Petri camera

[montecarlo]

I bought last week a new old camera with kit lens : Petri GX-1 with Petri 50mm f:2.0 lens (similar with this one http://kitatoma.pepo.jp/hobby_room/1_camera/PETRI_GX-1.htm ).
Its a simple camera, a mechanical one, and battery powers only the light meter. In the place of the needle you can found three coloured leds.
In fact its made by Cosina (a CT-1/A model) and is marketed under many labels like :
Hanimex DR-1 , Soligor SC-1 , Exakta HS-1 , Miranda MS-1

I'll test the lens . Might be the same as this : http://www.pbase.com/steephill/image/38667505 . Regarding it the Petri/Cosinon should outperform the similar Pentax-M 50mm f:2.0 http://www.pbase.com/steephill/image/38540084
(the decentering issie could be a copy problem (?) ) and wide open even the Ricoh/Rikenon one.

Now, I don't know which one to keep : the Petri or the Luxon MC 50mm f:2.0, an another cheap lens, a chinese copy of the Pentax-M 50mm f:2.0 lens ( http://forum.mflenses.com/chinese-pentax-lens-andcamera-clone-t4907.html )

[luisalegria]

Good thing it is a late-model Petri - Cosina. The older ones were made by Petri and had a unique lens mount and a generally poor reputation.

[Canuck Curt]

Sounds interesting. I have this camera under the Cosina CT-1/A and Miranda MS-1 versions. My luck has been the opposite with Petri SLR's, my old Petriflex V3's work well but every time I buy an FT, FT1000 or Carena SRH 1000 it doesn't work or the lens mechanism is frozen solid. No problems with most Petri rangefinder cameras, just their M42 equipment hates me, LOL.

[Farside]

[newton]

I bought a Petri FT. I do not know what I just bought. Any advice on this camera. It comes with a 50 mm and a 135 mm, lenses which I already own in M42 and PK mounts. This may allow me to use my Petri lenses on a Petri body. Where did you get your PK adapters for digital? Is this a good camera? I think I should have saved my money.

[newton]

Here are some new pictures taken by someone else on the photo.net site from this Petri FT camera. I am wondering what people think.

http://photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00YSo3




Here is a link explaining the differences between the different camera bodies made by this peculiar Japanese company: Kuribayashi Camera Industry Inc. or Petri Camera Co., Inc. (Japan)

http://www.thecamerasite.net/02_Rangefinders/Pages/petrit.htm

[drosales]

I actually have 2 questions:

1. Is it possible to remove the focusing screen & condenser lens on a Petri FT EE for cleaning without taking the camera apart?

2. Will diluted rubbing alcohol be OK for cleaning the aforementioned parts, or it stain them?

A replies would be greatly appreciated!

D. Rosales

[Excalibur]

[scsambrook]

[drosales]

Of the few times I have used my Petri FT EE camera to take pictures, the photos have often come out with a slight bluish tint. Violets end up being blue, bright lime greens a darker shade, and lavender a bit pinkish. Instead of using the apeture as recommended on the meter, I usually adjust the F-Ring until the meter's needle lands on, or as close to the blue dot exposure mark wught next to the F.28 mark. Is this a bad idea? Should I follow he meter's advice, instead? I've also notice that sometimes the needle lands on the blue dot with the recommended apeture, and sometimes not. Any recommendations out there? Also, some of the photos have a white or dark bar on the sides. Could this be due to a problem with the lens? This is an old camera that I recently purchased on eBay, and there's no telling how the meter and lens have been holding up after all these years. A reply would be gratly appreciated!!! Thanks, D.R.

[luisalegria]

The white or dark bar, if its obscuring part of the frame, is most likely due to a shutter fault - does this camera have a horizontal fabric shutter ?

You may want to test the camera at different speeds to check if this problem occurs at certain speeds.

Odd tints may be due to the lens, but I find that unlikely. More likely is the selection of film you are using and your film processor.

Exposure is exposure, no matter how you measure it. Different film will react differently to overexposure/underexposure. If you don't trust the camera meter, try a hand-held meter.

As for your cameras meter - changes in both speed and aperture should affect the exposure readings. Sometimes with any of these systems the indicator will not come in precisely, as you cant select intermediate speeds, or intermediate apertures. Normal print film has plenty of latitude though so such precision isn't really needed.

You can avoid using a meter entirely - "sunny 16" works very well. Go shooting in bright sunlight - to shoot for the highlights, if you are using ISO 100 film, set speed to 125 (thats close enough) and aperture to f/16. Or trade stops for speed - its the same exposure at 250 and f/11, or 500 and f/8

[drosales]

[luisalegria]

Maybe you should scan these shots with bluish tints and post them here.
Are they overall bluish, or are there bluish areas ?

I can't imagine why they would come out like this as a result of either a shutter or a lens problem.

You could certainly have an exposure problem, but thats really easy to check - see what I wrote about checking your exposure.

This thing has a vertical fabric shutter ? I have never seen that on a 35mm slr. Fabric shutters normally work horizontally. Metal shutters are often vertical.

Are the white/dark areas on the horizontal sides of the picture or the vertical ?

Yes indeed, shutter timing can be off due to lack of lubrication or old lubricant. It could also be a lot of other things. Weak springs, bad bearings, stretched curtain tapes, bent parts, frayed areas, etc.

[drosales]

[bob955i]

[Excalibur]

***the photos have often come out with a slight bluish tint. Violets end up being blue, bright lime greens a darker shade, and lavender a bit pinkish. ***

Well I'd say either you used bad film or the operator who scanned the negs and did the prints didn't do a very good job, but if it was all done cheaply...you get what you pay for

[bob955i]