Any TOPCON aficionados?

Theo Sulphate · Oct 23, 2017

\/\/ 00 T !!! Just bought this very nice Topcon R II with 35/2.8 Topcor lens. Body is perfect, no dents or scratches, shutter looks new and is within tolerances for slow and fast speeds, the self-timer works, everything works. Note the slow speed selector. Best of all: 100% mechanical. The lime green aperture markings and release are original.

A very solid all-metal camera from 1960-1961.

I know there are a few Topcon owners here.

AgX · Oct 23, 2017

I never came across a Topcon.

Ian Grant · Oct 23, 2017

Topcon never quite made it through to becoming a leading manufacturer, they didn't sell in great numbers in Europe. In the US the Navy favoured the Super D which was Topcon's system camera and bought more Super D's than Nikon F's. Topcon's advertising claimed they were the camera of choice for the US Navy and FBI.

A nice find there, not common at all and looks great.

Ian

AgX · Oct 23, 2017

What are that lever, that knob for, at the left side of the lens. I assume the lever is the release of the mount-lock.
And that knob? For assisting twisting the aperture dial? Approach to that dial is quite hampered by that lever and the DOF/auto-diaphragm mechanism.

guangong · Oct 23, 2017

Theo, what is your impression of the lens lock on the camera mounting flange. When I joked at a Super D in the early 1970s I felt that the lens lock was not as substantial as my Nikon and Leicaflex cameras. On the other hand, I should add, my optometrist had a Super D mounted on his instrument for many, many years until his office adopted a totally integrated digital system. Topcon lenses always had a reputation for being first rate. You made a great find. Enjoy!

ic-racer · Oct 23, 2017

In a way, yes! Topcon and Horseman, made by the same company. These are all Topcor lenses.

Marco Gilardetti · Oct 23, 2017

Ian Grant said:
Topcon never quite made it through to becoming a leading manufacturer, they didn't sell in great numbers in Europe.

Despite of this, I remember that many great amateur photographers participating in photo contests etc. had Topcon cameras in Italy during the late '70s. I never really understood why Topcon retired from the 35mm business much before its final decline, since (at least here) they had such an excellent reputation. Still in the early '90s, older fellows photographers were nostalgic about the Topcon brand and would swear on the quality of their lens' lineup. I never owned a Topcon system myself, but I grew up absolutely persuaded that they were very, very good cameras.

Helios 1984 · Oct 23, 2017

Here's my 35L from 1957

Ian Grant · Oct 23, 2017

AgX said:
What are that lever, that knob for, at the left side of the lens. I assume the lever is the release of the mount-lock.
And that knob? For assisting twisting the aperture dial? Approach to that dial is quite hampered by that lever and the DOF/auto-diaphragm mechanism.

It's an Exakta mount camera but the mount is twisted to the left on Topcons, the knob on the left top is the lens stop down and triggers the shutter release. I'm assuming it's like the Praktina lenses and early semi-Auto Takumars where you cock the lens to full aperture and then the release button releases the spring stopping the lens down, this trigger is inside the body with the Praktina and early Pentax SLRs.

The lens release is on the right of the body by the lens.

Marco Gilardetti said:
Despite of this, I remember that many great amateur photographers participating in photo contests etc. had Topcon cameras in Italy during the late '70s. I never really understood why Topcon retired from the 35mm business much before its final decline, since (at least here) they had such an excellent reputation. Still in the early '90s, older fellows photographers were nostalgic about the Topcon brand and would swear on the quality of their lens' lineup. I never owned a Topcon system myself, but I grew up absolutely persuaded that they were very, very good cameras.

Topcon never had a bad reputation, they were very capable cameras, I guess their biggest mistake was moving to their own unique mount after switching from the Exakta mount making it hard to buy third party lenses etc. There were a number of other small Japanese manufacturers like Petri, and the SLR ranges from Konica and Mamiya, all making similar mistakes with unique mounts.

Ian

Les Sarile · Oct 23, 2017

The Topcons were definitely substantial cameras from the beginning . . .

Weight of bodies only: Topcon 814g, Canonflex 704g, Nikon F 694g and Asahi Pentax 576g.

Nodda Duma · Oct 23, 2017

My wife's grandmother carried a Topcon. It was handed down to us...I know that camera well.

wiltw · Oct 23, 2017

When I was a young teen, I had a Topcon Auto 100 which my father purchased with 50mm f/2, but which I used. I purchased a 135mm lens for it, and other accessories. It was $159 new, and a bit of a budget stretch for my dad back when median incomes in US were only $6900 annually. I had serious lust for the Super D (RE Super in Japan) but at $425 with 50mm f/1.4, they were much to far out of reach. But who could not lust for the world's first commercially available SLR with TTL metering?!
About 4 or 5 years ago, I stumbled across one in a thrift shop and it was offered at $25 in eveready case...I did not even bother to check function but bought it without question. I had to resolve that long unfulfilled lust! I took it home and found it to be fully functioning, and still accurate! That fueled the later purchase of the ($269 new price) D-1. And here is my collection today, set up to mimic the magazine ads from 50 years ago!

vlasta · Oct 23, 2017

Theo Sulphate said:
\/\/ 00 T !!! Just bought this very nice Topcon R II with 35/2.8 Topcor lens.

It can go on beauty contest with some Alpa's

Theo Sulphate · Oct 23, 2017

AgX said:
What are that lever, that knob for, at the left side of the lens. I assume the lever is the release of the mount-lock.
And that knob? For assisting twisting the aperture dial? Approach to that dial is quite hampered by that lever and the DOF/auto-diaphragm mechanism.

Right, the lever releases the lens, same as on the Exakta.

The dial around the rewind knob loosens for attaching a flash bracket.

As Ian mentioned, the shutter release is on the other side of the lens compared to Exakta.

The silver lever on that lens is to manually re-open the aperture after exposure (the mirror is instant-return, but the aperture stays stopped down). Also, on this particular lens, to turn the aperture ring it is necessary to press in a small button on the ring (not visible in the photo).

If you're familiar with a Barnack Leica or Nikon S2 rangefinder, the rotating shutter speed dial during exposure will be familiar to you, as well as the method of setting slow speeds.

guangong said:
Theo, what is your impression of the lens lock on the camera mounting flange. When I joked at a Super D in the early 1970s I felt that the lens lock was not as substantial as my Nikon and Leicaflex cameras. ...

As with Exakta, the flange and pin on the Topcon didn't inspire confidence in the same way as a Nikon lens when it's fully seated. Yet, I have to admit it's solid and secure.

Thank you all for posting your photos; I love looking at them.

AgX · Oct 23, 2017

Theo Sulphate said:
The mirror is instant-return, but the aperture stays stopped down.

Thank you. This is the first time I learn of such feature combination.

So far I thought that all lenses that got such release mechanism located in front of the body release button would incorparate an automatic diaphragm, thus the aperture would open again once one takes off the finger from the release.

Paul Howell · Oct 23, 2017

Topcon had a rather odd line up of cameras, the intro level the uni 100 was leaf shutter, limited number of lens, but seems to be rugged. I found a well used 100 at an estate sale. it still works with an accurate meter. The mid and pro level bodies use the same mount, the REs were the mid level bodies, later models could use a auto winder, while the Ds, nice line up accessories, decent lens line up, not as expansive as Nikon or Canon. The meter was built in the body, so if using a waist level is used it is still metered. When in the AF I ran across Navy Photos who used the Navy Topcon, no real grips, but they wanted Nikons. Topcon lens had a good rep for sharpness.

wiltw · Oct 23, 2017

Paul Howell said:
Topcon had a rather odd line up of cameras, the intro level the uni 100 was leaf shutter, limited number of lens, but seems to be rugged. I found a well used 100 at an estate sale. it still works with an accurate meter. The mid and pro level bodies use the same mount, the REs were the mid level bodies, later models could use a auto winder, while the Ds, nice line up accessories, decent lens line up, not as expansive as Nikon or Canon. The meter was built in the body, so if using a waist level is used it is still metered. When in the AF I ran across Navy Photos who used the Navy Topcon, no real grips, but they wanted Nikons. Topcon lens had a good rep for sharpness.

In about 1965, the US Navy tested cameras from several Japanese and German manufacturers (including the Nikon F). The Topcon Super D was the winner of this competition, and was used exclusively by the Navy until the very end of Topcon production in 1977. What year were you in the AF? The Navy guy sentiment might have been merely the result of better 'press' and advertising by EPOI, as the Super D as the first commercial available camera with TTL metering, and the Nikon F lost that capability when you put in the waist level finder. It took Nikon 16 years to integrate TTL metering and move away from the Photomic finders after the RE Super / Super D was on the market!

Some confusion caused by names in Japan vs. those in the USA for the SAME camera

Top of Line Pro: Topcon RE Super = Beseler Topcon Super D
Mid-range: Topcon RE-2 = Beseler Topcon D-1
Entry level: Topcon Uni = Beseler Topcon Auto 100

The Uni/Auto 100 had exposure automation, which at the time was usually implemented (in several different brands) by the behind-the-lens leaf shutter...Topcon Uni, Zeiss Contaflex BC, and others. I think the Konica AutoReflex was the only focal plane shuttered camera with AE in the mid-1960s,
The Uni was for the 'amateur' market with exposure automation, while the two RE were more 'professional' with traditional manual selection of shutter speed and aperture. The Super D (aka RE Super) and the Nikon F Photomic T were roughly marketed as comparable cameras.

Paul Howell · Oct 24, 2017

I was an AF combat photogprher from 70 to mid 70s. I met the Navy guys at a AP sponsored workshop in 74 there were a few AP PJ, a lot of new guys from San Francisco, Sacramento as well from small town papers. There was one guy from a small paper with a nice Spotmatic F outfit, I recall a Leica or two, the Navy guys with Topcons, there might have been a Canon, but the vast majority had Nikon Fs. I paid to attend, so took my own gear. The Navy guys had nice kits, metal briefcase style cases, body, motor drive, and 3 lens, a 35, 50 and 100 maybe a 135. I recall being told there was a full range of lens at the base including a 300. At the time I don't recall any of the camera shops I shopped as having Topcon in stock.

I have only shot a test roll with the Uni, seems to have better build than the Kowa SeT R, lens quality is good. Just odd that Topcon would make 2 lens mounts. On the other hand although Kowa made the 6X6 Kowa Super Six, never made a pro level 35mm system.

Seems that the Navy was only the US military service to use Topcon, the AF, Marines, and Army used Nikon. I think after Topcon left the market the Navy moved to Canon.

Couple of reasons Nikon were popular with the Pros was world wide service, other is that in most large cities I could rent Nikon lens.

Ian Grant · Oct 24, 2017

Paul, I never saw any Topcons in various UK shops I used, they were around but sparsely as there were plenty of advertisers in photo-magazines selling them. I'm actually not 100% sure I've ever seen a Topcon, I can remember seeing every other manufacturers cameras (from the late 1960's onwards.

Interestingly there were quite a few professionals here in the UK using Spotmatics. I used one when I worked as a portrait photographer, and a few other bodies SIa's when shooting rock bands live and on location. I just hated the handling and clunkiness of Nikon F's.

Ian

Helios 1984 · Oct 24, 2017

Paul Howell said:
Seems that the Navy was only the US military service to use Topcon, the AF, Marines, and Army used Nikon. I think after Topcon left the market the Navy moved to Canon.

In Japan it was the other way around, Topcon was providing the Army while Nikon was providing the Navy.

Paul Howell · Oct 24, 2017

Yeah that odd, the Army Photogs I have met had Nikon. My first 35mm SLR was a Spotmatic, still have it, every once in a while I take it out for a walk, just an easy camera to use. I don't recall handing the Topcon, don't know how it compares to F or F2.

Lapita · Sep 4, 2019

Hi,
I have a problem with macro photography with RE super, because when I put macro rings the upper part of viewfinder is dark. Do anyone have solution, or knows what's the problem?
Thank you in advance... ) (Also, I don't know hiw to use this site... ) View attachment 230310

Any TOPCON aficionados?

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