My SRT-101 is broken for good

JeremyLangford

JeremyLangford

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Me and my grandfather were trying to take my Minolta SRT-101 camera apart to fix the self-timer and once I took the top off, string starting coming of all of these little tiny levers that were all over the place. Everything is so out of place that it is now completely unusable.

There was nothing I could do.

I think I will upgrade to a more electronic camera now that I've seen the wears and tears of the fully mechanical ones.

Maybe something in the XD series? Anyone reccomend a XD-11?
 
So...what did we learn from the death of this camera???

How often does one use the Self-Timer on a camera???

Me??? on most of my cameras...never...

Should have left it alone...

At least now you have a better idea of what's inside a camera and now you know what you don't know about taking one apart...

Sorry you lost a good camera...
 
RIP for a good camera.
The cheaper way to go electronic is x-700 (well, there's the x-300, but it lacks + - exposure adjust and stop down button).
The x-11 is the luxury way, however keep in mind that you can't use its shutter priority mode with the Rokkor MC lens I see in your avatar (it needs the Rokkor MD, that have a coupling tab more than MC).
 
The string you found connects the aperture index lever to the meter movement, if I remember correctly. A repairman can put it back in place but probably will charge you $100 to do it. I agree iwth Teo that an X700 is a nice modern electronic camera to get, and available cheap.
 
Complex cameras like the SRT101 really need a reference to take apart! If you broke nothing it should be possible to find a manual to re-assemble it.

If you want to replace with newer, I can recommend the XD-11, a very fine camera. Downside being it's hard to find a good one now. As noted elsewhere though, you will need MD lenses to use shutter priority. This is also true for the X-700 to use the P mode (another excellent camera though).

If you want to use MC lenses I'd suggest the XG-M, also a very fine camera and not too expensive. To be honest, unless you have a specific need for shutter-priority or P mode I'd go for an XG-M any day; I used to have one and was never disappointed.

As for the X-700, there is also the X-570 (also called X-500 I think) that has OTF flash and all features of the X-700 except P mode. Many people prefer it since it can do slower-than-1/60 flash, which the X-700 has to be modified to do, with dedictaed flashguns.
 
All I want in my next camera is for it to be more electronic and newer than my SRT.

And all I care about is a full-metered manual mode with Depth-Of-Field preview and Self-Timer.

Do any other cameras fit this besides a XD-11?
 
Welcome to the club! I know of very few people who managed to get their first camera repair back together. :eek:

Unless you have a few Minolta lenses or are fixed on the idea, I would go for something like the Pentax. Cameras such as the Super A (Super Program in the US) will give you the features you want. What's more the Pentax lenses are probably better performers than the Minolta ones and are much more plentyful on the secondhand market. Nikon would be another good choice but the prices would be much higher.

Kim
 
There's no shortage of Minolta glass on the used market, I can assure you. Optically it's fine stuff too, not playing second fiddle to Pentax. The Minolta X-700 is usually not very expensive and a nice choice, and it'll handle low light a LOT better than the SRT101 (I recall a post about this being an issue for OP).
 
I loved my SRT-101. I loved the light meter needles a lot. But its not worth buying another one and maybe having the same problem.

Does the XD-11 have shutter blades instead of a cloth shutter? Is that better?
 
When older electronic cameras fail, if the fault is in the electronics, it might be problematic to repair. Old mechanical cameras can be kept running with adjustments or by cannibalizing other junk bodies.
 
I switched to an SRT-102 after my XD-5 (XD-11 without a couple of features) died. Once the electronics in the XD series dies, it's toast - no repair parts available.

Loved my XD-5. Would buy another, BUT - XD's are getting tough to find with working circuits - and even if you find one, it's just a matter of time before it turns into a paperweight.

I might pick up an X-700 some time as well, just to have a more modern electronic body.
 
The X-series cameras suffer from the 'diode of death'. A simple $2 diode located in under the baseplate. It dies and the camera will no longer function at all.

Fortunately, an easy fix. However, my Minolta X-9 has it, was never fixed, and I went back to my older, easier, Canon FL and FD mount stuff.

The SRT is a better camera than the X series, IMHO.
 
bmattock said:
The X-series cameras suffer from the 'diode of death'. A simple $2 diode located in under the baseplate. It dies and the camera will no longer function at all.

Fortunately, an easy fix. However, my Minolta X-9 has it, was never fixed, and I went back to my older, easier, Canon FL and FD mount stuff.

The SRT is a better camera than the X series, IMHO.
Click to expand...
I haven't heard about the diode, that would be easy to fix. There is a known issue with capacitor failures on the X series cameras but these can be replaced. Symptoms are that the meter works but the shutter fails to release. It's more likely to happen if the camera lies unused for a long time.
 
Kim Coxon said:
Welcome to the club! I know of very few people who managed to get their first camera repair back together. :eek:

Unless you have a few Minolta lenses or are fixed on the idea, I would go for something like the Pentax. Cameras such as the Super A (Super Program in the US) will give you the features you want. What's more the Pentax lenses are probably better performers than the Minolta ones and are much more plentyful on the secondhand market. Nikon would be another good choice but the prices would be much higher.

Kim
Click to expand...
He does say he only wants a metered manual mode. Get an XG-M, that has it.

Minolta lenses are most certainly not second-best compared to Pentax. In a practical, day-to-day sense there's nothing to choose between the major players (Nikon/Canon/Minolta/Pentax etc) but you will find, for instance, that Minolta's MD 50mm f/1.7 outperforms ALL equivalents of its time, bar one (I can't recall which but it wasn't Pentax or even Nikon; it was probably Canon).

As for availability there are plenty of good lenses, Minolta and MD fit, of good quality and at low prices now.

One thing that no-one equals in SLRs is the brightness of Minolta's acute-matte screens. Take a look and realise just how dim everything else is in comparison. IIRC Minolta made Hasleblad screens too.
 
I beg your pardon, you are correct - a capacitor, not a diode. Yes, they are easy to fix - if you can solder and if you are not color-blind (like me). Sending it out is the pricey bit and the reason mine never was fixed after all those years. Too bad, I have some sweet Minolta MD mount glass and accessories, but the body is in a drawer. I have SRT bodies that work, but compared to my Canons...well...
 
How about an XE-7, what do you guys think of it?

Jeremy, are you tied to Minolta because you have a stash of good quality Rokkor lenses or just because?

If it's just because, maybe this is a good time to try out other brands. An Olympus OM or Nikon FM2 or FE2, for example?

FWIW, I've seen cameras with electronics failed more often than fully mechanical ones.
 
I had an XD-11, quite liked it. But was still happier with either my nikon FM2n, or my Canon's (F1N, or AE1). Those are all still working. The XD-11 gave up the ghost about 10 years ago.
 
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