Minolta's top revised SRT SLR — finder aperture readout, CLC meter, mechanical shutter, MD mount, 1975.
The Minolta SRT 202 was introduced in 1975 as the top model of the revised SRT range, sitting above the SRT 200 and SRT 201 and updating the earlier SRT 102/Super. It kept the SR mount and CLC through-the-lens metering while offering the fullest finder readout in the series.
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 and the selected aperture with the metering needle. Exposure is set manually, and the body has a split-image focusing aid and self-timer.
The SRT 202 suits users who want the fullest SRT finder information in a rugged mechanical body for general, travel and portrait work. The finder aperture and shutter display speeds manual exposure, while the mechanical shutter continues to fire if the meter battery dies.
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, confirm the finder aperture display works, feel the advance and rewind, and note the shutter fires with a dead battery.