Friday, April 10, 2015

Topcon Super D


A friend gave me this camera yesterday. It is a long story but I had such a camera as a boy, a gift from my father that was unfortunately ripped off of me in a scam in New York.

This camera was Jamie's dad's, with a nice long zoom and a wide angle lens thrown in to boot.

The camera has an interesting history, a combat camera. From here:
The Beseler Topcon Super D was the combat camera for the US Navy and the US Airforce from the 1960’s
to the 1980’s, after winning a competitive test with the Nikon F and several other Japanese and
German cameras. It won for much stouter construction and better ergonomics. The US Army and US Marines
went with Leica for silence. It fits to you hand like a perfect weapon, with the front facing shutter
button right under your right forefinger. Also that huge, 5.8cm, f/1.4 lens is one of the sharpest ever
honed and does not vignette, even wide open. At this late date, not even Nikon manages this, much
too expensive. The case is real, pebble grain leather.
Very wonderful gift, look forward to putting it through its paces, one day.

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