Topcon/Topcor seems to ignored around here, I don't know why, so a thread to boost exposure.
I bought a Topcor 58/1.8, and my first shots were of a high contrast subject, there was some heavy CA
which is disappointing.
I decided to take a walk to try it out, I had only meant to take a 5 minute walk, it ended up being much longer.
NEX-7 Mostly @ f4 PP:contrast, levels, & vibrancy on a few.
Hope I didn't over do the PP, I was having fun playing with the sliders in LR, Actually I was having fun just shooting them too, I think the N7 is going to fill my needs as a compact take everywhere camera.
Those look surprisingly sharp, considering the NEX-7's high mp count.
I have a Topcon Unirex with a Topcor 50mm f/2 lens, which I inherited from my father, and I've toyed with the idea of adapting the lens to other bodies, but I haven't even bothered to search for any adapters due to the strange UNI mount: The aperture on this mount is controlled by the body, so the adapter would need to have a built-in aperture lever.
Also, the focusing ring is extremely stiff. I read somewhere that the grease used by Tokyo Kogaku was of the wrong type: in time, it reacts with the metal in the focusing mechanism and turns to sticky gunk. This is probably what has happened in my lens as well.
I have a HI TOPCOR 50/2 that came on a IC-1 and it focus fine, I'm planning to make my own adapter from the camera mount, UV mount registration =55mm so is adaptability is more about mirror clearance.I don't know if their IQ is as good as the RE I have, which is why I'm going to try and make an adapter, to find out.
sebboh, The 58/1.8 I have feels as solid as an OM 50/1.8
I'm curios about it too, they seem to be selling between $200 & $400 and they look like they have better multicoating than the 58/1.8 I have.
But not this curious. ebay Item number: 220960867108
I have four Topcon RE Topcor lenses, including the beautiful 58mm f1.4. I have not tried this lens yet with the NEX7. I posted the following on another site, you may be interested because it includes Topcors:
I am 75 yrs of age, and have a collection of old 35mm film camera lenses. I shoot almost entirely landscapes, hand held (usually with monopod) and f11-f13. I decided to take quick snapshots from my deck looking out at the bay using the NEX 7, hand held, f11 and make quick and dirty comparisons looking at the "actual pixels" view in CS5. I checked these lenses:
1. Topcon 135mm f2.8 RE Topcor
2. Topcon 28mm f2.8 RE Topcor
3. Topcon 100mm f2.8 RE Topcor
4. 35mm Leica f2.8 Elmarit R
5. 50mm f2 Leica Summicron R
6. Contax Zeiss 28mm f2.8 Distagon (C/Y mount)
7. Minolta 45mm f2 MD Rokkor-X "(Pancake")
8. 50mm f1.4 Asahi Super-Takumar
9. 28mm f3.5 Nikkor-H
Just a quick observation in these limited snapshots:
1. lens that seemed to have the best contrast and sharpness is the Zeiss 28mm.
2. Close second (believe it or not) is the Topcon 135mm RE Topcor. I was extremly pleased with contrast and resolution
3. 100mm Topcor-- very nice, but a tad less than the 135mm Topcor.
4. The Leica 35mm Elmarit needs another look. I made three shots--one looks very, very good, but the other two are soft (probably mis-focus)
5. The Leica 50mm-2 of 4 are soft--again probably mis-focus
6. The 50mm f1.4 Super Takumar appears to be OK but not sensational.
7. Ditto 28mm Nikkor.
8. Biggest surprise was the 45mm f2 Minolta. It was excellent...on a close par to the 28mm Zeiss.
VERY un scientific "real world" tests, that may prove interesting to fellow NEX 7 shooters
Best regards to all
Dave in NJ
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Time to dust off this thread with some shots I've taken the last while. Apologies for the lack of keeping it up to date and this huge update.
Some will be x-posts from some other threads.
Topcor RE 28/2.8 @ f4 on NEX-7
Topcor-s 50/2 LTM/M39 rangefinder lens. @ f5.6 on NEX-7
Topcor RE 58/1.8 on NEX-7
Topcor RE 58/1.4 on NEX-7
Wide open
@f5.6
Topcor RE 85/1.8 on the A7r, hand held, and wide open.
Topcor R 135/3.5 preset (first 2 A7r, last 2 NEX-7)
Looking to add some top Topcon glass to my itty bitty lens collection and I found this (referring to the RE not the budget UV line of Topcor lenses):
“I have a promotional leaflet from Beseler reprinting the November 1969 Camera:35 reviews of the Topcor lenses. They reviewed the 25/3.5, 35/2.8, 100/2.8, 135/3.5, 200/5.6, and 300/2.8 lenses. As a whole, they found them excellent, saying that you wouldn't need to look to other vendors to fill "quality holes" in the line.
That said, the 200/5.6 was clearly the weak link in the chain. The others all hit 80 lines/mm at one or more apertures in the center, some of them even hit 80 lines/mm at the edge at the optimal aperture. The 35/2.8 got particular praise, hitting 80 lines/mm wide open, and going up from there. The 100/2.8 also starts at 80 lines/mm wide open, but doesn't get any better. The 25/3.5 has "corner" problems. The 135/3.5 is very good, but not exceptional.”
