| For a small, but determined group, the Minolta SRT | | | | for far less. |
| series cameras are still a viable path to SLR | | | | Even better, there are literately tons of lenses available |
| photography. Even though the cameras themselves | | | | for these cameras. Minolta, of course, produced the |
| have been out of production for over twenty years | | | | lion's share of these lenses, under the Rokker X and |
| and Minolta exited the camera business in 2006, | | | | Celtic brand names. Vivitar, Tamron, Soligor and many |
| Minolta SRTs are still a hot commodity on ebay, | | | | others also produced excellent lenses to fit the SRT |
| pawnshops and used camera dealers. Minolta no | | | | series. Unlike the autofocus A-Mount Minolta lenses |
| longer makes cameras and digital SLRs are now king | | | | that can be used on both Sony and Minolta dSLRs, the |
| of the camera hill. Despite these factors, the SRT | | | | X-mount lenses won't fit any dSLR without an adapter. |
| camera line is still producing great images. | | | | This means you can find some excellent X-Mount lens |
| The SRT101 started the series when it was introduced | | | | bargains. As more and more users switch to digital, |
| in 1966. Over the next 15 years, Minolta produced the | | | | their old Rokkor-X lenses end up on the auction block. |
| SRT100, SRT102, SRT200, 201 and 202. The SRT | | | | The SRT shooter can find some truly rare and |
| series also appeared with other names outside the US. | | | | excellent lenses at a price that won't strain the budget. |
| In addition, Minolta produced the SRT-MC to be sold | | | | Of course there are a few caveats. If you should |
| primarily by K-mart. A similar model, the SRT-SC was | | | | happen on a SRT model, you have to remember it is |
| sold by JC Penny. | | | | at least twenty years old and the original SRT models |
| With the huge distribution and rugged metal | | | | have been around for more than forty years. Bad |
| construction, you can understand why so many SRTs | | | | things can happen to a camera after all that time, |
| survive today. Yet it would seem they are hopelessly | | | | particularly if it has been sitting unused in a closet |
| outdated compared with the array of fine digital | | | | somewhere. Although the SRTs have reputation for |
| cameras available. Why would any one want one of | | | | great reliability, always check the camera carefully |
| these old warhorses instead of a dSLR? | | | | before buying. After time, the shutter speeds have |
| Make no mistake, digital SLRs offer a number of | | | | been known become inaccurate, requiring repair to |
| advantages that no film SLR can match. Digital SLR's | | | | maintain good exposures, The seals around the |
| allow you to preview your shots, you can transfer | | | | cameras back may start disintegrating, allowing light |
| images to your computer for editing and you can use | | | | into the camera. New seals are available and it is a |
| the same memory card over and over. In addition to | | | | fairly simple fix. |
| not offering digital features, the SRT lacks autofocus, | | | | Undoubtedly the biggest concern is the lack of a |
| dedicated flash, program mode and auto film advance | | | | battery for the camera's internal meter. The meter on |
| -- that is a pretty extensive list of lacking features. | | | | the SRT series is highly accurate, but it was designed |
| Yet it is those missing features that make the | | | | to use a 1.35v PX-625 mercury cell. Environmental |
| cameras attractive to so many current users, With no | | | | concerns ended the production of he mercury cells, |
| electronics, the SRT returns the photographer to an | | | | and the available silver oxide cells are the wrong |
| era when one's own knowledge was paramount to | | | | voltage. |
| getting successful images. As a purely manual camera, | | | | This is really a paper tiger. Use of a silver oxide |
| the SRT forces the users to learn photography from | | | | battery doesn't seem to affect the meter reading that |
| the ground level. Many users are using a SRT as s | | | | greatly. If you were using 1960s era film, which had |
| stepping stone to learning photography before | | | | very narrow latitude, the voltage difference might be |
| splurging a full featured digital SLR. | | | | critical. With today's wide latitude films, I have used the |
| Another attractive aspect is cost. Although there are a | | | | readily available MS76 1.5v silver oxide cell with |
| number of enthusiastic Minolta collectors, so many | | | | excellent results. |
| SRTs were produced and so many were well | | | | In addition, the camera will work fine without a battery, |
| preserved by their owners, that good, used SRTs are | | | | so you could use a hand held light meter. |
| still plentiful. While first class SRTs may eventually | | | | If you want to really learn photography, there is no |
| become highly collectible, for now you can easily obtain | | | | better way to start than a good, manual SLR. And |
| a good, useable model with lens for less than a | | | | there are few manual SLRs that offer reliability and |
| hundred dollars. A little searching may turn up models | | | | accessory options at as low a price as a Minolta SRT. |