Anybody familiar with the petri color 35e?? I am not sure exactly how this camera works - battery needed, battery check. It seems like a solid metal autoexposure like the hi-matic F. It does have a weird slide out back with the battery compartment inside... Also the lens is retractable like the Petri color 35. I am not sure about the sequence - wind, pull the lens out and shoot??? It seems to be the same size as the Olympus RC without the manual option.
Thanks,
vinay

By Winfried on Thursday, February 28, 2002 - 03:21 pm:

I have a Carena Minimatic which is a relabeled version of the Petri Minimatic, and the latter was a version of the Petri Color 35E with some more body parts made of plastic.

This camera has fully automatic operation only, similar to the Konica C35, with some kind of 'programmed' shutter, (probably) starting at f/2.8-1/30 up to f/16-1/500. Actually it has a 'needle trap' mechanism quite similar to the C35, although you can't see the needle in the viewfinder. You can see it from the front, but the scale is not calibrated, it just has an indicator for the battery test mode.

The camera always needs a battery. If the needle is out of range, a red flag will appear in the viewfinder.

You can pull out and push back the lens at any time, there is no sophisticated coupling like the Rollei35's. The retractable lens barrel contains all the combined shutter/aperture mechanics. On the Rollei35 series, the shutter drive mechanism is outside the lens barrel, so the shutter always has to be cocked prior to retracting the lens. The Petri Color35E/Minimatic is much simpler.

I did not try out the Carena Minimatic, it was a bargain at a camera fair from a dealer closing his business (with some defects, including the usual rotten battery wires).

BTW, the Ricoh Hi-Color35 also has a 'hidden needle trap' mechanism, i.e. it detects the position of a galvanometer needle, but the latter is not visible in the viewfinder.

By Mike on Thursday, February 28, 2002 - 05:42 pm:

Although originally designed for the now-discontinued 1.3 volt cells, the 35E seems to not be overly sensitive to voltage and works fine with 1.5 volt A76, LR44, etc. The ASA dial should be set to 100 when checking the battery. The needle should be in the blue area with a good battery. Check the light seals also, as you will certainly have a light leak if they are shot.

By aiyyer on Thursday, February 28, 2002 - 06:45 pm:

Thanks for the prompt response. I had been fooling around with pulling the lens in and out and then remembered that the Rollei required a specific sequence to fire - did not want to break anything. Will try out a battery and see if it works.
Just a thought .. how are you supposed to change the battery with loaded film?? I guess the hinged pressure plate and total darkness are mandatory.
Thanks,
Vinay

By Winfried on Friday, March 01, 2002 - 01:08 am:

First, the successor of the Color35E is the Microcompact, not Minimatic, same applies for the Carena version (the latter probably sold in Germany only since Carena is one of the trademarks of a retailers chain).

Second, I guess the Color35E is as voltage-sensitive as any camera using a simple meter circuit. Since the error will not be linear (i.e. not the same aperture value over the whole range), it cannot be corrected by readjusting film speed. However, this may work with print film.

Of course you can't change the battery mid-roll. You'd better check it prior to loading a new film. Some older Agfa cameras also have the battery chamber behind the loading door.

When the Color35E/Microcompact is cocked you can press the shutter release when the lens is retracted but you will loose one frame.

Thanks for the hint with checking the battery at 100ASA. Strange enough, the Color35E turns the galvanometer mechanically when adjusting film speed. I have seen this on a Konica Auto-S but this camera is more than a decade older.