Petri Super Color Corrected "Green-O-Matic"

[bitoffun]

De-lurking to post some notes about one of my favorite cameras.

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Petri Super Color Corrected "Green-O-Matic"


Petri 2.8 Super Color Corrected "Green-O-Matic"
Petri F1.9 Super Color Corrected "Green-O-Matic"
Petri 1.9 Super Color Corrected "Green-O-Matic"
Petri 1.8 Super Color Corrected "Green-O-Matic"


I have a 1959 F1.9, so this is about that camera and its closest siblings. This post doesn't cover the very similar predecessors without the "Green-O-Matic" visor, or the following 1.9 with revised body & lens styling. Being obsessive is fun, but you have to cut it off somewhere.

Observations are based on my camera and cameras found online. Some information is from the manuals. A few internet hearsays are included and remarked on.

The F1.9 and 1.9 are the same camera with different shutters. The "F" prefix shows up on the front label. With the shutter change, that F is replaced by a small stylized star. General remarks about the "1.9" refer to both.

The 2.8 is the cheaper sibling of the 1.9. Typical period prices quoted online are 14,800 yen and 16,800 yen. These are very similar cameras, so the price difference will be largely the 2.8's simpler lens and in-house shutter.

The 1.8 is new to me and I was surprised to uncover six. It is identical to the 1.9 except for the lens markings, the stretched lens length, and the inclusion of a body serial number.

For an extra touch, Petri used some of the stretch to add another black band to the alternating chrome-black pattern of the lens assembly. Install a black filter and you've got quite the zebra.

So far, the only place I've seen the "Green-O-Matic" moniker is in 1960 and 1961 Popular Photography adverts, but it's a popular name here and in Japan.

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Lenses

Orikkor f2.8-f22 45mm - Tessar, four elements in three groups.
Orikkor f1.9-f16 45mm - Planar, six elements in four groups.
Orikkor f1.8-f16 50mm - Planar, six elements in four groups.

It's worth noting the 2.8 stops down to f22, while the 1.9 only does f16. That's a bit of a surprise. Perhaps they used the same diaphragm assembly in both.

The depth of field tables for the 2.8 and 1.9 match where they overlap, so the extra f22 does work out as more depth despite the glass change.

Should also mention the cheaper 2.8's Tessar isn't a bad lens. There are some quite good results on Flickr. It'd be fun to shoot a 2.8 and 1.9 alongside each other in a test batch. Just now I'm suspecting there is very little difference.

Bonus obscurity: the 1.8 has a convex rear element on the rear cemented doublet. So far, I've found that on a couple of Nikkor 50mm, and everything else I've looked at uses a biconvex or plano-. Positive meniscus, FWIW.

PDF manual for the diagram. (fabulous website - dig around)
http://www52.atwiki.jp/petri/pages/17.html

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Shutters

2.8 - Petri Carperu MXV
F1.9 - Copal MXV
1.9 - Copal SV
1.8 - Copal SV


2.8 - Petri Carperu MXV

B-1-2-5-10-25-50-100-300 without self-timer.
B-1-2-5-10-25-50-100-250-500 with self-timer.

Based on camera serials, there's no particular pattern to the issue of these two versions. The 300 shutters just appear randomly in the first 60% of the serials I've found. The two earliest 2.8 I've found have the 500. (All pre-Green-O-Matic 2.8 I've seen have the 300.)

On the outside the Carperu MXV looks like the Copal MXV except the M-X switch is moved to the opposite side, and the self-timer switch is lower.

On the inside it's a 5 blade shutter with a self-timer that is identical to the Copal MXV's, but after that it's rather different. It's only sorta-similar to the Copal in the way that Prontor - Copal and Seikosha - Compur are similar.

It is typically labelled "PETRI CARPERU MXV", all in white. Two were found labelled only "PETRI MXV" in white. One was found with "PETRI CARPERU" in red, with the "MXV" in white. These three are all 500 models.

One "PETRI MXV" has the highest lens number of any camera on which I could read both. Unfortunately, I don't have the lens number for the second.

No serial number was found on any of these shutters.


F1.9 - Copal MXV

B-1-2-5-10-25-50-100-250-500, 5 blades, M-X flash, 8 second self-timer. The self-timer is locked when flash is set to M.


1.9 - Copal SV

Somewhere around camera 8xxxx the F1.9 becomes the 1.9 with the SV. A single exception I found is probably a repair mixture.

Geometric progression B-1-2-4-8-15-30-60-125-250-500. The aperture ring on these cameras is oriented in the opposite direction of the MXV units, otherwise the whole assembly looks the same.


1.8 - Copal SV

Looks just like the 1.9's SV.

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Shutter Remarks

I've got a Copal MXV. I know a little about leaf shutter theory, but I don't know how this particular shutter works. Some conjecture:

I've read the related Copal SV has a separate slow speed range, but I don't know which speeds. I've seen an early no-number Copal with B-25-60-100-300, and the MX is B-1-2-5-10-25-50-100-300. Possibly a portion of the low-range is made by shifting an extra gear-set into the escapement for 10x.

Some leaf shutters add a spring to achieve 500. The MXV is a 1956 improvement of the 1955 MX, gaining the 1/500. Maybe by the spring method, maybe not.

Not exactly like reading Rick Oleson, eh? 😉 Since my MXV works beautifully, I won't be taking it apart. If anyone has a link to a service diagram, or would care to offer a proper explanation, I'd enjoy reading it.

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Production

A few notes here, fluffed with conjecture.

First, the famous sticker. There are a fair number of 2.8 with a rather cheesy metal sticker on top. It shows a P in a shield, and the words "COMMEMORATION Productions EXCEEDED 1,200,000".

It's doubtful that many 2.8 were made. Or 2.8 + 1.9. Perhaps it's a total of all Petri 35mm rangefinders since 1954. Perhaps of all Petri brand cameras since 1949. Perhaps of all Kuribayashi cameras since about 1920.

And perhaps it's nothing to do with Petri -- I haven't seen that shield logo anywhere else yet. Perhaps a number of 2.8 were purchased as commemorative gifts for another industry entirely, the ways watches are.

(Wouldn't a camera company etch or stamp the commemoration? Etching and stamping is what they do well -- why use such a cheap sticker? I know I shouldn't underestimate the afterthoughts of Marketing, but it's worth a mention.)

Anyway, what I observed about the stickered 2.8s is they're all 1/500, and their serial numbers overlap the last half of numbers found. That was a surprise. It's not the expected neat block of serials. This is probably a Petri commemoration, after all.

Might be worth mentioning that if I were a dealer or buyer in 1959, I'd peel that sticker off. If it didn't just fall off. Perhaps a lot more 2.8 cameras originally had it.

Should include here that I've seen three 2.8 with "Made in Japan" etched neatly on the bottom plate, and all were sticker cameras. But I've also seen one sticker camera without that MiJ on the bottom.

Second item: there's an oft-repeated production number of 10,000 or 12,000 per month. I've found 2.8 serials from 197233 to 381169, and 1.9 serials from 64445 to 103924.

Evidence for production dates is slim.

All the Copal serials I've seen are either 58xxxxxx or 59xxxxxx.

F1.9 serial 78014 with MXV 58363358 has an inspection certificate dated 10 April 1959.

1.9 serial 100?42 has an inspection certificate dated March 31 1960.

FWIW, there is a pre-Green-O-Matic F1.9 with body number B75474, lens 57785, and MXV 5867049 that has a certificate dated June 58. It also has a bill of sale for Sept 3 1958. (Yes, that MXV serial is seven digits. That seems typical on pre-Green-O-Matics so far.)

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Sales

A few cameras of all models have the E.P diamond on the accessory shoe, indicating PX sales. (Possible exception - no "1,200,000" sticker cameras have been spotted with the E.P diamond yet.)

Found references for a NY distributor, as well as Canada and Europe.

The internal sticker on my F1.9 lists the NY distributor. It's different from the green and red sticker I've seen in opened cameras.

On the green half of the common sticker:

"In the event your "Petri" camera is defective or does not function properly, please send it to the address listed below and the camera will be repaired immediately free of charge. This service will apply even though the original guarantee card has been misplaced or lost."

On the red half: "KURIBAYASHI CAMERA INDUSTRY, INC" then phone contact and address -- can't quite make these out, but it's Tokyo, and the phone number is for the Export Dept.

My sticker is red and black plus a big yellow dot with PETRI inside. On the red half:

DISTRIBUTED BY
PETRI CAMERA COMPANY, INC., New York

Black half:

MANUFACTURED BY
KURIYABASHI CAMERA INDUSTRY, INC,. Tokyo

A NY-issued 1.9 with box and paperwork includes a display card for a price of $79.95. This is the highest I've seen in any period advertising. The Japanese price of 16,800 yen is about $47 at that time.


Ads noted while surfing:

March 1959 American magazine ad for the pre-Green-O-Matic models - 1.9 $69.95, 2.8 $49.95. Aux lens set for 1.9 $49.95, 2.8 $39.95. Leather case for 1.9 $12.95, 2.8 $9.95. Ad by Petri NY. (Looks like a Popular Photography page.)

1959 Japanese magazine - 2.8 14,800 yen. Two-page spread by Petri, just on this camera.

1960 Japanese magazine - 2.8 13,600 yen, SLR Penta 26,200 yen. Two-page spread by Petri. Also run as a newspaper ad.

Feb 1960 Popular Photography - 1.9 $69.95, 2.8 $49.95. Aux lens set for 1.9 $39.95, 2.8 $29.95. SLR Penta 149.50. Ad by Petri NY.

Feb 1960 big full-page ad listing dozens of cameras. For Petri, 1.9 $49.95, 2.8 $39.50, Penta $108.50. Broadway Camera Shops NY. (Looks like a Popular Photography page.)

Jun 1961 Popular Photography - full-page ad for the full line of Petri cameras, and none of the Green-O-Matics under discussion are included. Instead, the new Petri 7 "Green-O-Matic" 59.95, Penta V2 159.50, EBn ("Electronic-Brain") 79.95, the restyled 1.9 "Green-O-Matic" 69.95, and the Compact E 49.95. Ad by Petri NY & LA distributors.


For context,

1958 Sears Camera Catalog
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nesster/sets/72157626944848453/with/5859808306/

1961 Sears Camera Catalog
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nesster/sets/72157627090216500/with/5890594922/

And to stray a bit, here's a great 1961 ad for the Fed 2 in the UK,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sovietcamera/3645626415/

In 1961 24.10 would be a contemporary $68, or 24,300 yen.

In 1961 24.10's purchasing power would be today's 318 pounds. About $500, 380 euro, 40,000 yen.

"Purchasing power" is always hard to figure. The conversion rate I used is from a British library effort to make a really useful reference that extends back to the 1700s. It's a bit more thorough than the ones that just compare the price of milk and cars.

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Serial Numbers

The 2.8, F1.9, and 1.9 do not have body numbers. Cameras immediately before and after these models have body numbers.

Perhaps Petri decided to try cost-cutting by using the lens number. Perhaps that left all their clients downstream demanding to know where the zark the body number was hidden, hence Petri returned to body numbers with the next available model.

The 1.8 has the body number on top, above the frameline window.

All lenses have numbers. Copal shutters have numbers. Carperu shutters don't seem to have numbers.

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The Grand Review

I spent a few evenings in Feb 2012 examining every camera I could find online.

Generally, if an item is not mentioned, I could not view that part of the camera. Hence for the "Made in Japan" on the bottom plate, I also list any bottom plates that did not have it. If MiJ is not mentioned, that means I could not view the bottom plate.

An exception is the E.P diamond - I only listed these when spotted. On several cameras I could see the accessory shoe, but did not list that the E.P diamond wasn't there.

Also, sometimes information is missing because I couldn't find the camera again to check a newly discovered variation.


==2.8 45mm==

-with the 1,200,000 sticker-

273327
333981
334672 PETRI CARPERU MXV (all white), "Made in Japan", 500, self-timer
3450?3 500
347795 500
349388 500, self-timer
362810 PETRI CARPERU MXV (all white), "Made in Japan", 500, self-timer
3676?5 self-timer
361434 500, self-timer
371318 PETRI MXV (all white, no CARPERU), "Made in Japan"
373141 500
381169 500 - on this camera the "Petri" on top has been filled with red.
382?07 self-timer
???414 PETRI MXV (all white, no CARPERU), no MiJ, 500, self-timer
?????? 500


-no sticker-

197233 PETRI CARPERU MXV (all white), no MiJ, 500, self-timer
206730 500, self-timer **oddball - see note below**
207012 PETRI CARPERU MXV (all white), no MiJ, 300, no self-timer
22080?
223655 500, self-timer, no MiJ
225596 PETRI CARPERU MXV (all white), no MiJ, 500, self-timer
228288 self-timer
228567 300, no self-timer
232313 500, self-timer
235481 self-timer
236815 self-timer
237495 no self-timer
24???? 500, self-timer
246837
246955
257495
267912 PETRI CARPERU MXV (all white), no MiJ
274821 no self-timer
275992 500
297116
3?2023 500, self-timer
304590 PETRI CARPERU MXV (all white), no MiJ, 500, self-timer
304717 PETRI CARPERU MXV (all white), no MiJ, 300, no self-timer, E.P diamond
323663 PETRI CARPERU (in red) MXV (white), no MiJ, 500, self-timer
324485 500, self-timer
334279 500, self-timer
341082 500, self-timer
342047 self-timer
35?023 500, self-timer
355769 PETRI CARPERU MXV (all white), no MiJ, 500, self-timer
374007
375691
?74007 300, no self-timer
?????? PETRI CARPERU MXV (all white), E.P diamond
?????? 300
?????? PETRI CARPERU MXV (all white), no MiJ, 500, self-timer
?????? 500, self-timer


-can't see the top for sticker-

235644 PETRI CARPERU MXV (all white), no self-timer
236815 self-timer
293438 self-timer
305170
314919 self-timer


==1.9 45mm==

64445 F1.9 MXV
66471 1.9 SV 59500569, no MiJ (Odd parts mix. Perhaps a repair.)
73466 MXV, no MiJ, has front label from a 2.8!
74761 F1.9 MXV
75014 F1.9, E.P diamond
77051 F1.9 MXV
77722 MXV 58349498, no MiJ,
78014 F1.9 MXV 58363358, inspection certificate 10 April 1959
78357 MXV
77980 F1.9 MXV
84285 SV
89519 1.9 SV
89378 1.9 SV 59445577, no MiJ, E.P diamond
89490 1.9
91340 SV
95?70 1.9 SV
99412 1.9
100?42 inspection certificate March 31 1960
103924 1.9 SV, E.P diamond
?1224 F1.9 SV, E.P diamond (Yup, F1.9 with SV. Probable repair. Definitely not the original vinyl on front.)
??451 1.9 SV, 59530818, no MiJ, E.P diamond
? 1.9 SV "ONLY $79.95" display card, NY address for the registration card.
? 1.9 SV
? 1.9 SV, E.P diamond
? 5857889 (Yup, seven digits on shutter. Lens was not attached to a camera. Ink-stamped 1.9 inside, and poster said "Petri 1.9 Color Corrected Super". Quite possibly this from a pre-Green-O-Matic.)


==1.8 50mm ==

body 187???, lens 51???
body 190740, lens 54784, SV
body 190373, lens 56472, SV 5935521 (seven digits?!)
body ??????, SV, E.P diamond
body ??????, SV
body ??????, lens 63120, SV


[Oops. Hit the character limit for posts. Continues in next.]

 

[bitoffun]

[continued]


**oddball note**: Petri 2.8 206730 has a slight tinwork difference. The pressed "vents" under the red dot logo are surrounded by an extra two-piece frame impression. No other example has been found. I double-checked all I could find. Most notably, the earlier 197233 does not have this detail.

Image here: http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/hirox30/29496421.html

FWIW, I also saw this frame detail in the drawing of the 2.8 used for the 1960 newspaper ad.

The "vent" styling is only found on the Green-O-Matic models under discussion, and the E.Bn. So this oddball's tinwork detail isn't a carryover from an earlier model.

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Curiosities

Naturally I strayed a little during my searching. I noticed there is a pre-Green-O-Matic F2 that looks exactly like the pre-Green-O-Matic F1.9. It only shows up on Japanese sites, but there is a fair number of them.

The later Petri 7 also seems to have no body number. Perhaps someone could check inside to confirm.

The "PETRI F1.9" label is also used for the pre-Green-O-Matic 1.9, and the "PETRI 1.9" label is used on the subsequent restyled 1.9.

I should have kept track, but it seemed like most of the E.P diamond cameras were on Japanese sites. And I think all the 1.8 50mm were on Japanese sites.

The second PDF on this page has some images of the Petri factory in 1967.
http://www52.atwiki.jp/petri/pages/69.html


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[btgc]

Welcome! Seems finally RFF has got new Petri representative in addition to some knowledgeable Yashica, Olympus, Canon and Minolta people (I mean fixed lens RF dept here) 🙂

 

[David Murphy]

Thanks for that very comprehensive review! I've had sort of an off and on fascination with Petri rangefinders and SLR's. My experience, having owned a few, is that they are unreliable or non-functioning today at least without servicing. This is made up what I regard as very nice styling and design - they are just pretty - and ergonomic in the sense pioneered by the Japanese. If one is willing to have them serviced they can be entertaining for light use, but not for heavy, serious usage. -- perhaps some will disagree, but these were my observations.

 

[oftheherd]

I have a Petri Computer 35, Color I think, as it is stored and not in front of me. I haven't used it much, but when I did, it took nice photos. It is very small as well. I always thought they were nice cameras and under-rated.

bitoffun - Thanks for that comprehensive post on Petri FFL cameras.

 

[George Bonanno]

Nice write-up.

I don't know anything about Petri cameras but this is my favorite street shooting rangefinder and it does get a fair amount of use without a hitch...

Believe it or not I actually found this camera in someone's garbage with a box of No.5 flashbulbs.The yellow-blue box of bulbs with the GE logo tipped me off. BTW: It works perfectly however it was CLA'd by Charles Chan a few years ago. The viewfinder and patch is wonderful especially in low light situations. I kid you not.

 

[bitoffun]

David Murphy, I'm interested to know which Petris you're refering to. This 1.9 is rather robust -- it served well as a beater camera. But that's a very small sample.

I've been suspicious the 60s models were more lightly built, and I do recall the SLR line was branded "stay away" thirty years ago. All hearsay though. Quite interested in hearing from people with broad experience.


George Bonanno, gosh, wish mine looked like that. Very nice.


Believe it or not, I've actually got more to post. May as well do it now. Warning: horrendous amount of opinion this time. But it's the end of it.

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Market Place

I like to think about the context of cameras - who shot what types when.

I've got a fairly good grasp from the 60s-up for North America, because I was there. I can extrapolate back reasonably well, and I've got an okay grasp of western Europe.

Some areas are dark, though. I know a fair bit about Soviet rangefinders, but I've no idea who used these cameras across the decades.

Say it's a photo-club meeting in Moscow in 55, 60, 65, and 70. What cameras do they have? Where did they get them? How do things change as you get farther from Moscow? And what about in the satellites? I've no idea.

(Okay, not in 55. In Neumaier's "Beyond Memory: Soviet Nonconformist Photography And Photo-Related Works Of Art", Valery Stigneev writes that in 1958 there was only the VDK club of Leningrad. Then "by the early 1960s more than one hundred and fifty had been established." Novator was the big club in Moscow.)

China is another blank. When you find an image of a photographer, the camera is a TLR. Who used the Shanghai 58's? Why are the boxes for those cameras fancy display types like you'd see in the shops of Hong Kong and Tokyo? That was a big surprise. I expected more like the soviet boxes, or simpler. Plenty of mystery there.

So, back to the 1959 Petri 1.9 and 2.8.

These were priced and spec'd to fit as a young man's first serious camera.

For PX sales, figure the young military guy on first tour. He's got time to read the photo magazines, and a regular decent paycheck. The good cameras around him, hanging off journalists and signal corp guys, are Nikons and Leicas. The magazines hold Nikons and Leicas as the standard, but these are way too much cash, just something to dream about. Then in the PX there are these nice little Petris that look and feel a whole lot like Nikon/Leicas, and are only $50. If he's not a heavy drinker, gambler, or saving for marriage, that's an easy sale.

Similar in the Japanese market. A second or third year citizen (that is, finished school and working) who is into photography, single, and is working for a decent company, can only dream of a Nikon, but he can save enough for the respectably-spec'd Petri.

By 1960, things shift. SLRs are taking over the top-end system-camera spotlight, and the mid-range is getting new built-in meter cameras that will become the first stage of good PHD cameras. The 1959 F1.9/1.9 ends up being the apex of what was a rather nice progression of fixed-lens manual rangefinders from Petri since 1954.

(Yes, I could give that spot to the final restyled 1.9 of 1961, but it's just so ugly... 😉 I think of that one as the last gasp of a product line winding-down. They're relatively rare, so weren't as successful, and they don't stand-out in the 1961 line-up at all.)

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It's a great little camera. Let me gush about it for a bit.

Let's get image quality out of the way -- I haven't tested that properly. That's an indefinite future project. Looking at the better shots online compared with the better shots by say a Fed 2 with Jupiter 8, the Petri 1.9 is not as good. But it's a pretty respectable second best.

Good enough that sometime it'll be fun to do side-by-side testing of a CLA'd 2.8, 1.9, plus something better known like the Jupiter.

After that, it's a nice viewfinder in a hand-candy body. Let me count the ways.

The viewfinder is big and bright, with a good bright rectangle rangefinder patch. The parallax-adjusted frameline is very bright, and all of this is easy to use with my ageing eyes and thick spectacles. This is a camera that lines up a shot quickly.

Because it's a leaf shutter, you can have the speed ring aligned with the aperture ring and the DOF marks, and Petri did this well. Setting up an exposure is glance-quick, all on the same centerline. Changing settings is done easily between thumb and forefinger, without moving the palm from shooting position.

When you rotate to shoot, the ribbed focus knob is right under your thumb.

Across the top you've got a nice leverwind, shutter button, counter with film-type reminder, and a flip-out rewind knob. Add a hinged back.

It has no vices or quirks, and it's a wonderfully well-balanced package.

Build quality is typical good-Japanese of the era. Not a tank like Nikon, but not flimsy at all. More like Pentax M42, which I am very fond of.

Value. It has none! 😉 No lineage, no innovations, and no high-finish. It's just a really nice camera for a remarkably modest price. You can find these at yardsales and such for next to nothing, and I think that's the best price for them.

Remember when old Volkswagens started to get collectable? I thought that was kinda sad. It's nice to see a reliable bargain stick around as a reliable bargain.

Cautions. There are no curtains to replace, but people do often mention stiff lenses. After fifty years it may need greasing and calibration. The camera isn't valuable enough to be worth professional service. If one doesn't already do these things oneself, it might be better to leave old Petris to those who do.

Mine is butter-smooth. Perhaps it was serviced before I got it in the early 90s.

Viewfinder magnification is roughly .75x, BTW. No diopter adjustment. And of course it's very quiet.

It's an easily overlooked gem. I wouldn't want to suggest anything that would crank the prices into collectability -- there are plenty of more remarkable cameras for the shelf. All this Petri is, is a really enjoyable rangefinder to use. When you see one at a yardsale, heft it up and check it out. You might really like it.

(It also has one of the least attractive cases ever made. Thankfully the top half snaps off.)

 

[bitoffun]

I've been thinking more about the F1.8 50mm.

It's a rather odd. They did a fair bit more glasswork than just stretch the 1.9's design, and why would you for such a similar and low-volume camera?

I'm thinking that may be glass from the SLR line. There was a 50mm 1.8 but I can't find a date for it yet, much less a diagram. Perhaps someone here knows.

Did find an interesting comparison between a 1977 version and a 1986 Nikkor. http://carcinojen.blogspot.com/2011/05/nikkor-50mm-f18-vs-petri-50mm-f18.html

--

Should also mention there are rangefinder-family items in that Petri patent page. In the second section, documents 2, 3, & 4: shutter trigger mechanism, shutter cocking mechanism, and flash mechanism.
http://www52.atwiki.jp/petri/pages/13.html

Docs are in Showa years, so here's a conversion chart. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shōwa_period#External_links

And the first section begins with several patents around an interesting little auto-winder camera, sort of like a Robot for casual users. No rangefinder, but if you like oddballs have a look.

 

[George Bonanno]

Off topic, I know, but... I've been thinking too. Does anyone besides myself actually take day to day pictures with a Petri ? No less a 2.8 CCS ? I don't know but it's really an under rated camera and the Tessar type lens projects a wonderful image on film, especially Fuji color.

Bit of fun... thanks for posting this stuff about Petri. At first I knew nothing. Now I know more than I need to know.

 

[George Bonanno]

Some petty Petri knowledge...

A few tidbits about the Petri 2.8 CCS. You can use a cable release with this camera. The shutter button ring is removable and a Leica or Nikon type adaptor fits onto the exposed threads enabling the use of a cable release. A Nikon AR-1 soft release is a perfect fit too. Also, since the lens accepts common 40.5mm filters an inexpensive Leica type hood can be used to offset any flare issues. Although for the most part flare is not an issue with the superbly coated Orikkor lens. Since most of these hoods are of the "cut-out-type" they're almost transparent through the viewfinder.

BTW: Perry has a nice blog page sporting the Perti 2.8 CCS... Click

 

[nparsons13]

Thanks, Bitoffun, for that interesting, informative post. I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the Petri 2.8 CCS. It was my high school graduation present (in 1959) from an uncle who was serving in the Army in Japan. It was my first 35mm camera. I used it heavily through college and after, and in 1967 its winder started binding up partway through the roll--a problem I've heard of in other copies as well.

Two years ago I came across another 2.8 CCS for sale--with lens hood and auxiliary lens set--so for nostalgia's sake I bought it. Turns out it's in excellent condition and a very good shooter. Focus is easy and smooth, and the film advance is smooth. The only problem with it is that the rangefinder has lost a lot of contrast; a little spot of black tape in the center of the front viewfinder window solves the problem.

The previous owner, the first owner, bought this copy while he was in the military in Okinawa. Both my original and this copy had/have the commemorative plaque. I don't have numbers for the original, but the present copy has the 500 "Petri MXV" (in white) shutter with self-timer. The lens S/N is 371507, and the bottom says "Made in Japan."

Thanks to George for mentioning that the Petri has a 40.5mm filter ring. I immediately tried my Petri clamp-on hood on the Industar 26m on my Fed-2, and it fits perfectly and barely intrudes into the viewfinder field.

 

[bitoffun]

I'm curious about this infrequent appearance of "Made in Japan".

I was under the impression that country-of-origin impressions were a requirement. Japan specifically was required to mark exports with "Made in Occupied Japan" in 1947, then in 1949 that was changed to "Made in Occupied Japan", "Made in Japan", or "Japan".

By the sixties, which I'm more familiar with, everything seems to be marked. Was there a period between when it was optional, or is something else going on?

FWIW the only other vintage I have handy is a full Electro G kit, and an FTN. The 1968 G kit has everything marked, right down to filters, filter cases, and "Printed in Japan" on the little pieces of paper with the filters. Only the Yashica strap and tripod are exceptions, because they're marked Germany. The circa 74 FTN is similarly rigorous. Even the caps are marked. The body has both "JAPAN" on the back and "MADE IN JAPAN" on the bottom.

Whereas my imported Petri only has "Made in Japan" on the leather case.

There is that little model-label on the front of Green-0-Matics. If your eyes are good you can read the final tiny line, "Kuribayashi Camera Industry, Inc. Japan". Perhaps this was considered good enough? I wouldn't think custom inspectors would be impressed. And perhaps some weren't, explaining the irregular issue of the standard bottom-plate "Made in Japan"?

A lot of you guys have considerable experience with 1950s cameras. Please tell me, what's normal?

 

[nparsons13]

Growing up in the fifties I had the impression that everything made in Japan had the label. Maybe it was only on things made for export or sold through the American military exchanges?

 

[FrankS]

This made me go and dig out my petri rf camera. Labelled petri (star) 1.9 color corrected super. Made in japan engraved on bottom, copal SV shutter B, 1-1/500sec. Great built quality. No body serial number, just 313229 on the lens, orikkor 1.9 45mm.

My camera's shutter button is a bit sticky, hesitating to return. Gummy lube, right? Also weak rf patch.

 

[charjohncarter]

I've had two Petri cameras: one 7 I bought new in 1963, and a 7s that I still own and use. Mine is almost mint and takes great images. I especially like it for flash photography:

flash

 

[bitoffun]

Gummy lube, right?

That's a problem. You can only get at most of the linkage by taking the lens assembly off, and with the 1959 type cameras that ruins the front vinyl. It just breaks off in shards. You won't want to fix that button till it refuses to return.

I expect the body of the 1961 1.9 is identical to the previous years. All the screws etc on the top-plate match. The final linkage within the lens assembly may be a little different. The M-X switch has been moved. That's the only non-cosmetic difference of that model I've noticed.

Accessing from the top, you only have the chrome cap, and the brass shaft underneath. The shaft passes through a port that's quite like an old carburettor jet. That hole and the top-plate hole have fairly close tolerances -- a little gunk pushed in while cleaning could be the problem. But if it's farther down the chain, it'll be much more trouble to deal with.

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Bonus curiosity. The translated name of the Japanese for the top tin cover is warship. They also have a style of prewar block apartments called that (Gunkan), and of course Gunkanjima - Battleship Island. I've been wondering if the term is used to convey a sense of shape or construction. It also shows up in an earlier form where it seems to mean simply military, rather than warship, so perhaps it's like 'shell' in the sense of armoured. For the apartment block it might be that they were not traditional post'n'beam construction. That is, they may have load-bearing walls, rather than curtain walls. Like say stud-frame, or concrete block.

 

[bitoffun]

FrankS - does your 1961 1.9 have aperture clicks?

The 1959 F1.9 doesn't. I don't miss it, but I notice a lot of people consider the lack to be an annoyance. I should have mentioned it in the general description.

Similarly, if anyone could comment on the next generation like the 7 and E.Bn , or the SV equipped 1960 1.9 -- do any of these click? I'd imagine Petri would have added it in the 60s.

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Should add one other non-cosmetic difference of the 1961 1.9 -- the film plane marking on the top plate is gone.

This was a nice detail on the Green-O-Matic line till then.

It is not included on the pre-Green-O-Matic 2.8 or 35. It is included on the pre-Green-O-Matic F1.9, F2, and Automate.

Doesn't seem to be on any of the SLR Penta line. Seems like 1960 was the last year for it.

----

This is curious:

The manual for the early Petri 35 warns not to change the shutter speed after cocking the shutter.

The manual for the pre-Green-O-Matic 2.8 does not have this warning. The manual for the pre-Green-O-Matic F1.9 with MXV does.

Must say this is news to me. I can tell you my Green-O-Matic F1.9 with MXV doesn't seem to mind. Perhaps this is an issue of wear rather than jamming.

 

[FrankS]

Yes, my camera does have detents at full aperture stops.
It also doesn't mind changing aperture after winding on film and charging the shutter, even at the 1/500 speed.

 

[btgc]

Ricoh FON w/ Seikosha MXL and Konica III w/ Konirapid MFX (basically, Seikosha) also warn not to change certain speeds after charging shutter.

FrankS, speed not aperture 🙂

 

[kievreport]

Hi everyone,

I too am a Petri fan. I came across my first Petri about 20 or so years ago in a trade and I've liked them ever since. I currently have a 1.9 CCS, a 2.8 7, their funky round meter, and a few of the accessory lenses. I plan to get a 2.8 CCS and a few other things eventually.

Anyway, I was fascinated by bitoffun's research and conjecture. There's an excellent book on Kuribayashi called the Collectors Guide to Kuribayashi-Petri Cameras. It's by John Baird. Here's a direct link to the publisher's page:
http://camera-net.com/books3.htm

It was a bit pricey to me, so I ordered a copy through my local library using InterLibrary Loan.

John did a lot of research into Kuribayashi and it really shows. I have to head out to work but I'll follow up later with some of the details about the Petri 35 series (which is what he calls everything in this production run) a little bit later.

A few quick tidbits off the top of my head: he doesn't have any hard info about the 1.8 but given the production timeframes, the lens did not come from the SLR range. His belief is that it's probably not a true 1.8 or that they simply overrated it.

Also, at the time he wrote it, he thought the commemorative edition was rather rare. Of course, this was pre-eBay (1991). The 1.25m referred to overall camera production. Kuribayashi produced a fair number of larger format cameras prior to the RFs we know.