Tōkyō Kōgaku

Topcon RE Super with interchangeable finders image by Massimo Zuccolo (Image rights)

Tōkyō Kōgaku, later Topcon, is a Japanese optical manufacturer, previously a manufacturer of photographic equipment.

History

Foundation as an optical company

The company was founded in 1932 as Tōkyō Kōgaku Kikai K.K. (東京光学機械㈱, usually translated as Tokyo Optical Company, Ltd). It resulted from the merger on 1 September 1932 of the measure instruments section of Seikōsha (the manufacturing branch of Hattori Tokei-ten) and Katsuma Kōgaku Kikai Seisakusho (勝間光学機械製作所), said to be a subcontractor or a dependent company. As its name indicates, it was based in Tokyo. It remained dependent of Hattori Tokei-ten until 1947.

It was first an optical company, like Nippon Kōgaku (later Nikon). It was a supplier to the Imperial Japanese Army whereas Nippon Kōgaku was a supplier to the Navy. The first lens was the State (ステート) triplet, made available in 1933. It was followed in 1934 by the Toko (トーコー) triplet and in 1935 by the Simlar (シムラー) four-element lens. The name Toko certainly stands for Tokyo Kogaku, and it is said that the name Simlar (written shimurā in Japanese) comes from Shimura, the quarter where the company plant is located. The company also made special purpose lenses, many of them for military use until 1945. It began producing 39mm screw lenses immediately after the war, notable mounted on the Leotax cameras.

First cameras

The company's first camera was the Lord, released in 1937, which was not a big success. It was followed in 1938 by the Minion 4×5cm folders. The company began the production of 35mm cameras in 1948 with the Minion 35 and of 6×6 TLR cameras in 1950 with the Topcoflex, mainly distributed as the Primoflex and Laurelflex. It was the first appearance of the "Topco" name, probably from Tokyo Optical Company. The Topcon brand name appeared in 1953 on the Topcon 35, successor of the Minion 35 series, and the Topcor lens name appeared in 1954, soon replacing all the previous lens names. (Topcon and Topcor were obviously modelled after Nikon and Nikkor.)

In 1953 and 1954, the dependent company Yamagata Kikai made the Semi Oscon that was advertised together with the company's own cameras.

Topcon SLRs

The company began the production of Topcon 35mm SLRs in 1957 (before either Nikon or Canon produced an SLR), and it very soon concentrated on these, stopping the production of all the other types. The Topcon RE Super, launched in 1963 at the Photokina, was the company's most innovative camera and one of its most rugged and versatile. It was the first SLR with a through-the-lens exposure meter. Pentax would follow the next year with the Spotmatic, and Nikon only in 1965 with the Nikkormat FT, and with the Photomic T prism for the Nikon F.

In parallel to the high end bodies, Tōkyō Kōgaku also manufactured simpler SLRs, at the beginning with a central shutter, later with a Copal Square focal-plane shutter.

The Topcon SLRs were imported in the USA by Beseler, which put its own name on the bodies. Some models were marked Hanimex when imported in the Commonwealth.

At the end of the 1960s, the company ceased to innovate on the SLRs, and produced variations on the same basic design until 1976. The bodies made after 1977 are not up to their predecessors, and the rumor says they were not designed by Tōkyō Kōgaku but elsewhere.

End of camera production

Tōkyō Kōgaku ended sales of 35mm cameras in December 1980, but production of the Horseman VH and VH-R 6x9 models continued, including the development of the Horseman ER-1 based on orders from Komamura. It thereafter concentrated on making specialist optical equipment of no direct relation to photography, and in 1989 took the name K.K. Topcon (㈱トプコン). It still (2007) exists.

Today the better Topcon models are eagerly collected in Japan. In 2003 Cosina designed and marketed an "Auto-Topcor" 58/1.4 lens (in Nikon F and M42 mounts) that externally resembles the genuine Tōkyō Kōgaku item and is even marked Tokyo Kogaku; it also created a variant of its M42-mount Bessaflex SLR whose distinctive pentaprism housing resembles that of the Topcon RE Super.

Trademarks

Topcoflex was registered as a trademark in the United States on 3 October 1953 by Tokyo Optical Company, Ltd, whose address at that time was 180 Hon-Hasunuma-Cho, Shimura Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Later, 1 November, 1957, the same trademark was registered in Canada..

Topconette was registered in the United States on 21 December 1961. The company still listed the same address as on the 1953 filing at this time.

Unirex was registered as a trademark in the US on 2 March, 1970. Even at this late date, the registration continues to show the name Tokyo Optical Company, Ltd. and the same address as previous filing.

35mm film

SLR

Exakta lens mount

RE Super image by Rick Soloway (Image rights)

• Topcon R = Beseler B Topcon (1957-1960)
• Topcon RII = Beseler C Topcon (1960-1961)
• Topcon R III Automatic (1961-1963)
• Topcon RS (1963), rare variant of the RE Super with no meter
• Topcon RE Super = Beseler Topcon Super D (1963-1972)
• Topcon RE-2 = Beseler Topcon D-1 = Hanimex Topcon RE-2 (1965-1969)
• Topcon Super D = Beseler Topcon Super D (1971-1973)
• Topcon Super DM (1973-1976)
• Topcon RE 200 = Exakta EDX2 = Carena KS1 (1977-)
• Topcon RE 300 = Exakta EDX3 = Carena KS2
• Topcon T message register camera

All of these take Exakta lenses.

Pentax K mount

• Topcon RM 300, the same body with minor modifications was sold under the names of Quantaray Delta 2-RZ, Carena KSM1, Exakta KE4 and Exakta KE5
• Topcon AM-1, never sold, released in 1983 by Cima as Cimko LS-1 and, in the US, as the Lindenblatt KL-2 (sold by Cambridge Camera Exchange, Inc, whose chairman was George Lindenblatt).

They take Pentax K lenses.

Topcon UV lens mount

Wink S Mirror image by Adrian Gee (Image rights)

• Topcon Wink Mirror S (1963-1964)
• Topcon Uni = Beseler Topcon Auto 100 = Hanimex Topcon RE Auto (1964-1969)
• Topcon Unirex = Beseler Topcon Unirex (1969-1973)
• Topcon Unirex EE (1972-1974)
• Topcon IC-1 Auto (1974-1976)
• Topcon New IC-1 Auto (1976-1978)

The cameras with UV lens mount are a unique series which comprises both leaf shutter and focal plane shutter SLR bodies. All of these take Topcon UV lenses.

Fixed lens

• Topcon PR (1959-1960)
• Topcon PR II = DeJur Dekon-SR (1960)
• Topcon Wink Mirror (1960-1961)
• Topcon Wink Mirror E = Beseler Topconette (1961-1963)

All had front element optical complements available.

Viewfinder

Minion 35 (Image rights)

• Minion 35A (24×32)
• Minion 35B (24×32)
• Minion 35C (24×36)
• Topcon 35A
• Topcon 135EE (rebranded Haking Autoflash 35)

Rangefinder

• Topcon 35B
• Topcon 35-S
• Topcon 35-L
• Topcon-JL

120 film

6×6 TLR

• Topcoflex

Primo Jr (Image rights)

• Primoflex
• Sunflex IV

4.5×6 telescopic

• Lord

127 film

4×4 TLR

• Primo Jr
• Primo Jr with exposure meter
• Sawyer's Mark IV, name variant of the Primo Jr

Minion II
Picture by eBayer tbcam.(Image rights)

4×5 folding

• Minion

Subminiature

The Mascot subminiature was produced by Shimura on behalf of Tōkyō Kōgaku.

Press camera

• Topcon Horseman Press

Military

• Kaitenkei spy camera
• Army Type 99 Ultra Small Aerial Camera (GSK-99) (part of the production)
• also see other Japanese aerial cameras

Lenses

Interchangeable lenses

• Leica screw mount lenses
• Topcon/Exakta mount lenses
• UV mount lenses
• Topcor 8cm f/5.6 for the Topcon 35A and 35B
• Large format lenses mounted on the Horseman cameras

Fixed lenses on cameras from other makers

Not all examples of the cameras listed below have Tōkyō Kōgaku lenses. All the lenses below have three elements unless noted.

• Toko 60mm f/3.5:
  • reported on the Auto Keef by Kokusaku (also reported as 50mm f/3.5, perhaps by mistake)
• Kraft 60mm f/3.5:
  • on the Kraft by Echt, certainly a rebadged Toko (other Kraft lenses were made by Takahashi)

Toko f/3.5 75mm in Tōkyō Kōgaku RECTUS shutter image by Dirk HR Spennemann (Image rights)

• Toko 7.5cm f/6.3:
  • on the Semi First and First Six by Kuribayashi
• Toko 7.5cm f/4.5:
  • on the Semi First, First Six, Baby Semi First and Speed Pocket by Kuribayashi
• Toko 7.5cm f/3.5:
  • on the Semi First and First Six by Kuribayashi; and the Mamiya Six K
• Toko 75mm f/3.5:
  • on the Semi Leotax DL and R by Shōwa Kōgaku
  • on the Mihama Six R by Suruga
  • on the Mizuho Six Super T by Neoca
  • on the Semi Oscon by Yamagata
• Toko 10.5cm f/6.3:
  • on the First Etui, First Roll and First Center by Kuribayashi
• Toko 10.5cm f/4.5:
  • on the First Roll and First Center by Kuribayashi
• State 10.5cm f/4.5:
  • on the First, Kokka, First Etui, First Roll and First Center by Kuribayashi
  • reported on the Romax plate folder
• Simlar 10.5cm f/4.5 (four elements):
  • on the First, Special First, First Etui and First Roll by Kuribayashi
  • on the Luxury Pearl and New Lily by Konishiroku

Unlike what is said by some sources, the Rotte Anastigmat lenses were not made by Tōkyō Kōgaku but by Tokiwa Kōgaku. An original document attributes the Hit 7.5cm f/3.5 four-element lens of the Auto Semi First and First Reflex II to Tōkyō Kōgaku, but this is perhaps a mistake and the lens was perhaps made by Tokiwa Kōgaku as well.

Miscellaneous

Simlar 7.5cm f/3.5 lens in a KOO-Tiyoko shutter on a GSK-99 image by Dirk HR Spennemann (Image rights)

• Barrel lenses:
  • Simlar 18cm f/4.5
  • Simlar 21cm f/4.5 (c.1937)
• Regular military lenses:
  • Simlar 7.5cm f/3.5 (c.1940) used in the Army Type 99 Ultra Small Aerial Camera (GSK-99)
  • Simlar 180mm f/4.5 (c.1940) for the SK-100 aerial camera
  • Simlar 300/4.5
  • Tele-Simlar 40cm f/5, for aerial cameras
• Wide aperture lenses, for military or other use:
  • Simlar 50/0.7 (c.1941–4)
  • Simlar 5cm f/0.7 (c.1951)
  • Simlar 50mm f/1.5 (c.1940)
  • Simlar 13cm f/1 (c.1940) used in the Japanese night camera
  • Simlar-F 180mm f/1.5 (c.1942)
• Enlarging lenses:
  • Topcor 50/3.5 (sold at ¥4,500 in 1955)
  • Toko 7.5cm f/4.5
  • E.Toko 7.5cm f/3.5 (sold at ¥3,500 in 1955), at least two variations
  • Simlar 75/3.5

Other

• Minion enlarger

Sources / further reading

• Antonetto, M. and Russo, C. Topcon Story. Lugano: Nassa Watch Gallery, 1997. ISBN 88-87161-00-3.
• Asahi Camera (アサヒカメラ) editorial staff. Shōwa 10–40nen kōkoku ni miru kokusan kamera no rekishi (昭和10–40年広告にみる国産カメラの歴史, Japanese camera history as seen in advertisements, 1935–1965). Tokyo: Asahi Shinbunsha, 1994. ISBN 4-02-330312-7.
• Baird, John R. The Japanese Camera. Yakima, WA: Historical Camera Publications, 1990. ISBN 1-879561-02-6.
• "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" (国産写真機ノ現状調査, Inquiry into Japanese cameras), listing Japanese camera production as of April 1943. Reproduced in Supuringu kamera de ikou: Zen 69 kishu no shōkai to tsukaikata (スプリングカメラでいこう: 全69機種の紹介と使い方, Let's try spring cameras: Presentation and use of 69 machines). Tokyo: Shashinkogyo Syuppan-sha, 2004. ISBN 4-87956-072-3. Pp.180–7.
• Lewis, Gordon, ed. The History of the Japanese Camera. Rochester, N.Y.: George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography & Film, 1991. ISBN 0-935398-17-1 (paper), 0-935398-16-3 (hard).
• Nihon no kamera o omoshiroku shita kyōshū no burando ten (日本のカメラを面白くした郷愁のブランド展, Exhibition of nostalgic brands that made Japanese cameras interesting). Tokyo: JCII Camera Museum, 1997. Exhibition catalogue.

Links

General links

In English:

• The Topcon Collection website by Leon Schoenfeld
• Topcon page in Jack's Exakta Pages
• Topcon/Beseler instruction manuals (English) at butkus.org's Orphan Cameras, in PDF format

In Japanese:

• The Topcon Club
• Chronology and FAQ page of the Topcon official website

Miscellaneous links

In English:

• Topcon RE Super at Bill Salati's Casual Collector website
• Topcon-styled Bessaflex and Auto-Topcor 58/1.4, within a page on the Bessaflex in general at Cameraquest

In Japanese:

• Topcon Super D, Topcon Wink S Mirror and Topcon 35A at the Sky Kogaku website (archived)
• Pages of the Topcon Club website about special items:
  • Large format, enlarging and special lenses
• Cosina Auto-Topcor 58/1.4, within Okie Masanori's lens collection