Minolta's first TTL SRT SLR — match-needle CLC meter, mechanical shutter, MD mount, 1966.
The Minolta SRT 101 was introduced in 1966 as the first model in Minolta's SRT series, which brought through-the-lens metering to the SR mount. It became one of Minolta's mainstay manual-focus SLRs and used the company's CLC metering system that read the scene with two cells to cope with high-contrast subjects.
It is a mechanical 35mm SLR on the Minolta SR/MC/MD bayonet, here labelled Minolta MD. The horizontal cloth focal-plane shutter is mechanically timed with a top speed of 1/1000 and fires without a battery. Metering is through-the-lens, match-needle and centre-weighted using the CLC dual-cell system; the photographer aligns a needle in the finder and sets exposure manually. The pentaprism finder shows shutter speed and metering information.
The SRT 101 suits students, travellers and anyone wanting a robust mechanical body with a coupled meter. The match-needle system is quick to learn and the all-mechanical shutter keeps working if the meter battery dies, making it dependable for general and outdoor use.
On the used market, test the cloth shutter for pinholes, even travel and working slow speeds. Foam light seals and mirror-damper foam commonly perish and usually need renewal. The CdS meter was designed for a 1.35V mercury PX625/625 cell that is no longer sold, so meter accuracy may be off without a voltage adapter; verify the needle responds and consider a handheld meter. Inspect the prism for haze, test advance and rewind feel, and note the shutter fires with a dead battery.