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.
Overview 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.
Starting from the 1960s, Seagull Camera has sold SLRs with Minolta SR-mount; the first cameras were labeled DF (after ), 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.
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.
+Minolta SR-mount SLR timeline colspan=2 rowspan=2 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s2000s 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 1234567890123 Professional / System colspan=12 SRM X-1 (XK, XM) Motor colspan=3 rowspan=2 AF A-Mount Systems colspan=14 X-1 (XK, XM) Enthusiast Semi-Pro colspan=16 XE (XE-7, XE-1) XD (XD-11, XD-7) colspan=19 colspan=18 XE-b colspan=3 XD-s colspan=22 Prothusiast colspan=17 XE-5 colspan=1 XD-5X-700 colspan=2 colspan=25 rowspan=2 X-600 colspan=19 X-500 (X-570) colspan=18 Upgraded colspan=15 rowspan=2 SR-T 102 (303, Super) SR-T 202 (303b, SR505) SR-T 202 (303b, SR505s)colspan=2 X-70 (XG-M) colspan=19 rowspan=2 XG-SE colspan=1 Standard SR-2 SR-3 SR-7colspan=10 XG-7 (XG-2, XG-E) XG-9 (XG-S) colspan=22 rowspan=2 colspan=4 SR-T 101 SR-T 201 (101b,SR101) SR-T 201 (101b,SR101s) Hobbyist Entry-level colspan=1 rowspan=2 SR-1 SR-1s SR-T 100 SR-T 200 (100b) colspan=1 XG-1 XG-1n colspan=5 X-300s (X-370N, X-9) X-370s (Post-Minolta; Seagull DF-3xx) SR-T 200 (100x) colspan=2 X-300 (X-370, X-7A) Amateur colspan=22 X-7 (XG-A) colspan=20
List of cameras
+Minolta SR-mount cameras Regional name 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) SR-2 1958 1960 B+1– SR-1 1959 1967 B+1– External Updates in 1960, 1962, 1963; significant updates in 1961 (automatic diaphragm) and 1965 (Model V), distinguished by rectangular eyepiece. SR-3 1960 1962 B+1– External Can be fitted with Minolta SR Meter; added automatic diaphragm in 1961. SR-7 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 & SR-1 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 101 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. 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. SR-T Super SR-T 102 SR-T 303 1973 1975 B+1– TTL (CdS) (with 50mm ) (with 50mm ) Aperture setting visible in viewfinder. 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 {modes} Dimensions (W×D×H) Weight Notes / Refs. JP NA EU Intro Disc Xn cameras (1973–1996) X-1 XK XM XK Ritz (1978) 1972 1981 B+16– TTL (CdS, Si) {AM} Professional modular system camera with interchangeable finders. XE XE-7 XE-1 1974 1977 B+4– TTL (CdS) {AM} Shutter developed with Leitz and Copal; related to Leica R3 XEb XE-5 1975 1977 B+4– TTL (CdS) {AM} Simplified version of XE; multi-exposure added for XEb X-1 Motor XK Motor XM Motor 1976 1981 B+16– TTL (CdS, Si) {AM} Integral motor drive with detachable battery pack. XD XD-11 XD-7 XD-s 1977 1984 B+1– TTL (Si) {ASM} Related to Leica R4–R7 XG-E XG-7 XG-2 XG-SE 1977 1984 B+1– TTL (CdS) {AM} Replaced XE-5, compact SLR; XG-SE included "Accu-Matte" screen. — XG-1 XG-1n 1978 (n-type 1981) 1981 (n-type 1984) B+1– TTL (CdS) {AM} Simplified version of XG-E. XG-1n released in 1981, redesigned in X-Hundred bodystyle distinguished (n) by Manuals — XD-5 1979 1979 B+1– TTL (Si) {ASM} Simplified version of XD XG-S XG-9 1979 1981 B+1– TTL (CdS) {AM} Replaces XG-E. X-700 1981 B+1– TTL (Si) {PAM} X-7 XG-A 1981 1984 B+1– TTL (CdS) {A} Simplified version of XG-1. X-7 released in Japan, 1980; autoexposure mode only. X-70 XG-M 1981 1984 B+1– TTL (CdS) {AM} Update to XG-9; includes provision to add motordrive. X-500 X-570 X-500 1983 B+1– TTL (Si) {AM} Simplified version of X-700 X-600 1983 1984 B+1– TTL (Si) {AM} Includes focus confirmation, features similar to X-570 X-370 X-300 X-7A 1984 B+1– TTL (Si) {AM} Simplified version of X-570, replaced XG-line. X-9 X-370N X-300s 1990 1995 B+1– TTL (Si) {AM} Updated X-370 X-370s Seagull DF-300— 1995 2003 (as Minolta, Seagull DF's still sold as of 2026) B+1–TTL (Si) {AM} Last Minolta Manual Focus SLR, manufactured by Seagull. Later relicensed as 'Seagull DF-3xx and 3xxx' types, among others.
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References