Ricoh AF-60S (1987–after 1989)

The Ricoh AF-60S is a 35mm compact autofocus camera from the late 1980s. It belongs to a large family of visually similar Taiwanese-made Ricoh compacts that included the AF-45, AF-50, AF-55, AF-60, and AF-70. It appears to have been a minor cosmetic refresh of the AF-60 rather than a genuine technical step forward. The specifications are essentially the same, and only a few exterior changes tell the two apart. A Date version, the AF-60S Date, added a quartz date back powered by a separate CR1205 battery housed in a compartment beneath the film spool.

What's documented is modest but solid. The lens is a Ricoh 35mm f/3.9, three elements in three groups. Film speed is handled by DX coding (auto, 100-1000 ISO), the shutter runs from 1/30 to 1/500 sec, film winding is automatic, and there's a built-in flash. It weighs 235 grams. The AF-60S was manufactured or assembled in Taiwan, and production appears to have run from 1987 to some point after 1989. It was a common camera in France, the kind of thing that turns up frequently at garage sales rather than in collector showcases.

One warning for buyers. Ricoh's documentation notes that less care was taken with the f/3.9 lens group of cameras (which includes this model). The fabric covering the finger rest also tends to disintegrate over time, which leaves affected examples looking wrecked. Condition varies widely on the second-hand market. The camera shows up on auction sites and classifieds regularly, with one Hong Kong listing at HK$100 and another at HK$360.

Beyond these basics, the record is thin. No original price, dimensions, viewfinder specifications, battery type, or flash range have been documented for the base model, and no period reviews have surfaced. It was a workaday point-and-shoot, sold in volume and largely ignored by the press of its day.

Known specifications: