Ricoh KR-5 Super

Robin_Usagani · May 12, 2013

Found this gem at a garage sale for $10. It is in a mint condition. Found out there is a film in there (about 32 shots taken). Took it out and it is a Kodachrome

. What shall I do? Leave it undeveloped? Spend a lot of money and develop it?

Put a new battery... the metering works.

Tiller · May 12, 2013

If you don't develop it, you'll always wonder what would've been in it, so might as well I say.

Oh, and nice score!

Robin_Usagani · May 13, 2013

But it is a Kodachrome.

timor · May 13, 2013

Don't bother with developing, that someones pics from vacation on the farm 25 years ago. Morally you can't take ownership of that pictures and there is a little chance any of that pictures would be a keepers. KR 5, even super, was only an upgrade from a regular P&S.

kathyt · May 13, 2013

I would have it developed.

Mike_E · May 13, 2013

Robin_Usagani said:
Found this gem at a garage sale for $10. It is in a mint condition. Found out there is a film in there (about 32 shots taken). Took it out and it is a Kodachrome . What shall I do? Leave it undeveloped? Spend a lot of money and develop it?

Put a new battery... the metering works.

At this point you'd have to develop it in B&W (the last place that would develop kodachrome has stopped doing it). Get a Patterson tank and chemistry for stand developing and see what's there.

Derrel · May 15, 2013

Did you see gsgary's home-developed Kodachrome--that he developed in standard Agfa Rodinal B&W film developer??? Looks decent!!!

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/black-white-gallery/325376-kodachrome.html

Robin_Usagani · May 16, 2013

Well.. I dont really know how to develop a film. Anyway.. I have been using this camera. The light meter needle is a little sticky so sometimes when I change the aperture, it doesn't move. I hope my shots turn out OK lol.

timor · May 17, 2013

Robin_Usagani said:
Well.. I dont really know how to develop a film.

Maybe it will be "romantic" to learn that. :sexywink:

Robin_Usagani said:
Anyway.. I have been using this camera. The light meter needle is a little sticky so sometimes when I change the aperture, it doesn't move. I hope my shots turn out OK lol.

Maybe that is not a sticky light meter needle, maybe it is the lens. Try this: dismount the lens and without it point the camera on bright and dark areas and see, if it is changing position without hiccups.

vintagesnaps · May 17, 2013

Sometimes the needle won't move if the camera just isn't getting enough light. Check your settings and adjust (open up the aperture and/or slow down the shutter speed) or try a higher speed (ISO) film; or you can check the meter by aiming the camera and lens into bright light and see if the needle moves then.

Sometimes in lower light I've not had the needle move but still been able to get a picture; I think it takes figuring out how to set the camera to get enough light for an exposure even when the meter isn't recording enough light to indicate settings.

Since you just put in a battery that wouldn't be the problem, but I've found the newer batteries don't last as long as the mercury batteries (months compared to it being in the camera so long I didn't even remember when I'd last put in a new battery).

You could try Film Rescue and see if they can do B&W from the old Kodachrome that was left in the camera; if you scroll down their FAQs they list other sources for film development.
FAQ | Film Rescue International
Dwayne's in Kansas was the last place that even had the equipment to develop Kodachrome but once it stopped being manufactured eventually they stopped developing it - they developed the last rolls.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/30/us/30film.html?_r=0
A trusted name in photo processing for over 50 years - Dwayne's Photo

I like the Ricohs, they don't seem to have ever been as popular as the Pentax etc. but if you've got a good lens you'd probably be able to get some nice pictures with it.