Ricoh's KR-10x — aperture-priority AE SLR, Pentax K mount, electronic shutter, 1985.
The Ricoh KR-10x is a 35mm film SLR made by Ricoh and released in 1985 using the Pentax K bayonet mount. It sits above the basic KR-5 in Ricoh's range as an aperture-priority automatic body, and is closely related to other KR-series cameras of the mid-1980s. It was aimed at enthusiasts and students moving up from a basic body.
It is a single-lens reflex for 35mm film using the Pentax K bayonet mount. The KR-10x offers aperture-priority automatic exposure alongside manual control, with through-the-lens metering. It uses an electronically controlled shutter, so it needs a working battery for its metered and automatic modes. Exposure information is shown in the viewfinder as an LED-style readout typical of the period.
The KR-10x suits students, travellers and street photographers who want aperture-priority automation with the wide K-mount lens choice. The auto mode makes it quicker to use than a fully manual body while retaining manual control when wanted. Its strengths are the automatic exposure and lens compatibility; its limits are its reliance on the battery to operate.
For used buyers, confirm the camera powers up and that the auto and metered modes respond, since the electronic shutter depends on the battery. Check the foam light seals and mirror-damper foam for perishing, test the shutter, and inspect the battery compartment for corrosion. Verify advance and rewind, check the prism and screen for haze, and note that a flat battery leaves this electronic body unable to shoot in its normal modes.