Minolta: Minolta SRT-101

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The SR-T has an extremely bright finder with a central micro prism focusing aid that proves to be very accurate in most cases since even when no visible lines are present in the subject, all out-of-focus objects appear to shimmer. Two exposure meter needles and the selected shutter speed are shown in the viewfinder. A small rectangle to the right indicates the acceptable needle deflection range for a healthy battery when the ON/OFF switch on the camera base is set to the battery check position labeled BC. Battery power is saved by placing the switch in the OFF position whenever the camera is not used. Battery power may also be saved by keeping the lens cap on whenever possible since the exposure meter draws current in proportion to light intensity entering the camera lens. The metering circuit is dependent on an obsolete mercury battery. It may be replaced using a zinc-air hearing aid 1.4-volt battery, which usually comes in a six-pack and is not very expensive.

Several internal parts may fail on a forty-year-old camera, and the SR-T 101 is no exception. The only serious trouble is related to the exposure meter movement itself, in which the tiny coil tends to break, this situation requires a replacement. The back door rubber sealing foam will usually need replacement, and so will a small strip of the same cushioning material sealing the mirror when it goes up when you hit the shutter release. A strip of this may be cut from a similar sealing material from a hardware store. All other problems are easily put right with a minimum of effort and tools unless the camera is worn out, which rarely happens. In fact, anybody who figures out how to remove the top cover without causing any damage can do the rest.
The Minolta SR-T 101 is a 35mm SLR camera made by Minolta Camera Co. Ltd, Japan, premiering in the March 1966 Japan Camera Show. Sales began in April 1966 and it stayed in production with only minor changes for ten years, the result of the thorough development effort that was put into the camera. The body is a direct continuation of the Minolta SR-7 Model V of 1962, itself an innovative camera.