Every year, my family tries to take at least one vacation together. This time, we decided to head down to Charleston, South Carolina, for a few days to explore the city and take in the sights. Before each trip, I always get excited about the photo opportunities and inevitably end up packing way too much gear.
Initially, I planned to bring my new Holga wide pinhole camera to capture some medium-format panorama shots of Charleston’s harbor views. However, after testing everything, I had to rethink my grand photographic plans. I discovered there was an issue with the shutter on the Holga. Thankfully, I realized this before leaving!
With panoramas still on my mind, I decided to pack my compact Ricoh R1s, which I’d picked up on eBay a couple of years earlier. Like many point-and-shoot cameras from the ’90s, it has a panoramic mode that creates a super-wide aspect ratio with 35mm film. I’ll dive into this feature a bit later.
Ricoh, Revisited
Initially, I bought the Ricoh because I’m always on the lookout for the perfect everyday camera. Something I can carry with me in a pocket to snap a quick photo if I see something interesting. But after daily use and about 20 rolls, the R1s just sat in my camera drawer mostly untouched. For me, the 30mm lens just felt too wide.
Fast forward a few years, and here I was considering the Ricoh again, this time as a companion for the Charleston trip. Although the panoramic mode initially made me revisit the camera, my decision to bring it along was influenced by a new perspective. Each time I had used the R1s in the past, I wanted it to fit my typical shooting style—tight framing and cropping to isolate the subject and remove distractions.
But what if I approached it differently? Instead of trying to make the Ricoh fit the way I shoot, I could adapt and play to the camera’s strengths.
The thought of leaving behind all that unnecessary gear and relying on a compact camera felt liberating. So, I made my decision—the Ricoh R1s would be my pocket-sized memory maker.
A film diary and storyteller for this family trip to Charleston.
Fully Automatic, Plus A Few Things
Smaller than my phone, the Ricoh R1s is easily the most pocketable film camera I own. Its compact size is arguably one of its best features, making it effortless to carry around and always ready for action.
The camera comes equipped with a selectable date code, LCD information panels on the top and side, and I love the viewfinder’s dynamic guidelines. These switch in real-time inside the viewfinder when you select different aspect ratios to help with framing. Everything is powered by a single CR2 3V battery.
The R1s is fitted with a 30mm prime lens that offers selectable aspect ratios. You can choose between a standard 2:3 12x36mm image and a 1:3 panoramic option at 30mm or 24mm. The panoramic effect is achieved through a plastic mechanical curtain that masks part of the frame.
For the 24mm focal length, the rear lens element shifts slightly backward to create a wider view, but this adjustment limits the aperture to f/8.
If you’ve shot film for any length of time, chances are you’ve accidentally opened the back of the camera mid-roll, ruining some of your shots. Thankfully, the Ricoh R1s has a clever feature to prevent this. It pre-winds the film when you load it, so each shot gets pulled into the canister after it’s taken. If you accidentally open the back before finishing the roll, all the exposed frames are safely stored in the canister. A pretty cool safety feature for us forgetful types!
Another handy feature of the R1s is its “leader-out” function. When rewinding a roll, you can stop the process a few centimeters before the film leader is fully retracted into the canister. This is especially useful if you develop your own film at home or want to re-expose a roll. No need to fish the film leader back out—it’s ready to go.
A Few Snafus
When I purchased the camera from a seller in Japan, I willingly paid a premium in hopes of getting a copy in good working condition. After all, these cameras were released in 1995. Unfortunately, my first test roll revealed bad light seals. Nothing a little electrical tape on the film door couldn’t fix.
More recently, I noticed that the automatic lens shade, which protects the front element, was sticking partially closed when the camera powered on and the lens extended. A few light flicks with my finger cleared out whatever obstruction was causing the issue (probably pocket lint), and the shade began opening and closing properly again. It’s only happened once so far, but it’s something I’ll be keeping an eye on.
Other Specs and Info
Shutter: 2 sec – 1/400 sec
Weight: 4.9 oz (140g) empty, and 6.4 oz with a roll of film and battery installed
DX Code: 50-3200 iso, sets iso to 100 if the film canister is not coded
There are several versions of the Ricoh R1 point-and-shoot that were released over the years. The original R1 debuted in 1994, followed by the R1s in 1995. There’s also an R1e version, which removes the 24mm wide option.
These cameras all share a similar size and form factor with the famous GR series, but the GR cameras offer significantly more manual control over exposure and a sturdier build.
My Final Thoughts
While I was disappointed with this camera when I first bought it, I think it’s finally found its place in my camera lineup. Once I stopped expecting it to be something it was not, the Ricoh R1s became a wonderful camera to shoot with.
Like the GR series, these unobtrusive cameras are quite popular among street photographers, and I can understand the appeal. Documentary photography often requires a journalistic approach, typically with a wider angle of view that allows for more details in the scene to help tell the story.
When I let go of the need to get the perfect framing and instead focus on capturing the bigger picture, the Ricoh R1s consistently delivers excellent snapshots and memories.