Expert: John Oliverio - 1/11/2009

Question
I need a battery cover for a Minolta SRT101. I am the original owner and have just pulled out of storage after many years. The battery cover was lost. Are batteries still available?
I like to use the camera until I can afford a new digital.
The camera is in great condition and I would like to use it.

Thank you.

Answer
Kent,

The only way you are going to get a battery cover is to buy a broken SRT and rob the cover from it.  Minolta hasn't supplied parts for that camera for 20 years. I did a google search hoping to get lucky and could find nothing.

You can get a battery to power-up the SRT....  but it's the wrong battery.  The original mercury battery has been illegal for many years.  You could put a silver or alkaline in it and as long as you are shooting print (not slide) film you should be ok. The meter won't be accurate enough with the wrong battery to shoot slide film.

For the record, you could buy an SRT 101 on eBay for somewhere between $20 and $40.

John