SR-1

(1959) The SR-2 was a remarkable camera at the time, but it was also financially far beyond the reach of the average shutterbug.  It retailed at $250 in the US which was much more than most photographers wanted to spend .  That's nearly $3,000 in today's dollars -- adjusting for inflation.  Sure, it was worth it, but most people couldn't afford such a luxury, especially because there were plenty of other, high-quality, 35mm SLR cameras available at substantially lower cost.  You could get an Asahi Pentax S SLR for $195 or a German Contaflex I for a mere $150. These facts didn't help sales of the SR-2 -- at a time when rumors circulated that those "cheap Jap lenses" were filled with water -- even though the SR-2 was a far superior product.  So Minolta looked for creative ways to meet the photographic demand that the SR-2 had generated.  

In order to market their new SLR design to a wider audience, Minolta produced the SR-1 in 1959.  It was a less expensive version of the SR-2 -- with fewer features.  To save production costs, Minolta dropped the top speed of the SR-1 to 1/500, which was more than adequate for most photographic situations (the film speeds at the time were much slower than they are today).  In addition, the SR-1 was marketed with a slower, less expensive lens.  Instead of the fast, 55mm f1.8 Auto Rokkor lens sold with the SR-2, Minolta packaged the SR-1 with a new, 55mm f2.0 Auto Rokkor.  That doesn't sound like a big difference, but it retained the semi-auto-diaphragm feature of the SR-2 and saved production cost with a slower f2.0 aperture. Of course, one could purchase the faster f1.8 55mm lens with the camera instead of the f2.0 55mm, if interested.  The SR-1 also retained the other highly desirable feature of the SR-2 -- the instant return mirror.  

With the 55mm lens, the SR-1 sold at a 30% savings relative to the SR-2 -- only $175.  So the consumer could buy the SR-1 at a substantial saving -- and hardly notice a difference in features.  This was still very expensive at the time, but it was a deciding factor in keeping Minolta competitive in a very fluid market.  By 1959, just one year after the introduction of the Minolta SR-2, other well-respected Japanese SLR cameras were making their debut -- the Beseler Topcon ($195), the Canonflex ($295), the Heiland Pentax H-2 ($180), the Miranda C ($280), the Nikon F ($330), and the Petri Penta ($150) -- just to name a few.  Minolta marketed the SR-1 just in the nick of time, and was able to keep its head above the turbulent SLR waters.

The SR-1 lasted from 1959 to 1971, and was one of Minolta's longest-lasting models. But there were actually several changes to the SR-1 between 1959 and 1971, with gradual variations over time. MINMAN has grouped these SR-1 variations into "models" based on the features that we feel are most significant.  Keep in mind that these categories were decided on by MINMAN and are not any official designation by Minolta -- or anyone else.  Other web sites will only list one version of the SR-1, and some will group the various models differently.  Except for the SR-1s, these model numbers are not inscribed on the cameras.

• SR-1 (model a) -- (1959)
  
  The original SR-1 had the major features of the SR-2 -- an instant return mirror with semi-automatic lenses.  In addition, it had:
  
  • Shutter speeds of 1 second to 1/500, plus B in a "non-rotating" shutter speed dial to make accidental movement impossible.  To change shutter speeds it's necessary to raise the dial slightly before rotating it.
  • Fast, f2.0 53mm normal lens in a "non-rotating" f-stop dial to make accidental movement impossible.  To change f-stops it's necessary to press a small lever on the lens.  
  • Magnified exposure counter for easy reading
  • LV numbers on the lenses and shutter speed dial.  
    
    
    The LV system was an easy method of exposure when a hand-held meter is used.  The meter produces a single exposure number, for example 12.  The f-stop and shutter speed can be set quickly to total 12 (ex., LV on shutter speed = 7 + LV on lens aperture = 5) and the exposure will be correct.  
  • Locking self-timer with over-ride capability
  • Accessory lenses from 35mm to 600mm
  • Motor-drive connection.  Minolta never marketed a motor drive for the SR-1, but the initial models were equipped to accept one.
  • Numerous close-up attachments such as bellows, extension tubes, microscope adapters, bellows lenses, macro lenses, close-up lenses, and more!
  • Filters, viewfinder accessories, copy stands, and much more!

• SR-1 (model b) -- (1960)
  
  Minolta modified their viewfinder mount on the SR-1 (model b).  On their previous cameras, viewfinder accessories were screwed into place on the round viewfinder.  On the SR-1 (model b), the viewfinder is still round, and it still has a  circular thread for eyepiece diopters, but the major eyepiece accessories now are attached with a more-convenient, bayonet fitting.  These new bayonet accessories will not fit onto the older cameras, just as the old accessories will not fit onto the newer cameras.  The names of the accessories were changed as well.  For example, the original, screw-in Angle Finder SR -- which fit the SR-2 and the SR-1 (model 1) -- became the bayonet Angle Finder SR-2, which fits the SR-1 (model b) and later models.  This, of course, has led to some confusion.  The Angle Finder SR-2 has nothing to do with the SR-2 camera;  it was just the second style of anglefinders.  
  
  In addition, the shutter speds became equally spaced on the shutter speed dial with the SR-1 (model b).  The SR-1 (model b) was available in chrome or black.

• SR-1 (model c) -- (1961)
  
  On the original model of the SR-1, the lens diaphragm action is "semi-automatic". In other words, with automatic diaphragm lenses, the lens stays at full aperture until the moment of exposure, but does not automatically return to full aperture after the exposure. In order to regain the full aperture setting, it is necessary to advance the film which cocks the shutter and resets the diaphragm to the open position. On this model, the diaphragm action is fully automatic.  Minolta made the same change to the SR-3 at the same time.  But in order for this to happen a change had to be made to the Auto-Rokkor lenses.
  
  Initially, the Auto-Rokkors were designed for the SR-2 and early SR-1 cameras that had semi-automatic aperture function.  With this feature, the aperture on the lens was cocked when the film was advanced.  A pin in the camera kept the lens at full aperture.  When the shutter was released, the pin in the camera released the pin in the lens, and the lens was stopped down.  Resetting the lens required the slow pressure of the film advance.

  But this changed when Minolta introduced the SR-3 and SR-1 (model c) which were designed for fully-automatic aperture operation.  These camera automatically reset the lens to full aperture immediately after each exposure -- without advancing the film -- and the old mechanisms proved inadequate to the task.  An important change had to be made to the Auto-Rokkor lenses at this time.  To allow the new cameras to instantly re-open the aperture in the lens after the exposure, it was necessary for Minolta to modify the aperture linkage in the original Auto-Rokkor lenses. (The Rokkor lenses didn't require any change since they lacked the aperture linkage.)  Specifically, the original Auto-Rokkor lenses have their aperture linkage on a rotating, external plate on the back of the lens.  This approach proved inadequate to handle the speed of a fully-automatic aperture, and Minolta modified the mechanism to an internal, lateral-operating pin.  
  
  On the original Auto-Rokkor lenses (those with the rotating external plate), the aperture linkage moved up and down as it rotated.  This required a fairly tall lever inside the camera body -- to make sure that the two would always engage as the pin in the lens moved up and down, and the pin in the camera moved left and right.  It also required a fair amount of pressure and lateral movement from the lever in the camera to open the lens up. The drawback is that the original Auto-Rokkor lenses will not operate at all f-stops on later cameras.  You'll be able to select any f-stop on the lens, but when the older lens stops down, the aperture will stop at around f8.  For example, let's say you dial in f16 on the aperture ring.  When the exposure is taken, the lens will only stop down to f8 and the picture will be over-exposed by two f-stops.  These older lenses were designed for cameras with tall aperture pins and when used on newer cameras, at higher apertures, the tab in the lens is not fully released.  While this will not cause damage to the lens or camera, it prevents the smallest f-stops settings from being used.  
  
  The SR-1 (model c) was available in chrome or black.
  
  

• SR-1 (model d) -- (1962)  
  
  All previous versions of the SR-1 lacked a meter.  This version of the SR-1 added a provision for the selenium, clip-on SR Meter. This is the same meter used by the SR-3 of 1960.  But adding a meter required some changes.  First, the SR-1 logo had to be moved to the left-hand side of the camera, so that it would not be covered up by the meter.  More importantly, on the earlier models of the SR-1, the shutter speed dial had to be raised slightly to change the shutter speeds.  The purpose of this was to avoid unintended changes in the shutter speed.  This is often referred to as a "non-rotating" shutter speed dial -- even though the shutter speed dial actually does rotate. It was referred to as a "non-rotating shutter speed dial" because many cameras, of the era, had shutter speed dials that actually rotated as the exposure was being made. On the SR-1 (model d), you could change the shutter speeds without raising the dial with click-stops between each setting so the meter could be used at the same time.  The SR-1 could also accept the later SR Meter II.  Rotating, ISO/DIN speed converter & film reminder on the back.

• SR-1 (model e) -- (1963)  
  
  Yet another version of the SR-1 with several changes .  On this model, the round film counter window on the left-hand side of the body became a rectangular window on the right-hand side.  Another change occurred with the film advance lever. It is reshaped slightly and is not quite as pointed. However, this minor change required that the shutter speed dial be repositioned a couple of millimeters forward on the camera body -- which required a slight change in the meter block.
   
  In addition, since the SR-1 (model e) had a meter option, Minolta decided to drop the LV numbers from the shutter speed dial on the model e.  The LV numbers were only helpful when a hand-held meter was used, and Minolta wanted to encourage the purchase of the clip-on meter instead -- even though they sold hand-held meters. 
  
  Another change, this one rather significant, was an increase in the size of the SLR mirror. On previous models, Minolta used a mirror that was supported by a straight hinge. This resulted in some image cut-off when viewing the subject with longer lenses. In the SR-1 (model e), this simple configuration was replaced with a more complicated pair of articulated levers which allow the use of a larger mirror. Minolta referred to this as an "over-sized" mirror, and it eliminated any image cut-off.
  
  Last, but not least, on the SR-1 (model e) Minolta dropped the motor drive couplings.  For whatever reason, they decided that a motor drive was not going to be an option.  Maybe they felt there wasn't a large enough market demand for a motor drive. Perhaps they were having production difficulties or reliability problems.  We may never know for sure, but four years later they planned to market a motor drive with the SR-777, and finally did it with the SR-M. The SR-1 (model e) was available in chrome or black.

• SR-1 (model V) -- (1965)
  
  A modified version of the SR-1 (model e), the model V, switched to a type B body. (see previous models), which was slightly smaller and had a sleeker appearance with fewer and smaller ridges around the top edges.  In reality, the changes to the size of the body were minimal, and you probably won't notice the differences right away.  The camera is just a couple of millimeters thinner and only a couple of millimeters shorter, and the width is the same.  The pentaprism is somewhat smaller and the Minolta logo is now placed on the angled part of the prism (on the earlier models it was on the flat front part).  In addition, the corners of the body are more square -- like the later SRT bodies.  But there were several other changes that were more than cosmetic.  Most importantly, the model V has a new rectangular viewfinder.  The previous models had a circular viewfinder, so a new accessory shoe was needed, and all other eyepiece attachments had to be reconfigured.  These are designated with a "V", such as the Anglefinder V and the Viewfinder Magnifier V. The SR-1 (model V) is designed for a clip-on meter, but it's different from the earlier SR-1 models.  The meter mount is slightly repositioned on the model V body, is smaller and it has thin slits on the outer edges for the meter tabs. It is designed to use the new SR-V and SR-S clip-on meters.  The older clip-on meters will not fit on this model, nor will the new meters work with the older cameras.  Also changed was the shutter speed dial.  It's now larger and easier to rotate when the meter is not being used. Perhaps the most important functional change was that the fastest shutter/flash synch speed was increased from 1/45 to 1/60. Instead on a red "X" in-between 1/30 and 1/60, the "60" now appears in red. The FP and X flash contacts were lowered slightly on the body, but otherwise are exactly the same.   The self-timer is the same overall size, but has a larger slotted surface and a new push-button underneath.  The previous models had a tab that was pressed sideways.  In addition, the exposure counter has a larger window and is easier to read.  The film rewind button is slightly more recessed -- making it more difficult to press accidentally -- and making it easier to remove the bottom plate of the camera. Also, the lens mount is changed slightly. It now has an angle cut so lenses are easier to attach to the camera.  Before, the lens had to be lined up perfectly with the camera.  Now, the lenses slip on effortlessly. The film take-up spool is larger and has an internal slot for capturing the film, instead of an external slit. The camera also sported a new, plastic tip on the film advance lever and a rotating, ISO/DIN speed converter & film reminder on the back.  Last but not least, a mirror lock-up was added to allow the use of the new, super-wide 21mm lenses.  Unfortunately, the earlier models of the SR-1 were not designed to accept these lenses. In sum, the changes in the model V were not substantial, but they were numerous. ‘model V’ is not inscribed on the body, but it does appear on the instruction manual.

• SR-1s -- (1967)  
  
  The SRT101 was a superb camera (1966), but financially it was beyond the reach of many consumers.  Minolta understood this, and one year after the introduction of the SRT101, they released the SR-1s.  This is an updated and improved version of the SR-1 (model V).  It has a faster top speed -- 1/1000 -- but otherwise the features are the same.  This was the "top of the line" SR-1 model, and although it lacked a built-in meter, it is a very competent shooter.  Like the SRT101, it lacks a hot shoe, but it has a self-timer and mirror lock-up, so it is completely usable as a backup or second camera -- and for those who prefer to use a hand-held meter, it can serve admirably as their only camera.  Think of it as an SRT101 without the meter.  You can use your own hand-held meter or buy one of the Minolta slip-on, coupled meters.

The SR-1 was one of Minolta longest-lasting camera models  -- from 1959 to 1971 -- 12 years!  It was an essential ingredient in making Minolta a world-wide player in the photographic community.  Without the lower-priced SR-1, Minolta would not have been able to reach as many photographers as it did.  The "Minolta" name would have been less well-known, and it's history would have been completely different.  But the SR-1 introduced a sea of photographers to the wonders of SLR photography, and helped change the way that we take pictures today.  The SR-1 was lovingly retired in 1971 with the release of Minolta's new SRT100 -- an amalgamation of the of SR-1 and the SRT101.  So in some ways the SR-1 lived on for many more years.  

For a comparative look at the major features of the various SR-1 models, check out MINMAN's SLR table -- the world's most complete!

CAMERA SPECIFICATIONS

Camera	SR-1	SR-1	SR-1	SR-1	SR-1	SR-1	SR-1s
Model	a	b	c	d	e	V	s
Years made	1959-1960	1960-1961	1961-1962	1962-1963	1963-1965	1965-1967	1967-1971
Type	Mechanical 35mm SLR	Mechanical 35mm SLR	Mechanical 35mm SLR	Mechanical 35mm SLR	Mechanical 35mm SLR	Mechanical 35mm SLR	Mechanical 35mm SLR
Shutter	Fully mechanical, horizontal, cloth focal plane shutter	Fully mechanical, horizontal, cloth focal plane shutter	Fully mechanical, horizontal, cloth focal plane shutter	Fully mechanical, horizontal, cloth focal plane shutter	Fully mechanical, horizontal, cloth focal plane shutter	Fully mechanical, horizontal, cloth focal plane shutter	Fully mechanical, horizontal, cloth focal plane shutter
Metering	None	None	None	Clip-on	Clip-on	Clip-on	Clip-on
Meter sensitivity	--	--	--	Depends on clip-on meter	Depends on clip-on meter	Depends on clip-on meter	Depends on clip-on meter
Exposure modes	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual Metered manual with clip-on meter	Manual Metered manual with clip-on meter	Manual Metered manual with clip-on meter	Manual Metered manual with clip-on meter
Automatic exposure adjustment	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
Viewfinder	Fixed eye-level pentaprism	Fixed eye-level pentaprism	Fixed eye-level pentaprism	Fixed eye-level pentaprism	Fixed eye-level pentaprism	Fixed eye-level pentaprism	Fixed eye-level pentaprism
Focusing screen	Fresnel-field screen with a micro-prism center	Fresnel-field screen with a micro-prism center	Fresnel-field screen with a micro-prism center	Fresnel-field screen with a micro-prism center	Fresnel-field screen with a micro-prism center	Fresnel-field screen with a micro-prism center	Fresnel-field screen with a micro-prism center
Lens mount	Minolta SLR bayonet Semi-automatic diaphragm	Minolta SLR bayonet Semi-automatic diaphragm	Minolta SLR bayonet Automatic diaphragm	Minolta SLR bayonet Automatic diaphragm	Minolta SLR bayonet Automatic diaphragm	Minolta SLR bayonet Automatic diaphragm	Minolta SLR bayonet Automatic diaphragm
Lenses	Optimum: early Auto Rokkor Usable: later Auto Rokkor, Rokkor, MC Rokkor, MC Rokkor-X, MC Celtic, MD Rokkor, MD Celtic, MD Minolta	Optimum: early Auto Rokkor Usable: later Auto Rokkor, Rokkor, MC Rokkor, MC Rokkor-X, MC Celtic, MD Rokkor, MD Celtic, MD Minolta	Optimum: later Auto Rokkor Usable: early Auto Rokkor, Rokkor, MC Rokkor, MC Rokkor-X, MC Celtic, MD Rokkor, MD Celtic, MD Minolta	Optimum: later Auto Rokkor Usable: early Auto Rokkor, Rokkor, MC Rokkor, MC Rokkor-X, MC Celtic, MD Rokkor, MD Celtic, MD Minolta	Optimum: later Auto Rokkor Usable: early Auto Rokkor, Rokkor, MC Rokkor, MC Rokkor-X, MC Celtic, MD Rokkor, MD Celtic, MD Minolta	Optimum: later Auto Rokkor Usable: early Auto Rokkor, Rokkor, MC Rokkor, MC Rokkor-X, MC Celtic, MD Rokkor, MD Celtic, MD Minolta	Optimum: later Auto Rokkor Usable: early Auto Rokkor, Rokkor, MC Rokkor, MC Rokkor-X, MC Celtic, MD Rokkor, MD Celtic, MD Minolta
Mirror	Instant return mirror	Instant return mirror	Instant return mirror	Instant return mirror	Instant return, over-sized mirror	Instant return, over-sized mirror	Instant return, over-sized mirror
Film speeds	--	--	--	Depends on meter	Depends on meter	Depends on meter	Depends on meter
Shutter speeds	Mechanical: 1 - 500; B Manual: 1 - 500; B	Mechanical: 1 - 500; B Manual: 1 - 500; B	Mechanical: 1 - 500; B Manual: 1 - 500; B	Mechanical: 1 - 500; B Manual: 1 - 500; B	Mechanical: 1 - 500; B Manual: 1 - 500; B	Mechanical: 1 - 500; B Manual: 1 - 500; B	Mechanical: 1 - 1,000; B Manual: 1 - 1,000; B
Flash synch	X: B; 1 - 1/45 FP: B; 1 - 1/15 M: B; 1 - 1/15 MF: B; 1 - 1/15	X: B; 1 - 1/45 FP: B; 1 - 1/15 M: B; 1 - 1/15 MF: B; 1 - 1/15	X: B; 1 - 1/45 FP: B; 1 - 1/15 M: B; 1 - 1/15 MF: B; 1 - 1/15	X: B; 1 - 1/45 FP: B; 1 - 1/15 M: B; 1 - 1/15 MF: B; 1 - 1/15	X: B; 1 - 1/45 FP: B; 1 - 1/15 M: B; 1 - 1/15 MF: B; 1 - 1/15	X: B; 1 - 1/60 FP: B; 1 - 1/15 M: B; 1 - 1/15 MF: B; 1 - 1/15	X: B; 1 - 1/60 FP: B; 1 - 1/15 M: B; 1 - 1/15 MF: B; 1 - 1/15
Flash connection	Clip-on, cold shoe X and FP PC contacts	Clip-on, cold shoe X and FP PC contacts	Clip-on, cold shoe X and FP PC contacts	Clip-on, cold shoe X and FP PC contacts	Clip-on, cold shoe X and FP PC contacts	Clip-on, cold shoe X and FP PC contacts	Clip-on, cold shoe X and FP PC contacts
Film counter	Automatically resetting type counting upward	Automatically resetting type counting upward	Automatically resetting type counting upward	Automatically resetting type counting upward	Automatically resetting type counting upward	Automatically resetting type counting upward	Automatically resetting type counting upward
Battery	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
Stop-down DOF button	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Film Back	Non-interchangeable	Non-interchangeable	Non-interchangeable	Non-interchangeable	Non-interchangeable	Non-interchangeable	Non-interchangeable
Multiple exposures	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Film advance	Lever type	Lever type	Lever type	Lever type	Lever type	Lever type	Lever type
Self-timer	Mechanical, over-rideable, non-cancellable, adjustable from 4 to 10 seconds	Mechanical, over-rideable, non-cancellable, adjustable from 4 to 10 seconds	Mechanical, over-rideable, non-cancellable, adjustable from 4 to 10 seconds	Mechanical, over-rideable, non-cancellable, adjustable from 4 to 10 seconds	Mechanical, over-rideable, non-cancellable, adjustable from 4 to 10 seconds	Mechanical, over-rideable, non-cancellable, adjustable from 4 to 10 seconds	Mechanical, over-rideable, non-cancellable, adjustable from 4 to 10 seconds
Film reminder	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Other	Cable release connection, tripod socket	Cable release connection, tripod socket	Cable release connection, tripod socket	Cable release connection, tripod socket	Cable release connection, tripod socket	Cable release connection, tripod socket	Cable release connection, tripod socket
Body size	2 x 3 1/2 x 5 3/4 inches	2 x 3 1/2 x 5 3/4 inches	2 x 3 1/2 x 5 3/4 inches	2 x 3 1/2 x 5 3/4 inches	2 x 3 1/2 x 5 3/4 inches	2 x 3 1/2 x 5 3/4 inches	2 x 3 1/2 x 5 3/4 inches
Body weight	One pound two ounces	One pound two ounces	One pound two ounces	One pound two ounces	One pound two ounces	One pound two ounces	One pound two ounces

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