# Petri Project



## compur (May 10, 2020)

I bought a 2-camera “lot” on eBay and this is one of them. I took a chance as the seller isn't a camera person so didn't know much about them. I was happy with the deal as this one was in fairly good condition (for a 65 year old camera) and the other one was mint (a Zeiss Contina II).

This is a Petri RF made by Kuribayashi of Japan in the 1950s. It is a 645 format on 120 film camera with uncoupled rangefinder and a 75mm/3.5 “C. Orikon” lens (coated Tessar type). Kuribayashi made lots of different cameras from around WWI up into the 1970s.






It needed the usual work for cameras of this era: shutter gummed up, viewfinder dim and dirty, and hazy lens. I got the shutter working and cleaned up the lens. I also replaced a missing bit of covering material. Next I will clean up the viewfinder. The rangefinder works but is too dim to be useful. Cleaning up that area should remedy that. It otherwise seems in very good condition including the bellows. The empty film spool I found inside was the old metal type so the camera hasn't been used in a long, long time.

I like these little 645 folders. They fold down to pocket size yet make big medium format negatives.


----------



## tirediron (May 10, 2020)

Good score.


----------



## Dany (May 11, 2020)

I love it !


----------



## IanG (May 11, 2020)

Nice find hope you'll use it 

Ian


----------



## webestang64 (May 11, 2020)

Very nice piece. The Zeiss is also a nice one.


----------

