Minolta SRT Film SLRs: Still Clicking After All
These Years
Author: Tom Bonner

For a small, but determined group, the Minolta SRT series
cameras are still a viable path to SLR photography. Even though
the cameras themselves have been out of production for over
twenty years and Minolta exited the camera business in 2006,
Minolta SRTs are still a hot commodity on ebay, pawnshops and
used camera dealers. Minolta no longer makes cameras and digital
SLRs are now king of the camera hill. Despite these factors, the
SRT camera line is still producing great images.

The SRT101 started the series when it was introduced in 1966.
Over the next 15 years, Minolta produced the SRT100, SRT102,
SRT200, 201 and 202. The SRT series also appeared with other
names outside the US. In addition, Minolta produced the SRT-MC
to be sold primarily by K-mart. A similar model, the SRT-SC was
sold by JC Penny.

With the huge distribution and rugged metal construction, you
can understand why so many SRTs survive today. Yet it would seem
they are hopelessly outdated compared with the array of fine
digital cameras available. Why would any one want one of these
old warhorses instead of a dSLR?

Make no mistake, digital SLRs offer a number of advantages that
no film SLR can match. Digital SLR's allow you to preview your
shots, you can transfer images to your computer for editing and
you can use the same memory card over and over. In addition to
not offering digital features, the SRT lacks autofocus,
dedicated flash, program mode and auto film advance -- that is a
pretty extensive list of lacking features.

Yet it is those missing features that make the cameras
attractive to so many current users, With no electronics, the
SRT returns the photographer to an era when one's own knowledge
was paramount to getting successful images. As a purely manual
camera, the SRT forces the users to learn photography from the
ground level. Many users are using a SRT as s stepping stone to
learning photography before splurging a full featured digital
SLR.

Another attractive aspect is cost. Although there are a number
of enthusiastic Minolta collectors, so many SRTs were produced
and so many were well preserved by their owners, that good, used
SRTs are still plentiful. While first class SRTs may eventually
become highly collectible, for now you can easily obtain a good,
useable model with lens for less than a hundred dollars. A
little searching may turn up models for far less.

Even better, there are literately tons of lenses available for
these cameras. Minolta, of course, produced the lion's share of
these lenses, under the Rokker X and Celtic brand names.
Vivitar, Tamron, Soligor and many others also produced excellent
lenses to fit the SRT series. Unlike the autofocus A-Mount
Minolta lenses that can be used on both Sony and Minolta dSLRs,
the X-mount lenses won't fit any dSLR without an adapter. This
means you can find some excellent X-Mount lens bargains. As more
and more users switch to digital, their old Rokkor-X lenses end
up on the auction block. The SRT shooter can find some truly
rare and excellent lenses at a price that won't strain the
budget.

Of course there are a few caveats. If you should happen on a
SRT model, you have to remember it is at least twenty years old
and the original SRT models have been around for more than forty
years. Bad things can happen to a camera after all that time,
particularly if it has been sitting unused in a closet
somewhere. Although the SRTs have reputation for great
reliability, always check the camera carefully before buying.
After time, the shutter speeds have been known become
inaccurate, requiring repair to maintain good exposures, The
seals around the cameras back may start disintegrating, allowing
light into the camera. New seals are available and it is a
fairly simple fix.

Undoubtedly the biggest concern is the lack of a battery for
the camera's internal meter. The meter on the SRT series is
highly accurate, but it was designed to use a 1.35v PX-625
mercury cell. Environmental concerns ended the production of he
mercury cells, and the available silver oxide cells are the
wrong voltage.

This is really a paper tiger. Use of a silver oxide battery
doesn't seem to affect the meter reading that greatly. If you
were using 1960s era film, which had very narrow latitude, the
voltage difference might be critical. With today's wide latitude
films, I have used the readily available MS76 1.5v silver oxide
cell with excellent results.

In addition, the camera will work fine without a battery, so
you could use a hand held light meter.

If you want to really learn photography, there is no better way
to start than a good, manual SLR. And there are few manual SLRs
that offer reliability and accessory options at as low a price
as a Minolta SRT.


About The Author: Tom Bonner writes about Minolta and Sony SLR
cameras at http://alphatracks.com . For more information on the
SRT series, visit http://www.squidoo.com/minoltasrt. Learn more
about Tom Bonner at http://adventuresindesign.com .