows that but if anybody not.... Rikenon 50 comments (was: Re: Rikenon 50/1.4?) Leica and ricoh commentary. Rino.

01-12-2010, 07:59 PM	#12
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by estudleon Sure everybody knows that but if anybody not.... Rikenon 50 comments (was: Re: Rikenon 50/1.4?) Leica and ricoh commentary. Rino. Woo! Hoo! Keeping the legend alive! Steve (My XR Rikenon 50/2...very, very sharp...very, very busy bokeh!)

01-13-2010, 07:24 AM	#14
Christopher M.W.T Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,689	I have the Ricoh 50mm 1.7 and I think it's a fantastic little lens. Light, solid build and does some brilliant photos. I actually took mine apart and removed that little pin just in case as well as removed the apperture control arm as it wasn't working properly. Only complaint I can put against the lens is its manual focus and a slightly long min focussing distance (about twice that of the FA50). It's really sharp especially when stopped down to f2.8, personally better than the FA50. The lens coupled with the Raynox 250 also produces some fantastic photos.

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01-14-2010, 11:06 AM	#15
hinman Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fremont, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,473	I was wrong about the metering on the Ricoh P lens. I tried my Ricoh P 35mm f/2.8 yesterday in Av mode with my Pentax K-x white, though I am not totally certain, it seemed able to meter fine like an M42 lens would in Av mode. Can Ricoh P lens owner confirm me if Rioch P lens can meter in Av mode without the need for stop-down metering with green button? The P can't sever as the A pin as the aperture is F-- and built in pttl flash can't be used. Thanks, Hin