Minolta SRT MC-II 35mm Film Camera Body

The Minolta SR-T MC-II is a fully mechanical 35mm film SLR released by Minolta in 1977 as the successor to the SR-T MC, and it was primarily distributed in the US through retailers like Kmart. It’s aimed at photographers who want a durable, hands-on manual camera built to Minolta’s respected SR-T lineup standards.

At its core, the MC-II is a fully mechanical camera that can function without batteries at all shutter speeds, since the battery is only required to power the light meter’s readout rather than the shutter mechanism itself. The built-in TTL light meter covers a sensitivity range of ISO 6 to ISO 6400, with average metering to guide manual exposure decisions, giving photographers full control over aperture and shutter speed for every shot. Shutter speeds typically range from 1 second to 1/1000 second plus bulb mode.

The camera is built around Minolta’s MC/MD lens mount, designed to accept Minolta MC-mount lenses natively, while also remaining compatible with Minolta’s later MD-mount lenses. Handling includes a hot shoe for external flash, a self-timer for delayed shutter release, and a depth-of-field preview function, giving photographers a straightforward but capable feature set for manual shooting. Film advance and rewind are both fully manual, consistent with the camera’s mechanical design.

Build quality is a defining strength of the SR-T MC-II, with a heavy-duty, all-metal body construction comparable in durability to contemporaries like the Canon FTb, contributing to the camera’s reputation as a long-lasting workhorse decades after production. As a fully manual, mechanically governed camera, the MC-II requires photographers to set focus, aperture, and shutter speed themselves for every exposure.

Key Features
– Minolta MC/MD-mount fully manual 35mm film SLR
– Fully mechanical shutter (functions without battery; meter only requires power)
– TTL light meter, ISO 6-6400, average metering
– Shutter speed range approximately 1 sec to 1/1000 sec plus bulb
– Hot shoe for external flash
– Self-timer
– Depth-of-field preview
– Manual film advance and rewind
– Heavy-duty, all-metal body construction
– Compatible with Minolta MC and MD mount lenses