Minolta manufactured and marketed a line of 35mm film single lens reflex cameras (SLRs) and lenses with the Minolta SR-mount between 1958 and 1996; Minolta later introduced the Minolta A-mount system in 1985, a line of autofocus SLRs and lenses with the mechanically incompatible Minolta A-mount, which eventually supplanted the manual focus system.
The first Minolta SLRs were marketed with SR- model numbers starting from 1958 with the Minolta SR-2, which featured semi-automatic diaphragm operation with Auto-Rokkor lenses: winding the film advance lever opened the diaphragm and cocked the shutter; when the shutter was released, the iris would stop down to the selected aperture. These were succeeded by the SR-T models, which incorporated through-the-lens metering in the body, starting from 1966 with the SR-T 101. The SR-T models were succeeded by the X models, which include the X-1 flagship (1973), advanced XE (1974), and compact XD and lowered-cost XG (1977) lines; all of the X models have some form of autoexposure.[1]
Starting from the 1960s, Seagull Camera has sold SLRs with Minolta SR-mount; the first cameras were labeled DF (after Chinese: s=单反 |p=dānfǎn |l=Single-lens reflex), and were largely copied from the Minolta SR-2. Most of these were produced for the domestic market in China, but some were exported under multiple brands, including Seagull.[2]
The modular XG line was developed into the X-700/570/370 line in the early 1980s. After Minolta introduced its autofocus A-mount system in 1985 under the trade names α (alpha, Japan), Maxxum (Americas), and Dynax (Europe), demand for the earlier manual-focus cameras dwindled. Minolta licensed the design of the X-370 to Seagull in 1987 and one more SR-mount SLR camera was released in 1990, the X-9 (aka X-300s in Europe); Minolta quietly outsourced production of the X-370 to Seagull in 1995, which continued to produce Minolta and Seagull-branded cameras based on the X-370 for a prolonged period.[3]
| 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| Professional / System | X-1 (XK, XM) | colspan=10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SRM | X-1 (XK, XM) Motor | colspan=10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Enthusiast | Semipro | XE (XE-7, XE-1) | XD (XD-11, XD-7) | colspan=7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Premium | SR-2 | SR-3 | SR-7 | SR-T 102 (Super, 303) | SR-T 302 (505, 303b) | X-700 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hobbyist | Mainstream | SR-T 101 | XE-5 | XD-5 | colspan=7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SR-1 / SR-1s | SR-T 201 (101s, 101b) | X-600 | colspan=7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SR-T 100 | SR-T 200 (100x, 100b) | X-570 | colspan=2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Entry-level | XG-S (XG-9) | X-70 (XG-M) | X-370 (X-300) | X-9 (X-300s) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| XG-E (XG-7, XG-2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Beginner | XG-1 | X-7 (XG-A) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Special model(s) | Image | Years | Shutter speeds | Meter | Dimensions (W×D×H) | Weight | Notes / Refs. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP | NA | EU | Intro | Disc | |||||||
| SR-x cameras (1958–1971) | |||||||||||
| 1958 | 1960 | B+1– | [4] [5] | ||||||||
| SR-1 | 1959 | 1971 | B+1– | External | Updates in 1960, 1962, 1963; significant updates in 1961 (automatic diaphragm) and 1965 (Model V), distinguished by rectangular eyepiece.[6] | ||||||
| SR-3 | 1960 | 1962 | B+1– | External | Can be fitted with Minolta SR Meter; added automatic diaphragm in 1961. | ||||||
| 1962 | 1966 | B+1– | non-TTL (CdS) | Includes in-body, non-TTL CdS meter near rewind crank; mirror lock-up added. 1965 update (Model V) to take Series V accessories, distinguished by rectangular eyepiece. | |||||||
| SR-1S | 1967 | 1971? | B+1– | External | Uses SR-T 101 components & Model V accessories. | ||||||
| Regional name | Special model(s) | Image | Years | Shutter speeds | Meter | Dimensions (W×D×H) | Weight | Notes / Refs. | |||
| JP | NA | EU | Intro | Disc | |||||||
| SR-T xxx cameras (1966–1981) | |||||||||||
| SR-T SC (Sears), SR-T MC (K-Mart/ J.C. Penney), both 1973–75 | 1966 | 1975 | B+1– | TTL (CdS) | SC, MC, and late versions removed mirror lock-up. SC and MC removed self-timer.[7] | ||||||
| SR-T 100 | 1970 | 1975 | B+1– | TTL (CdS) | Simplified version of 101, replaces SR-1s; removed mirror lock-up and self-timer. | ||||||
| SRM | 1970 | 1975 | B+1– | Includes permanently-fixed motordrive unit.[8] | |||||||
| SR-T Super | SR-T 102 | SR-T 303 | 1973 | 1975 | B+1– | TTL (CdS) | (with 50mm) | (with 50mm) | Aperture setting visible in viewfinder.[9] | ||
| SR-505, 505s | SR-T 202 | SR-T 303b | 1975 | 1980 | B+1– | TTL (CdS) | Similar to 102 but mirror lock-up removed; minor updates in 1977. | ||||
| SR-101, 101s | SR-T 201 | SR-T 101b | SR-T SC-II (Sears), SR-T MC-II (KM/ JCP), both 1977–80 | 1975 | 1981 | B+1– | TTL (CdS) | Removed mirror lock-up, compared to 101; CLC removed from light meter in 1977 (101s). Some features stripped for SC/MC. | |||
| SR-T 100X | SR-T 200 | SR-T 100b | 1975 | 1981 | B+1– | TTL (CdS) | Simplified version of 201; CLC removed from light meter in 1977. | ||||
| Regional name | Special model(s) | Image | Years | Shutter speeds | Meter | Dimensions (W×D×H) | Weight | Notes / Refs. | |||
| JP | NA | EU | Intro | Disc | |||||||
| Xn cameras (1973–1996) | |||||||||||
| XK Ritz (1978) | 1972 | 1981 | B+16– | TTL (CdS, Si) | Professional modular system camera with interchangeable finders.[10] | ||||||
| 1974 | B+4– | TTL (CdS) | Shutter developed with Leitz and Copal; related to Leica R3 | ||||||||
| 1975 | 1977 | B+4– | TTL (CdS) | Simplified version of XE; multi-exposure added for XEb | |||||||
| 1976 | 1981 | B+16– | TTL (CdS, Si) | Integral motor drive with detachable battery pack.[11] | |||||||
| XD-s | 1977 | 1984 | B+1– | TTL (Si) | Related to Leica R4–R7[12] | ||||||
| XG-SE | 1977 | 1984 | B+1– | TTL (CdS) | Replaced XE-5, compact SLR; XG-SE included "Accu-Matte" screen.[13] [14] | ||||||
| — | 1978 | 1981 | B+1– | TTL (CdS) | Simplified version of XG-E | ||||||
| — | 1979 | 1979 | B+1– | TTL (Si) | Simplified version of XD | ||||||
| XG-S | 1979 | 1981 | B+1– | TTL (CdS) | Replaces XG-E. | ||||||
| 1981 | B+1– | TTL (Si) | [15] | ||||||||
| 1981 | 1984 | B+1– | TTL (CdS) | Simplified version of XG-1. X-7 released in Japan, 1980; autoexposure mode only. | |||||||
| 1981 | 1984 | B+1– | TTL (CdS) | Update to XG-9; includes provision to add motordrive. | |||||||
| 1983 | B+1– | TTL (Si) | Simplified version of X-700[16] | ||||||||
| 1983 | 1984 | B+1– | TTL (Si) | Includes focus confirmation, features similar to X-570 | |||||||
| X-7A, X-370s | 1984 | B+1– | TTL (Si) | Simplified version of X-570, replaced XG-line.[17] | |||||||
| 1990 | B+1– | TTL (Si) | Updated X-370 | ||||||||