Film cameras
Beseler Topconette User manual
User manual for Beseler Topconette. 58 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 Topconette
- Document type
- User manual
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 58
- File size
- 4.3 MB
- Category
- Film cameras
- Document date
- Not specified in catalog
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Page 6 · Read text
Digitally signed by Mike Butkus
DN: cn=Mike Butkus, o,
ou=Butkus.org, Mike Butkus email=mike@butkus.org, c=US
Date: 2026.01.12 23:29:59 -05'00'
O Film plone indicqtor @ Shoulder strop hook @ Aperture ring
@ Accessory shoe @ Shutter releose button 6D Shuiler speed ring
II @ Exposure counter @ Shutter releose sofety lock @ Shutter speed o perture i nd ex @ Film winding speed-lever @ Light vqlue/operture ring @ Ropid rewind cro nk
ItView original page 6Page 7 · Read text
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@ Rewinding knob @ Depth of field f/ll scole @ M-X-V switch
Distonce focusing lever & infro-red mork @ Flosh sockel@
@ Distonce scole @ Depth of field scole @ Film speed ring
AD Distonce index @ Fixed focus mqrk @ Film speed indexView original page 7Page 10 · Read text
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determined operturer ond instontly reopensYOURTOPCONETTECAIUIERA ofter the picture hos been token. At
the some time the mirror returns toThe TOPCONETTE Cqmerq is the only single "block-oufs" position, ond ore eliminoted.lens reflex comero with o between fhe lens
shutter ond hoving oll these feotures :-
2. The single lens system enobles lwo-woyinstont open fully outomotic lens diophrogm,
focusing : full oreo fresnel lens brightenedinstont refurn mirror ociion, depth of field
ground gloss, for coref ul compositionpreview, true full-oreo ground gloss plus
work, ond split-imoge rongefinder, forsplit-imoge rongefinder, coupled motch point
speedy hoir-splitting occurocy. There isexposure system ond ouxiliory lenses for
qlso o depth of field preview so thot the
greoter picture-toking versotility.
lens diophrogm con be stopped down ot
l. The cqmero is built qround the single ony time for previewing the octuol depth
lens system, fhis meons thoi viewing ond of field. This is o unique feoture in o
focusing is directly through the cqmero cqmero in this price ronge, ovoiloble up
lens. There is no porollox problem. An to now only in professionol models.
eye-level Pentoprism finder ond o fully
outomotic lens dlophrogms ollows viewing 3. The comero olso contoins on outomotic
qnd focussing olwoys with the diophrogm exposure setting system, coupled to both
fully open. When the shutter is releosed, shutter speed ond diophrogm with motch-
the diophrogm closes down to q pre- ing indicotors in the finder. lt permits
I
. : '''':View original page 10Page 11 · Read text
-t full control over exposure while looking ongle ond telephoto lenses, plus two
through the finder. close-up supplementory lenses complete
the opticol system for the comerq.
4. There qre mony built in sofety feotures
which insures ogoinst wosted fromes : Your comero hos been tested occording toI double exposure prevention, bock cover the strictest quolity stondords, if is guoron-
sofety lock, positive rewind button, outo- teed to give you ufmost sotisfoction for yeorsI motic re-se?ting exposure counter, shutter of pleosure qnd pride with the proper core.
releose sofety lock, etc.
This instruction monuol hos been compiled to
5. Flosh synchronizotion is of the M-X typer exploin in detoil the finer points ond opero-
ollowing the use of either flosh bulbs or tion of the comero. ln oddition it will
electronic flosh. ottempt to give some elementory picture-
toking principles in order thot you moy more
6. Lost, buf not leost, lhe comero is crown- fully enioy the comerq.
ed with o world fomous TOPCOR tlz Since your comero is o precision instrument'
48 mm lens. lt hos been speciolly de- ir should be hondled with core. PLEASE
signed for o single lens reflex. Of spe- READTHIS INSTRUCTIONMANUAL THROUGH
ciol opticol design, the lens hos o mini- BEFOREUSING THE CAMERA.
mum of flore, superior resolution ot everyI operturer ond highly sotisfoctory color
reproduction quolity. Two quxiliory wide-tView original page 11Page 12 · Read text
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ACCURATEFOCUSINGAND TheoccuroteTOPCONETTEpossible forsystemfwo isreosonsone ofr (l)the focus-most
ing odiustments mqde with the comero lensCOilIPOSING con be checked directly in the finder, ond
(2) the exoct negotive size ground gloss is
ploced olong the extension of the opticolSINGTEI.ENSVIEW.
poth. This completely eliminotes ony pqro-
llox problem, which olwoys is present whenF0cusrNG
the finder ond lens positions differ.
Two of the most importont foctors for ob-
toining good photogroph is (t ) occurote PENTAPRISftTVIEWING
focusing of the imoge on the film plone ond
(2) correct composition of the subiect motter The comero incorporotes o precision-mode
within the limits of the negotive frome. Both Pentoprism finder. lt permits eye-level view-
these importont functions ore greotly simpli- ing of on unreversed ond upright imoge of
fied in the TOPCONETTE. Since it is o single olmost life-size, insteod of the loterolly re-
tens reflex, the exocf imoge focused on the versed imoge which used to be ossocioted
film plone through the comero lens is qlso with o reflex system.
reflected up into the finder. The finol pic- Becouse of the Pentoprism finder -
turer therefore, is olwoys seen before it is
lqken. l. A right side up loterolly correct imoger
3View original page 12Page 13 · Read text
moving in the some direction os the octuol imoge is properly focused. lf it is necessory
subiecf, is seen. This is olwoys desiroble, to find the distonce focused, reqd it off
"musf" for shooting moving sub- ogoinst the distonce index (16). The comero but is o
iects. hos o two woy focusing system, consisting of
the full oreo of the ground gloss ond the
2. Both eyes con be used for shooting, i.e., smoll split-imoge rongefinder in the center of
one eye on the finder ond the other on the ground gloss.
the scene. This is very importont for
ponning oction, ond o. Ground Gloss Focuslng:
The comerq hos o full negotive-size ?rue3. Eye-level viewing is especiolly useful for
ground gloss. The TOKOBRITE,o plostic verticol formof pictures, os well os being
fresnel type plote lens, helps to increose extremely convenient for snop-shooting.
overoll brillionce from corner-to-corner
ond mokes focussing o simple motter of
FOCUSING SYSTEM observing imoge shorpnesson the ground
All odiustments for focusing o shorp imoge gloss.
on the film plone ore mode directly on lf in doubt obouf whether or not you
the lens itself (.or olreody noted) ond its ore focussed for moximum shorpness,
effect checked on the ground gloss or split- focus in either direction from the point
imoge rongefinder. Move the distonce focus- of utmost shorpness, ond compore results.
ing lever (t +) in either direction until theView original page 13Page 14 · Read text
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b. Spllr-lmoge Rongefinder 3
For ovoiloble light shooting or speed- PRINCIPLEOF THE SPLITIMAGE
focussing ot ony time ihe split-imoge RANGEFINDER
rongefinder is best. lt consists of two
wedge-shorped semi-circulor prisms, loco-
ted in the center of the ground gloss.
Like the regulor rongefinder, from which
if tokes its nomer the two holves of the
prisms split the imoge. When out of
focus, the two holves ore split ond
seporoted loterolly. They coincide when
the subiect is focused correctly. While
the system is most suitoble for subiects
hoving strong verticol lines, it is equolly
suitoble for subiects with strong horizon-
tol lines if the comero is used for
verticol viewing.
Out of focusView original page 14Page 15 · Read text
In generol, the depth of fteld should be in-DEPTHOFFIETD creosed, os much qs possible, by stopping
down the operfure rother thon increosing theWhen o subiect is focused on ot o set dis-
distonce.tonce, not only the subiect ifself, but port of
the foreground ond bockground olso will
hove occeptoble shorpness while oreqs ouf- DEPTH OF FIELD PREVIEW
side this zone of shorpness will be seen out One of the chief oftroctions of the cqmerq
of focus. The zone of occeptoble shorpness is depth of field preview lever (24). An
is termed the depth of field ond fhe princi- upword movement of the lever will close the
ples governing it ore : diophrogm down to the pre-selected setting
for o insuol check of the depth-of-field. l. The depth of field is greoter (deepe.) ot
Relesse of pressure will return the lever, re- the distonce is increosed or the operture
open the diophrogm to wide open for eqse stopped down.
of viewing ond focussing.
2. The depth of field is less (more shollow) Previewirrg the depth of field visuolly is o
os the distonce is decreosed or the qper- speciolly ottroctive feoture for shooting close-
ture enlorged, ond ups. In oddition the diophrogm on the
TOPCONETTE con be closed oll the woy down 3. The depth of field is deeper in the bock-
to f IZZ to toke full odvontoge of this ground ond, more shollow in the fore-
feoture. ground.
- , - . . . 4 - - - - - . 1 . ' : :View original page 15Page 16 · Read text
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DEPTH OF FIELD SCALE
Since it is olwoys possible to visuolly os-
certoin the exoct depth of field on the ground
gloss, the need for o comprehensive depth
of field scole on the lens borrel does not
exist. A very simple scole (t Z), showing the
fimits for tl11 operture only, is ovoiloble
ond con be used for snop-shooting, zone
focusingr etc.
Thus, when the c<lmerq is focused on o sub-
iect ot ony porticulor distonce, 10 ft. for
exomple, the d istonces opposite the figures
I l, on both sides of the scol€r will show the
zone of occeptoble shorpness; in this cose
7 ft. to 15 ft.
o. Flxed-Focus Shootlng s
lf the distonce scole is set to the fixed-
focus mork (t q) qnd the diophrogm to
t | 1 1r €vGrlthing wi ll be in focus f romView original page 16Page 17 · Read text
10 ft. to infinity. This is frequently used for sports shots, or other situotion where top speed is essentiol in shooting or zone focusing shots. Exposure con still be controlled by odiusting shutter speeds.View original page 17
Page 18 · Read text
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DEPTH OF FIELD TABTE meosured from the focol or film plone to the
subiect. The film plone is indicoted on fheilllll When occurote flgures ore required for close- cornerq by the morking O found between
up shooting, the depth of field toble should the occessory shoe (Z) ond the rewinding
be used. knob (l 3).
lf should be noted, however, thot the shorp-
ness of the picture does not end obruptly
with the depth of field, nor is everything
within ihis zone of equol shorpness. ln other
words, shorpness groduolly decreoses ol-
though for oll procticol purPoses everything
is of occeptoble shorpness within the porfi-
culor depth of field. Criticol pin-point
shorpness, however, will be ottoined only in
the porticulor plone octuolly focused on ond,
therefore, it is besf to focus os close qs
possible to the spot where greotest shorpness
is required.
o. Fllm Plone Indlcotor:
All distonce in the depth of field toble ore
9View original page 18Page 21 · Read text
the center of interesf, moking lt stondTIPSFORBEITERPICTURES out shorply defined, ogoinst o subdued
t . For o distont shof without ony foreground ond diffused bockground. Try to use o
inferest, simply set the distonce io infinity neutrol colored ond quiet bockground, or
ond ihe diophrogm to f15.6 or f f8, which move the subiecf owqy from fhe bock-
will give moximum shorpness in the for ground. For outdoor porfroifs, use the
distonce. sky os the bockground ond toke your
pictures eorly or lote in the doy so thot
2. For londscope shots, try to insert some softer light con be utilized.
foreground interest, porticulorly of humon
inferest, for greoter impocfl story-telling 4. Consider pre-focusing for oction shots if
effect ond three dimentionol impression. the required exposure demqnds o lorge
Folioge or deep shodows in the fore- operture. Since zone focusing is not
ground will olso serve to frome o lighter possible with lorge operturesr focus on
distonce londscope ond give greoter im- the spot the subiect is expected to be in
poct to the picture. ot the time you will wont to toke the
picture.
3. For poriroif or close-up work use o
comporoiively lorge operture ond focus 5. Alwoys consider the use of o wide oper-
shorply on the eyes. This will produce ture for its selective focus obility. The
o shollow depih of field ond emphosize shollow depth of field possible with the
t 2View original page 21Page 22 · Read text
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lil
wide operture should be used os o creo- iect fills the full negotive frome. This
tive tool for plocing emphosis ond dro- dynomic technique, so effectively used in
motizng the center of interest. This movies ond television, will give odded
technique will eliminote most of the dis- impoct ond dromo to your pictures.
trocting shopes ond forms interf erring
with the moin subiect ond will olso pro-
duce pictures with greoter directionol
impoct.
6. The smollest operture, on the other hond,
gives extreme depth of field, covering in
some instonces obiects o few feef owoy to
distont feotures, ond should be used when
it is required to give rnore strength ond
orgonizotion to the seporofe elements for
o for more effective picture with overqll
shorpness.
7. For chonging comrnonploce subiecfs into
rnore powerful pictures, movie close in to
get pictures where only port of the sub-
l 3View original page 22Page 23 · Read text
CORRECT EXPOSURE SETTINGCORRECTEXPOSURE
l . Depress the ASA index lever (23) ond
One of the most importont foctors in obtoin- set it opposite ihe number which corres-
ing superior pictures is correct exposure. ponds to the film you ore using. There
The correcf exposure moy be considered os is o click stop setting for oll populor
the proper relotionship of the shutter speed films olthough spoce did not ollow us to
to the lens opening (operture), decided by indicote them oll. The click stops ore
the brightness of ihe subiect ond dependent for the following speeds :
on the speed (ls,l inaex number) of the film
being used. When either the lens opening 2. Choose o suitoble shutter speed (more
or speed, or both, ore incorrecl for the obouf fhis follows) ond set it by turning
subiect motter, either under or over-exposure the shutter speed ring (lO) until rhe full
is the result. All the difficulties involved in number representing the required speed
obtoining correct exposure settings ore effec- is sef opposite the index (l l).
tively eliminoted in your TOPCONETTE. lts
built-in exposure meter, coupled to both 3. Next, while looking ot the subiect through
operture ond shutter speed rings, outomoti- the finder, turn fhe diophrogm ring until
colly sets the correct relqiion of lens opening the needle is ploced exoctly in the center
ond shutter speed when the needle ond in- of the clow. The proper exposure hos
dicotor ore oligned in the finder window. then been outomoticolly set.
1 1View original page 23Page 25 · Read text
directly into the meter. A recding moy vice versc. Thus, when it is required to
be token of the shodows ond highlights sel o specific operture (more obout qper-
ond the results overoged to obtoin o tures follow), the shutter speed ring should
pleosing overoge exposure. !g_ "diurt"d "nly "ft.r _"":
2. For toking o reoding of on inoccessible ' monipuloting the operture ring to motc!
subiecf substitute o neorby obiect hoving indicofors in the finder for o previously_
texture ond lighting conditions of identi-
set shutter speed.
col nqture to the subiect. For exomple,
the hond will serve for good flesh tone
1. As con be seen by monipuloting the reodings, but core musf be exercised to
shutter speed ond operture rings, the toke o reoding of the reflected light
relotionship of these settings ore constont striking it ot the some ongle os the sub-
once correct exposure hos been decided,
iect.
if the shutter speed ring only is odiusted
3. The shutter speed ring ond operture ring thereofter.
ore cross-coupled. Any cdiustmenls to
the shutter speed ring will outo:"noticolly SHUTTERSPEED RING
move the operture ring in coupled move- The comero hos ten shutter speeds, they ore
ment, i.e., if the shutter speed is increos- indicoted on the shutter speed ring, os full
ed, the operture will be decreosed ond numbers. They control the time thot the
l 6View original page 25Page 26 · Read text
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light roys ore perrnitted to register on the unfil fhe required speed ftgure is opposite
f i f m n e s o r i v e : - l 1 1 2 1 l 4 1 1 8 I l t s | / 3 0 the shutter speed index (l l).
1 I 60 1 I 1 25 1l2so I /sOO seconds. As con
be seen, eqch lorger index (foster shutter SEIF.TIMER
speeds) permits only one-hclf the iime of the A self-timer is built into the lens shutter ond,tilr next smoller index number (slower shutter is set simply by odiusting the M-X-V switch
speed). Speeds | /30 ond slower should only (ZO) to V-setting. lt is octivoted by pressing
be used with the comero mounted one tripod. the shutfer releose button (e) in the nor.mql
monner.
With proctice hond-held ,frot, ot | 14, 1 18
ond l/15 ore possible. On the ofher hond, The use of the self-timer permits o deloy of
t /gO of o second should be token with ex- opproximotely l0 seconds between shutter
ireme core, os co,'lr€ro movernent will show releose oction ond the octuol shutter blode
up on the negotive. oction, thus giving sufficient time for the
B (for bulb exposure) is used when exposures photogropher to get into the picture. The
longer thon I second ore required. The self-tirner olso ollows the photogropher to
shutter blqdes will stoy open os long os the oct os his own ossistont wifh o reflector or
shutter button is depressed. extension flosh unit, or even for toking con-
did shots with on unottended cq,merq.
The shutter speed is sef to the cq,nero simply The self-timer moy be set either before or
by revolving the shutter speed ring (t O) ofter film winding lever oction.
1 7View original page 26Page 27 · Read text
CABTE RELEASE occidentolly releosed. Reversing theoction
will unlock the shutter button.
The shutter button hos o socket in its center
which occepts o regulor screw-in type coble APERTURE
releoses.
ln generol, the coble releose should be used The lens is equipped with on iris diophrogm
whenever the comero is used on o tripod, which produces o groduoted series of lens
especiolly with slow shulter speeds ond time opening, colled opertures or stops, ond which
exposures, os well qs for close-ups ond control the omount of light thot enters the
lens ond registers on the film. The followingphotomicrogrophy.
operturesr with the exposure rotio noted, ore
The use of <r long coble releose, or one
engroved on the operture ring (9) ond ore
operoted by oir pressure from o greot dis-
reod off ogoinst the index (l I ).tonce, will even permit the photogropher to
oct os his own ossistont (for holding reflec- Aperture 2 2.8 4 5.6 8 ll 16 22
fors or flosh units), or will permit the toking Exposure
of condid shots by remote control. R o r i o 1 1 4 1 1 2 1 2 4 8 1 6 3 2
SHUTTER RELEASE SAFETY IOCK It will be noted thot eoch srnoller operture
A sofety lock (.7) is built oround the shut?er requires double the exposure of the previous
releose button. Revolve it counter-clockwise operture ond thot, therefore, stopping down
until it stops the shutter button cqnnot be will require o corresponding increose in the
l 8View original page 27Page 29 · Read text
torger imoge. This moves fosfer ocross is releosed while smoothly following the
o smqller field ond, therefore, requires oction, with the result thot the bock-
o foster shutfer speed thqn the stond- ground is completely blurred.Itl
ord lens. The TOPCOR ouxiliory wide' 4. Cotching the "peok" of ony qction is
ongle lens used from the some Posi- onother \ /oy of stopping motion with o
tion could get by with o slower speed.
foirly slow shutter speed. This is becouse
"peok"
"stopping" most octions hove o beginning, o e. The degree of required ; ond on ending, ond octuol movement
the fostest speed of I /500 seconds pouses momentorily between eoch phose "deep will freeze" mony fosf move' "peok" thus permitting fhe to be photo-
ments. Occosionolly however blurred grophed.
movements of the orm or leg moy
help to convey more feeling of motion 5. The use of extro slow shutter speeds for
"desd". "mood" thon if the motion is stopped obtoining speciol effects should
olso be considered when it is o motter of
3. Ponning of subiect movement is onother copturing the mood of o scene which
woy of stopping motion while, ot the might be spoiled with extro lighting,
some time, conveying the expression of high-speed films or over-development.
motion by blurring the bockground. The
comero is moved with the subiect move-
ment ond the comporotively slow shutter
20View original page 29Page 31 · Read text
lever. You don't hove fo remember o. The lens diophrogm stops down to o pre-
to close down the operture before determined operture.
shooting - iust press the shutter bufton b. The shutter blodes close completely.
ond concentrote on getting the picture. c. The mirror swings up.I d. The film blind (covering the film plone)
2 ' INSTANTTION RETURN MIRROR AC. e. opens.The shufter opens fully for the required
This ing'enious mechonism sees to if time ond then closes.
thot the mirror is roised out of the f. The film blind closes.
woy of the light poth, before the shut- g. The mirror swings down.
ter clicks, ond olso relurns immediotely h. The lens diophrogm qnd shutter blodes
info position ofter the shutter qction. open fully.
Thus, there is obsolutely no chonce of Eoch of the obove octions completely mesh
your missing the following scene - into eoch other ond there is only one smooth
there ore no mirror block-out - ond flow of qutomotic oction.l
you cqn follow through for sequence
shots without ony limiting foctors. 3. SPEED.TEVERFILM WINDING
Noie ACTION
Eoch time the shutter button is pressed the Eoch 180 degree revolution of the
following octions oll occur. speed-lever,not only cdvoncesthe film
22
l*"ai* .'a,rr.ra:+;,-i*lr---View original page 31Page 32 · Read text
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exoctly one frome, but, ot the some pops out offer the new film hqs been
time, odvonces the exposure counter, looded ond the winding lever is used.
cocks the shutter, ond chorges the mirror
roising mechonism. A 20 degree ploy t
is built into the speed-lever so thot it
is much eqsier to keep one's thumb on
the speed-lever for the next following
oction.
4. FIIP-OPEN RAPID REWIND
CRANK
Besides oll the preceeding speed feo-
furesr it is often equolly importont to
unlood the film ropidly. The flip-open
ropid rewind cronk is therefore o very
voluoble feof ure. Although flot ond
unobtrusive when not in use, it is flipped
open fo become o very fost rewinding
geor. The qutomotic pop-out rewind
button stoys in once depressed ond
2 3View original page 32From the M. Butkus archive. Original publisher and archive notices are retained.
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PDF verified 2026-10-10.