Film cameras
Beseler Topcon RE Auto User manual
User manual for Beseler Topcon RE Auto. 59 pages in English. Read the original PDF, download or print a copy without registration.
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Document details
- Brand
- Beseler
- Model / document
- Beseler Topcon RE Auto
- Document type
- User manual
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 59
- File size
- 4.1 MB
- Category
- Film cameras
- Document date
- Not specified in catalog
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Page 2 · Read text
7
ETECTRIC-EYEPICTURE.TAKING
t. Sel fifm speed (ASA 25 to 4OO or DIN 15 ro 27).
2. Set shutier speed (l/8 to l/5OO sec.).
3. Set operlure ring ro AUTO.
4. Advance film wlndlng lever.
5. View-focus fhrough rhe lens, ond check operture reodlng.
6. Press shutter releose buflon.
IMPOR,TANT
l. Don't touch the surfoce of fhe lens, mirror, eyeplece, os well qs exposure
window.
2. Stroke the film winding lever oll rhe w.ty - untll ll stops.
3. Wolt untll ihe shutier oction is completed before stroklng the film wlndlng
lever.
4. Cover lhe lens when not in use.
5. Don'l force movements bul re-reod Inslructions once more.
6. lf your HANIMEX TOPCON RE AUTO Gomerq needs repoir, don'l do ir yourself
but contoct the neqresl outhorized deoler.View original page 2Page 6 · Read text
F
HANITUIEXTOPCONREAUTO But,cqmerobesidesolso incorporqtesthese bosic ollrequirements,the complicotedthe
picture-tokingcompletely mqke thot mechonism CAiIIERA os :- such outomotic,
Congrotulotions,on your choice of the HANI- l. Fully outomqtic insto'ntre-opening lens dio- MEX TOPCON RE AUTO comero which hos phrogm oction-f or holding the lens ot
been designed by our engineers ond opticol wide operture, for view-focusing eose, but scientists to give on ideol cqmero fulfilling stopping it down outomqticolly to ihe se- the following bosic requirements:- lected operture for the shutter oction ond
l. Single lens reflex-for viewing ond focus- then re-opening it once more to wide
ing of the exoct subiect imoge os it will operture.
be coptured on the film.
2. Quick-os-o-wink mirror oction-which, in
2. Electric-Eye qutomotion-for outomoticolly coupled oction with the outomqtic lens
setting the correct exposure to the comero diophrogm oction, swings the mirror up
simply by pointing it ot the subiect. qnd out of the woy for shooting qnd then
3. Complete lens interchongeobility-f or snops it down once more, quick-os'o-wink,
chonging from the stondord to the wide- for view-focusing.
ongle or telephoto os the requirements of 3. Single stroke film winding lever oction-
the picture moy demond. not only qdvonces the film one frome, but
1. Superior UV lens cooting-for producing qdvonces the exposure counter, chorges
crisper block-ond-white shots ond true-to' ihe shutter ond sets up the outomotic lens
life color pictures. diophrogm qction.
I
,,o;$S" JSView original page 6Page 7 · Read text
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1. Automotic re-selting odditive exposure exposures, the person who wonts o comero
counter. with o choice of wide-ongle or telephoto
lenses, which ore not ouxiliory lenses or which5. Automotic pop-up rewind button.
leove behind some component ond merely ex-
And, os on odditionol bonus, the comero olso chonge the front elements, to the person who
h o s : - - would iust rother set exposures qccording to
l. Complete electric-eye outomotion with oll experience,-'becouse the comero is not o
interchongeoble lenses. simple quiomotic cqmero but o well-built ond
designed comerq which will sotisfy even ihe2. Speciol UV filter effect on oll interchonge-
demqnds of the odvonced omoteur. oble lenses.
White operofion is very simple, moy we sug-3. Aperture scole visible in finder, even with
gest thot you reod the instructionsthrough electric-eye outomotion.
corefully so thqt you fomiliorize yourself with
4. Mqnuol over-ride of electric-eye qutomq- its working ports before you even lood film
tion for shutter coupled exposure settings in the comerq.
or complete freedom in exposure settings.
In other words, the comero is the ideol fomily
comero becouse it con be used by every
member of the fomily, from the person who
only wonts on outomotic comero to toke core
of oll exposure setting problems, the person
who wqnts q built-in exposure meter coupled
to the comero for some freedom to odiust
;csView original page 7Page 8 · Read text
SPECIFICATION
Lens:
UV Topcor 1 z 2 t-53mm 6 element stqndord lens. Fully outomotic instont re'opening
lens diophrogm. Stroight helicoid focusing from 70cm to infinity. Boyonet mount lens
interchongeobility of complete lens.
A p e r t u r e sz f 1 2 , 2 , 8 , 4 , 5 . 6 , 8 , l l , 1 6 o n d 2 2 .
Shutter:
SEIKOSHA SLV behind-lens tYPe'
' speeds: B, 1,112,114,ll8, 1115,1130,1f6o,11125,11250& l/500 sec'
MXV-switch (for M ond X settings flosh synchronizotion ond self-timer).
Finder:
Fixed eye-levet pentoprism finder, with 0,75X imoge (stondord lens), ond 34.5X23mm
finder screen. '
With TOKOBRITE fresnel lens plote ond micro-prism focusing spot.
Meter needle ond operture scole, indicotes operture reodings.
Exposure:
AUTO-Electric-eYe outomotion'
Ronge: EV 5 to EV 18, with ASA 100 fflm'
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Film speeds: ASA 25 ro 400 (DlN 15 to 271.
Shutterspeeds, 118to l/5OOsec.
COUPTED-Shutter coupled exposure setting.
Ronge: EV 5 to EV 18, with ASA 100 film.
Film speeds: AsA 25 to 400 (DlN 15 to 271.
Shutter speeds' 118 to l/5OO sec.
tVIANUAt-Complete freedom in opertures/shutterspeeds.
Ronge: EV 2 to EY 18, with ASA 100 film.
Film speeds: ASA 25 to 400 (DlN I 5 to 271.
Shutter speeds: B, I to l/500 sec.
Film Winding:
l g0' singlestroke.
Other Feqlures:
Red worning oreo indicoting outomotic exposure is not possible (shutter moy be
releosed).
Wink mirror system (instont return nirror oction).
Automqtic pop-up rewind button.
Fixed occessory shoe.
Slze & Weighr:
With stondord lens: l36mm X 93mm X 84mm; 840 groms.
, xr*"" . ^r'*i*,:..View original page 9Page 10 · Read text
Digitally signed by Mike Butkus Mike DN: cn=Mike Butkus, o, ou=Butkus.
org, email=mike@butkus.org, c=US
Date: 2026.01.13 16:38:44 -05'00' Butkus
NOMENCTATURE
O Film winding lever @ Rewind knob @ Shutter speed ring
@ Exposure counter scole @ Rewind crqnk @ Aperture ring
@ Exposure counter index @ Shutter releose button @ Depth of fleld scqle
5View original page 10Page 12 · Read text
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@ Rewind button @ Film speed index @ Film cortridge shoft
focking lever @ Film toke-up spool slit 'scqle @ Lens@ Film speed
@ Film speed odiustment cotch @ Tripod socket @ Film toke-up spool serrqtedView original page 12Page 13 · Read text
www.orphancameras.com flonge @ Bock cover lock @ trtxV-switch @ fitm tronsport sprocket @ Bock cover colch @ Bottery co'er @ film pressure plote @ Flosh socketView original page 13
Page 14 · Read text
Venmo @mike-butkus-camera Ph. 2083 PayPal Name Lynn@butkus.org www.PayPal.me/lynnbutkusView original page 14
Page 15 · Read text
GORRECTEXPOSUR.E l. Electric-eye outomotion.
One of the mosi importont foctor for toking 2. Coupled exposure setting.
better pictures is correct exposure, which is 3. Free exposure setting.
the relotionship between-
l. The shutter speed, ond ETECTRIC-EYEAUTOMATION :
2. The operture (lens opening), os decided by
Presuming thoi ihe film is olreody looded in3. The brightness of the subiectl ond depend-
the comerq ond the film speed set to the ent on
comero, the only qctions required for toking
4. The sensitivity (spcedl of the film looded pictures ore:- ?
in the cqmero.
l. Set the shutter jleea ring (71 to one of
In other words, it is importont to be oble to red-colored speeds t/SOO to l/8 sec., by
correctly iudge the brightness of the subiect, revolving the ring until the required speed
in order to determine the correct operture to is opposite the index.
be used, becouse film speed is pre-determined
The shutter speeds will click-stop into ploce.by the film used ond shutter speed is, more
often thon not, decided by the oction of the Use the shutter speed guide for choosing
subiect. the most suitoble speed for the lighting
In the HANIMEX TOPCON RE AUTO cqmero condition or oction.
three methods of setting the correct exposure 2. Set the operture ring (8) to AUTO, which
odlustments to the lens ond shutter ore pos- will set the electric-eye system into opero-
sible- tion.
9
4*$ *View original page 15Page 17 · Read text
hove the effect of moving the exposure
needle towords the middle oreo, in both
coses, where the picture con be token.
When revolving the shutter speed ring, in
the obove instonces, do not move the
shutter speed scole outside the I /500 to
1l8 sec. ronge.
The shutter con be releosed even when
the needle is in the red oreos so the posi-
tion of the needle must olwoys be checked.
Of course, it is token for gronted thqt the www.butkus.us
film winding lever is olso odvonced, os well3. Check the operture scoles seen on the
os view-focusing being undertoken, before the lef t border of the finder ond if the ex-
shutter is releosed. posure needle is not in the red worning
oreos ond is sotisfoctory, press the shutter COIIPTED EXPOSURESETTING: button (61, ond the picture will be token.
lf the exposure needle is in the top red When the subiect hos too much controst, or
oreo, the picture will be under-exposed, the bock-light is brighter thon the front-light,
while, if in the bottom red oreo, the or if you wont to toke s close-up reoding
picture will be over-exposed. lf the former, ond then move bqck for the shot, or other-
revolve the shutter speed ring to the left, wise wont to odiust the operture setting to
ond, if the loter, to the right, which will toke into occount possible over- or under-ex-
ilView original page 17Page 18 · Read text
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posure on electric-eye outomotion, try coupled eye outomotion, but within the ronge l/500
exposure setting :- to l/8 sec., ond ffnd the right combinotion
l. Set the shutter speed to one of the red- of shutter speed ond operture.
colored shutter speeds, i.e., from l/500 to Coupled exposure setting is suitoble for ihose
I l8 sec.i the some os for electric-eye shots in which-
outomotion.
l . The bockground is very light ond covert
2. Toke the operture ring off AUTO, by o greoter oreo thqn the moin subiect of
revolving it to ony other setting on the interest, which is olso dorker; becouse the
ring. exposure reoding will be dominoted by the
lighter bockground ond the moin interest3. Point the comero lens ot the subiect ond
will be under-exposed. For exomple, shots reod the operlure setting indicoted on the
ogoinst distont scene, or ogoinst snow- operture scole in the finder.
scopes, etc.
4. Tronsfer the operiure reoding to the oper-
2. The opposite of the obove, such os in ture ring, i.e., revolve the operture ring
night clubs, circuses, etc., in which the until the some operture is opposite the
index (l I ), or modify it ond then tronsfer reoding will be dominoted by the dorker
bockground ond the moin interest will be it, if this is pref erred.
over-exposed.
5. Press the shutter releose button. 3. The moin subiect is bock-lighted, becquse
Incidentolly; if the exposure needle is in the the subiect's foce will not be illuminoted
red worning oreos, revolve the shutter speed by the moin light ond will be under-ex-
ring, in the some monner noted for electric- posed, if the reoding is token for the full
t 2View original page 18Page 19 · Read text
subiectoreo. 3. Conirosty subiect: First decide whot ef'
fect you ore looking for in the finol picture4. The moin subiectis in the shode, becouse ond toke on exposure reoding of the por- the reoding will ogoin be dominoted bY tion which interests you the most, letting the surrounding light ond will lhus be the controsty portion (lighter or dsrker
under-exposed. portion) get lighter or dorker, os the cose
For the obove shots, qs well os for other moy be.
shois, the exposure raoding should be token
4. Inoccessible subiects : lf the subiect is tooos follows:-
for off, toke on exposure reoding of o
l. Londscope: Shield ihe comero toking lens similiqr subiect (i.e., some iexture ond light'
(34) trom the light reflected by ihe sky ing condition) ot close dislonce.
ond point it so thot it will be toking o
reoding of on oreo hoving less sky fhon 5. Bock-lighted subiect: The best method is
'overoll scener'becousethe sky to move in ond toke o close'up exposure the generol
is much brighter thon the generol scene reoding of the front-lighted subiect oreo
ond if too much sky is included the overoll only, using core to see thot the bock-light
effect will be over-exPosure. does not effect the reoding. Otherwise,
modify ifre exposure reoding token ot the
2. Subiect ogoinst the open sky: When picture-toking position 3 or 4 times to foke
shooting oirplones, flogs, buildings, etc., into occount the excessive controst be-
ogoinst on open exponse of sky, toke on tween the bock-light ond the front-lighted
exposure reoding of o similior obiect with oreo. ' the light striking it ot the some ongle os
the subiect ond nodify it by 1/2 stop less. 6. Portroit: Move in close ond toke o reod-
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ing of the foce oreo thot should stond be unusoble even'when the exposure
out in the finol picture. lf controst is needle is not in the red worning qreos.
extreme, between the high-lightsond shqd- This is especiolly when o fost film is
ows, toke o reoding of both portions ond used of q slow shutter speed, or ooveroge it, if you wont both portions, or
slow'film used ot the fostest shutterolherwise toke o reoding of the inteJesting
portion ot obout 4 inches or so. See thot speed. The following combinotions of
the comerq's shodow is not cost on the shutter speed ond f stops should never
oreo being reod. be relied upon for setting exposure.
N o t e :
ASA 400 film f 12 & l/8 sec.(l ) When using the f/3.5 wide-ongle or
ASA 50 film fl22 & l/500 sec. f/4 telephoto lenses, it is not possible
ASA 25 film +116 A l/500 sec. to toke shots ot lorger opertures
thon the moximum operture of the ( 3 ) To use o shutter speed slower thon
lens ottoched to the comerq. Thus, l/8 sec., use the operture reoding for
if the exposure needle indicotes o l/8 sec. in order to toke o reoding.
reoding of f l2 or f 12,8, etc., the Then re-odiust, by stopping down the
shutter speed ring should be revolved lens diophrogm by the some number
to o slower speed, in order to bring of steps os the exposure time is
the needle within moximum opening increosed, os follows :-
of the lens used.
(21 When using film other thon ASA 100 S h u t t e r s p e e d I l l 8 - l l 4 - 1 1 2 - l
ond 200, the exposure reoding con A p e r t u r e l 4 - - 5 . 6 - 8 . . . l I
l 4View original page 20Page 21 · Read text
FREEEXPOSURESETTING: foster speed is needed for movement neorer
to the comero, (3) q fqster speed is required
Although only full numbers ore used on lhe for o subiect moving porollel to the comero,
ring, it should be remembered thot 500 is while o slower speed moy be used for move-
l/500 sec., ond I is o full I sec. ond thot, ment towords or owoy from the comero, ond
therefore, the lorger nunrber is the foster (4) the degree of stopping required will olso
determine the speed to be used.speed, meoning thot the shufter remoins open
only for o t/SO0 sec. durotion during which The operture ring hos opertures or openings,
time the light pcrssesonly 1f 2 os long os the colled f/numbers, with exposure rotios, os
preceding lorger number ond vice verso ; thus f o l l o w s : -
if tighting conditions remoin unchonged, de- Aperture 2 2.8 4 5.6 8 ll 16 22
creosing the speed will meon thot the operture E x p o s u r e r a t i o 1 1 4 1 1 2 1 2 4 I 1 5 3 0
will hqve to be opened to compensqte for The operture or lens opening controls the
less light. omount of light thot enters the lens ond posses
The choice of shutter is dependent on the through to the film plone, by odiusting the lens
lighting condition, os well os the need for opening os required. lt con be seen thot the
stopping oction. The brighter the light, the lorger numbers ore the smqller openings ond
foster the speed thot moy be used, ond vice vice verso ond thqt eoch smoller operture
verso. On the other hond, for stopping oc- permits only 112 the omount of light of the
tion, it should be noted thot (l ) q fqster speed preceding lorger operture ond thot, therefore,
is required f or o speedier subiect, (21 o if lighting conditions remoin unchonged, stop-
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ping down will ,"0u,- o corresponding in- -but, besides this, lhere ore vorious other
creose in the shutter speed. reloted octions which oll toke ploce in less
In other words, if the shutter speed is originol- thon l/lOth of o second when the shutter is
ly set to l/60 sec. for f f 8, then it must be pressed, such os:-
increosed to 11125 ,t the operture is opened l. The shutter blodes close down completely.
to f 15.6 or to l/30 if the operture is sropped 2. The reflex mirror rises, the film blind opens
down to f/ I l. fully ond the lens diophrogm is stopped
Exposure settings in this cose will hove to be down.
decided by: 3. The shutter blodes open ond close (f or
l. Using o suitoble exposure meler, or, toking the picture).
2. Using on exposure chort, such os is usuol- 4. The fllm blind opens, the mirror returns
ly included with the film, or, to reflex viewing position, ond the lens
diophrogm opens fully.3. Moking your decision bqsed on post ex-
perience. 5. The shutter blodes open fully.
The qction of the lens diophrogm is the result
SHUTTERAGTION: of the "fully outomqtic instont re-opening lens
diophrogm oction", while thot of the reflex
Since oll the UV TOPCOR lenses ore equipped mirror is the product of the "quick-os-o-wink
with the fully qutomotic lens diophrogm oc- mirror oction", both of which ore required to
tion, the lens opening is olwoys opened qt the produce the fost oction required for toking
widest operture for view-focusing eose. This the picture without loss of imoge.
meons thot the lens diophrogm must outo-
moticolly close down to the required opening When using slow shutter speeds, olwoys woit
when the shutter button is pressed, ond then until rhe shutter oction itffi
open immediotely bock to the widesi operture voncing the film winding lever.
r6
's@View original page 22Page 23 · Read text
SELF-TIMER: VIEW-FOCUSING
For the purpose of deloying the octuol shutter Two other importont foctors for getting beiter
releqse ociion for l0 sec., ofter the shutter pictures ore:-
releose button is pressed, use the built-in
self-timer. After oll preporotions for toking l. Correct composition of the subiect within
the exposure hqve been completed, shift the the film negotive oreo, ond
MXV-switch (33) until V is oligned with the 2. Accurote focusing of the imoge on theindex, qnd then press the shutter releose
film plone.button os usuol.
By utilizing the self-timer, it will be possible In the HANIMEX TOPCON RE AUTO cqmerq
to toke your own photogroph, or hold light- both these fqctors ore token core of by o
ing equipment or reflector, or used it f or single system, i.e., view-focusing through ihe
minimizing comerq vibrotion on the tripod. comero lens.
Electric-Eye is used, self-timerEven when the ex' cofrrPoslTloN: the correct ploce ond tokesoutomotion
posure f or the lighting condition when the Since the reflected light f rom the sublect,
shutter is releosed is set to the comero. which posses through the comerq lens to the
Alwoys return the MXV-switch to X-seiting film plone for toking the picture, is intercepted
when not in use. by the reflex mirror, which is ploced in the
light poth, ond reflected upwords to the
CABTE RELEASE: finder's focusing screen:-
When using the comerq on the tripod, etc.,
use o coble releose screwed into the shutter l. Porollox is completely eliminoted, becouse
releqse socket, insteqd of pressing the shutter the viewing ond toking lens ore the some,
button, os it will eliminote comerq vibrqtion. ond you con compose exoctly os it will
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be token in the pic.ture, ond lens, oll focusing odiustmentsore mqde direct-
2. The some qreq seen in the finder will be ly on the lens itself by revolving the distonce
covered in the finol picture. focusing ring (tg), ond checking the effect
on the focusing screen in the finder. Furthermore, the eye-level pentoprism finder,
which reverses fhe loterolly reversed imoge The focusing screen hos :-
reflected upwords by lhe reflex mirror, gives
l. A micro.prism focusing spot. the following odvontqges :-
2. A fine focus ring, oround the spot. l. A right side up loterolly correcf imoge,
moving in the some direction os the octuol 3. A full-oreo ground gloss, boosted by
subiect, is especiolly voluoble for moving f resnel lens.
subiects.
Micro-Prism Focusing Spot: The focusing
2, Becouse of the erect loterolly correct spot in the center is mqde up of numerous
imoge, bofh eyes cqn be used, one for microscopic prisms which breok up the imoge
looking through the finder ond one for
viewing fhe generol scene.
3. Eye-level viewing olso meons correctly
loterql ond erect imoges in verticql
formqts. ft ,9ro: :
FOGUSING:
Since view-focusing is through the cqmero In Focus Not in Focus
t 8View original page 24Page 25 · Read text
when it is noi in focus so thot the imoge is focusing is not correct, the subiect will be
seen indislinct ond blurred. When the dis- seen blurred ond indistinctly. As with lhe
tonce focusing ring is revolved ond the subiect focusing spot, revolve either woys of the
is qccurotely focused, the imoge in the focus- optimum focus fo check whethei focusing is
ing spot will be seen distinctly ond shorply. correct or not.
Subiects with lineor feotures will be porticu- Full-Areq Ground Glcrss: The full-oreq of
lorly effective for focusing becouse the stroight lhe focusing screen, except for the focusing
lines will look rogged ond broken up when spot ond fine focus ring, is fine ground gloss
out of focus but will be seen stroight when bqcked by o fresnel plote lens for obtoining
in focus. o brilliontly illuminoted subiect field from edge-
When in doubf, revolve the distonce focusing to-edge, without dork corners. ln other
ring eif her \^/oys f rom whot is considered words, the whole subiect oreo is olwoys dis-
optimum focusing ond check the effect. tinctly seen ond moy be focused on the full
ground gloss oreo.
Flne Focus Ring: Around the micro-prism
focusing spot con be seen o cleor ring which Focusing is done in the sqme monner os for
is mode of extro-fine ground gloss only. This the fine focus ring ond focusing spot.
ring moy olso be used, either singly or For speedier focusing, use the full focusing
in combinotion with the focusing spot, for scre€n, combining oll the focusing meons, i.e.,
focusing of subiects withoui lineor feotures. focusing spof plus fine focus ring plus full
When the distonce ring is revolved qnd the ground gloss, becouse it will qlso meon thof
subiect is correctly focused, the finder imoge composition ond focusing con be undertoken
will be seen distinctly ond shorply, while, if ot the some time.
t9View original page 25From the M. Butkus archive. Original publisher and archive notices are retained.
Check the model and edition against your equipment.
PDF verified 2026-10-10.