Ricoh Mirai - an 1988 modern AF film camera

[marc_bergman1]

<p>JDM,</p>

<p>I found that Jan. 1991 article. I scanned both pages 54 and 55. It gives some interesting information about digital imaging during this time period.</p>

<p>Here is page 54.</p>

 

<div></div>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Here is page 55.</p><div></div>

[andrewg_ny]

<p>JDM, thanks for sharing. I think these posts are great, and sort of wish they were also in a dedicated site/blog for better browsing similar-style posts, but you're right that p-net usually ranks pretty high in search engines for those who might want to find them.</p>

<p>Its form looks rather grotesque to the eye in 2011 but it is an interesting idea. Was that a completely unique hotshoe connector, was there an adapter for ISO hotshoe? Odd that the LCD display appears to show focus distance as a horizontal bar between the 'film spool' symbols.</p>

<p> How does the 'manual focus work' with what sounds like it's described as a single button? Do you hold this button and use the zoom control, or is it more like 'activate autofocus now'? How well does that work?</p>

<p>The exposure compensation buttons hidden behind a door? And can film speed be overridden or is it DX-only...or is it expected that exposure compensation would be used instead of manual ISO? (Which appears possible since exposure comp is set in 1/3 EV steps with a +/- 4 range).</p>

[donnie_strickland]

<p>Marc -- that was very interesting. They were calling them "still-video" cameras then, and Ricoh had a video back for the Mirai! (For demonstration only though).</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Thanks, Marc. My own PP issues as of now only come up to 1989, and I haven't tried to get complete runs anyhow.</p>

<p>Andrew: As far as I know the 'bayonet' flash hot shoe is unique, but there may have been other Ricoh models that took it. None of my literature on it mentions any kind of adapter to a conventional hotshoe.<br>

Manual focus in "macro" mode is just with the zoom wheel, but for other manual focus, you set it on manual on the bottom switch, then hold in the large 'manual' switch on the side of the lens, and turn the zoom knob. It's designed well so that it all works with no problem.</p>

<p>The ISO can be set for non-DX films, but the otherwise default ISO for non-DX is 100. I don't have the manual here with me now, but I think that you can either set ISO higher manually or use exposure compensation.</p>

<p>There is a manual on line at Butkus, but it is an html version that isn't complete, I think.</p>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>JDM,</p>

<p>I just checked Mike Butkus site and he has the pdf version.</p>

<p>http://www.butkus.org/chinon/ricoh/ricoh_mirai/ricoh_mirai.pdf</p>

<p>He has also done some work on his site design since I was last there.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>What sacrifices I make in the cause of camera collecting. I actually watched my old VHS tape of the 1989 <em>Batman</em>, and found the Olympus AZ4 (or maybe even a Mirai, it's not possible to tell in low-res).<br>

It did look to me like it had the more pronounced "hump" of the Mirai, now that I think on it.</p>

<p>It's Bob, the Joker's assistant and "No. 1 man". He is taking pictures when the Joker and the rest of the gang are getting set to wipe out the older, pre-Joker gangsters. I think Vicki Vail's camera is some sort of Nikon.</p><div></div>

[sobing_lee]

<p>In my mind why Olympus and RIoch prouduce Mirai /AZ4.Olympus was fail in AF in OM system, RIOCH is using K-MOUNT,however, Pentax is the latest step in AFSLR. How about Olympus and RIOCH facing AF Wave .which force there create a new camera .lens and body AIO also effect now.like prosumer DC with high power ZOOM lens.<br>

from AZ4 Olympus has produce ISO SYSTEM.RIOCH 's on .</p>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>JDM,</p>

<p>I found a comprehensive test of the Ricoh Mirai. It is from the July 1989 issue of Popular Photography.</p>

<p>It just shows how good Pop Photo was in its prime.</p>

<p>Here is page 1.</p><div></div>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Here is page 2 of the test.</p><div></div>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Here is page 3 of the test.</p><div></div>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Here is page 4 of the test.</p><div></div>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Here is page 5 of the test.</p><div></div>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Here is page 6 of the test.</p><div></div>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Here is page 7 of the test.</p><div></div>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Here is page 8 of the test.</p><div></div>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Here is page 9 of the test.</p><div></div>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Here is the 10th and last page of the test.</p><div></div>

[JDMvW]

<p>thanks :)</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Much much later<br>

Toyota has just 2015-11-19 announced that they are making a new car called the Mirai<br>

https://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/toyota-launches-the-mirai--a-hydrogen-car-you-can-buy-%E2%80%94-sort-of-233839110.html </p>

 

[andrewg_ny]

Sadly, I think the curious Ricoh is better-looking than that ghastly Toyota.

[michael_runyon]

<p>Very informative article. I have 2 Ricoh Mirai 35-135 cameras, one of which has the date back as well as the dedicated flash and teleconverter. <br />I managed a camera store when they first came out, but I thought they were a bit pricy at the time and didn't actually buy either of mine till the past year. I did however use one back in '89 as a prop in a model shoot. Fun camera.<img src="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MikeRunyon/photos/photo/6138379100156192578?pid=6138379100156192578&oid=115754371967324227307" alt="" /></p><div></div>

[JDMvW]

<p>Much later:</p>

<p>Other posts done by me on "Bridge Cameras" here at P.net<br /> Bridge Cameras posts<br /><br /><strong>Yashica Samurai X3.0 (1987 or 1988)</strong> - <a href="/modern-film-cameras-forum/00YvJm" rel="nofollow">http://www.photo.net/modern-film-cameras-forum/00YvJm</a><br /><strong>left-handed" Samurai</strong> - <a href="/modern-film-cameras-forum/00a181" rel="nofollow">http://www.photo.net/modern-film-cameras-forum/00a181</a> <br /><br /><strong>Chinon Genesis II (GS-8) 1990</strong> - <a href="/modern-film-cameras-forum/00YqZO" rel="nofollow">http://www.photo.net/modern-film-cameras-forum/00YqZO</a> , <a href="/modern-film-cameras-forum/00YqZh" rel="nofollow">http://www.photo.net/modern-film-cameras-forum/00YqZh</a><br /><br /><strong>Ricoh Mirai - an 1988 modern AF film camera</strong> - <a href="/modern-film-cameras-forum/00Yk4S" rel="nofollow">http://www.photo.net/modern-film-cameras-forum/00Yk4S</a><br /><br /><strong>Canon PHOTURA and PHOTURA 135 CAPTION</strong> - <a href="/modern-film-cameras-forum/00Z73j" rel="nofollow">http://www.photo.net/modern-film-cameras-forum/00Z73j</a><br>

<strong>Canon T50 (as Bridge)</strong> - <a href="/modern-film-cameras-forum/00byOu" rel="nofollow">http://www.photo.net/modern-film-cameras-forum/00byOu</a></p>

[david_tellet]

<p>Love these posts JDM. The Mirai is my favorite but I prefer the lens on the Olympus IS-3. And the Samurai is a great half-frame with a lens that is far better than it needed to be. All fun cameras that can produce great pictures and can be picked up for a song. </p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>Thanks for the links, JDM. I've always liked the Olympus IS series of bridge cameras. I own (and still use) an IS 30. While it doesn't have as many features as the IS1/2/3, it's lens does start at 28mm rather than 35. Like its more featured siblings you can get a front mounted tele attachment. However, the IS1 and company not only make tele attachments (with longest providing 300mm on the IS3) they also offered a wide angle attachment to produce 28mm. I remember that one of the photo magazines tested the IS3 with its accessory lenses and found them to be fairly decent performers. </p>