Ricoh 50mm F/2 Rikenon Auto M42 Screw Mount Manual Focus Lens Review

The Ricoh 50mm F/2 Rikenon is a vintage manual focus lens from the M42 screw mount era, a format that flourished in the 1960s and 1970s and remains popular with film shooters and adaptable to modern mirrorless cameras. At f/2, it offers a moderately fast maximum aperture suitable for low light and shallow depth of field work, though not as wide as the more common f/1.8 or f/1.4 options from that period. The M42 mount's universal thread design makes it straightforward to adapt to a variety of camera systems, particularly Sony E, Fujifilm X, and Micro Four Thirds bodies.

This particular unit is listed in used condition and sourced from KEH, a trusted reseller known for accurate grading. At $42, it represents an affordable entry point into vintage glass, appealing to those experimenting with manual focus or seeking the character and rendering traits of older optics. Build quality on Rikenon lenses is generally solid, with metal construction typical of the era. Performance will depend on the specific copy and its condition, but expectations should be tempered by age and the optical compromises inherent to budget primes from this period.