[Ilovemypentax]

I think I remember seeing a Ricoh K mount SLR in the 1970's. Did Pentax make it for Ricoh or did Ricoh manufacture their own cameras?

[Venom3300]

Ricoh made their own with a pentax mount. There were sold threw Sears.

[boriscleto]

The Unofficial Guide to Ricoh Cameras and Rikenon Lenses

The first Ricoh SLR used Nikon F mount and was made in 1962. They switched to M42 in 1964 and to K-mount in 1977. They also made a small SLR using M29 mount and 126 cassette film in 1969.

Ricoh's last film SLRs were made ca. 2000.

There was even a solar powered SLR.

[Biro]

If I'm not mistaken, Pentax intended the K-mount to be an open mount. That's why quite a number of secondary cameramakers and rebrands used the K-mount on their SLRs during the film era.

[Ilovemypentax]

Thanks for the feedback, Damn, they made tons of different cams. Maybe more models than Pentax?


It would be nice if Ricoh will make a FF Leica knockoff rangefinder for $2000. They could call it the Reica! I was after Fuji to make one, and call it the Fleica, but they don't seem to be interested. The camera world needs a Japanese alternative to the crazy priced Leica. Leica charges double and triple the value and uses 2nd rate sensors. My Fuji's almost equal the M240 in IQ (Although their MM has a super sharp sensor that bests the Fuji's crop sensor.) Now Leica came out with a M60 with no screen and cost a fortune. The camera fondlers will buy it...they say a screen distracts them!


Camera Comparisons


I got my K3 today I don't shoot much dslr anymore, shoot Fuji and Leica. But I want a dslr for sports. Looks very good, except the shutter dial is kinda cheesy. Will see how it shoots once the batt is charged. Another wish is for Ricoh to use a an old school shutter dial like the Fuji. I hate whomever invented program dials. All you need is shutter speeds and an 'A' setting. Same guy that made 'focus by wire' must have invented the program dial.


If Ricoh wants to make big waves they should make a FF 6mp digital back for $2500 to $3000 for the Hassy. I'd love to shoot my SWC with digital...but only FF for the super wide. 6mp is all you need with film cams. Flatbed scanned color 35mm film = about 4mp, so 6mp would be a gift with 6x6...(see link above.)

[Ole]

The solar powered Ricoh SLR from 1981 was actually on display (with several other models) at Photokina!

[boriscleto]

If I'm not mistaken, Pentax intended the K-mount to be an open mount. That's why quite a number of secondary cameramakers and rebrands used the K-mount on their SLRs during the film era.

Most of those makers had used M42 in the 60s and early 70s. K-mount and M42 have the same focal flange distance so it was easy to modify a M42 body for K-mount.

[boriscleto]

The solar powered Ricoh SLR from 1981 was actually on display (with several other models) at Photokina!

One of these came up on shopgoodwill once. I got sniped by a few dollars as I recall...the attraction was that it had a Pentax 50/1.4 attached to it.

[Trawlerman]

I've used 35mm Ricoh's for some time now and have always admired how well built and easy they are to use.

In my collection I have KR-5, KR-10, KR-10m, XR-P, XR-20, Mirai and probably a few others. The KR-10m was my first K-mount that I owned myself. My dad had a KR-5 for years before that one.

[Sandy Hancock]

I had a Ricoh KR-10 in the late 70's to early 80's. It was an excellent SLR and the fact that it used K-mount glass is the reason I shoot Pentax now.

[old4570]

Yep , I had the KR10 and the KR10M , I still have the KR10M , it was a great little camera for sure ...

[ChrisPlatt]

There are rumors that some of the first Ricoh K-mount lenses were made by Pentax, i.e. XR Rikenon.
There is striking similarity in some models but I have never seen any confirmation of this.

AFAIK Ricoh made their own camera bodies. Sears K-mount SLRs and their 50mm lenses were rebadged Ricoh.
I suspect some of the final Ricoh SLR and lens models were rebadged Cosina.

Chris

[boriscleto]

Sears K-mount SLRs and their 50mm lenses were rebadged Ricoh.

Chris

Except the KSX-P which is a rebadged Chinon Program - 5.