Topcon RE-Super
Encyclopedia
Tokyo Kogaku KK
launched their first 35mm SLR camera in 1957, about two years before the Nikon F
and the Canonflex. This was the Topcon R that acquired the bayonet lens mount from the Exakta Varex
camera from Ihagee
in Dresden
, successor to the Kine Exakta
of 1936. It was also inspired by the Zeiss Ikon Contax S
as well as the Japanese Miranda T
- most obviously the body shape by the former, and the detachable finder prism by the latter. However, it was not until 1963 the Topcon name became famous by introducing the Topcon RE-Super, an event that took the entire camera industry by surprise: This camera featured through-the lens (TTL) exposure metering, and at full lens aperture at that. The RE Super was fully prepared for professional work supported by a choice of lenses and accessories to complement it. The United States importer was the Charles Beseler Company
and it was sold as the Beseler Topcon Super D.
in 1963 and manufactured until 1971, at which point it was upgraded to the Super D and again to Super DM the following year. General sale continued for several years. These later models have a shutter release lock lever on the shutter release collar. It is a professional oriented 35mm SLR
camera that had a comprehensive range of accessories available. It has a removable pentaprism
and a bayonet lens mount for interchangeable lenses. A special accessory shoe is situated at the base of the rewind knob. The release button is placed at the right-hand camera front, but it lacks a mirror-up facility. This was included on the upgraded versions. The standard lens is the RE. Auto-Topcor 1:1.4 f=5.8cm or the slightly slower 1:1.8 version. A battery-operated winder to be attached to the camera base was made available.
Some common features of 35mm SLR photography were first seen on the Topcon RE-Super. Among these is the through-the-lens exposure metering
. This enabled improved accurate light metering, especially in close-up macro photography using bellows
or extension rings, and in telephotography using long lenses. In addition to this feature, the metering is at full aperture. The lens has an aperture simulator that realays the preset aperture to the exposure meter while the iris stays open, retaining a bright viewfinder image while determining the correct exposure, avoiding the lens stop-down. The meter also works independently of the pentaprism finder, which allows for different viewfinder configurations. The meter cell is actually incorporated in the camera's reflex finder
mirror. This was accomplished by milling narrow slits in the mirror surface letting a fraction of the light through to the CdS
cell placed just behind it.
All models were available in chrome or black enamel.
In addition, a range of special lenses were also available for flash and macro work, among these was:
Topcon
Topcon is a Japanese manufacturer of optical equipment for ophthalmology and surveying. Their headquarters are in Itabashi, Tokyo. They are affiliated with Toshiba, which holds 40% of Topcon's stock.-History of Topcon:...
launched their first 35mm SLR camera in 1957, about two years before the Nikon F
Nikon F
The Nikon F camera, introduced in 1959, was Nikon's first SLR camera. It was one of the most advanced cameras of its day. Although most of its concepts had already been introduced elsewhere, it was the first camera to combine them all in one camera. It was produced until October 1973 and was...
and the Canonflex. This was the Topcon R that acquired the bayonet lens mount from the Exakta Varex
Exakta
The Exakta is a pioneer brand camera produced by the Ihagee Kamerawerk in Dresden, Germany, founded as the Industrie und Handels-Gesellschaft mbH, in 1912.- Characteristics :Highlights of Exakta cameras include:...
camera from Ihagee
Ihagee
Ihagee was a camera manufacturer based in Dresden, Germany. Its best-known product was the Exakta single-lens reflex camera.-History:Johan Steenbergen, a Dutchman, founded a camera company called Industrie- und Handelsgesellschaft in Dresden in 1912. The name was shortened to Ihagee...
in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, successor to the Kine Exakta
Kine Exakta
The Kine Exakta was the first 35mm SLR still camera. It was presented by Ihagee Kamerawerk Steenbergen GmbH, Dresden at the Leipziger Frühjarmesse in March 1936. The Exakta name was already used by Ihagee on a roll film SLR camera line since 1933, among these the Vest Pocket Exakt Model B from...
of 1936. It was also inspired by the Zeiss Ikon Contax S
Single-lens reflex camera
A single-lens reflex camera is a camera that typically uses a semi-automatic moving mirror system that permits the photographer to see exactly what will be captured by the film or digital imaging system, as opposed to pre-SLR cameras where the view through the viewfinder could be significantly...
as well as the Japanese Miranda T
Miranda T (camera)
The original Miranda T 35mm SLR camera was launched by the newly established Japanese Orion Camera Co. in 1955. It is the first Japanese 35mm SLR camera to have an eyelevel Pentaprism finder...
- most obviously the body shape by the former, and the detachable finder prism by the latter. However, it was not until 1963 the Topcon name became famous by introducing the Topcon RE-Super, an event that took the entire camera industry by surprise: This camera featured through-the lens (TTL) exposure metering, and at full lens aperture at that. The RE Super was fully prepared for professional work supported by a choice of lenses and accessories to complement it. The United States importer was the Charles Beseler Company
Charles Beseler Company
Charles Beseler Company is a Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania industrial company addressing four primary markets: public and corporate steel shelving and furniture, iron shelving and storage, shrink wrap packaging and silver halide photography...
and it was sold as the Beseler Topcon Super D.
The camera
The Topcon RE Super, or Beseler Topcon Super D in USA, was launched by Tokyo Kogaku KKTopcon
Topcon is a Japanese manufacturer of optical equipment for ophthalmology and surveying. Their headquarters are in Itabashi, Tokyo. They are affiliated with Toshiba, which holds 40% of Topcon's stock.-History of Topcon:...
in 1963 and manufactured until 1971, at which point it was upgraded to the Super D and again to Super DM the following year. General sale continued for several years. These later models have a shutter release lock lever on the shutter release collar. It is a professional oriented 35mm SLR
Single-lens reflex camera
A single-lens reflex camera is a camera that typically uses a semi-automatic moving mirror system that permits the photographer to see exactly what will be captured by the film or digital imaging system, as opposed to pre-SLR cameras where the view through the viewfinder could be significantly...
camera that had a comprehensive range of accessories available. It has a removable pentaprism
Pentaprism
A pentaprism is a five-sided reflecting prism used to deviate a beam of light by 90°. The beam reflects inside the prism twice, allowing the transmission of an image through a right angle without inverting it as an ordinary right-angle prism or mirror would.The reflections inside the prism are not...
and a bayonet lens mount for interchangeable lenses. A special accessory shoe is situated at the base of the rewind knob. The release button is placed at the right-hand camera front, but it lacks a mirror-up facility. This was included on the upgraded versions. The standard lens is the RE. Auto-Topcor 1:1.4 f=5.8cm or the slightly slower 1:1.8 version. A battery-operated winder to be attached to the camera base was made available.
Some common features of 35mm SLR photography were first seen on the Topcon RE-Super. Among these is the through-the-lens exposure metering
Through-the-lens metering
Through-the-lens metering is a photographic term describing a feature of cameras capable of measuring light levels in a scene through their taking lenses, as opposed to a separate metering window...
. This enabled improved accurate light metering, especially in close-up macro photography using bellows
Bellows (photography)
In photography, a bellows is the pleated expandable part of a camera, usually a large or medium format camera, to allow the lens to be moved with respect to the focal plane for focusing....
or extension rings, and in telephotography using long lenses. In addition to this feature, the metering is at full aperture. The lens has an aperture simulator that realays the preset aperture to the exposure meter while the iris stays open, retaining a bright viewfinder image while determining the correct exposure, avoiding the lens stop-down. The meter also works independently of the pentaprism finder, which allows for different viewfinder configurations. The meter cell is actually incorporated in the camera's reflex finder
Reflex finder
A reflex finder is a viewfinder system with a mirror placed behind a lens. The light passing through the lens is reflected by the mirror to a focusing screen, usually ground glass...
mirror. This was accomplished by milling narrow slits in the mirror surface letting a fraction of the light through to the CdS
Cadmium sulfide
Cadmium sulfide is the inorganic compound with the formula CdS. Cadmium sulfide is a yellow solid. It occurs in nature with two different crystal structures as the rare minerals greenockite and hawleyite, but is more prevalent as an impurity substituent in the similarly structured zinc ores...
cell placed just behind it.
Identifying the different models (elsewhere/USA)
- Topcon RE Super / Beseler Topcon Super D: type 46A, serial no. starting at 46XX XXX. Prod. period: 1963 to 1971
- Topcon Super D / Beseler Topcon Super D: type 71A, serial no. starting at 71X XXX. Prod. period: 1972
- Topcon Super DM / Topcon Super DM: type 72A, serial no. starting at 72XX XXX. Prod. period: 1973
All models were available in chrome or black enamel.
The interchangeable lenses
- RE. Auto-Topcor 1:4.0 f= 20mm 62mm filter, introduced 1969
- RE. Auto-Topcor 1:3.5 f= 25mm 62mm filter, introduced 1965
- RE. Auto-Topcor 1:2.8 f= 28mm 49mm filter, introduced 1971
- RE. Auto-Topcor 1:2.8 f= 35mm 49mm filter, introduced 1963
- RE. Auto-Topcor 1:1.4 f= 58mm 62mm filter, introduced 1963
- RE. Auto-Topcor 1:1.8 f= 58mm 49mm filter, introduced 1963
- RE. Auto-Topcor 1:1.8 f= 85mm 62mm filter, introduced 1973
- RE. Auto-Topcor 1:2.8 f= 100mm 49mm filter, introduced 1965
- RE. Auto-Topcor 1:2.8 f= 135mm 49mm filter, introduced 1963
- RE. Auto-Topcor 1:5.6 f= 200mm 49mm filter, introduced 1966
- RE. Auto-Topcor 1:5.6 f= 300mm 62mm filter, introduced 1965
- RE. Auto-Topcor 1:5.6 f= 500mm 22.5mm filter, introduced 1969
- RE. Zoom Auto-Topcor 1:4.7 f= 87~205mm 58mm filter, introduced 1967
In addition, a range of special lenses were also available for flash and macro work, among these was:
- RE. GN Auto-Topcor M 1:1.4 f= 50mm 62mm filter, introduced 1973 with lens aperture interconnected to distance set on the lens' focusing ring.