Petri 35MX

[Randy]

Just picked up a Kuribayashi Petri 35MX on evilbay for $6.43 with case and lens cap. This makes my fourth Petri Rangefinder having both the circlematic and the greenomatic 7 series and the Pro 7. Here is a nice review on the Petri 35MX by Karen Nakamura.

Picture from the auction.

[Randy]

Seems there isn't much information concerning Petri Cameras online. I don't care for my Petri SLRs, but they made a really nice Rangefinder. According to what information I can find, Petri made their last Rangefinder in 1974.

[Just Plain Curt]

Hi Randy,
Not sure why you don't care for your Petri SLR's, possibly the unique bayonet mount? The last Petri rangefinder according to Baird's Collectors Guide to Petri Cameras was the Petri 35 RE introduced in 1977 and featured a coupled rangefinder. The Seven S-ll also was made in 1976.

[Randy]

Thanks Curt. I have one Petri SLR with no model name and It's M42 mount. I also have a KRESGE FOCAL (K-Mart) FT that says "Made for KRESGE by Kuribayashi LTD" on the bottom and it's an M42 mount also. The battery mounts on the left front on the front of the top plate in front of the rewind knob. Both cameras have problems with focusing, so they sit in the junk box.

[Just Plain Curt]

Problems with focusing you say? Hmmmm, never owned either camera but I wonder if they're similar to a Zenit 11 I had with focus problems. A simple query to Kar Yan Mak's Camera Repair forum got me an answer that worked for me. Gently lifting the mirror showed a threaded rod with slotted end that the mirror rested on. A turn or two and presto, what had been hopelessly out of focus was again easily focussed. Not betting that's the case here, but you've got my curiosity aroused. I'll do some research. As the Terminator said, "I have detailed files" only in my case they're literally piled in huge heaps on a spare bed, in ten binders and on a couple hundred favourite sites on my 'puter.

[kiev4a]

I've been tempted by a Petri ranhefinder. But since I seldom use the rangefinders I have, I haven't made a serious try for one.
I noticed posts elsewhere saying the Petri Flex was a low end camera--not built as well as other slrs of the period. My Petri V just drips quality of construction, I have a VI that also is well built but has a sluggish shutter. Actually the Petris seem "classier" to me than Mamiya (no offense Ron) or Pentax. Both my cameras have the Petri bayonet mount.

[PeterW]

Hi Randy,

Re: your petris, you wrote:

Both cameras have problems with focusing, so they sit in the junk box.

It may well be that the mirror is out of adjustment, But before you try adjusting it, check that the lens does infact focus at infinity when it says 'infinity' on the lens scale.

I posted a piece some time ago in Workbench on how to do this.

If you find that the lens focus is OK, then have a look at the mirror adjustment. Be careful, nearly all SLRs have a means of adjusting the mirror position, and sometimes this is self-locking screw but on others there is also a locking screw, often a small screw though the split folded block into which the adjusting screw fits. Check to make sure before you try turning the adjusting screw or you could easily damage the threads.

Here's a pic I took a few years ago of the adustment on a Zenit but I don't know if the same sort of thing was ever used by Petri.



I've just had a quick look inside the front of a junk (jammed) Petri FT II SLR (breech lock lens), and that certainly hasn't got an adjusting screw that I can see. The mirror's bottom location seems to be two short stubby rods, one on each side of the mirror box.

If yours looks the same inside, and if you'd like me to, I'll take the front off and see where the adjustment is.

Peter

[Randy]

Thanks Peter, I'd have to figure out where I put that camera, it's been so long. By the way folks, that Petri 35MX came, and it's a total piece of junk...fell apart in my hands. It looks much better in the picture, the shutter is even froze up.