During the ten-year manufacturing period of the Minolta SR-T101, many small changes were made to the camera body. Several of these changes are easily detected and they can help determine time of manufacture to within a few years. It should be noted that any part of a camera may be replaced due to repair and smaller parts are more easily swapped, but normally these features may be considered original. Top cover and base plate are parts usually replaced due to impact damages, and a replacement top cover would not have the original serial number.
The first generation camera body serial numbers started from 1000xxx (see section below). When first introduced, the standard kit lens was the 58mm/f1.4 MC Rokkor-PF, with 6 elements in 5 groups, beginning from lens serial number 5000xxx. About four months after launch, the 55mm/f1.7 MC Rokkor-PF, 6 elements in 5 groups, was added as an alternate kit lens. Then in September 1968[2], the 58mm/f1.2 MC Rokkor-PG, 7 elements in 5 groups with 8 aperture blades, became available. These earlier kit lenses featured knurled metal barrels, versus later rubber-gripped MC Rokkor-X (or MC Rokkor) versions. A very well-crafted ever-ready case was available in either brown or black leather to protect the camera with normal lens. A longer-nosed black ever-ready case was made for the SRT 101 and 58mm/f1.2 combination.
Minolta Camera Serial Number Lookup
The SRT 101's viewfinder shows the exposure meter needle at the right side of the finder image. This needle shows the actual light value coming in through the lens at maximum aperture, with lower indicating a higher light value. The needle's position is not dependent on film speed or any other camera setting; it will be constant for a given light value and a given lens at maximum aperture. Also at the right is a follower needle with a circle at the tip. This indicates the current exposure value calculated from film speed, number of stops below maximum aperture indicated by the aperture ring, and shutter speed. By changing one or more of these inputs, this circle can be made to overlap the meter needle, at which point the exposure will be correct.
During the ten-year manufacturing period of the Minolta SRT 101, many small changes were made to the camera body. Several of these changes are easily detected and they can help determine the time of manufacture to within a few years. It should be noted that any part of a camera may be replaced due to repair and smaller parts are more easily swapped, but normally these features may be considered original. Top cover and base plate are parts usually replaced due to impact damages, and a replacement top cover would not have the original serial number.
The serial number of my camera is 143649 indicating that it was a 1959 Autocord with an Optiper MXS shutter. This website has a list of Autocord serial numbers along with production dates and version differences.
There are only indirect indicators. The 7 and the 9 with DM-9 back can be set up to count the film rolls that were used while recording exposure data. You can estimate the number of frames shot using the roll number. However, the counter can easily be reset by the user, so the estimate can be a lot lower than the actual number of shots.With digital cameras it's possible to use consecutive frame numbers as file names. Again, the counter can easily be reset, and the number is limited to 4 or 5 digits, so it wraps around after 10000 or 100000 shots.With later digital cameras from Sony the number of shutter actuations is stored in the EXIF data of image files, in various formats. An explanation of the formats and a tool to read out the data can be found here. But note that shutter actuations and pictures taken are not the same number, especially with features like in-camera panoramas, HDR, main sensor live view, etc., where the shutter can be moving more than once per picture.Essentially, a normal camera user without special tools can not see the precise total number of shutter actuations.Top of page
When you look at the EXIF data in JPG files taken with the Konica Minolta 7D or the Sony α700, you find that the resolution is only 72 dpi. You may wonder if some camera setting is wrong.The short answer is, there's nothing wrong, and it doesn't matter at all.Here's the long answer: the 7D, for example, always records 30082000 pixels at full resolution, no matter which dpi number is written in the EXIF data. With any other dpi number, the actual image information would not change in any way. If you wanted to be technically correct, the recording resolution would have to be 3251.2 dpi.The dpi number only becomes somewhat relevant when you output the image, e.g. when you print it. For example, if your printer prints at 300 dpi, the above image printed 1:1 would result in a (3008300)"(2000300)" = 10"6.7" print. Or, if you wanted a 15"10" print, you'd have to print at (300815) = 200 dpi. In many image processing software packages you don't even have to know the dpi number. You just load the image and print it on a given paper size, and the image processing software, the printer driver and the printer are doing all these calculations.You may ask why the resolution number is added to the EXIF data at all when it's actually irrelevant until you print the image. Well, the resolution numbers are mandatory items in the EXIF info, so if a camera maker wants to be compliant with the EXIF standard they have to add the info and pick some number. But why is irrelevant information made mandatory? This should be food for thought for JEITA, the inventor of EXIF.Top of page
The year of production is not directly encoded in Minolta's serial numbers. Some lenses bear a year number, but this is the copyright year of the lens design, not the year of production. Furthermore, some lenses, especially the higher level ones, are produced in large batches and then may sit on a shelf for some time before being sold. Knowing the year of production of such a lens is not so useful when you actually want to know the year of sale.The best you can do is narrow down the year of sale by looking at the release years in the lens table and camera table.Top of page
The Maxxum/Dynax 9Ti was a Limited Edition 35mm film camera to commemorate Minolta's 75th Anniversary. There seems to be a debate on the actual numbers produced. There may have been as many as 1000 Maxxum versions made or as few as 400 Maxxums, 400 Dynax and 200 alpha versions.. They were called Maxxum 9ti in the US, Alpha a-9ti in Japan and Dynax 9ti for the rest of the world. It has been reported that only 40 Dynax 9ti were imported to the UK. Typically these fine cameras are kept as collectors items and not often used as working cameras.They were produced in 1999.
I have varying XD11s probably one of each variant. I actually think I have a photo in my stream of the two different EV levers.In light of that motherlode of parts/repair XDs I bought a few month ago, I should really put together a serial number database and see at what serial numbers things changed.ages ago(permalink)
I have two chrome XD11's. Both have the EV adjustment levers toward the outside of the body, and both have the "125" in green. The serial numbers are 1137xxx and 1135xxx.I have one black XD11. It also has the EV adjustment outside; the "125" is in white like the other speeds. Serial number 1101xx.No dimples on the shutter blades. Leather shrinkage on all of them. All have the plastic tips on the EV levers. All have the old logo.I've used the two chrome models (C's?). The black model (B?) needs repair first.ages ago(permalink)
Hi esmoxd,Mine has that little dimple, also. Guess I was looking for several of them!A little anomaly with the serial number, from what I'm seeing in this thread - as I mentioned, it is a black XD-11, model D, late leatherette, *dimple* - the S.N. is 1222688. Frankencamera?Please don't tell anyone I care this much about a dimple on the shutter of my camera...Mikeages ago(permalink)
SInce about a year I have been getting into Minolta, first getting a X-570 and a X-500.Today I received a XD-s with the serial number 3307798 and the new all caps logo. It reminds me of the Olympus OM4Ti that I have used for 20 years or so. Except that it is more silent and the transport is more smooth . . .106 months ago(permalink)
Thanks esmoxd and Jojonas !Do you know the serial nr of this XD, Jojonas? I just looked at about 20 XD cameras for sale in Japan, none have the new logo. Perhaps the new logo XD and XD-11 are quite rare?100 months ago(permalink)
Ok, the serial number of that XD is 3099826 and the owner thinks he bought it in Canada in the mid eighties.I guess not much can be deducted from the serial numbers of the XD, it is only about six years they were in production. Now we are about 30 years further and everything will depend on: if the camera was used, how the camera was treated and stored away. And where it lived: humid Japan, or dryer parts of the world . . .It is my own personal and subjective opinion that for instance the OM4Ti is easily thrown off by humidity. I have had my XD-s only for a couple of years, without any problems. I just bought it and never had it serviced.Any opinions on how reliable these cameras are?100 months ago(permalink)
Be very thorough when you look for serial numbers. As you can see in the image above where the number is on the lens barrel, they can be quite faint and hard to find. There might also be some other manufacturing numbers, so your best bet is to just record everything if you have any doubts.
And one last tip. When you buy new gear and decide to throw away the box, grab a pair of scissors, cut out the part with the serial number and other information, and stick it in a file folder somewhere. 2ff7e9595c
Comments