Sears, Roebuck and Company sold cameras under its own brands starting in the 1950s. Outside manufacturers made them all; Sears was a department store, not a manufacturer. From the late 1960s through late 1980s, if you bought a Sears 35mm SLR, Ricoh made it — with one exception. Sears turned to Chinon for its last 35mm SLR, the 1985 Sears KSX-P.

Sears KSX-P

This camera differs only cosmetically from Chinon’s CP-5. It offers two program modes, hence the “Dual2 Program” label on the prism cover. It also offers aperture-priority and manual exposure modes. You can mount any of the huge range of Pentax and third-party K-mount lenses to this camera. I don’t know how they did it, but automatic exposure modes work with any K-mount lens. I mounted one of my SMC Pentax-M lenses and program and aperture-priority modes worked fine. Pentax’s autoexposure SLRs required SMC Pentax-A lenses; older SMC Pentax-M lenses worked only in manual exposure mode.

Sears KSX-P

The KSX-P uses a metal, vertical-travel focal-plane shutter that operates from 30 sec. (8 sec. in manual mode) to 1/1000 sec. It accepts films from 25 to 3200 ISO, selected using the dial around the rewind crank. Pull it up to turn it. The viewfinder features split-image and microprism focusing. The camera also chimes for various reasons mostly related to misexposure; you can turn that off with the switch next to the lens mount and under the KSX-P logo. That switch also activates the self timer. Three AAA batteries power the camera; they’re under the grip.

Sears KSX-P

The two program modes are Program Action (Pa) and Program Creative (Pc), which you select with the gray lever on the mode dial. Pa chooses faster shutter speeds to freeze moving subjects, and Pc chooses smaller apertures for greater depth of field with static subjects. When using one of the program modes, put the lens at its smallest aperture. If you don’t, program mode still works, but the camera can’t choose apertures smaller than the one set on the lens.

Manual mode is unusual: you press the M button (next to the mode dial) to step through shutter speeds in ascending order. If you press the shutter button partway and then press the M button, you step through shutter speeds in descending order. It’s challenging to get both fingers in there. A flashing LED in the viewfinder appears next to the shutter speed. A second LED, glowing steady, shows the shutter speed necessary for the selected aperture. To set proper exposure, adjust aperture and shutter speed until the two LEDs become one.

The KSX-P lets you make multiple exposures on a frame. Slide the lever above the winder to the left and hold it, and wind. The film stays put but the shutter cocks so you can make a second exposure on the frame.

The rewind crank is unusual in that it is round, covering the shaft like a lid. I found the knob to be hard to hold as I rewound my test rolls. It kept slipping from my fingers, which caused the crank to close.

My Sears KSX-P came with a 50mm f/1.7 Auto Sears MC lens made by Chinon, which was probably the kit lens. My Sears KS-2 had a 50/1.7 Auto Sears MC lens too, but Ricoh made it. The easiest way to tell these identically named lenses apart is that the Ricoh lens takes 52mm filters and the Chinon lens takes 49mm filters, and the lenses are marked as such right on the front.

I’ve reviewed other Sears SLRs, namely the KS-2 (here) and the KS Super II (here). These are all K-mount SLRs, shared with Pentax. Check out my reviews of the Pentax KM (here), K1000 (here), ME (here), and ME Super (here). Or check out all of my camera reviews here.

I loaded a roll of Fomapan 400 and shot it in Program mode at EI 200, and then developed it in LegacyPro L110 and scanned the negatives on my Minolta ScanDual II.

Sears KSX-P - Suburban scene

I used Pa mode when I was chasing after our little granddaughter and Pc mode otherwise. The KSX-P’s viewfinder shows which shutter speed the camera chooses by lighting an LED along a scale. You can see the lens’s selected aperture in a window at the top of the viewfinder, but in program mode that’s always 22, not the aperture the camera selected. I would have liked know the aperture so I could guess the depth of field I might be getting. The camera has no DOF preview.

Sears KSX-P - Bubbles in the sink

The KSX-P feels plasticky, but it’s got moderate heft. The viewfinder is a little dim, but it’s plenty usable. The battery grip makes the camera comfortable in the hand.

Sears KSX-P - Flowers

This lens focuses down to 18 inches, which ain’t bad for a non-macro lens. I like having the ability to get in close.

Sears KSX-P - VW

This lens has mild but noticeable barrel distortion, which I find to be uncommon among 50mm primes. The lens handles easily, however, and is compact.

Sears KSX-P - Stones on the sill

You’ll never mistake the KSX-P for a professional or luxury camera. The controls are sure, but aren’t hefty or silky.

Sears KSX-P - State Bank

I shot a roll of Fujifilm Superia Reala 100 next in this Sears KSX-P. This stuff expired in March, 2002, but it was stored frozen, so I shot it at box speed. I took the camera to Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, an enormous, sprawling place, for a warm evening walk. Every time I’ve lucked into a roll of ISO 100 Fujicolor film, which isn’t made anymore, I’ve been blown away by the color.

Deeply red

I started the walk with the camera in program mode, but switched to aperture-priority mode after just a few frames. The forecast for full sun proved to be wrong as clouds rolled in. Light was mixed. With such slow film I wanted more control over depth of field, and aperture-priority mode gave it to me. The window at the top of the viewfinder showed me the aperture I’d chosen, and an LED in the viewfinder lit next to the shutter speed the camera chose. Perfect.

Fake flowers on the door

My only gripe with this camera is that the shutter sounds weird and cheap: Shhhhhh-chunk-ping. It sounds the same regardless of the shutter speed, which made me wonder whether the shutter speeds were accurate. (I get a sense of shutter function by listening to it. 1/15 sounds a lot slower than 1/500.) It wasn’t until I saw my developed negatives that I was sure the shutter worked properly. I don’t know if this sound is normal for a KSX-P or not, though.

Crown Hill road

A couple times I knew I was photographing into the light, and sure enough, the lens flared. Photoshop let me tone that down.

Military cemetery at Crown Hill

I bought this KSX-P from its original owner, who hadn’t used it in many years. It says something about this camera that when I put batteries in it, it fired right up and functioned properly.

Military cemetery at Crown Hill

Yet I didn’t fall in love with this camera. I suppose my bar is high after having used so many truly wonderful SLRs over the years. I know that if someone had gifted me one of these when it was new in 1985, I would have been thrilled, and I would have made wonderful photographs with it for years.

At Crown Hill

To see more photos from this camera, check out my Sears KSX-P gallery.

I bought this Sears KSX-P because I’m curious about Sears SLRs and this one cost very little. It is a decent performer, but more than that, it’s truly remarkable that automatic exposure works with any K-mount lens. If you have a passel of Pentax glass a KSX-P might be worth adding to your stable for its versatility.

If you like old film cameras, check out all of my reviews here!
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Comments

19 responses to “Sears KSX-P”

  1. Mike Connealy Avatar

    Excellent results in both b&w and color. I was especially impressed with the picture of the child and the red flower. Not the sort of camera I would go out of my way to look for, but it certainly came through for you, as did the film and processing.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Thank you, Mike! The Chinon lens is pretty decent, except for its barrel distortion.

  2. Peter Avatar
    Peter

    According to the manual you must use an A lens for the Program mode.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Yes. Yet when I mount my M lenses, I get program autoexposure. I suppose I might have misinterpreted something, but it sure didn’t seem like it!

  3. adventurepdx Avatar

    It’s amazing now to think about the quality of some of the “store-brand” cameras from the 1980s and earlier. I’m sure “serious” photographers looked down at Sears/Tower cameras, but it seems there were some quality machines that were good values.

    I worked as the electronics/camera department manager at a Kmart in the late 90s, when all we had were point-and-shoots. Kmart wasn’t a place synonymous with quality” but the selection was decent, with offerings from all the major camera players. And in the 70s Kmart did carry SLRs, many by Minolta. Minolta made a few store specific rangefinders and SLRs for both Kmart and Sears.

    I like the idea of the two program modes! Was there other cameras at that time doing that?

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I remember Kmart’s Focal brand well! Cameras, other photo equipment, binoculars, film, and probably more. It was all rebranded stuff from other manufacturers, of course.

      1. adventurepdx Avatar

        By the time I became camera mgr. Focal had been phased out. I think it was because Kmart wanted to emphasize “name brand” stuff, which is an easier sell. They still had deals with certain manufacturers, though. I remember we had a LOT of Fuji Discovery cameras. This was before Fuji was the respected camera brand (note I said “camera”, not film) they are now. Kmart had a deal with them. But people would rather get a Canon or Nikon p&s than a Fuji.

  4. bodegabayf2 Avatar

    Some ramblings relating to this post…Our local K-Mart was originally a Grand Way department store. Grand Way had a pretty decent photo department and even sold darkroom equipment and supplies. When our Grand Way became a K-Mart, the photo department stayed mostly intact for a few years before eventually mostly disappearing. On another note, relating to Sears products, I had a Sears reel-to-reel tape recorder that worked great for a decade. It was, I think, a re-badged Panasonic.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Oh wow, I never knew of a Kmart that took over a different department store’s building. I had a reel-to-reel deck as a teen — I forget who made it. It was an oldie even then. I probably bought it at a yard sale.

  5. Ted Kappes Avatar

    I have heard that Sears used its buying power to enforce quality standards on it suppliers. I have found most Sears branded stuff to be pretty good. One of my favorites of all time is the Sears TLS with the f1.4 lens.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Sears had enough muscle to pull that off, for sure! I’ve seen the Sears TLS, perhaps I should buy one someday.

  6. Sam Avatar

    I’ve always loved the Sears branded cameras! They feel like sleepers because we camera lovers know some famous manufacturers built them but everyone else might think they’re cheap cameras! Great review and results!!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      It’s why I keep trying them when I find them — they are hidden gems!

  7. Kent Teffeteller Avatar
    Kent Teffeteller

    A note, Panasonic and Sony didn’t rebrand for Sears. Sanyo did rebrand audio equipment for Sears. That reel to reel, is most likely of Sanyo origin. Also, that rebranded Chinon SLR is a very good camera. Olympus, Nicca, Mamiya, and Ricoh, also are companies who did cameras sold as Tower or Sears.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Toshiba rebranded for Sears too!

  8. Mike Butkus Avatar

    The Sears KSX-P was a clone of the Chinon brand. The Program exposure with any K-mount lens was easy. Chinon just decided that any lens using the Program exposure modes would only open to F4. Since every lens would open that wide, the programming would work. So the computer just figured the exposure abilities from F22 to F4 and the program mode adjusted the shutter depending on the mode you are in. Want to shoot at F2.8 or F1.8, go to Auto mode, open your aperture to whatever and the Auto mode would change the shutter speed as needed. Mirror lenses at F8 or 400mm + telephoto lenses would be at a disadvantage, but you don’t use them in dim lighting.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Mike, thanks for stopping by. Your site has been a big help over the years. I appreciate you adding the color on this camera!

  9. Joey Clinton Avatar
    Joey Clinton

    A few years late finding this. My dad had this camera, it was given to him by my mom around the time I was born. I remember growing up seeing him use it occasionally but never for anything more than family gatherings. When he passed away in October of 2020 I ended up with it as I took up photography about 6 years go. It is sitting next to the 3 lenses my dad had for it, the 50mm F1.7, 135mm F2.8 and an 80mm-200mm F4 as well as the battery grip. It looks a little out of place next to my mirrorless Nikons but it really brings you to make sure everything is perfect before taking that shot. Fortunately for me, I’m almost retired from the Marines and the last part of my service I was permitted to begin interning with a photographer who shoots film and she is teaching me about shooting film as well as running a photography business. This camera is almost 40 years old and it’s still working like it was brand new. I remember buying my first DSLR in 2017 and was confused because the split image focusing I remembered from my dads KSX-P wasn’t there. It’s nice to see that I’m not the only person still using this old camera.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Wow, how nice that you’re able to do that internship – maybe it will be the thing you do after you retire?

      Yeah, no DSLRs that I know of do split image focusing. They all assume you’re using autofocus.

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