SRTSC

(1973)  In 1973, Minolta was selling three manual exposure SLR cameras -- the SRT102, the SRT101, and the SRT100.  Sales were doing very well and the cameras were well-respected by consumers and professionals.  As a way to increase sales even more, Minolta decided to entered into special agreements with large department stores in the US and Europe.  In fact, this was nothing new.  For several years, Sears & Roebuck, for example, had been selling a large number of cameras from numerous companies, for example, Ricoh and Mamiya, that were re-badged as "Sears" or "Tower" cameras.  These models were only available in Sears stores and were identical -- or nearly identical -- to the models sold directly by the camera manufacturers. The Minolta SRTSC camera line was an improved version of the SRT100 / SRT200 line, and sold exclusively by Sears.  Just as the SRT100 and SRT200 evolved over time, you'll see the same changes in the SRTSC cameras.  The model is not inscribed on the cameras.

• SRTSC -- (1973)
  
  The original SRTSC retained the major features of the SRT100:
  • TTL, full-aperture metering
  • CLC metering
  • DOF button

   The SRTSC also lacked the major features that the SRT100 lacked:

  • no mirror lock-up
  • no self-timer
  • no shutter speeds in the viewfinder
    

  But the SRTSC added two features lacking in the SRT100:  a top shutter speed of 1/1,000 and a hot shoe.  So, was the SRTSC an improved version of the SRT100, or a slimmed-down version of the SRT101?  Well, neither, really since it had features that the SRT101 lacked. It's really its own camera. The SRTSC was available in chrome or black.

• SRTSC-II (model a) -- (1977)
  
  In 1975, Minolta upgraded the SRT100 to the SRT200.   These changes made their way into the SRTSC camera, and the SRTSC-II (model a) was born in 1977.  This was the same year that Minolta introduced the first of the XD and XG cameras, and several of these features were copied directly from the XD and XG line.  Perhaps it was an attempt to make the older-styled cameras look as similar as possible to the newer cameras, but it is just as likely that the newer parts were available -- and useable -- on the older cameras.  First, there was a switch on the SRTSC-II (model a) to a black, plastic aperture ring around the lens mount -- replacing an aluminum ring.  

  In addition, the locking DOF button of the earlier SRT cameras was replaced with a non-locking DOF button. On the surface, this sounds like a minor cosmetic change. But the change is more than skin deep. At the same time, Minolta dropped the "meter off" switch which, in all previous SRT models, would automatically turn the meter off when the DOF button was pressed (when an MC lens was attached to the camera). The purpose of this early feature was to allow metering in "stop-down" mode with early non-MC lenses. That's why the DOF button on Minolta SLR cameras was originally called the "stop-down-metering" button. So with this switch, Minolta was cutting out a few cents in manufacturing costs -- and casting aside users of earlier lenses.
  
  Also, the SRTSC-II (model a) only had X synchronization for flash use -- the FP option of the SRTSC was dropped.  The more important change was that the focusing screen was updated to include a split-rangefinder in the middle of the microprism circle.  Look for the CLC marking to identify the SRTSC-II (model a).  
  
  The SRTSC-II (model a) was available in chrome or black.

• SRTSC-II (model b) -- (1979)
  
  On this model, the mirror-lockup option was dropped.  By this time, Minolta knew it would never need to develop another recessed wide-angle lens.  They had developed super-wideangle lenses using new optical designs that obviated the older recessed designs.  Minolta knew that while their older 21mm recessed wide-angle would not fit on this camera, they had designed a new 20mm that didn't need the mirror lock-up device.  Otherwise the major features of this version of the SRTSC are the same.  Look for the missing CLC marking to identify the SRTSC-II (model b).  This model was only avalaible in chrome.
  

The SRTSC was sold by Sears up until 1980.  Sears would continue to sell Minolta cameras after that date, but none of the models would be modified for exclusive sales by Sears.  Because it is a less well-known SRT model, the SRTSC often sells for very little, despite it's well-rounded features. For a comparative look at the major features of the SRTSC models, check out MINMAN's SLR table -- the world's most complete!

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