Ricoh Auto Half E2 Film Camera Review

Ricoh Auto Half E2 is a 35mm half-frame film camera with a unique combination of features that make it one of the few full-fledged point-and-shoot film cameras that don’t need any batteries.

This camera will set the exposure and advance the film for you once you wind it like a toy. It has a good lens, and it looks neat. In fact, it’s been named as an inspiration for the new Pentax 17. But you’ll need to watch out for that selenium meter. In this review: A fully-mechanical point-and-shoot? Technical specifications. Ricoh Auto Half in use: design and ergonomics. Lens and image quality. Build quality. How much does a Ricoh Auto Half cost, and where to find one. Support this blog & get premium features with GOLD memberships!

 ☝︎ Further reading: “10 Half-Frame Film Cameras for Under $500.”

A fully-mechanical point-and-shoot?

Ricoh Auto Half E2 is a point-and-shoot that does away with a purely mechanical construction powered by a selenium light meter. It needs no batteries, yet it can automatically advance film for you after each shot and measure exposures. All there’s to do is wind, point, and click.

Its lens is a prime 25mm 𝒇2.8-22 with coated glass elements designed to be “always” in focus. Thanks to the short focal length and design choices, the lens renders acceptable sharpness at all apertures between about 2m/6” and infinity. Smaller apertures ensure that the entire scene is in focus, regardless of how far you are from your subject.

If you’ve ever shot cheap plastic/disposable/reusable cameras, you may be familiar with the focus-free lens design, including the new Kodak Ektar H35N. However, Ricoh’s objective was simplicity — not savings.

The result is a fully automatic film camera that can take decent photos in quick succession in half-frame format. Powered by a mechanical winder and the energy of the sun (which it converts to appropriate aperture settings with its coupled light meter).

Technical specifications.

Ricoh Auto Half E2 uses its 25mm 𝒇2.8-22 fixed-focus lens (3 groups 4 elements) with a single-speed 1/125s shutter and a selenium light meter to make correct exposures in “A” (auto) mode.

It weighs 325g/11.5oz and measures 9cm × 8cm × 4cm (3.7” × 3.2”× 1.6”).

In auto mode, the camera accepts films with ISOs 25-400. In manual mode (i.e., when you select any of the apertures), Auto Half switches its shutter to 1/30s.

Auto Half can sync with flash. It has distance markings on the aperture dial designed for GN16 (learn about flash guide numbers here). Of course, you can use it with other types of flashes as long as you select an appropriate aperture for your distance.

The shutter button accepts a remote/bulb thread — but there is no bulb mode. Yet, there’s a tripod hole made on the side to create landscape-oriented photos.

This camera uses a selenium light meter that converts light directly to energy to power its mechanics for automatic aperture selection. It’s the bubbles on the front panel.

The viewfinder shows bright lines in the viewfinder to indicate where the frame will cut off. It also has an exposure warning indicator in the middle which will turn from yellow to red if there isn’t enough light for a good exposure.

The Half uses a spring-tension winder, which can be cranked to fire up to 30 exposures in succession (depending on the condition of your spring) by just pressing the shutter button.

A frame counter will show your current frame at the bottom and reset as soon as you open the film door.

Auto Half cameras were very popular in the 1960s. They came in a variety of designs and even had a few accessories — including lens filters and underwater housings!

Ricoh Auto Half in use: design and ergonomics.

The Half is a hefty little brick but fits in a hoodie and is easy to carry. It’s swift and is tons of fun. I enjoyed mine.

Auto Half is a looker. Many front plate designs were made. Some rare versions can go for over $1,500! It also makes a unique sound each time it advances film — a buzz of small gears like a wind-up toy. Lots of fun.

It’s easy to load with fresh film into this camera. However, once you’re done, rewinding can be a little tricky. You have to: 1) set the red rewind arrow to match with the orange mark (like in the image above), then 2) press the silver metal button in the middle of the winder — and only then can you rewind your emulsion back into the canister.

The frame counter is small and can be hard to notice. Good thing you don’t need to use it often, as each roll can produce more than 72 frames with the Half!

Despite the protruding parts and the boxy look, this camera is not at all fiddly. I only wish it was easier to grip with one hand (it’s possible, but it doesn’t feel very secure). I used mine with my favourite wrist strap.

The Half is quick at advancing to the next frame and needs no time to adjust focus. This makes it faster than all motorized point-and-shoots. While some images may turn out blurry, you certainly won’t miss the moment. Just make sure that you press the shutter button fully down to avoid it sticking.

The viewfinder on Half is fairly comfortable, but it’s not ideal with the glasses on (the frame lines are hard to see). Unfortunately, that’s the case with most film cameras unless you find one with high eyepoint. The red dot in the middle of the finder that’s supposed to indicate that there’s not enough light is ironically difficult to see in low light. Still, it’s one of the better viewfinders you’ll see on a camera made in the 1960s.

Lens and image quality.

Ricoh Auto Half’s lens can produce surprisingly sharp images, even when shot wide-open. While the infinity focus is somewhat blurry at 𝒇2.8, daylight will typically force the camera to constrict the aperture to a size that keeps everything in focus.

The half-frame lens renders medium contrast and shows pleasing qualities like an occasional, barely noticeable swirly bokeh (see the colour photo above, the one on the right and the enlargement below).

You may notice some flaring in the photos taken with E2. The flaring can appear significant or distracting — but not unusual for any of the cameras of that period. The corners may also appear soft at wider apertures, though, for the most part, I found this lens to be very impressive for keeping an image together without any focus controls. It’s almost magical.

Build quality.

Ricoh made the Half with mostly metal components that all fit very nicely together. Tight tolerances, excellent paint job, and precision-made mechanics. When I tried to fix mine, I even found an adjustable arm inside, designed to counter the depleting selenium cell as the years go by. These cameras were made to last a long time, and many have.

The Half I have seems to be built so solidly it can survive several falls — unless that happens to damage the lens or the selenium cell. It’s a simple camera, but the care for even the smallest details is evident:

Like the plastic strip next to the strap ring to keep the camera from scratching. Or the little round bump next to the tripod hole so that the camera could stand upright on a table. Or the practically unnecessary but beautiful film door latch with an orange arrow and helpful “OPEN” label on a small aluminum strip. Or the excellent take-up spool design that makes loading film easier on E2 than most film cameras of the era.

You should, however, watch out for malfunctioning selenium meters. They can deplete gradually, making the appearance of a working camera but giving insufficient energy to produce correct exposures. If you take the camera apart, you’ll notice a small arm that moves as you shine the light onto the meter; that arm is connected to an adjustable junction, which can be altered to recalibrate the light meter.

How much does a Ricoh Auto Half cost, and where to find one.

Ricoh Auto Half cameras aren’t as cheap as I expected them to be, given how simple their design is. But the build quality explains it.

This vintage camera usually sells for $100-200, depending on the faceplate design and condition. There are versions of this camera that have a faster lens with manual focus if you prefer that.

❤ By the way: Please consider making your Ricoh Auto Half E2 camera purchase using this link  so that this website may get a small percentage of that sale — at no extra charge for you — thanks!

And if this is your first time buying a used film camera, check out this guide!