Minolta SRTxxx

A
Thread starter CMoore
Start date Jul 9, 2019

CMoore

Subscriber

Jul 9, 2019

#1

Just wondering if any of the members want to discuss their experience with the venerable SRT Series.
Not necessarily which model is "Better".
But maybe you would like to talk about which you prefer and why.?
If you do not have experience with multiple models, you could just sing praises of the one you do own.

I own the 202, but i have not really shot it much. The camera has been sitting for several years. I think it deserves a decent CLA, so i am about to box it up and send it to Zacks.

Thank You

Chan Tran

Subscriber

Jul 9, 2019

#2

CMoore said:
Just wondering if any of the members want to discuss their experience with the venerable SRT Series.
Not necessarily which model is "Better".
But maybe you would like to talk about which you prefer and why.?
If you do not have experience with multiple models, you could just sing praises of the one you do own.

I own the 202, but i have not really shot it much. The camera has been sitting for several years. I think it deserves a decent CLA, so i am about to box it up and send it to Zacks.

Thank You

I have a few but only the SrT-101 and not any other models. I never paid attention to it when they were available new. I was into Nikon in the late 70's. I got a used 101 in the late 80's when I went broke and sold all my Nikon's. I never used the meter. The SrT is a fine camera though as it works well enough. It's much better than the Pentax K1000.

Theo Sulphate

Member

Jul 9, 2019

#3

Surely you've seen this:

http://www.rokkorfiles.com/SRT Series.htm

The SRT-101 with 58/1.2 was a total lust object for me in the early 1970's. The ads and photos of it in Popular Photography or Modern Photography just captivated me. But there was no way I could afford it as a Starving Student. Rather than buy its less-attractive little sister, the SRT-100, which would always remind me of what I didn't have, I bought a Pentax SP-500.

Some 40+ years later I was able to find a nice example of the SRT-101. I wanted the silver shutter speed dial and mirror lockup. I had looked for one for a long time (in person), but there were always faults.

So now I have two. I thought about the SRT-102, which would show the aperture, but I had to go for what I originally lusted after.

Kino

Subscriber

Jul 9, 2019

#4

I have one of every SRT model (US models) and they are basically the same with very few exceptions.

I prefer the SRT 101 and the Super, in that order.

Solid performers, easy to use, great lenses at very affordable prices. If your meter is working, it is very accurate with the usual exceptions of just about any CDS TTL metering system as to backlighting and so on.

SRTs are DIRT CHEAP, so spend a few bucks more and get one in pristine condition; probably no more than $40 USD.

Rokkor-X glass is top drawer; don't let anyone kid you. Celtic lenses are good too but get the Rokkors when you can.

Paul Howell

Subscriber

Jul 9, 2019

#5

I have a couple, 101 and 201, very nice cameras, like how the mirror up button works, good build quality, easy to use. Lens are very good, some of best glass, as I recall in those days Minolta made their own glass. Konica Minolta still makes lens, many for Sony, dont know if they still make their own glass.

cuthbert

Member

Jul 9, 2019

#6

Chan Tran said:
It's much better than the Pentax K1000.

What is much better than a Pentax SPF or a KX, out of curiosity?

Last edited: Jul 9, 2019

Theo Sulphate

Member

Jul 9, 2019

#7

cuthbert said:
What is much better than a Pentax SPF or a KX, out of curiosity?

The KX is very elegant and capable, no doubt about that. The SRT's have more of a late 1960's look and feel.

Chan Tran

Subscriber

Jul 9, 2019

#8

cuthbert said:
What is much better than a Pentax SPF or a KX, out of curiosity?

I said the SRT is much better than the K1000. Now I never own the spotmatic but the KX is better than the SRT. I have a couple of the K1000 that I don't even care to use.

Eric Rose

Member

Jul 9, 2019

#9

The first camera I bought with my own money was a Minolta SRT101. It came with the 50mm f1.7 Rokkar lens. I loved that camera but eventually moved on to Nikon for professional photography. The only two things I didn't like about the SRT101 was the metering pattern and the lens I found to not be contrasty enough for my taste.

I had a major hard-on for the XK when it first came out but alas never got one. The one thing that crippled the XK was the lack of a motor drive. For a camera that was aimed at the pro market it's hard to fathom they would have left that off.

I've recently inherited my father-in-law's Minolta X700 and a bunch of Rokkar glass so I will get to play with some Minolta gear again.

Last edited: Jul 9, 2019

Jon Shumpert

Member

Jul 9, 2019

#10

I currently have two SRT's, an SRT200 and 202. I have hade others, but would sell or sometimes donate them to schools. The 202 I currently have is probably the best of all the ones I have had. I don.t use flash much with it, but having a hot shoe is useful when I want to use flash. I also have a Minolta X700, but prefer the simplicity of the SRT.

Sirius Glass

Subscriber

Jul 9, 2019

#11

I had a SR-7, SRT101, SRT201, ... X-700 and all of them were great. I especially liked the 58mm f/1.4, 28mm f/4 [?], and the 21mm f/2.8 lenses. I had a number of 50mm and 58mm lenses. Stick to Rokkar MC and MD lenses for consistent contrast and color rendition.

Theo Sulphate

Member

Jul 9, 2019

#12

Removing mirror lockup at the latter half of SRT-102 production wasn't a good decision, I think.

One could argue that removing the self timer would be less consequential (because separate self timers can be bought with a cable release). If you want to lock the mirror up and the camera doesn't have that feature, there's no recourse.

Kino

Subscriber

Jul 9, 2019

#13

Theo Sulphate said:
Removing mirror lockup at the latter half of SRT-102 production wasn't a good decision, I think.

One could argue that removing the self timer would be less consequential (because separate self timers can be bought with a cable release). If you want to lock the mirror up and the camera doesn't have that feature, there's no recourse.

It was undoubtedly a cost saving measure. My first SRT was an MC II; a totally stripped-down version of the 101 with only the match needle in the viewfinder, but I still loved using that camera. I couldn't afford anything better, but I really wasn't hampered by the lack of all the bells and whistles in the end.

OP

OP

CMoore

Subscriber

Jul 9, 2019

#14

Theo Sulphate said:
Surely you've seen this:

http://www.rokkorfiles.com/SRT Series.htm

The SRT-101 with 58/1.2 was a total lust object for me in the early 1970's. The ads and photos of it in Popular Photography or Modern Photography just captivated me. But there was no way I could afford it as a Starving Student. Rather than buy its less-attractive little sister, the SRT-100, which would always remind me of what I didn't have, I bought a Pentax SP-500.

Some 40+ years later I was able to find a nice example of the SRT-101. I wanted the silver shutter speed dial and mirror lockup. I had looked for one for a long time (in person), but there were always faults.

So now I have two. I thought about the SRT-102, which would show the aperture, but I had to go for what I originally lusted after.

View attachment 226675

Yes, i have looked at that website several times..... mostly for the X and XD models.
I will revisit it concerning the SRT.
Thanks for reminding me.

BAC1967

Subscriber

Jul 9, 2019

#15

I have two, the srTsc-II and the srT201. Not much difference between them but I prefer the srTsc-II, probably because it’s the camera I used in high school photography class back in the 1980’s. It’s very well built, I’m still using that same camera. One feature I like is the shutter speed and aperture in the viewfinder.

cuthbert

Member

Jul 10, 2019

#16

Theo Sulphate said:
The KX is very elegant and capable, no doubt about that. The SRT's have more of a late 1960's look and feel.

View attachment 226678

Yes to be honest I always found the look of the SRT more "dated" than the Pentax K series or even the Spotmatic for that matter, like a generation older...I mean it looks older than the Canon FTB which is IMO an underrated camera.

Chan Tran said:
I said the SRT is much better than the K1000. Now I never own the spotmatic but the KX is better than the SRT. I have a couple of the K1000 that I don't even care to use.

I think the comparison is a little unfair as the K1000 was a entry level camera, I am pretty sure Minolta has something similar.

On the other side the KM is like the K1000 but with self timer and the Spotmatic equivalent to the K1000 was the SP1000, the SPF is more comparable to the Minolta as it has open metering.

Last edited: Jul 10, 2019

Sirius Glass

Subscriber

Jul 10, 2019

#17

Locking up the mirror was for the very short f/4 21mm lens that did not have retrofocus. I tried it for long exposures and it made no difference for any lens.

Nokton48

Member

Jul 10, 2019

#18

I have a few.

Actually I sold all my Leicas and RF Canons and put the money back in the bank. Then I bought these.

001 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Theo Sulphate

Member

Jul 10, 2019

#19

Sirius Glass said:
Locking up the mirror was for the very short f/4 21mm lens that did not have retrofocus. I tried it for long exposures and it made no difference for any lens.

Mirror lockup is also used to minimize vibration, usually with shots also requiring a tripod and cable release.

Sirius Glass

Subscriber

Jul 10, 2019

#20

Sirius Glass said:
Locking up the mirror was for the very short f/4 21mm lens that did not have retrofocus. I tried it for long exposures and it made no difference for any lens.

Theo Sulphate said:
Mirror lockup is also used to minimize vibration, usually with shots also requiring a tripod and cable release.

Which is exactly what I was doing, but I found that is I used the self timer while the camera was on the tripod that I got just as good results.

Theo Sulphate

Member

Jul 10, 2019

#21

Nokton48 said:
I have a few.

Actually I sold all my Leicas and RF Canons and put the money back in the bank. Then I bought these....

You still need to buy one more camera for that lone lens at the bottom.

OP

OP

CMoore

Subscriber

Jul 10, 2019

#22

Nokton48 said:
I have a few.

Actually I sold all my Leicas and RF Canons and put the money back in the bank. Then I bought these.

001 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Good Heavens..... it's a Minolta Gang

I Had/Have way too many 35mm SLR ...and would have sold them anyway, but......after i discovered Minolta, i had no further use for any of my A-Series Canon.

jim10219

Member

Jul 10, 2019

#23

My wife has an old SR-1. It's a nice looking camera, and the fact that it still works says something about it's build quality. But it's nothing special. The lack of a meter is kind of annoying. The Rokkor lenses we have are all pretty decent. None really blow your mind, but none really disappoint either. We also have a Maxxum 7000 and she prefers the SR-1 due to the metal body.

Honestly, of all of the camera systems we have, this one is probably the least interesting. Its defining quality is that it easily meets all expectations, yet never exceeds them.

Theo Sulphate

Member

Jul 10, 2019

#24

The SR-1, which followed the SR-2, has a beautiful style and a few variations in design:

https://www.cameraquest.com/minsr1b.htm

OP

OP

CMoore

Subscriber

Jul 10, 2019

#25

Sirius Glass said:
Which is exactly what I was doing, but I found that is I used the self timer while the camera was on the tripod that I got just as good results.

Just quoting your post for reference.......So, let me ask.
I read this all the time...see it mentioned, but i do not think i have ever read any "big" discussion about it.
I guess time could be a BIG factor.....perhaps 2 seconds Vs. 25 seconds.
But with a Decent/Steady tripod, does the mirror movement really cause that much concern.?
Thank You

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