Minolta SRT 101

Most of the photographs on this site were taken with this camera. It dates back to the late 1960s and is a conventional single lens reflex camera with no frills. The shutter is a conventional horizontal running cloth type with speeds from 1sec to 1/1000 (plus B). Flash synch is 1/60sec.

One of its claims to fame is its method of exposure measurement. It uses a technique called Contrast Light Compensation (CLC). Two light sensors are mounted to the front and back upper faces of the pentaprism. One senses the light at the bottom of the picture, the other at the top. The lower sensor gives more weight to foreground subjects when metering a conventional horizontal picture. This is to avoid bright skies from underexposing the image. The two sensors are connected together in a "bridge" circuit, so that if the light falling on them is fairly equal, they are given roughly equal weight. But as the lighting on them becomes increasingly different (more contrast) increased weight is be given to the lower one. Hence the name "contrast light compensation."

As well as a "standard" 50mm lens, I frequently use a 28mm wide-angle and a couple of long-focus lenses (135mm and 200mm).