Petri Penta V – a classic or ugly duckling?

Chris and Carol

I know Petri has made several different camera models over the years, some of which I absolutely love and others, like this one, that I dislike. Is it a classic, or has it not aged well? It was released in 1969, so at that time, early SLRs weren’t especially stunners compared to the more refined models of the later 1960s. That said, I think the Asahi Pentax H2 from 1959 is one of the best-designed cameras from that era. The Nikon F is a stunning camera, but I dislike removing the base plate to load and unload film.

I admit, it would look better with a lens. Without a lens, it looks like a plumbing fixture.
A previous owner added the leatherette on the pentaprism, hiding the serial number. Does this add to or subtract from the camera’s appearance?
Pretty clean design from behind.
The tripod mount screw is moved forward under the lens mount; otherwise, it’s a simple base plate.

Here are my Asahi Pentax H2 from 1959 and my Yashica Pentamatic ’35’ from 1960 as a comparison.

Clean, simple, and classic.
Nikon F from 1959.

Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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Comments are always welcomed, as I’ve learned quite a bit from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by, and while you’re at it, feel free to visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios hosted by Etsy). – Chris Whelan

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