Minolta's mid SRT SLR — finder speed readout, CLC meter, mechanical shutter, MD mount, 1975.
The Minolta SRT 201 was introduced in 1975 as the mid model of the revised SRT range, positioned between the SRT 200 and SRT 202 and effectively updating the earlier SRT 101. It kept the SR mount and CLC through-the-lens metering while adding a viewfinder shutter-speed readout.
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, and the finder shows the set shutter speed alongside the metering needle. Exposure is set manually, and the body has a self-timer.
The SRT 201 suits students, travellers and general users who want a coupled TTL meter and finder shutter-speed display in a durable mechanical body. The match-needle system is quick to learn and the mechanical shutter keeps working if the meter battery fails, making it a dependable everyday camera.
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 CLC meter was designed for a 1.35V mercury PX625/625 cell no longer sold, so verify the needle responds and consider a voltage adapter or handheld meter. Inspect the prism for haze, feel the advance and rewind, and note the shutter fires with a dead battery.