Ansco Memo II Automatic Half-Frame

[keith_slater]

Here is a link to pics of and by my ansco half-frame camera. If

anyone knows any info about it or can tell me how to use the apeture

dial that would be nice. I do not understand why there is F N and C

and 200, 100, and 50. I took most of the pics in "A" mode. I

experimented with other apetures. That is why some of the photos are

dark or washed out. The photos of the dogs were taken with a automatic

flash and F5.6. The automatic pics came out the best. I had these

developed and a cd made by Walmart. When you look throught the

viewfinder there is a glowing green light in the center if you have

enough light for an exposure. Also you can see a line on the right

with c, n, and f. (close near and far) This moves with the focus

ring on the front. The film advances by a spring wound dial on the

bottom. The bottom says "Made in Japan by Richoh for General Aniline

& Film Corp. Binghamton NY 30780. Film used was Clark Color 200

speed. The link is below

 

<http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jaboc2/album?.dir=5968&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos>

[keith_slater]

Sorry here is the url

 

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jaboc2/album?.dir=5968&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

[keith_slater]

Sorry again, that one is to long, try this one.

 

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jaboc2/album

[micah_henry]

Keith,

 

Hey, that's a neat little camera!

 

I found this on the subclub.org website:

 

"Same as the Ricoh Auto Half. The features that made it popular were its small size, automatic exposure and built-in spring-motor drive. It had a trusty four element, three group 25mm (f2.8) fixed-focus lens that would appear on Ricoh (and other) half-frames for years to come. The shutter had two speeds of 1/30 (for flash) and 1/125. The selenium meter around the lens controlled the exposure at 1/125. The spring drive could advance 25 - 30 exposures before winding was needed (It did not offer motorized rewind, like the Canon Dial cameras) Tripod socket and PC contact on the side. A cold flash shoe was available as an accessory and screwed into the tripod socket. Ricoh also made several flash units that screwed into the tripod socket and made contact with the PC contact (which is next to the tripod socket) -- a nice setup that they used on several of their cameras, not just half-frames. Also sold as the Standard Gatling 72. A flash and strange, rectangular filters that snapped on over the lens, meter and viewfinder were available as accessories."

 

That was actually Subclub's listing for "Ansco Memo Automatic." Their listing for "Ansco/GAF Memo" is:

 

"It has the front shutter release of the Ricoh Auto Half, the flashy faceplate of the Ricoh Auto Half E, and a hot-shoe like the Ricoh Auto Half E2 (but in a different location)."

 

All this is at http://www.subclub.org/shop/ansco3.htm

 

His page on the Ricoh 1/2 framers is this:

http://www.subclub.org/shop/ricoh.htm

 

Hope this helps!

 

--Micah in NC

[Dustin McAmera]

See the current thread on the Olympus 35 EC2: I guess 200, 100 and 50 are flash Guide Numbers (those had better be in feet) at 100 ASA. These are settings for non-automatic flash, where the flash gives out the same light whatever the ambient light conditions; you warn the camera how much light, and how far away the subject is (f, n, or c), and it knows what aperture to set.

 

Looks lovely!

[jorn ake]

Yep, I have the Ricoh and they look very similar. But your photos are better than mine! I think I need to go back and do some cleaning. Once i figured out that the film tail goes under the metal clip on the winding spool, everything has been peachy with the winder though. What a cool thing. I like the way that you have scanned them too. The winder & half-frame allows some nice accidental juxtapositions. I have tried a couple times to plan out my juxtapositions, but they never work out as well as just blamming away and seeing what comes out of the developing tank. Here is a photo of the Ricoh.<div></div>

[jorn ake]

And what Pete says makes sense as the camera is basically operates on auto aperture, and guide number/distance would be the two things need for it to set aperture accurately. I have taken fairly low light shots on 400ISO film, even when the red light is on, and they have come out fine. I think that is probably due to the meter's weakness in low EV range. You can also turn off the auto aperture and set your own. It is, as shown by your shots, best in the daylight. A nice tourist camera perhaps?

[keith_slater]

I would not take it into a quite place. The winder is quite loud every time you take a pic!