Dutch Date - Part 5: Ricoh Singlex TLS and Ricoh 35 Flex

Every so often, I'll get really frugal and ask a couple of cameras to share a roll of film.  Though there are problems here and there, they'll usually agree.  I call these "Dutch Dates" and usually try to pair cameras with something more than simply the film format in common.  Below is a look at just one such pairing...

As they settled in to enjoy an English delicacy, the 35 Flex asked the Singlex if the battle wounds were real or self-inflicted. 

Camera Models: Ricoh Singlex TLS (1967) and Ricoh 35 Flex (1963)

Similarities: Both are 1960's Ricoh SLR cameras under their own brand name.

Differences: The Singlex is a conventional focal plane shutter SLR with interchangeable lenses, while the 35 Flex is a leaf shutter SLR with a fixed lens. 

Film Shared: Ilford FP4+, Fresh Dated 

The 1960's might be considered to be the prime period for Ricoh's camera models.  Though the Japanese camera maker certainly had a pretty lengthy run of producing some very capable, and often quite unique film cameras, the Sixties seem to be when Ricoh made a name for itself in a pretty crowded industry.  Though the maker continued creating some excellent cameras in the decades to follow, it seemed to be increasingly marginalized, at least in the US, as Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Minolta, and Olympus took the top spots in the remaining field.



Two cameras from the Ricoh-rich 60's are the Singlex TLS and the 35 Flex.  The Singlex reprised a badge from earlier in the decade of an SLR camera designed to use Nikon mount lenses.  Call this camera a "reboot" from a time when such a term was literally unheard of in the wider world. This later version uses an M42 mount instead.  The 35 Flex was a more short lived variant from earlier in the decade, released amid other leaf-shutter SLR cameras of various makes, and offering a basic set of controls on a fixed lens body. 

Both of these cameras had been sort of spontaneous pickups on my part, costing little, but giving me no benefit by simply collecting dust.  I had some concerns on the overall functionality of both cameras, and both briefly made it out to nearly taking a maiden roll, only to be shelved again.  Finally, I figured it high time to dedicate a roll of good film shared between the two to see how I liked the shooting experience and results from each, making this approach a perfect avenue to see results without too much effort.

The Ricoh Singlex TLS reflects the basic "final product" of most SLR products of the late 1960's, including interchangeable lenses, battery powered metering, selectable apertures on the lens ring, and selectable shutter speeds as fast as 1/1000 on the camera body itself.  The actuation of the shutter itself is mechanical, allowing the camera to be operated without batteries. 

By comparison, the Ricoh 35 Flex represents a more embryonic version of an SLR camera, with a fixed 4-element f/2.8 lens, leaf shutter, and selenium powered cell metering.  Shutter speeds on this camera only go as fast as 1/300 of a second, representing the limitations and complexity of leaf shutter SLR models to a large degree. 

Today, the Singlex TLS has maintained a respectable, and still somewhat well known reputation for being a well built mechanical SLR that has aged quite gracefully.  The 35 Flex on the other hand has become an obscure footnote in the Ricoh history, carrying with it the general tendency of leaf shutter SLR cameras to be problematic as the years pass, and all but impossible to fix.  Views of the typical sales outlets of the time of this writing show dozens of TLS models available, but only three of the 35 Flex models.

Ricoh Singlex TLS

The broken lugs would likely rate it at something less than "Minty" for any reputable seller, but given that this $3 as/is truly does function, I'm fine with its somewhat worn appearance. 

I first stumbled across the Ricoh Singlex TLS as a possible acquisition as I explored a possible upgrade to my Mamiya MSX-500, whose shutter speed topped at 1/500.  I wanted a cheap pickup that offered a faster top shutter speed, making it easier to shoot lenses like the Helios 44-2 at wider apertures for fun bokeh.  My browsing for such an upgrade was pretty casual, until I came across an auction listing for one for $3.  I figured it worth a try to see if I could score it, and was surprised when the morning expiration time of the auction came and went with no other bidders.  I was the new owner of a $3 SLR, complete with a Vivitar 50mm f/1.9 lens.  I only hoped that it worked!

And work it did!  Well... mostly - more on that in a minute.  I was pleased to see that this camera was a hefty solid build with a pretty clear and easy to focus viewfinder.  All the basic elements that one might ask for in a camera were well represented by this sharp Ricoh camera.  Focusing, shooting, and winding all felt like they should.  

Metering?  Not so much on this camera.  The Singlex TLS offers it, but this meter gave no response.  I certainly couldn't find room to complain given what I had paid.  Less specific to my specimen however was the shutter speed dial, front mounted, similar to the Ricoh 126-C Flex.  With more shutter speed choices on this ring than the 126, it seemed that the dial might easily be jostled to another setting. 

Using standard M42 lenses, such as the Vivitar 50mm f/1.9 used for the photos below, the Ricoh Singlex is nicely minimalist in its design, but is a well built camera to say the least.  The viewfinder of the camera is fairly ordinary, and typical of its era, but is still very easy to focus. 

Sure enough this would happen in practice.  I would take a shot at 1/500 and pick up the camera moments later to find the ring had been moved over to 1/125.  As there are no indicators of shutter speed in the viewfinder, it quickly became apparent that I'd have to check the camera each time I picked it up. Another odd quirk to this particular camera was one that tended to waste film.  It seemed that every time the camera would sit for an extended period, the first shot taken would have a much longer shutter speed than marked.  Perhaps the shutter lost tension as it sat after winding.  I meant to test to see if waiting to wind until just before shooting made a difference after the camera sat, but never could seem to modify my ingrained habits of winding directly after shooting. 

Peeking at the negatives from the Singlex TLS, I was greeted with sharp and well exposed negatives for the most part, but always could tell the "throwaway" frames that started off a series of shots after a pause.  Of about 18 photos taken, 4 fell into this category.  The rest however showed great contrast and sharpness from the unremarked Vivitar lens that came with this camera.  It seemed that once "warmed up," the Singlex was well worth the $3 purchase price. 

Gallery:

The Nation's smallest train station?  I doubt it, but Harmony Grove is certainly among the more spartan "stations" I have seen.  After firing off the warm up shot, the Singlex took to action and competently performed.

Knowing this camera's issue, I found myself wanting to shoot more images while the shutter "was still warm" to minimize waste.  Fortunately in this case, I didn't simply reallocate that waste.  Striking tonality makes for a good second effort. 

Under a bit more direct light, the Singlex and the FP4 combined to create some sharp images through the Vivitar lens.  Some grain is evident, but it is of the pleasant variety. 

Subject isolation, even in marginal lighting was actually pretty good on the Singlex, with the husks being clearly defined from the details in the distance. 

Close focusing in windy conditions is a challenge, and results in very little of this image being in focus, particularly the leaves near center. 

The somewhat friendly neighborhood cows weren't entirely resistant to having their photos taken by the intrepid quirky guy and his 1960's SLR camera on Thanksgiving. 

Stopped down, the Vivitar lens gives off about the expected look from a "normal" SLR lens. 

Contrast heavy scenes tended to be render a bit harshly through the Vivitar lens. 

Softer scenes however, really worked well for the Singlex and Vivitar combination. 

Backlight was quite well tamed by the twosome.  Though some details wash out in the process, there is no flare to obscure the details of the close leaves. 

Though I largely bought this camera to use the Helios on, I have to admit I'm pleasantly surprised by the painterly bokeh that the Vivitar 50mm f/1.9 offers, as seen here. 

Another example of a "sun in shot" scene that the Singlex handled admirably with its supplied lens.  In cases like this, it may be better that I guessed exposure rather than trust a meter. 

Scratch off the handful of losses from this set from the flaky shutter, and the Singlex delivers some very good results with each well thought out composition. 

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ricoh 35 Flex

With the pentaprism carrying the array of selenium cells, the Ricoh badge of the 35 Flex sits off to the side on this fairly uncommon leaf shutter SLR camera.

Around the same time as I picked up the Singlex TLS, I have having a bit of an infatuation with leaf shutter SLR models, particularly after I managed some good results with the Mamiya Autolux 35.  The 35 Flex is a close contemporary of that camera, and offers up much of the same type of features, along with its own version of the distinctive shutter sound that only a leaf shutter SLR can offer.  Given that the camera cost under $20, it was not a huge gamble, that happened to pay off when the camera arrived in working condition.  

The top deck of this camera is very spartan compared to the "cluster-fork" that comprises most modern SLR cameras.  To a degree, this is quite refreshing.  All settings are done on the lens barrel itself, leaving a frame counter as the only indicator on the top of the camera. I had little issue using the camera in this fashion, I did occasionally grumble at trying to find the nubs that changed these settings under the small window in which they were seen. 

While I certainly expected little to nothing from the selenium meter that was now more than 50 years old, I did find that this camera's settings tended to slip into "A" modes a bit too readily.    Given that there seemed no response from the meter, I tried to shoot the entire roll manually, but it seems the last couple shots were accidentally taken in auto exposure mode.  Surprisingly, they seemed to turn out OK.  Disengaging the automatic modes could be a bit cumbersome - if both aperture and shutter were set to "A," one could only disengage the shutter speed first, then the aperture to move back to full manual control. 

Aperture, shutter speed, and focal distance are all set on the lens barrel, resulting in a very lightly populated top deck to the Ricoh 35 Flex.  The settings for aperture especially close together, but stepless.  The viewfinder of this fixed lens leaf SLR is hugely impractical to clean, and shows the signs of its age, but was bright in spite of the dust.  Though the meter on this version is busted, I did love the little arm with the small red "lantern" that would raise upward to alert of improper lighting.

Aside from the quirks mentioned above, the only other pain point on the Ricoh 35 Flex was the film advance, which on this example was particularly tight.  Though manageable, I did worry it might tear the film.  Fortunately, that concern was not well founded.  Focusing and firing the 35 Flex seemed to work just as planned, though the long multi-layered noise of the shutter release gave me some concern that the shutter was firing slow, as guesstimating the performance of a leaf shutter by sound is a bit a challenge.

And fortunately that concern was not well founded as well!  As I developed four rolls of film at once, I found myself continually drawn to the negatives shot by none other than the Ricoh 35 Flex, astonished to a large degree that a camera that I had only modest confidence in, had delivered such sharp, clear, and contrasty negatives. 

Gallery:

I don't typically do "texture" shots, but couldn't resist this one.  The 35 Flex focused where desired and gave me this result. 

It didn't take me too long to realize that the f/2.8 wide aperture was actually pretty adequate to isolate subjects, and that this camera was a bit better than expected. 

The sharpness of the 4 element Rikenon lens is quite good for most subjects and worked quite well with the FP4 film. 

I had only limited hope for this photo taken at close focus wide open, given the comparatively slow lens, but the 35 Flex shattered my expectations in an amazing way and won me over with this image.

Contrasty scenes were all very well contained by the 35 Flex and the FP4 film combination.  

On occasion, when trying to focus in narrow scenes, I was a bit off.  Focus on the near tree is imperfect, and something to keep an eye on for future use. 

Largely though, the 35 Flex did about what I hoped, if not more.  This however, may have been focused at too far a distance to really blur the backdrop. 

A lot of iron and brick captured by a camera that evokes an era of heavy build quality itself.

Scene shots all seemed to give some great results on the 35 Flex, with sharp details and pleasing contrast. 

A little bit of banding on one side of this frame offers a bit of mystery to an otherwise well exposed frame. 

The poshest looking abandoned "Snack Shop" I've ever seen. 

Great fine line details and crisp edges combine with pleasing tonality to create some wonderfully sharp images on the Ricoh 35 Flex.

With my point of focus being the letter "M" here, the Ricoh 35 Flex did exactly as I'd hoped, and put forth a nicely muted backdrop in the distance. 

Yet again, good separation of a sharp subject and a progressively muted backdrop.  I really had my modest expectations exceeded by this camera. 

Thoughts:

As if almost by deliberate design, a pair of cameras from which I expected little, both came through with some very consistently commendable, and occasionally stellar results. There were times during the shooting in which I wondered if I was wasting my time and energy in attempting to photograph with this pair of old cameras, and I'm pleased to discover the answer to that query is a distinct "NO!" 

While both cameras had their kludgy points, and metering had to be done manually, both came through with solid results that did make me interested in using both again this Winter.  Both have some limitations, and a few challenges, but seem to be fine for taking out for a pleasant afternoon on the town as a dependable tool for shooting negative films.  

Of the two, the Ricoh 35 Flex tended to offer me the best feeling while shooting, despite the somewhat stiff film advance. Looking back at the results, it is nice to know that I can pick this camera up any time and fire away for a good result, without wasting a frame as I would ultimately have to do with this particular Singlex.  And with a fairly modest wide aperture of f/2.8, the lens of the 35 Flex does a great job of subject separation at closer distances.  That said, the Singlex does offer the advantage of interchangeable lenses, and a faster top shutter speed, so if a frame or two is expendable, the Singlex is likely to be a good choice when shooting through a roll of film on a single outing.  

Despite some skepticism in their performance, I am very glad I put the effort into using both of these cameras, and largely made sure to put effort into my composition and shooting with both of these cameras to really see what they might be able to do, rather than half-heartedly shoot a bulk of scene shots at near infinity focus.  While neither is anything near a dependable professional grade machine, both are great pickups that I will welcome to tag along in the not too distant future!   

Agent Double-0-Thirty Five: The Minox 35ML

Just yesterday, I posted an article covering one camera that I'd hoped might be a 35mm version of my beloved Bantam, and here, a mere 24 hours later, I'm posting an article on another similar camera, at least when it comes to size, form factor, and country of origin.

Typically I deliberately try to keep my articles staggered.  An SLR camera review isn't followed with another SLR camera review, Rangefinders don't follow other rangefinders, and so forth.  However, in this case, two cameras of a different build type, but both offering some features to make them something of a 35mm Kodak Bantam, have managed to pace behind each other.  

In the case of this review, this similarity comes in the form of the Minox 35ML, a tiny and amazing piece of machinery in 35mm format that, for lack of a better descriptor, is best termed as a modern day compact folding camera. 

While not entirely spy-worthy, the Minox 35ML is an amazingly small device.

The Minox 35ML comes from a photographic icon famous in the photographic community for its smaller "Spy Cameras" utilizing tiny devices to record 8x11mm images on small size film.  The Minox name brings to mind the thrilling world of James Bond movies from the 1960's and 1970's, as a means to discretely take images of documents. These cameras still have a following to this day keeping the medium alive and well.

Less known however are Minox's 35mm offerings, which stay very true to the maker's tendency to create amazingly compact devices with a surprising amount of functionality.  I had never noted the presence of Minox in the sphere of 35mm film photography when I suddenly stumbled upon one for sale at a local Goodwill for a modest $25.  I picked it up and could immediately see what a unique gem of a camera this was.

Despite a very plastic build that looks directly from the 1980's, the 35ML carried a certain precisionate charm to it, with an amazingly tiny footprint when folded up.  It wasn't quite "007" stealth in size, but it was without question the smallest size I had (or have) ever seen in a full frame 35mm camera, which makes perfect sense, as from most accounts, it is the smallest full frame 135 camera ever made.  

But in creating a super small camera, Minox did not simply do the bare minimum and offer a fixed focus setting or two, and a spring shutter tensioned for a "safe" speed to make an in focus image from a slow lens on high speed film.  Instead, the ML 35 offers a remarkable amount of control for its size, while having enough heft to manage an image, even without flash, in most lighting situations. 

The center piece of the 35ML is a 35mm Color Minotar f/2.8 lens that can be scale focused down to 0.9 meters using the small ring on the lens barrel.  Additionally, the camera can be decidedly set from any aperture between f/2.8 and f/16.  As well, it can be set on "P" to allow programmed exposure. Setting the aperture instead will put the camera in "Aperture Priority" mode and provide auto exposure for all shots, provided that it falls within the ML35's shutter speed range of 1 second to 1/500 second.   Shutter speed information is provided using small red LED lights in the viewfinder.

To add even more to the feature set, the Minox has a self timer as well as an exposure compensation switch that will double the length of time the shutter is open, very useful when shooting backlit scenes.  One can even use a threaded cable release with the 35ML as well.  The camera operates on a single PX-28 cell, which is not the easiest battery to find, but can still be easily sourced with a little bit of looking. 

The Minox 35ML shows a 1980's type of design that manages to be tasteful in a plasticky kind of way.  Unfolded, the camera's layout sets the main two setting controls in plain view and near proxmity. The orange button is the shutter release. 

Film speed is simply set using a dial on the bottom that ranges from ISO 25 to ISO 1600, and offers a secondary way to adjust exposures if make-shift EV compensation is needed in a pinch.   What this all adds up to is a pseudo-point and shoot camera that is anything but a point and shoot camera.

Given that point and shoot cameras can often be lean on truly useful features or control, it is refreshing to see the bevy of options possible with the 35ML.  The attention to detail and ergonomics is quite well in that controls are generally well placed and labels pretty self-explanatory, despite taking up such a modest amount of real estate.  A few cost and weight concessions are evident, from the plastic orange and black construction that looks like it belongs in an old Sharper Image catalogue, to the 2-piece "Double V" aperture iris that results in a diamond shaped opening.

Retailing for about $190 when it was a contemporary camera model in 1985, the miniature Minox had a price tag far above the basic $30-60 point and shoot cameras of the time, but still well below the advanced SLR cameras of the era.  It's main selling point was obviously its size, and that said size came without sacrificing much in the way of functionality.  Using a 35ML, one finds that there are few situations where the little Minox is completely unable to yield an image.

Discrete but convenient features allow the use of backlight compensation, as seen above.  The switch on the back sets the self-timer.  Below can be seen the modest profile of the 35ML compared to a much newer and very compact camera in the Nikon Lite Touch Zoom 80. 

However, with a wide angle lens and a limited range of shutter speeds, the 35ML is not always the optimal camera for every situation.  This isn't likely to be the take along to snap close in action shots of your little leaguer from the bleachers, and with its tendency to be a bit on the delicate side, is also not the ideal option for a day spent on the sandy beaches.

What the 35ML does manage to be is the camera that you carry with you daily without it burdening you.  It slips easily into pockets, purses, backpacks, and laptop bags, taking up a minimum of space when folded, and nicely protected by its leatherette case.  It's an ideal carry on for an airplane that doesn't have to count as your "personal item" and doesn't violate the "electronic devices rule."

And despite its small size and controls, handling a 35ML is reasonably easy.  You can flip the aperture dial to "P" if you wish not to concentrate on anything more than estimating focus distance, or you can elect to control both aperture and subject focus distance.  Either way, the automatic exposure system will deliver a well exposed shot in most lighting conditions. 

In the course of just over a year, I was actually surprised at how many times I've turned to the 35ML.  Given its small size and reasonably worry free use however, it is one of the easier cameras to take off the shelf when I want something that I know I can use that will yield good results.  It also makes an easy addition to a seemingly full camera bag to have just one more well featured camera on hand that I can make use of.

Simple LED lights work in conjunction with the viewfinder overlay to offer basic exposure information details.  A sun symbol and shade icon show if exposure exceeds the range of the camera's exposure system.  Below, the folded camera can be seen in a relative size.  The title of the book says it all. 

The Minox does have a few quibbles however that make it less than ideal to use.  One minor gripe is that the focusing ring only shows distances in meters.  For most of the world, this is little of an issue, but for an American used to thinking of "feet first," the need to multiply each number on the dial by "roughly 3" to estimate distance adds a little bit of time to the photo taking process.  Another minor gripe is the double stroke film advance.  After each photo, the user should advance the film by stroking the short throw film advance TWICE. While seemingly just an annoyance, not doing this can lead to failure of the camera over time, as the shutter cocking mechanism relies on magnets that will weaken over time if the shutter is left uncocked.  

My main issue with the Minox 35ML however is what I call "battery deception." As the battery wears down below usable levels, the LED indicators in the viewfinder will still briefly light between shots, the shutter release will still depress, and sound (the shutter on this camera is extremely quiet as it is) as if it is functioning, and the camera will happily allow you to continue through a roll of film on dead batteries. I discovered this the hard way as I entrusted this camera to a roll of fresh Fuji Velvia 50 to record the most colorful moments on our trip to Maine last Summer, only to get back a strip of mostly dark exposures with a few intermittent shots completely overexposed.  In use, it pays to make careful observation of the LED lights in the viewfinder, or to use the battery check button near the shutter release.  

This issue aside, the 35ML has delivered me several rolls of sharp and problem-free images, all in a size smaller than a modest paperback book when folded.  The level of controls on the camera are quite nice, but I've discovered, aren't as artistically versatile as I'd hoped.  Below are samples from a couple of rolls shot on this Minox mini.  

In the busy and often security-paranoid confines of Union Station, a small discreet camera like the 35ML makes it pretty easy to snap photos on the go without missing a step!

At less hectic environments, the 35ML was even easier to use, as the distance dial in meters makes us Americans have to "translate" a bit. 

My overall impression of the Minotar lens is that it is impeccably sharp despite its small size. 

The exposure system of the 35ML handled a wide range of scenes capably and accurately.

Shots in broad daylight tend to be readily handled by the Minox.

Delta 100 made an overall good choice for the 35ML, as the lens was generally fast enough for most situations. 

On occasion, I could get limited depth of field shots on the Minox, but they were pretty rare.  This was one of my better efforts. 

An early morning image at Washington Union Station picks up some great tonality through the Minotar 35mm lens. 

Another impressive result, helped by the "2X" switch.  Using the add-on features isn't always recalled as being an option, but they do work as intended when you do remember them.

Motion shots in early morning were something for which the 35ML was suprisingly up for.  The results, while not perfect, are impressive to say the least. 

Another try at shallow depth of field.  The focus is correct, but the out of focis rendering isn't the most poetic. 

Despite its lack of dreamy bokeh, the lens holds its own in the sharpness field.  It is rather surprising to think of how small the camera was which rendered this fine image.

Ilford FP4

I grabbed up the 35ML again in 2017 to give it another try.  The sharpness again impressed me though I was again less than thrilled with the lack of bokeh on my first tries. 

For quick general street shooting though, the 35ML is an easy to use winner, delivering sharp image after sharp image. 

This 35ML has outlasted the circus, whose wagons made one last trip into the Nations Capitol. 

Yet again, if one isn't looking for artistic background rendering, the 35ML will yield a sharp negative that offers great detail and tonality.

I need to give it up.  I'm just not going to get the dreamy bokeh and muted backdrops I had hoped with this camera and its oddly shaped aperture diamond. 

Again, the camera just delivers a very sharp image that is noticeable both near and from afar.  With a little bit of good educated guessing at distances, this camera will do most or all of the left over work to deliver.

After sending several rolls of film through the 35ML, I've come to the following conclusions.  This is a fantastic camera to carry along on its own, or to readily toss in the camera bag to squeeze one more (familar) camera in as a backup.  This can work great when you have a unique film type such as color transparencies that you may wish to have handy in case you see a shot that begs for that medium.  The 35ML will reward you with sharp, contrasty, and well exposed images that certainly don't look as if they came from a camera of this size.

What the 35ML doesn't really do however, is enable much of anything in the way of creativity.  Bokeh is pretty bland, and there is no way to do multiple exposures or bulb exposures.  This little Minox won't transform your world into dreamy scenes but will more or less offer faithful and more literal renditions of your surroundings as they are, through a good range of lighting conditions.  

As such, this little camera makes a great companion for a day of landscape shooting in bright light or otherwise, while offering enough versatility and options to take a reasonable portrait or moderate close up as needed.  It won't make you feel like James Bond per se, but it will make you feel like it is capable of discreetly taking some very good photos that will be free of major goofs.

Just make sure you check the batteries!