The right side of the viewfinder shows the light-meter needle and match needle. Shot in low light to demonstrate the weakness of the aperture and shutter speed windows.
TTV (through the viewfinder) of the Minolta SR-T202. Later decades would see this problem solved through the use of LED lighting, but for SLRs of the SR-Ts era this issue is sadly common. In fact, anything but outside, daytime shooting will leave the photographer cursing the viewfinder for its lack of brightness.
The problem is that these windows are lit by ambient light, so easy reading will be hampered in low-light situations. A window at the top of the frame displays the selected aperture, while the bottom of the frame shows the selected shutter speed. But while it’s true that everything the shooter needs to know is displayed, things are far from perfect. The 202 sports the most full-featured viewfinder in the SR-T range. Turning the camera upside-down reveals a tripod mount, film rewind button, battery port, and ON/OFF/BC switch. The front features the self-timer lever, lens-release, depth-of-field preview button, and flash sync selector (X/FP). The top plate features the film advance lever, shutter release with threaded cable-release socket, rewind lever, frame counter, hot shoe, and ASA/shutter speed selector. Even without batteries, this fully-mechanical camera is still able to complete whatever task is thrown at it. They favored a control system that’s extremely basic, but entirely effective. With the top-of-the-line SR-T, Minolta wanted to develop a camera that would meet the requirements of professionals in the field. Mirror slap is pronounced, and the noise is just about the loudest of any camera, so good luck getting those sneaky candids. If street photography is the goal, the black version is probably preferential, though honestly this camera is so loud that it may not be the best choice for street shooting. Both are finished to a high standard, so which color is best will be up to personal preference. It comes in black and chrome, with the black version being the more rare of the two. It won’t win any beauty competitions, but the SRT is a purpose-built tool a professional’s machine. The brand’s minimalist logo (lower-case lettering only) stands as a philosophical demonstration this machine is no-nonsense, effective, and to-the-point. The “SR-T” and “Minolta” badging is deeply engraved and painted to contrast with the body. The pentaprism and lens-mount are off-center which, while being a bit awkward, helps to break up the visual monotony and give the camera some shape. Abrupt right angles dominate there’s not a bevel to be seen anywhere. The general shape is rectangular with nothing superfluous to admire, such as grips or curvaceous contours. Some will find it sparse and bulky, while others will appreciate it for these same traits. The 202, in particular, is the most robust of the range.Īesthetically the SR-T can be a polarizing camera, since it looks the same way it feels, like a brick.
Minolta was founded by a man obsessed with “German” standards of quality and construction, and the SR-T series showcases this better than any other model. Achy wrists aside, the SR-T’s full-metal construction feels as solid as a brick. For those shooters who are accustomed to the heft of a DSLR this won’t demand much of an adjustment, but if you’re coming from a mirror-less or micro 4/3rds system you may be unpleasantly surprised. At 700g (body only) it’s nearly as heavy as a full-frame DSLR ( Nikon’s D610 comes in at 760g). Like many SLR cameras of its era, the SR-T202 is a heavy beast. A few weeks ago I got my hands on the big-boy of the bunch, the SR-T202, and it wasn’t long before I was out on the street seeing what Minolta’s engineers had come up with nearly 40 years earlier. From the basic SR-T100 to the flagship model 202, Minolta created a series of outstanding machines to fill every price-point. From 1966 to 1981, this series of cameras would satisfy amateurs and professionals alike. Thanks to their bulletproof designs many of these machines are still shooting today, and one of the standout ranges of the era is the long-lived Minolta SR-T series.Ĭombining the highest standard in build quality with completely capable tech specs for every budget, the cameras of Minolta’s SR-T lineup would comprise their best-selling machines for an impressive 15 years. This explosion of innovation coupled with old-fashioned mechanics would yield a bevy of machines that would make up some of the best photographic tools in the world. As rangefinders and larger format cameras gave way to this new wave of machines, more and more Japanese manufacturers would get in on the single-lens-reflex action.
Beginning in 1959 with the Nikon F, Japanese camera makers would spend the next few decades perfecting the SLR camera.