Loyal Site Supporter Registered: April, 2021 Location: Minnesota, USA Posts: 187 | | Review Date: December 3, 2023 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Good solid basic camera, split prism, match needle | | Cons: | None in my view, considering that it was a basic camera. | |
This was a gift that I received in 1979 when in college. I'd be surprised if the folks paid more than $150 for it (~600 to 700 in today's money). The camera was a good, solid, basic camera. It was well built and was used regularly from 1979 to 2005 with no problems. I also hauled it along when snowshoeing, backpacking and canoeing so it was never babied. It was put away when I got my first digital. Probably took about 4000 photos. I did take it out and run a roll of film through it recently and it appears the shutter is slow now, likely needing a CLA. The KR-5 had a self timer and could use a cable release, both items I used over the years.
I never felt constrained by the 1/500 shutter speed or limited flash sync, but I was only a casual photographer. I liked the split prism and the match needle meter. The camera came with a very basic and cheap Riconar 55mm f2.2 lens which was only okay, at best.
Overall it seemed to be a pretty bullet proof little camera and served me well through the years.
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New Member Registered: November, 2019 Posts: 1 | | Review Date: March 17, 2023 | Recommended | Price: $23.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Solid all-mechanical camera. Split prism focus screen | | Cons: | 1/500sec top shutter speed, No depth of field preview. Only a hotshoe flash connectiion. | |
Stripped down version of the all-mechanical Ricoh XR-1. I bought mine (an all black finished example), here in England, in a charity shop for approx. $23.00, complete with a Ricoh 55mm f2.2 lens and a working meter.
Top shutter speed is 1/500sec and sync speed 1/60sec despite having a Copal metal shutter, compared to the XR-1's 1/1000sec top shutter speed and 1/125sec sync speed.
Doesn't a depth of field preview, unlike the XR-1, and flash connection is solely via a hotshoe, not the hotshoe or pc connector of the XR-1. Additionally lacks the XR-1's multiple exposure facility.
I've only used my example of a XR-5 on a couple of occasions with no problems. Despite it's limitations and stripped-back specification it nevertheless remains a well-built, competent, camera.
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