Minolta SRT101

<p>Over the years I have collected a few Classic SLR's and one now knows enough is enough, but there is a current - what if ? Yes the Minolta SRT101 looked well ahead of the game even then, there is no doubt for a collector it is still up there its sharp Rokkor lens and bayonet full indexing ? Total respect ! Any comments appreciated</p>

<p>a great camera-I had 2 of them in the early 70's; a chrome body for colour film and a black body for b/w. cb :-)</p>

<p>My first "real" camera. I just got a friend at work one on the "bay" to start him off in "real" photography. </p>

<p>Antony, the SRTs are great cameras. I have dad's old ones. I think I have 3. They are the 101s and the 201s, Also have his x-370 and 370N. They are excellent cameras. I think his 201 needs the film advance to be worked on, (over lapping frames). He used them to take pictures from his microscopes. Have 2 microscope attachments, and he took pictures of Vietnam, japan, etc. He taught the doctors in Vietnam.</p>

<p>I've never played with the "new" Minolta cameras, but the SR series are great machines... a little loud by todays standards, but both my c1962 SR-3 and c1967 SR-1s have reliable shutters and film advance and don't seem to suffer from many of the problems I've encountered with 70's and 80's models of other marques. It's really a shame that Minolta went the way of the dodo considering the pure amount of real raw innovation that they did from the late 1950's until the 1990s! </p>

<p>I have an SRT 101, fixed 35, 50 and 135 lenses, all bought new. Has functioned without failure all this time, but without heavy use, maybe 100-125 rolls. I use the MRC battery adaptor, which tests out to work perfectly. Voltage meter confirms battery output to be right at 1.35V.</p>

<p>Camera has been periodically serviced over the years, other than cleaning and lubing it has only needed seal replacements. Wonderful, simple and reliable, the images are (I think) top notch, very sharp lenses. Very well made, quality item, looks like it will outlast me.</p>

<p>Patrick </p>

I remember reading a while back a reference to these SRT models..... though it may apply to various other models of this vintage..I really imagined this as it was written. "Solid design, heavy, you could drive nails with this thing!" I imagined myself on a ladder hammering a 2x4 with this camera! Then at the end of the day taking a work-progress photo! Indeed!

<p>I found an SRT SC-II at a thrift store, and it works great. Very solid feeling of quality. And you can find great old lenses for it at ridiculously low prices.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=1717776">P</a>atrick (Dempsey) mentioned the SR-1s; that was my very first 35mm camera! I got it on sale for Christmas 1969-it came with 2 Minolta Rokkor lenses; a 58mm and a 100mm. I kept it for about 6 months then traded it in for the SRT-101 and I still remember how it felt going from the clip on light meter to the 101's built in meter. That was pretty good technology in 1970! cb :-)</p>

<p>Charles, did you ever have problems with the SR-1s focusing screen? Mine is just a matte screen with a donut of rough area... not quite up to modern "microprism" standards... I'm having difficulty focusing with my 28mm lens with it, a problem I don't have with the split prism on the SR-3.</p>

<p>Hi Patrick-it has been a long time since my SR-1s days but I don't recall having had any problems with it. Happy holidays! cb :-)</p>

<p>I have a chrome 101 with the silver shutter speed dial and an older chrome 101 with the black shutter speed dial. The later one has been overhauled and I sometimes use it. The older one could use an overhaul but does function. I have come to like the 201 more than the 101 just based on the viewfinder. My 102 needs an overhaul and is not really working. I have an SR-7 which is working after a fashion, two working X-700s and a parts X-700 I just picked up. The X-700s work so well with the 280PX and 36-PS flash units that I take most of my flash photos with them. Now that I have a diopter for the x-700s it is also easier for me to fucus them. My next Minolta overhaul will be the 102. </p>

<p>My first SLR was also an SRT101, the original model with the black knob and slotted (JIS) screws, given to me by my grandfather when he couldn't see well enough to focus it anymore. I've used it for years, and yes it is loud and heavy, but fun to use, and a bit of an attention getter given its size and age, in this era of tiny digital P&S's. At the moment, though, it's on the shelf in honorable retirement. The X-sync socket seems to have a loose connection, so the flash sometimes doesn't go off: besides, I can't see well enough to focus it either... I finally broke down and got an XG-7 so I could keep using the various lenses I've accumulated over the years, and it's got a split-image viewfinder, which is easier on my eye.<br>

(I just got my hands on a used XD-11, which needs some work: mirror is broken. Anybody know if that's replaceable?)</p>

<p>Back in high school the physic teacher was also in charge of the photo club and darkroom. He would loan us his SRT-101, and it was the first SLR I ever used. Over the years I've used a lot of cameras and lenses, but IMO those Rokors (sp?) offered more bang for the buck than almost any others.</p>