Loading your SRT camera with a new roll of 35mm film is a breeze. However, if you are new to using the camera, you should take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the process in detail.

Make it a habit not to open the camera again unless you are absolutely sure there is no film loaded inside. If you open the back while the film is out of the metal cassette, the film will be ruined. To check, lift up on the rewind knob crank. Carefully turn the crank clockwise. If the handle rotates freely, there is either no film loaded in the camera or the film has been rewound securely into its protective cartridge.

If the handle does not turn, there is film loaded in the camera. You will need to rewind the film in order to open the back safely. Turn the camera upside down and press the clutch button. You will find the clutch located inside a small triangular shaped recess at the bottom. Press it down until it clicks and stays pressed. Return the camera to the upright position, then rotate the film clockwise until the handle turns freely.

Now you can open the back. Hold the rewind knob and pull up in a slow, steady motion. As you pull up on the knob, you will hear a metallic click and the back will pop open. Fully open your back. If there is an exposed cassette in the chamber, pull up on the same rewind knob and remove the cassette.

Take a fresh roll and pull the guide out of the cassette about five inches. Place the cassette in the left side of the chamber with the plastic mouthpiece facing down. Lift the rewind knob to allow the cassette to snap into place, then press down on the knob to secure the film cassette.

Now take the movie leader and drag it across the movie plate so that it fits over the double sprockets. Insert the narrow part of the guide into the grooves of the take-up spool.

Once the leader is engaged on the spool, rotate the windage lever once, noting that the sprocket holes engage the sprockets correctly. If everything looks good, close the back, pressing on the left edge until you hear it click into place.

Now wind the shutter lever two more times. To advance the film, you will need to press the shutter release button each time the lever reaches the end of its movement. At this point, check out the movie counter. It should be pointing at 1. Don’t be greedy. If you try to stretch the film without advancing the film, advance the full two frames, you will probably find that the first image is foggy. So make sure you wind up the two full frames.

Although the SRT has a robust film transport, if you do not hook the film correctly onto the take-up reel, it is possible for the film to come loose. If this happens, the movie will not advance. In essence, you’ll end up taking all of your exposures in one frame.

Minolta obviously realized this could be a problem, as they included a “Safe Charge” indicator on later SRT series models. Don’t worry if you own one of most SRTs that don’t have this feature. It is easy to check if the film is loaded correctly.

Use the same rewind trick described to check if there is film loaded. After you have closed the back and operated the take-up lever twice, raise the film handle and carefully try to wind the film in an anti-clockwise direction. (Do not press the clutch button) If you can move the crank more than half a turn, the film has probably come loose. Roll it back a few more turns, open the back, and reload the film properly.

If the film seems to be loaded properly, watch the rewind knob as it advances the film. If the film is moving through the camera, each time the shutter advances, the rewind knob will turn counterclockwise.

Once you have taken all the pictures on the roll, you must rewind it into the cassette before opening the back and removing the cassette. If you’ve been paying attention, you already know how to do it. Press the clutch button, then carefully rewind the film with the rewind knob. You will feel the film when it is released from the take up reel. Turn the knob a few more times until it turns freely. You can now open the chamber and remove the film for processing.