Petri's fixed-lens 35mm rangefinder — selenium meter, leaf shutter, 1966.
The Petri Racer is a fixed-lens 35mm rangefinder produced by Petri of Japan, introduced in 1966. It belongs to Petri's rangefinder family of the mid-1960s, offering a coupled rangefinder and a built-in meter in a mid-priced body for general photography.
This is a coupled-rangefinder 35mm camera with a fixed lens and a leaf shutter. Exposure is guided by a selenium meter that operates without a battery, and focusing is by the coupled rangefinder. The leaf shutter operates within the lens, and the camera functions mechanically without battery dependence for its shutter.
The Racer suits users looking for a mechanical, battery-independent rangefinder for general and street work. It is a solid everyday shooter for those comfortable with manual exposure and rangefinder focusing, and its self-powered meter makes it convenient for travel.
On inspection, confirm the selenium meter still responds to light, as these cells degrade over decades. Check the lens for haze and fungus, verify the rangefinder patch is present and aligned, test the leaf shutter across its speeds for sticking, and assess light seals and film-advance feel. A dead selenium meter cannot be restored.