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| hopelessly outdated compared with the array of | | | | all that time, particularly if it has been sitting |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