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Archive 2017Topcor Lenses - Review & Thoughts
p.1 #1Topcor Lenses - Review & Thoughts
I recently received a Topcon 35mm Super RE camera with a Topcor 35 f/2.8 lens from a user here. I learned of this brand from a local photographer based here in Minnesota. He talked it up so much that I had to check it out for myself.
Topcon is a brand from Tokyo and was started in 1932. Originally they specialized in binoculars, cameras, and other optics for the Japanese army. In 1963 they released the TOPCON RE Super 35mm film camera, the first ever single-lens reflex camera with lens metering. The USA imported it as the Beseler Topcon Super D. While it was prepared to cater to the professional photographer, it was actually the US Navy who chose the Topcon Super RE as their official combat camera. The camera was most used in combat during the Vietnam War. Believe me when I say it's an absolute tank. I feel as though I could throw it against a brick wall with no damage. It's also a gorgeous camera with striking sharp corners, tight tolerances and an all-metal body. Production finally ceased in 1971 and it was soon overtaken by the Nikons and Canons of the world due to marketing, mainly in the US.
The lenses themselves are quietly some of the finest and sharpest around, with incredible manufacturing and great sharpness and microcontrast. The only downside to be found is due to the Exakta lens mount. It's too narrow, leaving no room for large back elements and leads to slower lenses than the competition.
The photos shown here are from the 35 f/2.8, shot on my A7II with the help of my Fostay Exakta-Sony E adapter. The focusing ring is well-dampened and has a large grippy rubber ring to make it easy to find. The aperture ring is great, I would have liked it to be only slightly clickier. The lens has 6 aperture blades, but the bokeh doesn’t show straight lines all that much. Speaking of which, the backgrounds are very smooth, and the transition from in-focus to out of focus is fantastic. Very pleased here. The sharpness is awesome, with the center being great at 2.8 and only the extreme corners being slightly smeared at f/8 and f/9. Being an older lens with worse coatings, it does flare with a hexagon shape. I noticed a couple of rainbows as well. Overall I’m extremely pleased with the sharpness and microcontrast. The photo of the stump below really shows the quality and IQ of this lens.
There are some other incredible Topcor lenses that I'd like to try, specifically the 58 f/1.4, and the 100 f/2.8. If there's interest, I could try to do an in-depth review across the frame between f/2.8 and f/11. Feel free to view these on Flickr as well, there are some additional ones there.
Enjoy!
Link to full album: https://flic.kr/s/aHsm5pG3BK
f/2.8
f/9
f/5.6
f/5.6
f/9
f/4
f/22 @ 1.6s
Topcon is a brand from Tokyo and was started in 1932. Originally they specialized in binoculars, cameras, and other optics for the Japanese army. In 1963 they released the TOPCON RE Super 35mm film camera, the first ever single-lens reflex camera with lens metering. The USA imported it as the Beseler Topcon Super D. While it was prepared to cater to the professional photographer, it was actually the US Navy who chose the Topcon Super RE as their official combat camera. The camera was most used in combat during the Vietnam War. Believe me when I say it's an absolute tank. I feel as though I could throw it against a brick wall with no damage. It's also a gorgeous camera with striking sharp corners, tight tolerances and an all-metal body. Production finally ceased in 1971 and it was soon overtaken by the Nikons and Canons of the world due to marketing, mainly in the US.
The lenses themselves are quietly some of the finest and sharpest around, with incredible manufacturing and great sharpness and microcontrast. The only downside to be found is due to the Exakta lens mount. It's too narrow, leaving no room for large back elements and leads to slower lenses than the competition.
The photos shown here are from the 35 f/2.8, shot on my A7II with the help of my Fostay Exakta-Sony E adapter. The focusing ring is well-dampened and has a large grippy rubber ring to make it easy to find. The aperture ring is great, I would have liked it to be only slightly clickier. The lens has 6 aperture blades, but the bokeh doesn’t show straight lines all that much. Speaking of which, the backgrounds are very smooth, and the transition from in-focus to out of focus is fantastic. Very pleased here. The sharpness is awesome, with the center being great at 2.8 and only the extreme corners being slightly smeared at f/8 and f/9. Being an older lens with worse coatings, it does flare with a hexagon shape. I noticed a couple of rainbows as well. Overall I’m extremely pleased with the sharpness and microcontrast. The photo of the stump below really shows the quality and IQ of this lens.
There are some other incredible Topcor lenses that I'd like to try, specifically the 58 f/1.4, and the 100 f/2.8. If there's interest, I could try to do an in-depth review across the frame between f/2.8 and f/11. Feel free to view these on Flickr as well, there are some additional ones there.
Enjoy!
Link to full album: https://flic.kr/s/aHsm5pG3BK
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f/2.8
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f/9
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f/5.6
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f/5.6
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f/9
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f/4
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f/22 @ 1.6s
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Oct 09, 2017 at 09:41 AM
p.1 #2Topcor Lenses - Review & Thoughts
Jordan brought the lens to the office today and I threw it on my A7r2. Nothing fancy nor a real test but the bokeh and colors on this 35/2.8 lens seems pretty nice. The far corners seem to get a bit smeared especially WO and don't totally sharpen up by f/8 but this is a single exposure assessment and non-conclusive at all. I do like the close focusing which really shows of the lens bokeh.
Repost smaller image size. The last was shot at f/8. Sharpness is there up until the very extreme corners on this shot.
top left corner - Topcon 35/2.8 @ f/8
Repost smaller image size. The last was shot at f/8. Sharpness is there up until the very extreme corners on this shot.
top left corner - Topcon 35/2.8 @ f/8
Oct 09, 2017 at 10:01 AM
p.1 #3Topcor Lenses - Review & Thoughts
Congratulations on the lens.
Great photos!
Great photos!
Oct 12, 2017 at 02:08 AM
p.1 #4Topcor Lenses - Review & Thoughts
Forty or so years ago, I had a Topcor 50mm bellows lens that was a great performer with Kodachrome II. We compared it with a micro-Nikkor 55 and it was very hard to rate either one the winner.
-John
-John
Oct 12, 2017 at 05:02 AM
p.1 #5Topcor Lenses - Review & Thoughts
Back with some additional examples, all at f/2.8. Very impressed with the sharpness, and the microcontrast isn't bad either.
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Oct 25, 2017 at 12:16 PM
p.1 #6Topcor Lenses - Review & Thoughts
Nice to see more Topcor love.
All the 58's are great, the 85/1.8 is stellar, very good resolution and vibrant colours.
RE 58/1.4 & NEX-7
DSC05967
All the 58's are great, the 85/1.8 is stellar, very good resolution and vibrant colours.
RE 58/1.4 & NEX-7
DSC05967 Oct 25, 2017 at 02:49 PM
p.1 #7Topcor Lenses - Review & Thoughts
I wonder if the corner sharpness problem would be reduced with a thin cover glass.
Oct 25, 2017 at 06:03 PM
p.1 #8Topcor Lenses - Review & Thoughts
My Topcor 35/2.8 (actually, I have 3, but they all render identically) is not at all soft in the corner by f8. It's actually almost perfect even in the extreme corners. Are you sure your building shot was f8? There may be decentering in your copy.
Mar 25, 2020 at 01:09 AM