The Camera Company was an optical company and manufacturer of cameras in Japan. It was founded in 1907. Prior to World War II, it was known as Kuribayashi Shashin K?gy? or Kuribayashi Camera Industry, inc. Japan (the company name means "Acorn Grove"). In 1962 it changed its name to Petri Camera Ltd.[1]
Petri produced many bellows and single-lens reflex cameras. During the 1960s its main products equalled Nikon's in features at half the price. Due to increased electronization, mass production and competition from other camera vendors, Kuribayashi filed for final bankruptcy in 1977. The labor union, affiliated with Sohyo, continued the company under the name Petri K?gy? K.K. with employee capital. The last model produced was the MF10, but with its screw-mount lens it could not compete with products having electrical contacts, and disappeared in the autofocus boom of the 1980s.
Now out of the camera business, Petri K?gy? manufactures telescopes at a plant in the town of Sugito, Saitama Prefecture.
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