Joy to the world, the Ricoh XR-7 has come!

'MERRY CHRISTMAS'
Tis the season for...35mm love? Yes in fact it is, or at least it was in my case. I arose on this snowy Christmas morning with my eyes full of sleep not knowing what a joyous occasion I was yet to behold. Under the slightly over decorated and highly electrifying tree was a package that stood out amongst the rest. This package was not from around here. No. This package has seen many miles and many faces over the past few days, travelling from its origin on the east coast all the way to this mid west town of Ogden Utah. A package sent from my Grandfather. As the present catches my eye from under the tree, I reach out and snatch it up as quickly as possible tearing away at it. Shreds of paper fly through the air as if it is some sort of Christmas confetti until I am satisfied with the unveiling. I am a kid again. I pop open the top and what do I see? 35mm love. My Grandfather has sent me his vintage 1982 Ricoh XR-7 and enough accessories to make even the most prideful photographer smile from ear to ear. A diamond in the rough.

What is a Ricoh XR-7?

What isn't a Ricoh XR-7 is a more appropriate question to ask. The XR-7 is not your everyday auto focusing point and shoot. It is not a matrix metering, 12.3 mega pixel, 8 FPS digital conformist. It however, is a top end 35mm Single Lens Reflex camera born in Japan in 1982. It has Aperture Priority and manual shooting modes. This beauty has from 16 to 1/1000 electric controlled shutter speeds, a useful depth of field preview, multiple exposure controls, an electronic self timer, and an interesting little button which is supposed to prevent over exposure from bright back grounds. It supports a dedicated flash, has a F stop and shutter speed readout in the viewfinder, encompasses a center weighted exposure meter, and has the ever popular K mount for lenses. This rugged bad boy is made primarily of metal and has a "5 year rechargable" silver oxide cell.

Believe me, with the Ricoh XR-7 you will achieve pure 35mm Nirvana and the camera itself will last the true test of time.