Minolta SR-T 101
Encyclopedia
The Minolta
range of 35mm SLR
cameras was introduced in 1958 by Chiyoda Kogaku
launching the Minolta SR-2, the first Japanese manufacturer to get their 35mm SLR camera design right from the start. Kazuo Tashima (1899–1985) established the company in 1928 to produce cameras, but soon it expanded into optical manufacturing, eventually becoming one of very few camera companies manufacturing lenses using blanks from their own glass works, culminating by producing lenses for Ernst Leitz, Wetzlar.
camera with Through-The-Lens exposure metering - TTL for short, that was launched in 1966 by Minolta Camera Co
. Staying in production for ten years with only minor changes, proves the thorough effort being put into the development of the camera before the introduction. The design is based on the innovative Minolta SR-7
model V camera of 1962, but the principal design is inherited from the original 1958 Minolta SR-2
. The SR-T 101 however, has several significant features apart from the TTL meter. The most significant one is perhaps the full aperture metering facility, automatically compensating for the at any time fitted lens' maximum aperture, a feature it took twelve more years for Nikon to figure out how to accomplish. Full aperture TTL metering was commercially first realised in the brilliant Tokyo Kogaku
Topcon RE-Super
, a feature first realised in a screw mount camera by the introduction of the Olympus Kogaku
Olympus FTL
, their first full frame 35mm SLR in 1971, but which was abandoned one year later in favour of the remarkable OM system
.
The SR-T 101 has an extremely bright finder with a central micro prism focusing aid
that in most cases proves to be very convenient, requiring no apparent lines in the motive, since all out of focus objects appear to shimmer. All relevant exposure information is visible in the finder
, including a battery check index mark showing the required meter needle deflection for a healthy battery when the ON/OFF meter switch on the camera base is set to BC.
The SR-T 101 was also made available in black. The top cover and the base plate are black enamel while most metal parts are black chromed, but the wind lever is black anodised. The parts still chromed, to name the most obvious ones, include the shutter-release button, the mirror lock-up knob, the depth-of-field preview button and the lens-release button.
A new line of Rokkor lenses were launched with the camera featuring the MC full-aperture metering:
These had 55mm filter threads except where noted. Two new optical designs were introduced in the 55mm 1:1.7 and 135mm 1:3.5; the others were upgrades of the older Auto Rokkor lenses. The SR-T 101 retained compatibility with the earlier lenses with stop-down metering. A range of new MC lenses were introduced between 1966 and 1976, when they were superseded by the MD Rokkor line in 1977.
The original camera has a black shutter speed dial with a finely milled pattern at the edge, and the two black plastic covers either side at top of the mirror housing are glued in place. All visible screw heads are single slotted. At the back, either side of the viewfinder window two screws hold the top cover, which are situated at equal distance from viewfinder window either side. The take-up film spool is plain black with one slot. The accessory shoe has a small metal stud stop pin. The standard lens has an intermittent milled focusing ring without scalloping recesses. The lens cap is black anodised stamped aluminium with "Minolta" in brushed metal finish.
The original model soon was changed, possibly after just some 50.000 cameras had been made; the right-hand screw at the back was moved farther away and the two black plastic covers either side at top of the mirror housing became fixed using blackened screws with brass bushings attached inside.
Later on, from about the turn of decennium, and body serial numbers approaching the two million mark, more easily detectable changes were introduced; the shutter speed dial on chrome cameras became chrome finished with coarse patterned sides. All screws are of the crosshead variety. The take-up film spool got a grey four-tongued plastic moulding for film attachment. The lens got a scalloped focusing ring.
The late cameras, made the last few years, have a modified accessory-shoe with a black plastic ridge stop in front. The standard lens would be of the 50mm focal length.
Minolta
Minolta Co., Ltd. was a Japanese worldwide manufacturer of cameras, camera accessories, photocopiers, fax machines, and laser printers. Minolta was founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1928 as . It is perhaps best known for making the first integrated autofocus 35mm SLR camera system...
range of 35mm SLR
SLR
The initialism SLR can refer to:* Satellite laser ranging* Scalable Linear Recording Tape Drive Backup* Self-Loading Rifle, see semi-automatic rifle.** The UK version of the Belgian FN FAL select fire battle rifle, the L1A1 SLR.* Semi-linear resolution...
cameras was introduced in 1958 by Chiyoda Kogaku
Minolta
Minolta Co., Ltd. was a Japanese worldwide manufacturer of cameras, camera accessories, photocopiers, fax machines, and laser printers. Minolta was founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1928 as . It is perhaps best known for making the first integrated autofocus 35mm SLR camera system...
launching the Minolta SR-2, the first Japanese manufacturer to get their 35mm SLR camera design right from the start. Kazuo Tashima (1899–1985) established the company in 1928 to produce cameras, but soon it expanded into optical manufacturing, eventually becoming one of very few camera companies manufacturing lenses using blanks from their own glass works, culminating by producing lenses for Ernst Leitz, Wetzlar.
Description
The Minolta SR-T 101 is a 35mm manual focus SLRSingle-lens reflex camera
A single-lens reflex camera is a camera that typically uses a semi-automatic moving mirror system that permits the photographer to see exactly what will be captured by the film or digital imaging system, as opposed to pre-SLR cameras where the view through the viewfinder could be significantly...
camera with Through-The-Lens exposure metering - TTL for short, that was launched in 1966 by Minolta Camera Co
Minolta
Minolta Co., Ltd. was a Japanese worldwide manufacturer of cameras, camera accessories, photocopiers, fax machines, and laser printers. Minolta was founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1928 as . It is perhaps best known for making the first integrated autofocus 35mm SLR camera system...
. Staying in production for ten years with only minor changes, proves the thorough effort being put into the development of the camera before the introduction. The design is based on the innovative Minolta SR-7
Minolta
Minolta Co., Ltd. was a Japanese worldwide manufacturer of cameras, camera accessories, photocopiers, fax machines, and laser printers. Minolta was founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1928 as . It is perhaps best known for making the first integrated autofocus 35mm SLR camera system...
model V camera of 1962, but the principal design is inherited from the original 1958 Minolta SR-2
Minolta SR-2
The name Minolta was first used in 1932 on the 4.5×6 format Semi-Minolta using 120 film. The manufacturer was established in November 1928 by Kazuo Tashima as the Nichidoku Shashinki Shōten together with two Germans living in Japan, but reorganised as a joint stock company named the Molta Goshi...
. The SR-T 101 however, has several significant features apart from the TTL meter. The most significant one is perhaps the full aperture metering facility, automatically compensating for the at any time fitted lens' maximum aperture, a feature it took twelve more years for Nikon to figure out how to accomplish. Full aperture TTL metering was commercially first realised in the brilliant Tokyo Kogaku
Topcon
Topcon is a Japanese manufacturer of optical equipment for ophthalmology and surveying. Their headquarters are in Itabashi, Tokyo. They are affiliated with Toshiba, which holds 40% of Topcon's stock.-History of Topcon:...
Topcon RE-Super
Topcon RE-Super
Tokyo Kogaku KK launched their first 35mm SLR camera in 1957, about two years before the Nikon F and the Canonflex. This was the Topcon R that acquired the bayonet lens mount from the Exakta Varex camera from Ihagee in Dresden, successor to the Kine Exakta of 1936...
, a feature first realised in a screw mount camera by the introduction of the Olympus Kogaku
Olympus Corporation
is a Japan-based manufacturer of optics and reprography products. Olympus was established on 12 October 1919, initially specializing in microscope and thermometer businesses. Its global headquarters are in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, while its USA operations are based in Center Valley, Pennsylvania,...
Olympus FTL
Olympus FTL
The Olympus FTL was a 35mm SLR sold by Olympus between 1971 and 1972. It was a transition model between the Pen F half-frame SLR and full-frame M-1.The FTL was a very traditional SLR with 42mm screw lenses.-Accessories:...
, their first full frame 35mm SLR in 1971, but which was abandoned one year later in favour of the remarkable OM system
Olympus OM system
The Olympus OM System was a line of 35mm single-lens reflex cameras, lenses and accessories sold by Olympus between 1972 and 2002 ....
.
The SR-T 101 has an extremely bright finder with a central micro prism focusing aid
Focusing screen
A focusing screen is a flat translucent material, usually ground glass, found in a system camera that allows the user of the camera to preview the framed image in a viewfinder. Often, focusing screens are available in variants with different etched markings for various purposes...
that in most cases proves to be very convenient, requiring no apparent lines in the motive, since all out of focus objects appear to shimmer. All relevant exposure information is visible in the finder
Viewfinder
In photography, a viewfinder is what the photographer looks through to compose, and in many cases to focus, the picture. Most viewfinders are separate, and suffer parallax, while the single-lens reflex camera lets the viewfinder use the main optical system. Viewfinders are used in many cameras of...
, including a battery check index mark showing the required meter needle deflection for a healthy battery when the ON/OFF meter switch on the camera base is set to BC.
The SR-T 101 was also made available in black. The top cover and the base plate are black enamel while most metal parts are black chromed, but the wind lever is black anodised. The parts still chromed, to name the most obvious ones, include the shutter-release button, the mirror lock-up knob, the depth-of-field preview button and the lens-release button.
The battery
The metering circuit was designed for the obsolete 1.35-volt 625 mercury battery, but it may be directly replaced by the easily obtainable zinc-air hearing aid 1.4-volt 675 battery of equal size and style, which is not very expensive in use, even if not lasting very long. This is certainly the best solution from every point view featuring: stable correct voltage, high capacity, it lasts several months, and there is no risk of acid leakage.- Zinc Air 675 Hearing aid battery is available single or in a six-pack.
Standard MC Rokkor lenses for the SR-T 101
The normal standard lens for the Minolta SR-T 101 is the MC Rokkor-PF 1:1.4 f=58mm. The MC refers to the aperture meter coupling, required to operate properly on the SR-T 101, and the PF to the lens construction comprising a five group design using six glass elements. Two alternative standard lenses were also made available for the Minolta SR-T 101; the 1:1.7 f=55mm is the economy model, and the 1:1.2 f=58mm the most expensive alternative:- MC Rokkor-PF 1:1.7 f=55mm - size 52mm filter
- MC Rokkor-PF 1:1.4 f=58mm - size 55mm filter
- MC Rokkor-PG 1:1.2 f=58mm - size 55mm filter
MC Rokkor lenses
The range of Rokkor lenses became quite extensive and included highly respected designs like the Macro Rokkor-QF 1:3.5 f=50mm and the extremely rare MC Rokkor-PF 1:2 f=100mm.A new line of Rokkor lenses were launched with the camera featuring the MC full-aperture metering:
- MC W.Rokkor-SG 1:3.5 f=28mm (67mm filter)
- MC W.Rokkor-HG 1:2.8 f=35mm
- MC Rokkor-PF 1:1.7 f=55mm (new) (52mm filter)
- MC Rokkor-PF 1:1.4 f=58mm
- MC Tele Rokkor-PF 1:2 f=100mm (62mm filter)
- MC Tele Rokkor-QE 1:3.5 f=100mm (52mm filter)
- MC Tele Rokkor-PF 1:2.8 f=135mm
- MC Tele Rokkor-QD 1:3.5 f=135mm (new)
- MC Tele Rokkor-QF 1:3.5 f=200mm
These had 55mm filter threads except where noted. Two new optical designs were introduced in the 55mm 1:1.7 and 135mm 1:3.5; the others were upgrades of the older Auto Rokkor lenses. The SR-T 101 retained compatibility with the earlier lenses with stop-down metering. A range of new MC lenses were introduced between 1966 and 1976, when they were superseded by the MD Rokkor line in 1977.
Camera Features
- Through-the-lens (TTL), full-aperture metering
- Predecessor to the modern matrix metering system, called Contrast Light Compensation (CLC)
- Mirror lock-up (on earlier models)
- Depth-of-field preview
- Shutter speed visible in viewfinder
- Self timer
- Mechanical, horizontal travel, focal-plane shutter
- Minolta MC (Meter Coupled) Lens Mount
Variants
Obviously several changes were made to the SR-T 101 during the long production period, both functional improvements and rationalisation of production. Some are easily detected while others are inside the body and not apparent without dismantling, these latter ones are not covered here. New features may have been retrofitted to older cameras due to repair or just being swapped between cameras, including the original lens. Camera body serial numbers has been observed from about 1.000.000, while the 58mm standard lens has been observed from about 5.000.000.The original camera has a black shutter speed dial with a finely milled pattern at the edge, and the two black plastic covers either side at top of the mirror housing are glued in place. All visible screw heads are single slotted. At the back, either side of the viewfinder window two screws hold the top cover, which are situated at equal distance from viewfinder window either side. The take-up film spool is plain black with one slot. The accessory shoe has a small metal stud stop pin. The standard lens has an intermittent milled focusing ring without scalloping recesses. The lens cap is black anodised stamped aluminium with "Minolta" in brushed metal finish.
The original model soon was changed, possibly after just some 50.000 cameras had been made; the right-hand screw at the back was moved farther away and the two black plastic covers either side at top of the mirror housing became fixed using blackened screws with brass bushings attached inside.
Later on, from about the turn of decennium, and body serial numbers approaching the two million mark, more easily detectable changes were introduced; the shutter speed dial on chrome cameras became chrome finished with coarse patterned sides. All screws are of the crosshead variety. The take-up film spool got a grey four-tongued plastic moulding for film attachment. The lens got a scalloped focusing ring.
The late cameras, made the last few years, have a modified accessory-shoe with a black plastic ridge stop in front. The standard lens would be of the 50mm focal length.
External links
- http://www.rokkorfiles.com/SRT%20Series.htm
- http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Minolta_SRT_101
- http://home.comcast.net/~camerapage/SRT101.htm