C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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The Topcon RE Super (1963) is a manual-focus 35mm SLR built by Tokyo Kogaku (Topcon) and is widely considered the first Japanese SLR with through-the-lens (TTL) open-aperture metering — measuring exposure at full aperture rather than requiring the lens to stop down to the taking aperture before reading. This required a special lens-body coupling pin and the Topcon UV lens mount, a modified bayonet compatible with Exakta bodies but distinct in its electronic coupling. The body is solid brass and aluminium, weighing 840 g, with 100% viewfinder coverage and a 0.85× magnification pentaprism.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
The first Japanese SLR with full-aperture TTL metering — Topcon's engineering landmark, respected by scientists and surgeons as much as photographers.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Topcon UV bayonet |
| Years | 1963–1972 |
| Shutter | 1s – 1/1000s + B, horizontal cloth focal-plane |
| Flash sync | X: 1/125s; FP: all speeds |
| Meter | TTL open-aperture CdS, EV 3–17 |
| Modes | Manual |
| Viewfinder | 100% coverage, 0.85× |
| Weight | 840 g |
Tokyo Kogaku began making precision optical instruments in 1932 and entered the SLR market in 1957 with the Topcon R. The RE Super (1963) was their engineering peak: TTL metering via a light cell positioned in the mirror box to read light reflected off the mirror at taking aperture. Topcor-UV lenses carried an aperture-coupling pin that transmitted the set f-stop electronically to the meter circuit, enabling open-aperture metering — a feature Nikon and Canon would not match until 1965–1977. In the United States the body was sold as the Beseler Topcon Super D through medical and scientific channels; it was widely adopted in medical photography for its 100% viewfinder and accurate TTL metering with macro setups. The system was eventually superseded by Nikon's F3 and Canon's F-1 in professional markets; Topcon exited the SLR market in the mid-1970s.
The RE Super is a historical landmark that receives less attention than it deserves because the Topcon UV lens mount remained proprietary: virtually no third-party lenses were produced, and the Topcor-UV range, while excellent, is not as complete as Nikon or Canon lens families. Nevertheless, the engineering innovation of open-aperture TTL metering shaped the entire subsequent development of the SLR. The camera's adoption in medical and scientific photography is also notable: operating-room documentation and biological macro photography drove demand for accurate TTL metering before it was available elsewhere.
Topcon UV bayonet mount. Native lenses: Topcor-UV 28mm f/3.5, 35mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.4, 50mm f/2, 58mm f/1.4, 100mm f/2.8, 135mm f/3.5, 200mm f/5.6. Medical macro Topcor lenses (35mm, 100mm) with ring flash connectors are particularly collectible. Exakta mount lenses can be used via an adapter but without meter coupling.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
View profile →Topcon RE Super
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