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UV topcor 28mm f4...
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 9:20 pm    Post subject: UV topcor 28mm f4... Reply with quote
Is that lens rare or worth anything? I have a chance for it to be thrown in with a kit for a few bucks more and was wondering if that it would be worth it for me. I know UV topcor lenses have usually small value, but I figured the FL could make it worth a little something? If anyone knows, please let me know Smile thanks


PostPosted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 9:53 pm    Post subject: Re: UV topcor 28mm f4... Reply with quote
StillSanj wrote:
Is that lens rare or worth anything? I have a chance for it to be thrown in with a kit for a few bucks more and was wondering if that it would be worth it for me. I know UV topcor lenses have usually small value, but I figured the FL could make it worth a little something? If anyone knows, please let me know Smile thanks


It's neither rare nor spectacular. The reason why UV Topcor lenses are so cheap is that you need a special adapter for them to make them usable on modern cameras. Since adapters at least for the Sony E-mount (NEX) are nowadays available, maybe also the value will go up a little bit. However, it was always the budget line of Topcor and is considered below the RE.Topcor series.
I do have this lens and most others also from that line and have also the original (rare) UV to RE lens adapter for the use on any Exakta mount camera or adapter. However, I didn't test the 28mm lens up to now. I've only included the 35mm one in my recent comparison.
From that I can only say that it's not really bad but also nothing special. It was at least by far superior to e.g. the Yashica DX lens which is normally sold for higher prices. I would assume the same for the 28mm lens. If you wish I could eventually make some sample pictures tomorrow and show them here. Please let me know. However, I can do this only on a crop sensor and not on FF camera.

Edit: I've seen you are on Canon so most probably you are out of luck anyway as you would have to go the hard way: UV to RE and Exakta to Canon. I didn't see any direct adapter UV to Canon so far and UV to RE is hard to find and rather expensive.


PostPosted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 11:56 pm    Post subject: Re: UV topcor 28mm f4... Reply with quote
StillSanj wrote:
Is that lens rare or worth anything? I have a chance for it to be thrown in with a kit for a few bucks more and was wondering if that it would be worth it for me. I know UV topcor lenses have usually small value, but I figured the FL could make it worth a little something? If anyone knows, please let me know Smile thanks


Doesn't the UV topcor need the base lens in the camera thingy ala contaflex or rolleflex sl26?


PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 12:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well, that does not sound promising. I do not need the lens that bad as I have the Re Auto Topcor 28mm 2.8. I just wanted to see if it would be worth getting as part of an offer I found, but I knew UV topcors were bad news. Thanks for the confirmation.


PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 12:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
There are no adapters on the market for Topcor UV lenses. You will have to make your own using parts from a Topcon SLR, as this guy did:

http://oldlenses.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/make-your-own-topcon-mount-adapter.html

I made an adapter in a similar way as I have all of the UV Topcors apart from the 100mm.

They are good lenses but not as good as the RE Topcors.


PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 2:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
in case anyone need an Sony E mount adapter.
Click here to see on Ebay


PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 2:50 am    Post subject: Re: UV topcor 28mm f4... Reply with quote
tb_a wrote:
StillSanj wrote:
Is that lens rare or worth anything? I have a chance for it to be thrown in with a kit for a few bucks more and was wondering if that it would be worth it for me. I know UV topcor lenses have usually small value, but I figured the FL could make it worth a little something? If anyone knows, please let me know Smile thanks


It's neither rare nor spectacular. The reason why UV Topcor lenses are so cheap is that you need a special adapter for them to make them usable on modern cameras. Since adapters at least for the Sony E-mount (NEX) are nowadays available, maybe also the value will go up a little bit. However, it was always the budget line of Topcor and is considered below the RE.Topcor series.
I do have this lens and most others also from that line and have also the original (rare) UV to RE lens adapter for the use on any Exakta mount camera or adapter. However, I didn't test the 28mm lens up to now. I've only included the 35mm one in my recent comparison.
From that I can only say that it's not really bad but also nothing special. It was at least by far superior to e.g. the Yashica DX lens which is normally sold for higher prices. I would assume the same for the 28mm lens. If you wish I could eventually make some sample pictures tomorrow and show them here. Please let me know. However, I can do this only on a crop sensor and not on FF camera.

Edit: I've seen you are on Canon so most probably you are out of luck anyway as you would have to go the hard way: UV to RE and Exakta to Canon. I didn't see any direct adapter UV to Canon so far and UV to RE is hard to find and rather expensive.


Ah thank you for the thorough reply. So it's a double whammy as to why they are undesirable...and Yeah, I am exclusively on canon for now till I get myself a cheaper Mirrorless.


PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 5:51 am    Post subject: Re: UV topcor 28mm f4... Reply with quote
jamaeolus wrote:

Doesn't the UV topcor need the base lens in the camera thingy ala contaflex or rolleflex sl26?


Exactly. The adapter must include the aperture ring.

Here is the original Topcon adapter and the UV Topcor 28mm lens:




PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 8:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
BTW, I did make a few sample pictures with this lens on my Ricoh GXR-M as my curiosity didn't disappear automatically. I was rather surprised. No noticeable shortcomings on this camera with this lens. Very sharp already fully open (only F4) and also no vignetting. So if somebody can solve the adapter issue this lens is certainly worth to consider for the prices it's usually offered nowadays. Though I didn't make any meaningful comparisons with other lenses in the 28mm focal range so far, so I can't tell anything about that.
However, every picture followed by a 100% crop for pixel peeping. Wink
FOV equivalence is 42mm.








PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 1:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
tb_a wrote:
BTW, I did make a few sample pictures with this lens on my Ricoh GXR-M as my curiosity didn't disappear automatically. I was rather surprised. No noticeable shortcomings ...


Thanks! Such information is always much more meaningful than the chatter of those guys pretending something is "impossible" or "not available".

Stephan


PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 1:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I never said it was impossible, I made my own adapter from the mount of a broken Topcor Uni, which I mentioned earlier. The adapter Calvin linked to is a DIY piece also made from a Topcon camera's mount removed and repurposed, as I said, no-one makes adapters so making your own is the way to go.

If you're going to troll, at least be accurate! Wink

Topcor UV 135mm on Sony a850.



PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 1:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The original Topcon adapter to Topcor RE mount is very rare. I only see it appear twice in eBay.

Here is one for Fuji FX camera Click here to see on Ebay whic is 100% made by the seller. He used to sell them in E mount too but they are no longer available.


PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 4:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:
tb_a wrote:
BTW, I did make a few sample pictures with this lens on my Ricoh GXR-M as my curiosity didn't disappear automatically. I was rather surprised. No noticeable shortcomings ...


Thanks! Such information is always much more meaningful .....
Stephan


Thanks as well. Only seeing is believing. Wink

calvin83 wrote:
The original Topcon adapter to Topcor RE mount is very rare. I only see it appear twice in eBay.


It's not only rare it's also rather expensive... Wink
However, for me it was the better way to go as I also have a bunch of RE/Exakta lenses and therefore RE/Exakta to MFT/NEX/Leica M adapters as well.


PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 11:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
tb_a wrote:
BTW, I did make a few sample pictures with this lens on my Ricoh GXR-M as my curiosity didn't disappear automatically. I was rather surprised. No noticeable shortcomings on this camera with this lens. Very sharp already fully open (only F4) and also no vignetting. So if somebody can solve the adapter issue this lens is certainly worth to consider for the prices it's usually offered nowadays. Though I didn't make any meaningful comparisons with other lenses in the 28mm focal range so far, so I can't tell anything about that.
However, every picture followed by a 100% crop for pixel peeping. Wink
FOV equivalence is 42mm.








Thank you for doing that! very interesting. Those actually look like pretty good pictures to me.


PostPosted: Sun Jul 12, 2015 6:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
StillSanj wrote:

Thank you for doing that! very interesting. Those actually look like pretty good pictures to me.


My pleasure! Wink

As stated already, also the 35mm lens out of this series didn't look really bad. However, for me it was reason enough to order the missing lenses too. So in some days I'll have the complete set of all UV Topcor lenses from 28 to 200mm.

All in all Topcon (Tokyo OPtikal COmpany Nippon) was a very well regarded camera and lens producer. They invented the TTL metering for SLR photography. The highest attention was given to them when the US Navy considered Topcon RE series (Exakta compatible mount) to be their camera line instead of Nikon or Leica. The RE series was one of the best professional SLR cameras ever with a very extensive set of lenses (incl. some rather unique ones) and accessories. The UV lenses for the UNI, IC and Unirex was considered as their "normal" line, but is certainly not bad either. Their last line was the RM series for which the mount changed to Pentax K (1970's). They also produced some RF lenses in M39/LTM for the Leotax (Japanese Leica copy).

However, for any reason they stopped their camera production 1981. Although the company is still in existence for professional optical instruments.


PostPosted: Sun Jul 12, 2015 9:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
tb_a wrote:
StillSanj wrote:

Thank you for doing that! very interesting. Those actually look like pretty good pictures to me.


My pleasure! Wink

As stated already, also the 35mm lens out of this series didn't look really bad. However, for me it was reason enough to order the missing lenses too. So in some days I'll have the complete set of all UV Topcor lenses from 28 to 200mm.

All in all Topcon (Tokyo OPtikal COmpany Nippon) was a very well regarded camera and lens producer. They invented the TTL metering for SLR photography. The highest attention was given to them when the US Navy considered Topcon RE series (Exakta compatible mount) to be their camera line instead of Nikon or Leica. The RE series was one of the best professional SLR cameras ever with a very extensive set of lenses (incl. some rather unique ones) and accessories. The UV lenses for the UNI, IC and Unirex was considered as their "normal" line, but is certainly not bad either. Their last line was the RM series for which the mount changed to Pentax K (1970's). They also produced some RF lenses in M39/LTM for the Leotax (Japanese Leica copy).


However, for any reason they stopped their camera production 1981. Although the company is still in existence for professional optical instruments.


I am rather new to manual lenses, but I have found myself being a big fan of their lenses- specifically, the RE Auto Topcors. A few months ago a gentleman was selling a RE Super with a 58/1.4 and original hood for $100 dollars. I bought it on just looks alone, not knowing anything about the brand or camera. I just think they are beautiful, and ever since then I've found myself drawn to them. That is a shame they ceased camera production, I had never thought about that.

Topcor is also my all time biggest near miss in Lens Hunting; A few weeks ago there was a posting for a black Topcon Super DM and a 58/1.4 and the rare and elusive 85/1.8...for $200 dollars. Everything mint. By the time I called, someone had snatched it up a couple hours before me. Needless to say, it was hard to sleep that night..

I appreciate you sharing your insight.
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