Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/11/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Well I'm no expert on Topcon, but old specimens are still regarded highly in Japan (and you know when it comes to Leica, how fanatical the Japanese are), especially the lenses. As far as build quality is concerned, Nikon does not make things like the venerable Nippon Kogaku KK used to. I had been a Nikon user for years and starting from the Ai-S and E-series, the cost-cutting has been very noticeable. Yet in comparison with all those wobbly AF zooms and filmsy current bodies, Ai-S and E are still vastly more solid. Nippon Kogaku used to pride themselves on making *only* the top-grade professional equipment (hence offering nothing like the Canonets for the amateur market) but sadly those days are long gone. Here's several usenet messages which tell the Topcon/Navy story much better than I can manage. I'd think that Topcon was chosen because of its innovations and tough build, as well as great lenses. Andrew From: DBaker9128 (dbaker9128@aol.com) Subject: Re: Nikon vs Topcon for the US Navy Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.35mm Date: 2001-08-31 18:27:35 PST Leon wrote: "Sometime around 1965, the US Navy chose a 35mm SLR camera for use throughout the fleet. Their selection was the Beseler Topcon Super D." Yes Leon, I remember the Super D and the RE Super. They were massive, well designed and beautifully built cameras, as tough as they came! They made the 1st generation Canon F1 look like a delicate toy. In 1971 I was just getting serious about photography and I looked at the Topcon Super D real hard but I opted for a Nikon FTN (which I still have) because of market strength and lens portfolio. Deep down though, I knew the Super D was the tough guy of SLRs. That's probably why the Navy went for them. Super Ds would hold up better than the rest in that close quartered, rough handed, salt water environment. The 1970's were a tough time for camera companies. Along with Topcon we said goodby to Petri, Miranda, Mamiya (in 35mm), Kowa (6X6), Zeiss Ikon, and almost Leica! We haven't had that kind of a shakeout since. I wonder if the digital demon will soon take away some of our great camera names of today? Doug from Tumwater From: ShadCat11 (shadcat11@aol.com) Subject: Re: Nikon vs Topcon for the US Navy Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.35mm Date: 2001-09-01 10:31:04 PST Topcon was chosen by the navy over its worthy competitors because it was the only high quality camera in its class that had a light meter built into the camera body rather than the prism finder, as did Nikon. That allowed some adaptations ( in connecting to a submarine periscope, or something of the sort) not possible with the others when used with finders other than eye level prism. The navy thought the Topcon system allowed for greater versatility.in mixing/matching components. The FBI also went with Topcon at the same time, possibly for the same reason I got this information In Los Angeles, 1974, from the director of a lab engaged by the FBI to compare camera optics during their selection process. According to him, BTW, there were at that time more optical variations between individual lens samples than manufacturers. Allen Zak From: John Bateson (j.g.bateson@worldnet.att.net) Subject: Re: Nikon vs Topcon for the US Navy Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.35mm Date: 2001-10-03 22:49:58 PST Chris Ward wrote: I think the Super D also had diagonal slits cut into the mirror, behind which was the meter cell. This ws as close as you could get to "off the film plane" metering, with little interference from the eyepiece, and there was no need for a circular polarizer instead of a regular one as a semi-silvered meter patch would have required. But I may be wrong, and it was a LONG time ago I remember reading it... Chris: It's been a very long time since I've thought about the Topcon Super D, though I once knew a man who was a fanatic about them. (He bought a Canon F-1 when Topcon got out of the 35mm camera business). You are correct though about the meter cell reading light from slits in the mirror. Also, Topcon Super D's had open aperture metering. Kind regards, John Bateson - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html