Topcon RE Super
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The Topcon RE Super was one of Tokyo Optical Company's SLR camera bodies with Exakta lens mount. It was launched in 1963 and produced until 1971.
The RE Super was also sold with Beseler branding as the Super D.
This is a historically significant camera, as its metering system reading through the lens was the first in any SLR. The photocells were located behind the reflex mirror of the camera, whose silvering had a pattern of clear lines which allowed light through to CdS photocells. The metering pattern was whole scene averaging. The meter has a sensitivity of 2 to 16 EV. Capable of using film speeds of 25 to 1600 ASA. It requires a mercury battery for operation.
Several different reflex finder heads were attachable so that the camera could be operated with waist-level finder, pentaprism eye-level finder or a finder with loupe. It uses a split image design focusing screen, but additional ones can also be interchanged.
It uses a focal plane shutter with speeds of 1 to 1/1000 of a sec. plus bulb. Electronic flash sync is at 1/60 of a sec. The mirror is the instant return type. The film advance is a single stroke type with a auto resetting film counter. There is a self-timer that can be set to release from 5 to 10 seconds. It should be noted that the, "US Navy" marked Beseler Super D cameras was a competitive contract awarded to Topcon cameras for its solid Build, T.T.L. open lens indexing light meter and excellent optics. These cameras, "US Navy" marked were largely used during the Viet Nam wartime period by Naval Pilots and naval River patrol boats.
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| A complete system camera image by rst12 (Image rights) |
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| RE Super in black image by Bernt Sønvisen (Image rights) |
