Petri 55 1.8

[Lloydy]

I think I might have another "favourite 50" even if it is 55mm. This Petri TTL camera and the 55 / 1.8 lens was in a box of junk at the camera fair and I paid £2 for it, the camera works fine and the lens is perfect, I haven't even cleaned it. I wasn't after a Petri, but it was too good to walk away from, and I'm glad I didn't - the lens is excellent. It's sharp, good contrast, great colour rendition and lovely bokeh at 2.8, it's a bit harsh at 1.8, but not objectionable. I like it anyway.

All pictures from my A6000, all wide open or one stop down except the slow motion water which were f16 and 1.6 sec. No sharpening, and very slight levels adjustment on the rose pictures.

[luisalegria]

The camera is interesting - the Petri TTL was, maybe, the last Petri-made camera, all later models being rebranded from other makers like Cosina. The FT1000 for instance seems very much like the Cosina made Vivitar 220/SL.

The lens - well, Petri didn't make it, though it was probably made to the Petri spec.
Whatever else Petri did (reputation for mechanical reliability/durability wasn't the best, and most of the lens line was rebranded third party stuff, much from Tokina, typical of the day) the 50's seem to have been very good.

[jamaeolus]

Nice. I really like the last image.

[kds315*]

[kryss]

Lloyd..

[fotografiasol]

Another version of the lens in near fluorescent orange lettering.
#1


#2

[iangreenhalgh1]

Interesting, totally different lens from the earlier bayonet mount Petri 1.8/55 but looks to have very similar performance.

[Lloydy]

I've only had this lens a few days, and the thing that is impressing me is the colour rendition. I spend a lot of time walking along the Loamhole Brook, it's very close to my house and it's a special place - it's different every time you go there. It's more or less North - South, very steep sided and completely under the canopy of the trees, so the light can be extraordinary, like it was today when everything was a bright, verdant, green when the sun came out. ( the first three pictures )


( everything in this picture slopes down to the stream, and close to it it is very steep )

I've tried to capture this beautiful green light before with Rokkors, Zeiss, Canon, Olympus or whatever, and every lens has stamped its own colour rendition on the image - except this Petri. Maybe the Petri does greens in the way that I think Pentacon's do red, although I think this Petri does red very nicely as well.

Ideally I need to compare it to my other "favourite 50's" such as my Mamiya Sekor 55 / 1.8, Takumar 55 / 1.8, Pancolar 50 / 2.8, a bunch of Rokkors, Canon, Olympus, Yashica and whatever else I have in the 50mm range. It's often said that "there are no bad 50's" - maybe that's true, but some do have to rise above the high standard. At the moment I'm thinking the Petri does just that.

[mo]

You certainly nailed the lush greens...reminds me of NZ.

[Boomer Depp]

Lloyds pics look surprisingly good for a Petri lens. I don't remember the 55mm being all that great. I had a Honeywell Pentax Spotmatic with a Tak 55/1.8 bought stateside in '72, which was lost in the late winter of 73. However I still had M42 mounts Takumars 135/2.5 and a 200/4. So was saving to buy another, when the Navy Exchange got in the new FTX. Since it was less expensive, figured I give it a go, since it would get me a camera in hand sooner. So bought an FTX with the Petri 55/1.8 in March or April of 74. I ended up buying another FTX with a 55/1.8 used at a thrifty price, which was dedicated for one of the telephoto lenses. I thought the lenses were made by one of their small contractors they used in those days, but I later heard the 55mm from this era was also made in house. Though the 55mm shot OK pics, I didn't think it was worth writing home about. Seems as if I had a problem nailing focus with them back in the day. Will have to give one of these a go, to see if they are, as I remember. Lloyds pics look quite good.

[Boomer Depp]

A few pics with the Petri 55/1.8 mounted on a FTX in the 70s...more then likely the film was Kodachrome.

Andrew Smiley and my wife before riding to our little town's 4th of July Parade in '78.


My childhood friend Mike, taking the helm of my just purchased T-Bird in '77.


Great Sitkin Island and volcano as seen from the top of Mount Moffitt the spring of '74 - the 55/1.8 & 2x TC


Expedition Harbor with Husky Pass in the distance upper right. - Fall of '74


My old friend Tom with whom I'm still pals today - Mount Moffitt in the distance - Winter of '74/'75


My old best bud Ski filling his water flask. - Spring of '75


Navy tug anchored in Sand Bay off of Great Sitkin Island, as our search and rescue party prepares to transfer our gear ashore, spring of '75


Navy Chinook helicopter landing on Great Sitkin, to transport our S&R party to the top of Great Sitkin Volcano, during the spring of '75.


My buds and I waiting for our party to return to camp, before our ascent of Great Sitkin...'75


Navy tug from the air, before we ascend Great Sitkin Volcano....'75


My two children and I waiting for the tide, after a fresh coat of bottom paint on my T-Bird, the fall of '77.

[Minolfan]

Nice things to remember!

[papasito]

I beg your pardon.

But about the Petri 55 mm lenses in bayonet mount, I saw at least two version of this lens

1. F/1,7 with the aperture ring from let to right. The 1,7 is at the left, obviously .

2. F/1,8 with the aperture ring from right to left. And the infinity at the left.

Do both have 7 element? If not, which has that scheme?

Thanks

[Ultrapix]

[papasito]

[Pancolart]

[Ultrapix]