Sears KS-1 & KS-2

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The KS-1 with a Sears K-mount telephoto lens image by Dwayne Wallen (Image rights)

The auto-exposure KS-2 image by Jim Grey (Image rights)

The KS-1 and KS-2 were sister K-mount SLRs introduced by US retailer Sears in 1981. These replaced the KS Auto and KSX while the KS 500 remained as the budget manual model.

As with other Sears SLRs of the era, these were rebadged Ricoh models, specifically the XR 6 and XR 7 respectively. New features include an electronic self-timer and a shutter release centered inside the shutter speed dial. The Sears branding has become even more discreet, moving to small lettering at the back top left of the body.

The KS-2 offers a much wider range of manual and electronically-timed shutter speeds (as long as 16 seconds) and an option for an f/1.4 normal lens. Meanwhile the KS-1 has lost all manually-selected shutter speeds with the exception of "B" and the X-sync speed. The viewfinder has simple "traffic lights" to indicate whether a suitable shutter speed is available given the scene lighting and chosen f/stop.

The KS-2 has a needle and shutter-speed scale in the viewfinder indicating the selected shutter speed with a press of the button below the self-timer LED. It also offers a depth-of-field preview button and a multiple exposure option.

Links

• KS-1 and KS-2 owners manuals at Mike Butkus' OrphanCameras.com
• Manual for the KS Auto Winder to fit KS-1 and KS-2, also at OrphanCameras.com
• Another view of Jim Grey's KS-2 at his Flickr stream