My Sears Auto KS arrived this week. This camera, sold by Ricoh as the XR-2s, appears to be Ricoh's answer to the Pentax K2. That is, you get manual and aperture-preferred exposure, combined with a moving needle and mirror lockup (when using the mechanical timer).
The shutter is loud--louder than my Super Program or Ricoh XR-P. Christian Skofeland tried out my Sears and feels it's no louder than an LX, but the Sears' noise may be a bit more strident. The XR-1's shutter was the same shutter that Nikon used on the original FM; I don't know whether this is an autocontrolled version of it. The shutter is 1/1000 second, metal, vertical, electronically controlled. I think the mirror vibration is a bit higher that that of the XR-P, or about as "bad as" the Super Program's. But this is just a first impression. Turning the ISO dial (12 to 3200) is easy; so is turning the compensation dial. I like the size and feel, very KX-like. The eyepiece blind is a nice touch: It's an internal blind, or shutter, that completely blocks off the light for autoexposed timed shots. Unlike aftermarket blinds like HAMA's, this one allows you to use an eyepiece accessory, such as an eyecup, refconverter (Minolta fits), or 2X magnifier. The viewfinder is rather dim, very KX-like. It uses the Ricoh 45-degree split-image rangefinder to aid in focusing when shooting verticals. The main reason I wanted to try this model was to have the moving needle with aperture-priority. I had assumed that the needle would float continuously as I merely aimed the lens here and there. That's how it worked on my Minox 35 GT and Olympu XA compacts. Wrong. In order to use the exposure meter, you must keep the shutter release partially depressed. I find this arrangement awkward. Each time I remove my right hand from the shutter release to change the lens aperture ring, the needle swings to the bottom. I don't want to have to remember how many want stops to dial in; I want to SEE the results as I twist the dial. Does the K2 work this way? Or does the needle swing even when you remove your finger from the shutter release? I'll report again after I've used it a while and developed a roll. An XR-2s received 15 bids yesterday, peaking at $75 but failing to reach its reserve. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1348572387 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ . - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
