Ricoh RZ3000
Also know as the Ricoh Shotmaster 130 Super
I’ve written about this camera previously but there are a few unique details that I haven’t mentioned.
The auto backlight control is coupled to the focus system, if a backlit subject is greater than 20 feet away it will adjust the exposure alone but if the subject is closer it will use fill flash, nice and automatic.
In Super Night Shot mode if you are taking a portrait the camera will first focus to infinity and take an exposure for up to 2 seconds it then closes the shutter refocuses on the subject and takes a second exposure with flash, if there is no subject within 6m then the camera just takes the long exposure without the second flash image.
The RZ3000 can adjust exposure for light levels in the range of 3.5EV to 17EV. (EV 3.5 with ISO 400 film would be something like candle light or a night scene with lights)
Originally listed at around $300 in 1996 the RZ3000 can now be had for less than the cost of a roll of film, although this fate is not unique to it. If it wasn’t for the complete depreciation of these cameras I couldn’t hope to have this much fun.
