Minolta SRT102/SRT Super - First camera to display shutter speed & aperture in viewfinder?

[skorpiius]

I'm curious if this 1973 camera was the first one or if there were earlier examples, SLR or otherwise.

 

[Chan Tran]

I know that the Nikon F2 Photomic can display both shutter speed and aperture in the viewfinder. I also know that Nikon release the F2 in 1971 but I don't know if they have the Photomic version then or later. The plain prism of the F2 doesn't have the shutter speed nor aperture in the viewfinder.

 

[M-88]

I know that the Nikon F2 Photomic can display both shutter speed and aperture in the viewfinder. I also know that Nikon release the F2 in 1971 but I don't know if they have the Photomic version then or later. The plain prism of the F2 doesn't have the shutter speed nor aperture in the viewfinder.

You are correct, DP-1 Photomic viewfinder showed both - selected shutter and aperture. And it was released in 1971.

 

[Helge]

Still quite impressive. It’s the first integrated case of the implementation, outside a pro system camera.

 

[ic-racer]

First digital LED display? Fujica ST901?

 

[Helge]

First digital LED display? Fujica ST901?

I think it depends on what you mean by “digital” and “LED” and “display”.

But yeah, numerical LED display in viewfinder. Probably a first.

 

[BAC1967]

I learned on an srTsc II that belonged to my father, I have it now. Besides the camera being very familiar to me, the display in the viewfinder is one reason I really like these cameras. I can read everything I need in the display without needing my reading glasses.

 

[xkaes]

The Minolta SRT102/Super/303 -- of 1973 -- was not Minolta's first SLR to display the shutter speed and the f-stop in the viewfinder. That belongs to the Minolta XK/XM/X-1 from 1972.

And while the Minolta XK/XM/X-1 was not the first SLR to do this, there were very few others at the time that did -- especially with both manual and automatic exposure. That's what made the XK/XM/X-1 revolutionary.

The world's most complete list of manual-focus MINOLTA 35mm SLR cameras

www.subclub.org

 

[ic-racer]

I only dreamed of having any of those cameras back then. I had a Fujica ST701 at the time. Stop down meter, with only a needle in the viewfinder.

 

[Pioneer]

I was shooting a Minolta SRT 101 on the high school yearbook staff in 1972 and I had no idea they were so special. They were tough cameras that is for sure. We were high school kids and we beat the daylights out of those three cameras.

 

[dynachrome]

My Konica Autoreflex T2 of 1971 showed both the shutter speed and the aperture.

 

[Paul Howell]

The Konica T 1968 shows both, the T4, lost the shutter speed but continued to show the selected aperture on the right.

 

[GRHazelton]

Well, the Pentax KX - 1975 - wasn't the earliest, but it is wonderful. Shutter and aperture shown in viewfinder, silicon diode metering, mirror lockup, depth of field preview.....everything that the "iconic" K1000 lacks. Plus, its often cheaper than the K1000, if you can find one. My KX with the excellent f1.4 lens was about $125 a few years ago.
The KX was "retired" after about two years to make way for the smaller MX, ME, and the ME Super. 1980 saw the introduction of the Pentax LX, a full system camera with a wide assortment of finders, screens, a winder, a motor drive, etc., and perhaps the most sensitive and flexible exposure meter ever.

 

[Paul Howell]

Did the Topcon Super RE 1966 have a full information display, I think the later Super DM did, not too sure?

 

[xkaes]

The OP simply asks "first camera", not "first SLR". Let's not forget that there were LOTS of non-SLR cameras that had full info viewfinders before the SLRs got on-board.

 

[Les Sarile]

My Konica Autoreflex T2 of 1971 showed both the shutter speed and the aperture.

Not sure about that as I don't have the T2.
According to Konica SLR system, the T2 only shows the aperture and not shutter speed -> https://buhla.de/Foto/Konica/eT2Daten.html
Butkus only has the T3 manual and that later model does not show shutter speed either.

 

[M-88]

Not sure about that as I don't have the T2.
According to Konica SLR system, the T2 only shows the aperture and not shutter speed -> https://buhla.de/Foto/Konica/eT2Daten.html
Butkus only has the T3 manual and that later model does not show shutter speed either.

Butkus does have a manual for both - T1 and T2. T1 doesn't appear to have full readout (it only seems to have the aperture scale), while T2 already has aperture + shutter indicator.

Did the Topcon Super RE 1966 have a full information display, I think the later Super DM did, not too sure?

Super RE only had the needle which moved from side to side, no specific readouts with numbers or anything. Not sure about D/Dm

 

[skorpiius]

The Minolta SRT102/Super/303 -- of 1973 -- was not Minolta's first SLR to display the shutter speed and the f-stop in the viewfinder. That belongs to the Minolta XK/XM/X-1 from 1972.

And while the Minolta XK/XM/X-1 was not the first SLR to do this, there were very few others at the time that did -- especially with both manual and automatic exposure. That's what made the XK/XM/X-1 revolutionary.

The world's most complete list of manual-focus MINOLTA 35mm SLR cameras

www.subclub.org

I always forget about the XK/XM/X-1. Unlike the Pentax LX I rarely see discussions of the Minolta.

 

[skorpiius]

The OP simply asks "first camera", not "first SLR". Let's not forget that there were LOTS of non-SLR cameras that had full info viewfinders before the SLRs got on-board.

Any examples you can share? I'm quite curious about this.

 

[Helge]

Well, the Pentax KX - 1975 - wasn't the earliest, but it is wonderful. Shutter and aperture shown in viewfinder, silicon diode metering, mirror lockup, depth of field preview.....everything that the "iconic" K1000 lacks. Plus, its often cheaper than the K1000, if you can find one. My KX with the excellent f1.4 lens was about $125 a few years ago.
The KX was "retired" after about two years to make way for the smaller MX, ME, and the ME Super. 1980 saw the introduction of the Pentax LX, a full system camera with a wide assortment of finders, screens, a winder, a motor drive, etc., and perhaps the most sensitive and flexible exposure meter ever.

Is KX your favorite?
LX while superior on paper is larger and much less reliable today.
Is there a change in Pentax focus screens during the 70s and 80s, or is it much the same tech?

 

[M-88]

Any examples you can share? I'm quite curious about this.

Olympus 35RC is a good (and rather tiny) example of that. However, the best definition of its release year I have is "1970-something" Some sources claim that it's from 1970 specifically, but I'm not sure.

 

[Chan Tran]

Is KX your favorite?
LX while superior on paper is larger and much less reliable today.
Is there a change in Pentax focus screens during the 70s and 80s, or is it much the same tech?

The LX is smaller than the KX.

 

[Helge]

The LX is smaller than the KX.

But LX is larger than Super, MX, Program and A Super.
KX size is probably why they pulled it after only two years.

 

[Chan Tran]

But LX is larger than Super, MX, Program and A Super.
KX size is probably why they pulled it after only two years.

The LX is larger than the M series but it's still a small cameras compared to the K series, K2, KX, KM or K1000. I do like the KX a lot. I never had an LX but I wish I have one.

 

[Helge]

The LX is larger than the M series but it's still a small cameras compared to the K series, K2, KX, KM or K1000. I do like the KX a lot. I never had an LX but I wish I have one.

I prefer Minolta myself. The lens program and the bodies.

But I have an ME F that is fun to take for swing once in a while. The M lenses are super small and great. I like the 50 1.8, the 28 2.8 the 135 3.5 (thr 2.8 version seems quite rare) and oddly enough the 24mm 2.8 everyone seems to think is a stepchild. It’s seems almost or as good as the Minolta equivalent.