Petri MF-1

History

Petri Camera had spent the 1960s and early 1970s competing in the mid-range SLR market with the Flex V, Flex 7, and FT-series, all using a breech-lock mount that was mechanically distinctive but proprietary. As the Japanese industry moved toward true bayonet mounts and automatic exposure in the mid-1970s, Petri responded by introducing a new bayonet mount and a pair of bodies: the manual-only MF-1 and the aperture-priority FA-1.

The decision to break mount compatibility with the existing FT-series lens base was commercially risky and likely accelerated the company's decline. Petri filed for bankruptcy in 1977; subsequent production of the MF-1 and FA-1 occurred under uncertain circumstances -- possibly through a successor entity or licensee arrangements. The MF-1's exact production volume is not documented.

Why It Matters

The MF-1 is a minor camera in the broader SLR history but occupies a specific niche as a late Petri bayonet-mount body with a pure manual-exposure specification. Where the FA-1 chased the then-dominant AE trend, the MF-1 offered a simpler, less electronically dependent option -- though the battery dependency for metering meant the simplification was partial. For collectors completing a Petri SLR sequence, the MF-1 and FA-1 together represent the final generation of the Petri SLR line.

The camera demonstrates a pattern common among smaller Japanese makers in the late 1970s: introducing a new mount system and body family too late to build meaningful market share before the window closed.

Lenses & Accessories

The MF-1 uses the Petri bayonet mount, which is not compatible with the earlier Petri breech-lock lenses. Native Petri bayonet glass includes a 50mm f/1.7 and 50mm f/2 standard lens, a 28mm f/2.8 wide-angle, and a ~135mm f/2.8 short telephoto. Third-party support for the Petri bayonet mount was essentially nonexistent. Standard Petri-branded flash units attach via the hot shoe; the camera accepts standard PC-sync cables.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Petri MF-1 -- body specifications and mount details
• Wikipedia: Petri Camera -- company history, bankruptcy context, and model list