Are Ricoh cameras rebadged Pentax cameras?

I found my dream camera (said that before), but I'm not sure about that. The camera in question is a Ricoh XR-P, and goes by the name of Super A/Super Program if it has Pentax spelled on the front. Some of the Ricoh camera reviews mentioned they were sturdy but didn't feel as solid as a Nikon or Pentax, but those two cameras look identical to me.

Ricoh probably made the camera for Pentax. Ricoh owns Pentax (as of 2011). I believe Ricoh also made the NikonFM-10.

Excuse me, the Nikon FM-100 was made by Cosina, not Ricoh.

momus said:

IThe camera in question is a Ricoh XR-P, and goes by the name of Super A/Super Program if it has Pentax spelled on the front.

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Sorry, this has no sense. They're entirely different cameras. For starters the XR-P has a proper shutter speed dial, the Pentax Super-A has buttons for setting the speed, etc.

Pentax made some Ricoh-badged lenses. See:

I don't know who made what for who, but this link suggests there were enough significant differences that the word "rebadge" is probably not accurate.

Ricoh made cameras based on M42 screw mount and K mount, later modified the K to fit their lens with P program mode. Ricoh made rebranded bodies and lens for Sears. It was not until the digital age that Ricoh brought Pentax from Hoya.

Turns out that the Ricoh lenses were rebadged Cosina lenses, according to the site below.


The camera I was looking at (may have gotten the model wrong) had no AE once I researched it, nor do any of the Pentax Super Program cameras. The P cameras do, but I don't care for those models.

Maybe the little ME Super that just arrived will work, despite those poorly placed tiny buttons on the top of the camera. I was playing w/ it last night, and it's almost impossible to hold the camera to your eye and futz w/ those things w/ the idea of getting a quick shot off.

momus said:

I found my dream camera (said that before), but I'm not sure about that. The camera in question is a Ricoh XR-P, and goes by the name of Super A/Super Program if it has Pentax spelled on the front. Some of the Ricoh camera reviews mentioned they were sturdy but didn't feel as solid as a Nikon or Pentax, but those two cameras look identical to me.

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The XRs are very different from the Pentax A series.
No Ricoh didn't rebadge for Pentax or viceversa

momus said:

Turns out that the Ricoh lenses were rebadged Cosina lenses, according to the site below.

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Some ricoh lenses.

Ricoh started as an optical house ("Riken optical institute"). They did make lenses, good ones btw. And Pentax did manufacture some lenses for Ricoh.