The local camera swap happened this past weekend, and I got there at the very tail end.
Ended up purchasing the Ricoh XR-2. I made them swap the lens on it for a gen-you-wine Pentax M50f1.4. I bought it because it sorta combines a KX and SuperProgram. It's closest Pentax relative is probably the K2.
Here's what I like technically: Exposure compensation is easier than with the K2. Timer function immediately raises the mirror and stops down the lens, then ticks down mechanically to fire the electronic shutter. There is a viewfinder shutter for macro and timer. There is a very easy to use multiple exposure button. There is a mechanical DOF button similar to that on K-series cameras. There is a PC flash socket located in about the same position as on the K2. There is an X setting on the shutter dial that fires mechanically at 1/90. Max X speed is 1/125.
Here's what I really like: the viewfinder. It uses a match-needle system even though it has aperature-priority auto. When you select AUTO on the shutter dial, the blue needle (similar in function to KX or K2) simply moves up beyond shutter speeds. It has a 45-degree rangefinder surrounded by a fairly coarse microprism ring. It has 91% coverage at .88X, an eyeglasses shooter can see the entire finder. The 45 degree rangefinder is, IMHO, better than the horizontal finders common in some Pentax cameras. The viewfinder is sweet.
Switching from auto to manual is one hell of a lot easier than on a SuperProgram. Man, what was Pentax thinking of in that series?
Here's what I don't like: No AE lock, plastic top (Prism covering and all other top deck functions are set in plastic), and NO "shutter cocked" indicator. This last item really pisses me off, because my most used cameras all have this function.
Seems a really well-spec'd camera for the late 70s.
So now I have my version of a Cotty Frankencamera. Easier to deal with than his Canon, though....
Who else has used this camera? Likes and dislikes? Comments welcome.
-Lon
