Features, Controls and How to use the Minolta SRT 101

I take you on a tour of the Minolta SRT 101, a classic 35mm single lens reflex (SLR) camera, and explain its features and how everything works.

[sputumtube]

Absolutely love your tutorials/reviews. So easy to understand and well presented. Thanks for posting.

[jackpine]

Very nice! Thank you. While "OUTRE MER" in 1967 I purchased my 101 through the mail. I knew hardly anything about these FANCY SHMANCY cameras. So I actually sat down and read the limited manual that came with it! Soon it was all coming together. Have had tons of fun with it ever since!

[Raymond-hs]

Thanks for the memories. I am an old-school photographer. Taught Basic Photography at night school in the 70's and 80's. Bought my 1st 35mm Camera Kodak Retina Reflex III in 1962 at Hobby Lobby Camera Store in Detroit, It had a 50mm Lens, and later I purchased 135 mm and 85-200 mm zoom lenses. Then going to Nam in the late sixties, I bought a Minolta SRT 101 SLR with the same lenses and a 28mm 85mm Lens. Took lots of pictures during the war there. In the summer of 1970, all the cameras and accessories in the Riots in Detroit in 1970. An HS friend of mine was shot by a friend of my dad's in a bar. He tried to hold up the place. The guy shot lay in the street for hours and died. 2 large hospitals were just 3-4 blocks away. Rioters broke in my parents and brothers home and the chief of police there told my parents and 4 brothers to get out of the house. That night they broke into the house again, stole anything of value, and torched the place. Bad for me as all my stuff, cameras, coin collections, pictures, and records were still stored in the house and lost. Pisses me off even today to recall it. Probably better this way. My Dad and brothers had several 12-gage Shotguns and other rifles. No pistols, It would have been bad...

[mikebreazeale]

I pushed film and used Illford and Agfa stuff...and I went up to 6400 a lot as I remember. Agfa always worked the best. Those concerts were dark...very dark. I loved doing all that stuff. I shot a lot of concerts. I was a Dead Head and have some pretty cool pics. I also had a Minolta totally manual camera. NO light meter or anything. I loved it and got tons of great photos. I LOVED it! Then I got a Pentax and used that for a while. Now I have all Nikon cameras and lens. Thanks for sharing...Peace

[thienthansanga]

great explanation. I just got my camera and your video is really helpful!

[rubensun]

Straight to the point and very informative!

[NAACat]

Can you explain why and when to use the depth of field preview feature on the SRT101. Thanks.

[glennlaunerts]

If I may add the final rewinding technique. When I develope my own film as you indicated left the tongue out of the film container. I creased the end indicating to me that this roll was EXPOSED. ( not looking like a NEW ROLL. ) PS. I use 6400 as a special extending on Black & white film rating. For Special Grain size on photo paper used. Like your site on explanation. Thanks.

[FelicityGill-sptk]

Hi! Great video- thanks! My SRT101 has a kind of grainy viewfinder- definitely not dirty- looks more like a film across it.. is this removable do you think? Makes it hard to focus! Thanks!

[jagtag]

Hi, great video and very informative! I have my dad's SRT 101 here but the film advance lever seems to be stuck, it doesnt pull past about 20 degrees and the shutter release doesnt seem to depress. Any thoughts on this? Is there a reset button or similar? Also the timer lever seems to also get stuck at around the 30 degrees angle from vertical, which is maybe related to the same shutter release issue. Many thanks, Jag

[henryIRL]

Great video! Is the battery for the light meter only? Can I take photos without batteries and a separate handheld meter?

[thomaskey]

Would it be possible to get a scan of the manual? Mine was missing

[Nature_Lover_Guy]

Yeah I picked up one today at an antique store. Every time I take a picture the view finder stays dark until I turn the shutter handle. Is that normal.

[jsbphotog]

Do the shutter speeds on these tend to remain accurate? It's easy enough to use an external light meter if need be, but are the shutters usually ok?

[gtaylor]

That used to be my favorite camera 📷 still have a brand new one in the box

[juanluisguerrero]

How much are this cameras worth on 2024?

[thelakwatserangcora]

I Have one myself and I don't know how to use it.. inherited it from my grandpa..

[tonyjimenez]

Inherited this camera from my grandpa, what should my shutter speed dial be set at for just regular common photos?