.JPG "Petri 55mm f/1.8 CC Auto, PETRI CAMERA JAPAN") |
| Petri 55mm f/1.8 CC Auto PETRI CAMERA JAPAN |
2017.09.10 - First published
2022.07.23 - Re-written from scratch
Petri 55mm f/1.8 CC Auto
PETRI CAMERA JAPAN
Mount Type - Petri bayonet mount
Focal Length - 55mm
Minimum Focusing - 0.6 meters
Filter Thread Ø - 52mm
Focus Throw - 90 degrees
Aperture Run - f/1.8 - f/16 (6 blades)
Optical Formula - 6 elements, 4 groups (single coating)
Made in Japan
Models/Year Released:
1963 - Old model, silver focus ring, Ø=55mm
1967 - New model, Ø=52mm
1970 - It has 'Guide Number' feature and came with Petri V6-II era
(Source: https://w.atwiki.jp/petri/pages/34.html)
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Impressions
Petri was a budget brand that sold budget cameras and lenses. They outsourced the manufacture of their lenses, mostly Tokina. The company began as Kuribayashi Camera in 1907 but changed name to Petri Camera Ltd. in 1963. Their early SLR and lenses used the universal M42 screw mount, but later used their own Petri bayonet mount, then reverting back to M42 mount in 1974. The company filed for bankruptcy in 1977.
This Petri 55mm f/1.8 CC Auto comes in Petri bayonet mount. This lens came in dirty condition and needed restoration and later conversion to Nikon F mount. This allows me to use the lens on my Nikon D5200 and have focus to infinity. This mount conversion is the only way to use it, because there are no adapters available today that allows Petri bayonet mount be adapted to modern digital SLRs or mirrorless cameras.
As a consequence of modding the lens and the rear element, vignetting and swirly bokeh was introduced at wide apertures like f/1.8 and f/2.
This version of the lens featured here, has a unique feature of an extra ring between the focus and aperture rings. It lets you measure and calculate the 'Guide Number' when doing flash photography. There are several versions of this lens, starting from 1963. But this 'Guide Number' feature made it easy to trace to 1970, because this version came with the Petri V6-II camera that came out that year.
The mechanical build of this lens feels very cheap and delicate. Please do remember that this was an era when plastics on lenses did not exist. The internal mechanism of this lens is very delicate and some parts actually broke even with delicate careful handling.
For example, the aperture mechanism was broken, so my decision was to fix the opening permanently around f/2 (a little bit closed down to make it sharper). It is already razor sharp at that stop, you can see details on my skin when shooting from a distance.
The lens elements are single coated with amber sheen on the glass, as is the norm of that era. It is decently sharp at f/2 with a little dreamy effect, but the colors and contrast are very lovely.
Conclusion: This lens produced pleasant photos wide open at f/2 -- decently sharp, nice colors and contrast, handles backlight well. And to think that lenses of this time were usually crazy soft wide open. This lens was fun because the modding and restoration part gave me a challenge. However, it is not worth hunting if you are looking for ready-to-use lenses because no adapters exist. If you really want this Petri lens, look for later lenses that use M42 screw mount.
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Samples
Shot with Nikon D5200
Most of my shots were at f/2.
You can tell which ones were f/1.8 with the glow and low contrast.
Swirly bokeh is very prominent at f/1.8
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| f/2 |
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| f/1.8 |
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| f/1.8 |
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f/2 |
These indoor shots at f/2.8
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Further Readings
Petri Bayonet Mount
M42 Mount
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Hi,
ReplyDeletethanks for the review. I also like Petri lenses. They are underdogs in the vintage lens world and some of them don't deserve to be.
I plan to write a review about the big brother the 1.4/55 myself. I'm wondering: Where did you get the information that the early bayonett Petri lenses are made by tokina or even a third party manufacturer. In my opinion Petri made the early lenses themselves, only later cheaply made M42 ones were third party.
I don't have any certain sources either, though. I do have some old catalogues. Also I think: If they were made by Tokina, why choose a different look, different aperture system, different bayonett. It doesn't make much sense.
I prefer to think that the Petri bayonett mount (breech lock) were made by Petri (Kuribayashi) until I find a believable source that denies that.
Regards, Rolf
Hello! Sorry super late reply, I have trouble commenting, so under Anonymous only. You can find info in this Japanese site:
ReplyDeletehttps://w.atwiki.jp/petri/pages/34.html
Rattus