Minolta SRT 201

CMoore · Feb 24, 2019

Andrew O'Neill said:
No, they can't. Phone and the SRT are different. I would be getting back too much blank film from them... money down the drain. I've shelved the camera for now. I've got enough K1000's for everyone (plus a few extras). Thanks everyone for your help.

Coming from a guy that just took a "Beginner Film Class"...i would agree.
Some of the students had experience using a Digital SLR...which uses an in-house meter...but most had no experience. I would say the typical 60/40 meter was a big help.
I think a teacher would be more successful to teach Suny-16 AFTER the students become familiar with the camera and the meter.
Kind of like ...... "Oh, by the way class. If your battery dies, or the meter stops working for some reason, here's what you do....."
Something like that, perhaps.

Andrew O'Neill · Feb 24, 2019

CMoore said:
Coming from a guy that just took a "Beginner Film Class"...i would agree.
Some of the students had experience using a Digital SLR...which uses an in-house meter...but most had no experience. I would say the typical 60/40 meter was a big help.
I think a teacher would be more successful to teach Suny-16 AFTER the students become familiar with the camera and the meter.
Kind of like ...... "Oh, by the way class. If your battery dies, or the meter stops working for some reason, here's what you do....."
Something like that, perhaps.

Yup. They get the sunny sixteen talk.

Pioneer · Feb 25, 2019

I am glad those wonderful old K1000s are still being put to good use.

When I was in High School film photography class we used Minolta SRT101s but the battery was not an issue back then. Later I moved to the K1000 and still use it.

BradS · Feb 25, 2019

Andrew O'Neill said:
Yup. They get the sunny sixteen talk.

Looking back to my first photo class (summer school between 5th and 6th grade), I can think of two things that I missed...probably these were mentioned or even explained but, they did not sink in 'till many, many years later....

1) the inverse relationship between aperture and shutter speed....specifically, if you open up one stop, then setting the shutter speed to the next faster speed gives **The same Exposure** !!! in other words, the shutter speeds are one stop apart!!! and that each stop represents a doubling (or halving) of the exposure.

2) Prints develop to completion ...and all of the implications of this simple statement. I was trying to pull prnts from the developer tray at juts tthe right moment...realized many years too late that ya gotta ajust that stuff with time and aperture...not dev time!!!

I think it was Horenstien or Feininger that finally enlightened me on this stuff.

CMoore · Feb 25, 2019

Andrew O'Neill said:
Now That I'm going to be taking over the photography courses at my high school, I've been going through all the film cameras. I've got 17, K1000's that are working, and one Minolta SRT201, which appears to be in great shape, but no battery... and I cannot find a battery for it, as I believe those old mercury cells are no longer in production. So, what are you SRT201 people doing? Is there a replacement battery, or will I have to put on my MacGyver pants and figure something out. It would be nice to add this lovely camera to our fleet. Cheers all and happy 4th to my friends below the 49th!

So, your high school still has its functioning darkroom.?
After i read your post, i emailed an old friend to ask about the school darkroom we used in 1978.
He said it is 15 years gone, the plumbing, revolving door, enlargers.....everything is gone.
Sign of the times, i understand why.....

Andrew O'Neill · Feb 25, 2019

CMoore said:
So, your high school still has its functioning darkroom.?
After i read your post, i emailed an old friend to ask about the school darkroom we used in 1978.
He said it is 15 years gone, the plumbing, revolving door, enlargers.....everything is gone.
Sign of the times, i understand why.....

Yes. A few schools still have the darkroom going.It helps when the teacher is passionate about it and support from admin is there. I just had a new teacher email asking for help to restart the darkroom as it's been sitting idle since previous photo teacher retired.
90% of the work my students did last semester was darkroom related. We barely did digital. My 12's will be doing gum prints (hybrid starting with film negative). This semester, I'll try to squeeze in digital camera work...maybe.

Deleted member 88956 · Feb 25, 2019

BradS said:
... Feininger that finally enlightened me on this stuff.

Feininger, fine photographer and one of the finest writers on photography. If there had to be just one author in my bookshelf, it would be Feininger before any other.

pbromaghin · Feb 25, 2019

I'm really glad this thread happened! I have an SRT-201 that I was going to have upgraded to modern batteries, but now won't have to. Thanks to all of you for the great workarounds.

Deleted member 88956 · Feb 25, 2019

Andrew O'Neill said:
Yes. A few schools still have the darkroom going.It helps when the teacher is passionate about it and support from admin is there. I just had a new teacher email asking for help to restart the darkroom as it's been sitting idle since previous photo teacher retired.
90% of the work my students did last semester was darkroom related. We barely did digital. My 12's will be doing gum prints (hybrid starting with film negative). This semester, I'll try to squeeze in digital camera work...maybe.

Digital is a great tool for teachnig ... film photography. Images taken on digital camera are then great to evaluate how filters work, how colors change into shades of grey (if one is to do B&W), how scene can be re=viewed later for training one's eye for better pre-visualization. Something we did not have in OGD when lots of things required time to see results and adjust on next try (if one kept good notes that is).

Andrew O'Neill · Feb 25, 2019

Witold said:
Digital is a great tool for teachnig ... film photography. Images taken on digital camera are then great to evaluate how filters work, how colors change into shades of grey (if one is to do B&W), how scene can be re=viewed later for training one's eye for better pre-visualization. Something we did not have in OGD when lots of things required time to see results and adjust on next try (if one kept good notes that is).

Yes, I understand that... but sadly we don't have time for all that. The semester is over in a flash. Talking about colours translating into gray tones, and filters is a big yawn factor for kids today. It's all about taking and making photos.

CMoore · Feb 25, 2019

Andrew O'Neill said:
. My 12's will be doing gum prints (hybrid starting with film negative).

Wow...that is impressive.!

Andrew O'Neill · Feb 25, 2019

CMoore said:
Wow...that is impressive.!

I've got a really good bunch of grade 12's. They took photo 11 last year and were very well traind. If they were bad, or lazy, etc., I wouldn't bother. I love it when I'm dealt a good hand!

mklw1954 · Mar 2, 2019

https://www.paulbg.com/Nikon_F_meter_batteries.htm

A 675 hearing aid battery and this adapter work well in my SRT201 and all other older cameras I have that used mercury batteries. For better battery life, remove the battery and cover the + side with the tab that comes with the battery or scotch tape. The battery with some of the other adapters, e.g., from Jon Goodman and others on ebay, is too thick to fit into some of my older cameras whereas the battery with this adapter fits into all.

Deleted member 88956 · Mar 2, 2019

mklw1954 said:
https://www.paulbg.com/Nikon_F_meter_batteries.htm

A 675 hearing aid battery and this adapter work well in my SRT201 and all other older cameras I have that used mercury batteries. For better battery life, remove the battery and cover the + side with the tab that comes with the battery or scotch tape. The battery with some of the other adapters, e.g., from Jon Goodman and others on ebay, is too thick to fit into some of my older cameras whereas the battery with this adapter fits into all.

quite a steep rice for a piece of metal ring, same can be done with rubber o-ring of correct size as this is just to center the battery in the compartment and nothing else. Other adapters use silver oxide batteries and each lasts a lot longer. I have not used them in all types of older cameras so perhaps there is a problem, but if adapter was built correctly it is the size of original mercury battery and will fit as before.

abruzzi · Mar 2, 2019

Witold said:
quite a steep rice for a piece of metal ring, same can be done with rubber o-ring of correct size as this is just to center the battery in the compartment and nothing else. Other adapters use silver oxide batteries and each lasts a lot longer. I have not used them in all types of older cameras so perhaps there is a problem, but if adapter was built correctly it is the size of original mercury battery and will fit as before.

However there are some cameras where the positive contact is on the side, not the top. O rings won’t help with that.

Deleted member 88956 · Mar 2, 2019

abruzzi said:
However there are some cameras where the positive contact is on the side, not the top. O rings won’t help with that.

narrow strip of foil around o-ring will.

abruzzi · Mar 2, 2019

That starts getting too fiddly, compared to a few bucks for something that just works.

Andrew O'Neill · Jun 18, 2019

Got an adapter from Hong Kong and a 675 hearing aid battery. Metre still didn't work in the SRT 201. Stuck it inside a Canonet 35, and it didn't work either. Bummer. But I can still use them with my handheld metre!

Andrew O'Neill · Jun 18, 2019

Here's a gum print one of my students made. 35mm film scanned and digital negative made.

Theo Sulphate · Jun 18, 2019

Andrew O'Neill said:
Here's a gum print one of my students made....

Nicely done.

Andrew O'Neill · Jun 19, 2019

Not one to leave things alone until I've tried everything, I finally got the zinc air battery to work in the SRT. I wrapped a bit of a rubber band around the battery, stuck it inside the battery chamber screw on cap, screwed it in and Bob's your uncle! Bugger the adapter! I'll stick some film in it tomorrow and see how well the metre works... now if I could just get the Canonet 28 to work!!

MattKing · Jun 19, 2019

Should have contacted jon goodman
Any chance there is something in the adapter that you need to remove?

Andrew O'Neill · Jun 19, 2019

MattKing said:
Should have contacted jon goodman
Any chance there is something in the adapter that you need to remove?

I don't see anything that should be removed...

Vaughn · Jun 19, 2019

When I taught a two-week photo class to kids (7th to 12th grades, mixed), the first day we made pinholes cameras, then exposed litho film in them. Continued doing so the second day. Then three days of cyanotypes from the litho negatives. Film cameras (35mm) the second week...but we used Ilford C-41 B&W film and a deal with the local camera store to process them. Two days to shoot, three days printing 8x10's. Lots of fun! But it has been years. Have fun, Andrew!

Andrew O'Neill · Jun 19, 2019

MattKing said:
Should have contacted jon goodman
Any chance there is something in the adapter that you need to remove?

Matt, do you have contact info for Jon? He is/was a member here but hasn't been active for a couple of years. Thanks!

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