[討論] 说说SR系列Minolta第一代SL

devil2007

不管别人怎么说, MINOLTA在SLR系统发展上作出了巨大功勋, 历史上出现过许多珍品. 这些珍品象散落在沙滩上的珍珠, 只要你用心去发现, 你总能找到宝贝.

如果你的经济不算宽裕, 了解一下老MINOLTA SLR, 你会有惊喜, 它们质高价廉, 趣味性很强, 不妨到二手市场淘点老东西来玩玩.

美能达的第一台SLR通常都认为是1958年发布的SR-2. 它是SR系列的第一款, 次年推出过第二款----SR-1. SR-2俺还没摸过, SR-1及其cousin倒有很多, 如SR-3等, 每一派生型号还有a,b,c,d,...版本, 也许当时技术问题, 小改不断, 摸着石头过河.

先看看面这张图片:









从图中看, SR-1跟今天的SLR没什么太大的不同. 只是顶上没有闪光灯(当时可是极度奢侈的东西)热靴, 该系列其它型号或派生型号有一个靴, 但是冷靴. 这一点看到电子技术及商品的限制, 有明显的时代印记.

左边有一个方块, 上面有两个眼, 那是什么?

呵呵, 别以为那是安装闪光灯的哦!

SR系列不具备今天极其普通的TTL(Thru The Lens)测光, 甚至机身上鲜有测光系统. SR-1需要外接附件手动测光. 这两个眼就是安装测光附件的:



再从顶上看:






总体来说, SR-1非常简单. 机身集成的功能只有一个自拍, 还有闪光同步接口, 快门线接口, 刚刚说的那个测光座等.

它的指标也不高, 快门速度: B, 1-1/500s, 同步速度1/45s. 配套Auto-Rokkor镜头.

可别看它简单, 它不需要用电工作哦! 更重要的是, 当时相机是耐用仪器, 做工象个坦克. 全金属! 不过, 当时金属材料并不是非常好, 有些部件不是完美的. 但SR表面工艺非常好. 当时推出这台机器的时候, 我们伟大祖国正忙着"大跃进", 忙着"大炼钢铁", 可是, SR机身上下盖, 恐怕40多年后的国企还是生产不出来.

除了典型的SR-1, 前面提到, 这个系列里有很多兄弟型号和派生型号.

看看这台:


1962年, Minolta发布最后两款基于SR-2机身骨架的相机, 最引人注目的就是SR-7, 它在机身左侧顶部集成了CdS测光计, 并且能和快门拨盘及光盘环联动. 这是Minolta在SLR上首次实现整合CdS联动测光计. 1962年的SR-7看起来很象它所替代的大哥SR-3, 但它开创了内建测光计的历史, 虽然还不是今天的TTL测光.

还有一个注目点就是反光镜锁起功能, 当然SR-3上也有. 还有, 它的最高快门速度跟SR-3一样, 从SR-2的1/500s提高到了1/1000s. 还有变化, 那就是机顶的灯靴, SR-2没有, 但后来很多派生型号却有了. 1962年版的SR-7很象SR-2, 但1964年版就改成图中的样子(骨架没变), 有点象后来的SRT-101.

SR的自拍机跟快门钮不联动. 也就是说, 自拍定时器上弦后, 按快门不会启动自拍, 而要按一下自拍机拨杆下面一个小金属点, 呵呵, 够麻烦吧?

多数人以为MINOLTA MC(Meter coupling, 测光联动)镜头是从SRT时代开始的. 因为1966年开始的SRT系列在SR系列上多了个TTL测光, 所以型号命名在SR后面写上一个大大的T. 但是, SR-7推出的时候, 已经开始MC镜头时代, 也有人称为前MC时代. 原因是SR-7测光要跟光圈联动, 光圈环上就多出了一个小爪子(meter coupling lever). 这个时代的MC镜头还留有MINOLTA第一代镜头----AUTO-ROKKOR镜头的影子, 保留了镜头上的景深预视拨杆.

有人发现, MINOLTA机身, 凡是带7的型号, 基本上都是该系列里最先进的, 从当时的SR-7开始到现在的alpha 7都是这样.

今天来看, SR系列机器都还能工作, 使用价值还是有的. 只是很不方便, 因为我们开始依赖机器内建的TTL测光系统了. SR系列机身的收藏价值大于使用价值.

说了SLR机身, 就不能不说同时代的镜头.

SR系列配的镜头主要是AUTO ROKKOR, 只有SR-7等配MC ROKKOR镜头. 当然这里讲的MC不是multi-coating, 那时候主要还是单层镀膜呢.

MINOLTA镜头在80年代以前都叫ROKKOR. 那AUTO是怎么回事呢? 它是与PRESET相对应的. 以前SLR镜头多数镜头都是PRESET镜头, 要预设光圈, 不能自动收缩光圈, 不象今天大家都习惯了全开光圈测光, 自动收缩光圈曝光. MINOLTA生产的SLR镜头一开始就是从AUTO开始的, 当然也有说法, 还有PRE-AUTO时代, 但那不是主流.

俺手上有只50年代末的AUTO ROKKOR 55/1.8, 应该是MINOLTA第一代镜头. 这只镜头跟图中SR-7机身上装的那只一样, 粗看还是很漂亮的.

总体上, 作为耐用品, 当时力求作工精细, 甚至前面还镀了一个白圈, 起装饰作用. 掂在手上沉甸甸的, 很有份量, 给人踏实和依赖感.

但是, 这一切都是时代的印记.

镜头除了玻璃, 几乎全是金属, 不象今天的镜头, 用上了颇受诟责的合成材料. 但是, 当时合成材料比金属还贵呢, 呵呵.

光圈叶片看起来表面很粗糙, 连润滑作用的石墨层都没有, 亮晶的金属光泽. 拆这种老镜头可要小心, 那些镙丝一用过力, 不是豁就是崩, 材料不算好. 对焦环也很紧, 象操作一个机床, 润滑水平当然不能跟今天的情况比.

玻璃反光也比较强, 镀膜颜色很淡. 玻璃很大(相对现在的同规格镜头), 说明当时材料水平还是跟今天有不少差距. 不过, 当时黑白时代的镜头, 今天用起来, 颜色还是很鲜艳, 甚至超过某些N层镀膜镜头, 眩光控制也很好.

俺试用几只AUTO ROKKOR镜头, 感觉都很好, 使用价值还是有的. 只是没MC LEVER, 装在几乎所有的MINOLTA MF机身上都不能测光联动. 但在X系列机身上居然能AE.

它们有一个突出的优点是, 镜头上有景深预视拨杆. 如果你为你的机身上没有DOF耿耿于怀, 用AUTO ROKKOR倒去了你的心病.

最后说说MLU(Mirror Lock-Up)反光镜锁. 为什么现在很多顶机身都没MLU功能, 而SR时代就有了呢? 生产商在玩什么花样?

别奇怪. MLU今天看起来是为了极端情况下, 防止快门释放前反光升起的动作会产生机震, 影响影像的稳定.

其实35mm相机就是轻便, 老锁着反光镜拍照还不如找个便宜的双反呢. 换句话说, 今天的相机, 反光镜升起动作很轻柔, 不需要什么预防了, MLU功能可有可无. 当然, 40多年前的SLR就不一定这样, 你亲手操作一台老相机, 听听声音就知道了.

防机震是其一, 还有一个重要原因, 那是镜头的原因.

SLR镜箱长度有40多mm, 标准镜头焦长是50mm左右, 如果广角镜的话, 镜头焦长比镜箱还短. 如果按简单的镜头设计, 广角镜后镜片就要伸进镜箱. 这样一来, 反光镜就没地方了. 那简单, 呵呵, 锁起反光镜不就得了?!

取景怎么办呢? 呵呵, 再在机顶安一个取景器, SLR变成旁轴机来玩!

确实, 当时某些超广角在设计和制造上的困难, 只有这样的途径才能解决问题. 否则, 超广角镜在当时材料技术的局限下, 性能和成本找不到平衡点了.


AUTO ROKKOR广角镜有两只:
Auto W. Rokkor SG 28mm f3.5 76 degrees 67mm filter size
Auto W. Rokkor HG 35mm f2.8 64 degrees 55mm filter size
其中, 35/2.8早期是52mm口径, 后来改成55mm的. 这两只广角镜都不需要MLU来使用. 在Auto rokkor同时代, MINOLTA还生产了ROKKOR镜头:
W. Rokkor QH 21mm f4 92 degrees 55mmfilter size
W. Rokkor QE 35mm f4 64 degrees 55mmfilter size
还极罕见的18mm f/9.5鱼眼镜头. 这些镜头都不是AUTO的, 要手动收缩光圈. 如果用在SR机身上, 21mm镜头就需要MLU. 21mm还有一款f/4.5, 奇怪的是它比f/4的还多一组/片镜片. 这两款21mm都配有独立取景器, 把取景器装在闪光灯座上, 把反光镜锁起, 装上镜头就当成旁轴机使了。

carolfeeling

Modern Classic SLR Series
Minolta Maxxum 7000 AF SLR       camera - Part VII
First Generation AF Lenses by Minolta for Maxxum       7000- Part I

  The AF Technology to   create new designs, new capabilities

One great product resulted   from the research from the birth of Maxxum project was an array of an entirely   new series of Minolta interchangeable autofocus lenses. Employing a different   lens mount from the previous manual focus system, Minolta has decided to opt   for a revised lens mount specifically for the autofocus camera which was not   compatible with previous lenses. Initially, this has dampened the good spirit   of even the many Minolta faithful but the leap in technologically advantages   the new camera brought were so great and gradually it was well received even   for the hardcores.

Naturally, the first           generation of early Minolta AF lenses were not as "fanciful" as           compared with today's modern AF series of lenses. But during those           days, Minolta did has a lot of things to yelled about as that tactical           advantage of being the first to introduced a body integrated AF system           has offered the designers a free hand to express their talents. These           lenses, each has been exactingly crafted by Minolta's           ''opto-electronics" technology to create not only completely new           system of extremely compact, lightweight, high-performance optics for           the Minolta 7000 but also total camera-to-lens system integration. A           ROM IC (Read Only Memory Integrated Circuit) has been built           into each of those Minolta AF lenses to automatically transfer more           than 30 essential lens data to the camera's computer           for autofocusing and automatic exposure control, etc.

Initially, there were   twelve Minolta autofocus lenses to choose from between 24mm and 300mm in focal   length; although the selection was still considered limited but it was still   by far regarded as having the widest selection of interchangeable lenses for   any AF SLR on the market, the focal length and lens types was carefully   introduced with the speed and precision of Minolta's high-tech Autofocus   System in an extremely wide range of applications.

The           lens family has grown in strength and it has mushroomed to more than           50 lens types being introduced over the years. Naturally and           amazingly, most of these lenses, regardless as current models or           discontinued ones, still able to serve the original Maxxum 7000 AF           camera which was introduced almost 1-1/2 decade ago.

I           cannot keep tracked with all these years of development of lens types           in this site, instead, just for cross reference, listed here featuring           with the original batch of the Minolta AF lenses to enable some of you           who has the special interest to compared the rapid development of AF           technologies employ in Minolta AF system. Well, despite their aging           history, it was quite amazing to realize many of those original lenses           were indeed high performance optical tools that have incorporated many           up-to-date technological advantages which you may even find them           ranked highly with today's modern AF lenses. Some of which deployed           are listed below:


         

carolfeeling

Minolta   Interchangeable Autofocus Lenses
  Initial Minolta 7000's   AF lens system comprised of 12 Minolta AF lenses with focal lengths ranging   from 24mm to 300mm. Included are an 1:1 macro lens and 5 zoom lenses with   macro capability covering a focal range from 28mm to 210mm. The early batch of   lenses were still far from complete in every aspect, but still, most of these   lenses with varying degree of price and performance should be quite adequate   for most photographic applications.

By the           time the Dynax 7000i was introduced a few years later, the AF lens           family has already 16 prime lenses ranging from 16mm Fisheyes to a           massive AF 600mm f/4.0 APO super telephoto lens, most           noticeable was the addition of 20mm focal length which has extend from           the original 24mm field of view; on the other hand, the zoom lenses           have grown from the original 5 to 12 choices which includes a high           performance AF 80-200mm f/2.8 APO lens. Special lenses such as           macro/close-up photography, Minolta has added a AF 100mm f/2.8           Macro in addition to the AF 50mm f/2.8 Macro with 2 APO           tele-Extenders at 1.4X and 2X ratio. But since we are still focus           on the original lenses, we just go through the various lenses and           outline their respective optical characteristic and usual application           briefly.

Wideangle lenses at 24mm and 28mm focal   length
  Most suitable for   landscapes, group shots or creating interesting perspectives. A bright   viewfinder image makes precise composition easier than ever. The AF 24mm has   only about a 10° smaller angle of view than the 20mm lens which introduced at   later stages. The lens provides about twice the image of a 35mm lens and about   three times that of the 50mm lens. With a highly versatile 84° picture angle,   the 24mm lens is a perfect compromise between ultra and regular wideangle -   ideal for landscape, travel, candid and architectural photography. This is the   widest of the wide-angles of the initial group of Minolta AF lenses. Compared   with wider lenses, it is a lot more easier to master. Also, the strong   rendition of perspective can be controlled quite easily on this lens.   But more importantly,   other   than including a wider scope of background information with its wide angle of   view, this lens still permit the photographer to maintain a close visual   relationship with the subject, which is especially useful in photojournalism,   reportage or news photography.
  The AF   28mm focal length is considered today to be a standard wideangle by an   increasing number of photographers especially for those who finds they always   has to deal with PR photography. The main advantage of the 28mm lens is its   ability to capture a fairly large subject area without creating undue concern   over its perspective rendition. I always thought a 28mm is a better investment   than a 35mm or a wider 24mm to handle all round photographic situations. A   comparison of 24mm, 28mm and 35mm angles of view should give you an idea of   how a 28mm performs.


  

AF 24mm         f/2.8                    Construction: 8           elements in 8 groups Angle of view: 84* Minimum focus:           0.25mm Minimum f-stop: f/22 Dimensions: o65.5 x 44mm Weight:           215 g

AF 28mm         f/2.8                    Construction: 5           elements in 5 groups Angle of view: 75o Minimum focus:           0.3m Minimum f-stop: f/22 Dimensions: 665.5 x 42.5mm Weight:           200 g

Well, compared   with the moderate view of an usual 35mm wideangle lens which was considered as   the 'normal wideangle standard"during the seventies, the typical wideangle   effects become obvious at 28mm but not as apparent as the 24mm counterpart and   that could well explained why it is such a clear favorite among many amateurs   and serious users alike as it can be used for a wide variety of applications   including commercial, industrial, architectural, travel, landscape and news   photography.
  
  Another   significant advantage of the 28mm focal length lenses is, most modern   electronic flash units are designed to cover the field of view of a wideangle   35mm of 63 degree picture angle. However, since most electronic flash provides   an wide-adaptor, you may use it to extend and has the field of view of the   28mm (or even at 24mm focal length) lens well covered.

carolfeeling

Compound Aspherical           Lens In the Minolta AF 35-70mm f/4 zoom lens, an exclusive           compound aspherical element is used to make the AF 35-70mm lightweight           and compact. Minolta's advanced lens manufacturing techniques assure           utmost performance from this unique new lens.

  

Double Floating           System With its adoption of a unique double floating           system, the Minolta AF 50mm f/2.8 macro lens corrects inherent           distortion, field curvature and other spherical aberrations in           addition to providing life-size macro photography without use of an           adapter. During focusing, three groups of elements move independently           for minimal barrel extension and faster autofocusing.

  

Internal Focusing           System Both the Minolta AF 135mm f/2.8 and AF 300mm f/2.8           APO tele lenses use an internal-focusing optical design to enhance           high-speed autofocusing. Since focus is adjusted by moving the           smaller, lighter central elements rather than the heavier front           elements, autofocusing is faster and more precise.

   

Rear Focusing           System The Minolta AF 28-135mm f/4-4.5 zoom lens is the           first zoom lens in the world to use a unique rear-focusing optical           design. Three major design benefits are- faster autofocusing since the           moving mass of lens elements is greatly reduced; reduction. of overall           size and weight; closer minimum focusing distances.

               

Anomalous Dispersion           (AD) Glass The Minolta AF 300mm f/2.8 Apo tele lens uses           Minolta's exclusive anomalous dispersion (AD) glass whose low           refractive index and low anomalous dispersion are particularly           effective in correcting lateral and longitudinal chromatic aberrations           which are characteristic of conventional telephoto lenses. Minolta's           exclusive Achromatic coating further improves color rendition and           enhances image contrast.

lionel

gooood..
thanks a lot.

liqi748

好专业啊，没先到一部相机还有这么多的学问

loben

I still have my SRT-101 at home, missing the old day with this camera!!

Thanks for all the information about Minolta camera