Minolta SRT-101
Introduced: 1966 Discontinued: 1975
Minolta SRT-101 is Minolta's flagship 1960s SLR — in production 1966-1976. The SRT-101 introduced CLC (Contrast Light Compensator) metering — Minolta's TTL averaging meter that addressed contrasty scenes by weighting the meter reading toward the brightest area of the frame. The SRT-101 was Minolta's competitor to Nikon F / Canon F-1 / Pentax K1000 of the era; built to professional standards but sold at consumer pricing.
Key features
- Minolta MC bayonet — predecessor to MD
- Mechanical horizontal cloth shutter — 1s to 1/1000 + B
- Manual exposure with TTL CLC metering
- Battery-independent for shutter; battery for meter only
- Robust construction — brass + steel chassis
Practical notes
- SRT-101 bodies on used market: $100-250 working examples
- The CLC meter is the distinctive Minolta feature; mostly works well
- Same 1.35V mercury battery issue as OM-1 (use zinc-air alternative)
Related cameras
- Minolta XD-11 — AE successor
- Minolta X-700 — final AE Minolta SLR
- Pentax K1000 / Nikon FM — competitors