Kogaku Auto-Topcor lenses?

T

tamerlin

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I inherited a pair of lenses (there may once have been more, but that's what's
left now) by Kogaku, labelled "Auto-Topcor". One is a 35mm f/2.8, the other is a
135mm f/3.5. I also have three extension tubes with the same brand.

Does anyone know anything about these? Are they any good? Is there some way
that they could be used with a Leica m7? :D

If not, anyone have any suggestions as to what to do with them? If they're good
lenses (and it's hard to tell without a camera to use with them), it would be a shame
to let them go to waste.

Thanks!
 
"Auto" in the name suggests to me it's for a Beseler Topcon SLR camera, referring to auto-diaphragm stop-down.
 
tamerlin said:
I inherited a pair of lenses (there may once have been more, but that's what's
left now) by Kogaku, labelled "Auto-Topcor". One is a 35mm f/2.8, the other is a
135mm f/3.5. I also have three extension tubes with the same brand.
Click to expand...

"Kogaku" is just the Japanese word for "Optical." Topcor lenses (and Topcon cameras) were made by Tokyo Kogaku (Tokyo Optical; I believe "Topcor" started out as an acronym made from Tokyo OPtical CO., with an "r" stuck on the end to conform to the fashion of lens names of the day, e.g. Sonnar, Tessar, Elmar, etc., etc.)

Although there were some screwmount Topcor lenses used on Japanese Leica copies, the "Auto" in the name suggests a lens with an auto diaphragm, for use on Tokyo Optical's Topcon line of SLRs.

You probably could chain adapters together (if you can find them) to mount these lenses on an M camera, but with no rangefinder coupling I'm not sure how useful they'd be. Might make more sense to find them a home with some appreciative Topcon enthusiast in return for some cash you could use toward funding the purchase of RF lenses for your own cameras.
 
Doug,
That explains one thing I was wondering about, which is a small lever on the back
of the lens assembly that corresponds to the aperture setting. I was wondering
whether it was for feedback or for automation. :)

jlw,
I guess that makes sense... if I can't use them on any of my cameras, there doesn't
seem to be much point in hanging onto them. It would have been nice to have a
135mm lens for my Leica, though :D

Oh well... so it goes. I'll check with some of the local photography enthusiasts to
see if there is any interest. After that, if I have no success, I suppose I'll have to
try ebay.

Thanks for the info!
 
It would have been nice to have a
135mm lens for my Leica, though :D
Click to expand...

Tons of 3rd-party Leica screw-mount lenses out there for nearly nothing - and you can simply put an LTM-M mount adapter on and you're good to go. 135mm is the most popular size for 3rd-party Leica-mount lenses going, so they do go cheap. My guess would be that you would easily be able to sell your Topcors and make enough to buy a really nice 135 that will fit on an M.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
I believe that Auto-Topcor lenses were made for the focal plane shutter Topcon SLR's. They are modified Exakta bayonets and I think they may work manually on classic Exaktas and Exas. They can be adapted VIA Exakta adapters to many other cameras, but with limited utility.

If the lenses say UV Topcor, they were made for the Topcon leaf shutter SLR's like the Uirex and Auto-100. Their usage is pretty much limited exclusively to Topcon leaf shutter cameras.

Tokyo Kogaku back in the early years of Japanese camera manufacturing also made an LTM rangefinder that resembled a Leica IIIc . Those bodies and lenses are very scarce on the ground.

-Paul
 
Hm... it sounds like it might be worth trying to find the camera that might have gone with those
lenses, assuming it's still in the house somewhere. It's a big house and there's a lot of junk
floating around, so I guess it's possible. It can't hurt to look :)
 
pshinkaw said:
I believe that Auto-Topcor lenses were made for the focal plane shutter Topcon SLR's. They are modified Exakta bayonets and I think they may work manually on classic Exaktas and Exas. They can be adapted VIA Exakta adapters to many other cameras, but with limited utility.
Click to expand...

Exakta? It sounds like the camera industry was a lot more interesting before the digital explosion :)

If the lenses say UV Topcor, they were made for the Topcon leaf shutter SLR's like the Uirex and Auto-100. Their usage is pretty much limited exclusively to Topcon leaf shutter cameras.
Click to expand...

I checked after reading this post; they don't have UV Topcor printed on them.

Tokyo Kogaku back in the early years of Japanese camera manufacturing also made an LTM rangefinder that resembled a Leica IIIc . Those bodies and lenses are very scarce on the ground.
Click to expand...

LTM?
 
Wayne R. Scott said:
tamerlin,
The camera you are looking for should look like this one on the home page:
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link! Interesting page. Until I actually took a look at these lenses, I had never even
heard of Kogaku, and before I found this forum, I'd never even heard of Voigtlander and Cosina!

If you can't find the camera and want to get one to use the lenses I have a Super D that is not getting used.
Click to expand...

I'll try to remember that. Thanks! :)
 
LTM is the acronym for Leica Thread Mount. The 39mm Leica screw thread.

I did a little more research. I couldn't find any documentation that Tokyo Kogaku made an LTM Leica-style copy camera. They did make lenses under the Tokyo Kogaku and Topcor label for the Showa Leotax, which was a Japanese Leica-like copy. I couldn't find what happened to the Showa Optical Copmpany, that is if it grew into a large company or was merged. Leotax cameras do bring nice prices though. The Tokyo Kogaku and Topcor LTM lenses will work on the Leica and other genuine LTM bodies.

Yes the film camera world was an interesting and diverse place before digital.

-Paul
 
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