Ricoh five-one-nine

[br1078lum]

Anybody with experience on the 519?  I'm considering doing a CLA on the shutter as it sticks, and this seems to be the only problem.  It's a lovely chunk of metal, and I hate to think I bought another paperweight.  Or if someone has a hankering for these cameras, I also have the auxillary lenses, a cap, the correct ERC, and at least one fan flash.  I did not however get the aux finder, so that has dampened my enthusiasm for this camera.  I have so many other cameras that need attention I'm afraid I just might give up on this one.  That and I don't want it to be my 'learners mistake', it's too nice for that. (You could also point me to a good repairman).
PF

[LarryD]

I had a 500 it was nice and quiet.

http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index-frameset.html?Ricoh500.html~mainFrame

[br1078lum]

Yeah Larry, it is a nice quiet machine.  I am leaning toward getting it fixed up nice.  I saw where someone else got their 500 done by John Hama, so I'll probably go that route in the spring, or earlier if I don't procastinate on my taxes again.  But I don't think I'll need all the accessories, so those will go for sale later.  I think I have my GAS symptoms under control now, and don't need to have a complete outfit when I get a camera.  Spent a lot of money this past year dealing with that, only to be disappointed time and again.  It's tough being an old gearhead.
PF

[Graham Serretta]

I have a Ricoh 519 - unfortunately it was damaged in transit so it is a shelf queen, which is sad.  I also have a 500 (the 519 has a f1.8 lens, the 500 has a f2.8 lens) which is fully working.  The first camera that I ever owned at the age of 12, was a Ricoh 500, and I still have some of the negs that came from it.  Brilliant camera, but beware the film advance / shutter cocking lever mechanism can become fragile if it is abused.  It's not as robust as the Leica version by any means.

[br1078lum]

Thanks for the advice Graham.  I'll treat it with care.  My first serious camera was the Sears version of the Ricoh Singlex TLS, and I've always had a soft spot for Ricohs since then.  I even went about recreating my original kit, and for the most part was successful.  I only had to buy four of the 90-230mm zooms before I got one that wasn't foggy, but then it was a later version without the tripod mount.  But I can live with that.

PF

[Glenn Thoreson]

I have a really nice one. The lens on the Five-One-Nine is really sharp and contrasty. I like the camera a lot.