Petri Petri 135mm f3.5 Heritage

Overview

The Petri 135mm f/3.5 is a telephoto prime designed for 35mm SLR cameras, offered by the Japanese maker Petri as an affordable option in the classic manual-focus era. Reviews reference the lens under several designations including 'CC' and 'MC' variants, and it appeared in multiple mounts, with community listings noting a K-mount version. Within enthusiast circles it is remembered less as a legend and more as a budget performer: as one dpreview commenter put it, 'This Petri 135mm f/3.5 CC is rather good, and, in general, is cheap!' Another discussion tempered that praise, calling it 'not a class leading lens' while acknowledging its virtues. No established nicknames or jargon exist for this lens in the reviews consulted. Its modest cult following, such as it is, rests on the appeal of a cheap-but-usable vintage tele that can produce reasonable results without a significant investment.

Verdict: The Petri 135mm f/3.5 is a cheap, honest telephoto for the budget-minded vintage shooter who wants a usable 135mm with well-controlled chromatic aberration and acceptable edge sharpness. It is not a class-leading optic and its bokeh can look busy, but for the price it delivers reasonable results — a sensible choice for casual use rather than a coveted collector's lens.

Optical Character

Bokeh

Out-of-focus rendering tends toward a busy rather than creamy look, with no swirl or bubble character.

Sharpness wide open

Edge sharpness is not class leading but not obviously flawed.

Community Insights

What people love

It is inexpensive, repeatedly noted as 'cheap' while still being 'rather good'.
Chromatic aberrations are well controlled compared to other lenses from the same period.
Edge sharpness, while not class leading, is not obviously flawed, making it a usable performer.

What people dislike

Bokeh can look busier than expected in the out-of-focus areas.
One user found the focusing ring turned in the 'wrong direction' for their preference.
It is not a class-leading lens in terms of ultimate optical quality.

Pro Tips

Because the bokeh can render busy, choose simple, uncluttered backgrounds to keep out-of-focus areas clean.
Be aware the focusing ring may rotate in an unexpected direction; practice before critical shooting.
Its well-controlled CA makes it suitable for higher-contrast subjects where other period lenses might show fringing.

Sources (1)

Web-grounded synthesissecondary

The Petri 135mm f/3.5 is a telephoto prime designed for 35mm SLR cameras, offered by the Japanese maker Petri as an affordable option in the classic manual-focus era. Reviews reference the lens under several designations including 'CC' and 'MC' variants, and it appeared in multiple mounts, with community listings noting a K-mount version. Within enthusiast circles it is remembered less as a legend and more as a budget performer: as one dpreview commenter put it, 'This Petri 135mm f/3.5 CC is rather good, and, in general, is cheap!' Another discussion tempered that praise, calling it 'not a class leading lens' while acknowledging its virtues. No established nicknames or jargon exist for this lens in the reviews consulted. Its modest cult following, such as it is, rests on the appeal of a cheap-but-usable vintage tele that can produce reasonable results without a significant investment.

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4395220https://allphotolenses.com/lenses/item/c_4695.htmlhttps://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/61590065https://www.keh.com/shop/135-f3-5-cc-auto-52-petri-lens-1.htmlhttps://forum.mflenses.com/petri-3-5-135mm-k-mount-t40053.html