Film cameras
Topcon RE2 User manual
User manual for Topcon RE2. 90 pages in English. Read the original PDF, download or print a copy without registration.
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- Brand
- Topcon
- Model / document
- Topcon RE2
- Document type
- User manual
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 90
- File size
- 5.8 MB
- Category
- Film cameras
- Document date
- Not specified in catalog
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Page 2 · Read text
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Precoulion
Batteries for the KAKO ELITE II must be
1.25v nickel cadmium batteries exclusively. Ncr
other types of batteries, such as manganic and
alkali, are applicable. If you want to use any TOPCON RE-2 whlch we clre type of nickel cadmium battgrieq other tfran
olllng serrylce. The TOPCON those supplied by us, you should make sure
tI ' that it complies with the 400-500mAh standards. )ud of ond whlch wlll iusrlfY
Even if it complies, that does nqt always meanII
it will match the flash durqfion other I andJI that
l-, performances particular to this strobe unit. I suggest thot you reqd rhls
Ir rder thot lr ls wrhlen' ond
working ports (so thot yourJ{
fingers wlll work the comero qur(rrrrsr.colly) before yOu even load
your first rotl of film. Your pteosure In uslng fhe TOPCON RE'2 wlll
be even greoter if you know your comero thoroughly.
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I'YIPORTANT
f . Don'l touch the surfoces of lenses, mlrrorsr eyeplece ond
shutter.
2. Stroke the film wlndlng speed-lever crll ihe woy-untll lt stops.
3. Don't stroke the speed-lever untll shutler qctlon ls compleled.-
4. Keep the exposure meter on OFF when not In use.
5. Gover the lens when nol In use.
6. Dontt force movements but r€-r€ard lnstructlons once more.
7. lf your TOPGON RE-2 needs repolr, don't do lt yourself but
Gontqci lhe nenrest quthorlzed deoler.
,i*,j:"*e6r* ir'il6r*;i*ldei ,hs$&& '**View original page 3Page 6 · Read text
ond for beginners, who inlend to use thc PARTI best there is.
The principol virfue of the comero is the THTTOPCONRE.2 system itself-with viewing-focusing through-
In this port you ore introduced to the comoro, lhe-comero-lens. There is obsolutely no porol-
ihe nomes of its vorious ports, the distinctive lox-even when the slondord lens is exchong-
feofures of the comero ond the TOPCON ed for o telephoto, or extended by bellows, or
RE-2 system of photogrophy, which is built used for photomicrogrophy-ond ouxiliory ffnd-
oround the fully integroted single lens reflex ers ore not required or supplied. Becouse the
system. reflex mirror intercepts the very imoge thot
will be focused on the film plone, the ftnol
A FULTYINTEGRATEDSINGLE pictureis releosed.is olwoys seen even before the shutter
LENSREFTEXSYSTEM BUT, lhe reol votue of rhe fOpCON single lens
The TOPCON RE-2 is o fully intcgroted ond reflex system is in its focusing screen :-
completely oufomoted single lens reflex (l) The screen is precision centered fo coincide
comero, complete in oll .detoils ond equipped exoctly with the center of the fflm frome,
with mony of the lotest odvonced feotures, ond shows on olmost life-size ftnder oreq
such os is usuolly not found in q comero of thot motches the exoct film oreo,
this closs, which mokes it o yery .voluoble (2) The stondord focusing screen hos TRUE
second comero for professionols with the RE (not ploin gloss) ground gloss boosted with
Super, os well os o single lens reflex highly fresnel lens for corner-fo-corner brightness,
suitoble for use by odvonced omoteurs, ond,
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(g) I micro-prism focusing rpot, surrounded shooting. The oction is fost but positivc with by o ftne focus ring, for speedier lineor mirror vibrotion held to o minimum. focusing ond foster ground gloss focusing, However, the most ostonishing ond revolu. olso. tioncry feoture of the TOPCON RE-2 is the For full outomotion of the single lens reflex built-in thru-?he-lens Mirror-Metering system system, the TOPCON RE-2 hos the fully which is o CdS exposure meter ottoched behind outomotic instont opening lens diophrogm the reflex mirror ond inlernolly coupled to both gII!9!, -l@l l."Sth l."t.t lens diophrogm ond shutter speed. In other This meons thot the lens.is olwoys wide open words, it is only necessory io toke o reoding for moximum view-focusing eose but closes of the reflected light from the subiect qreo down outomoticolly to the predetermined .oper- (some os seen on the focusing screen) coming .ture for the picture-toking moment ond re- through the lens onto the mirror, odiust either opens once more to wide operture, in on oction operture or shutter speed, or both, until the thot is so fost thot it is hordly noticed ot foster motch-point indicotor in the flnder shows ex- shutter speeds. posure is correct; ond, then simply press the And, for odded convenience, this lens qction shutter releose to get the picture. is olwoys coupled with the instont return mir- Since the exposure reoding is through the lens, ror oction, which meons tt ot'ttte?eflEi-ririoi it is highly occurote. Becouse only 7o/s of the in coordinoted oction with the shutter ond Mirror-Lite is loken owoy from the ftnder the lens diophrogm, iumps out of the woy for view is neither obstructed nor dorkened. And, picture-toking but snops bock instontly to view- the Mirror-Meter is mechonicolly coupled to oll ing position, completely eliminoting mirror RE. Auto-Topcors, which meons thot full outo- block-outs qnd permitting ropid sequence motion is not lost ond view-focusing ot moxi. a*"a:r*!*&*r** ql-:,o- . , ;u#eu-.. ,.;d;,t,, :View original page 7
Page 8 · Read text
mum operturo is possible. of shooting thot con be hondled. And, for
For speedy view-focusing, ond to tqke full convenience ond moximum performonce in
odvontogc of the single lens reflex system, close-up shooting, there ore olso two wonder-
the TOPCON RE-2 hos o flxed Pentoprism f ul Mocro-Topcor lenses, which hove been
ftnder, which is unexcelled for speedy snop- speciolly designed with extrome lens exten-
shooting, ond o lorge rectongulor-shoped eye- sions. To round out the TOPCON RE-2 system
piece, which permits viewing into oll four of photogrophy, most of the top quolity
corners of the ftnder field. Furthermore, the occessories qvoiloble for the TOPCON RE
eyepiece frome hos verticol slots on either SUPER con olso be used, besides some ex-
side to which vorious occessories, such os clusive occessories, thus greotly increosing
eye-cup, occessory shoe, odopter for cor- versotility in vorious fields of photogrophy*
reclion lens ond mognifler, ond ongle-viewer such os, mocrophotogrophy, photomicrogrophy,
moy be ottoched. reproduction work, color slide copying, etc.
The crowning touch to the TOPCON RE-2 is, Finolly, pleose remember thot the TOPCON
of course, lhe ronge of superior TOPCOR RE-2 system is o growing system ond thot
lenses-noted for fine opticol design, superior odditionol voluqble ond procticol occessories
lens chorqcteristics ond generol top perform- ond lenses will be mode ovoiloble os the
once under difricuh shooting conditions. The need orises.
seven most populor focol lengths ore supplied
with the fully outomotic lens diophrogm-the
RE. Auto-Topcor group. Telephoto lenses ore
olso supplied with preset diophrogm-the R.
Topcor group, greotly increosing the ronge
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MAIN FEATURESOF THE TOPCONR,E.2
Standard Leng:
RE. Auto-Topcor f/1.8 58mm 6 element lens. Exokto type modifted boyonet mount.
Fully outomotic instont opening lens diophrogn internolly coupled to built-in exposure
meter. RE. Auto-Topcor tll.4 58mm 7 element lens is olso ovoiloble.
Shutter:
COPAL Squore focol plonc shutter, with non-rototing single oxte shufter speed diol.
Elevenequol distont shutter speed settingsl, 112, 114, l18, 1115,1FO, 1160,11125,
ll25O,l/500, ond t/1000 sec. plus Bulb; internolly coupled to built-in exporure meter.
Flnder:
Eye-levet Pentoprism finder, with torge-size rectongulor-shopedeyepiece. Eyepiece
frome hos verticol slots for occepting eye-cup, occessory shoe, odopter for cot-
rection lens, mogniffer,ond ongle viewer.
Focuslng Screen:
True ground gloss over full orco is boosted by fresnel lens for overoll brightness; hos
micro-prismfocusing spot surrounded by fine focus ring. Center of flnder is oligned
exoctly with center of fflm frome.
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j
Mlrror Actlon:
Positive stopping instont return mirror oction, coupled with shutter .ond lens diophrogm
octions.
Exposure Meler:
Codmium Sulphide expoturc meler is ottoched behind (ond is on integrol port of) ttre
refex mirror. Norrow 0.05mm (0.002'l) slits cut in mirror surfoce permit 7/s light
tronsmission fo meter, without dorkening or obstructing focusing screen view. Gives
overoge reoding for whole subiect oreo seen in focusing screen. Internolly coupled
to both shuiter speed ond lens diophrogm (of oll TOPCOR lenres). Motch-point
indicotor in right lower holf of focusing screen. Covers ronge of EV 2.7 to Ey 16.7,
with ASA 100 film ond f/1.8 lens. Works on minioture 1.3 volt mercur:y bottery.
Flash Synchronizotion :
M'X twin flosh sockets for synchronizotion with oll flosh bulbs ond elecironic fiosh
units. Closs M ond FP bulbs synchronize ot oll speeds up to I/IOOO sec. with flosh
cord inserted in M-socket, while electronic flosh synchronizes on oronge-cotored
. shutter speed5 l Io lll25 s.ec., plus B, on X-sockef. Built-in occidentol flosh preven-
tion double contoct system.
Speed-Lever 3
180 degrees single.sfroke, odvonces films, chorges shutter qnd mirror roising mecho-
nism, os well os odvoncing exposure counter.
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_ . 0
Exposure Gounter:
Additive exposure counler outomoticqlly returns to stqrt-mork upqn opening comero
bock.
Film Rewlndlng:
Fold-down rewind cronk flips open for fost rewinding oction; turn-stop rewind button
outomoticolly pops up with speed-lever oction.
Self-Timer:
Adiustoblefor 5.to l0 secondsdeloyed oction; exclusiverele.osebutton.
Fitm Indicotor:
Nineteen click-stoppingftlm speeds ASA 25 to 1600 (or DIN 15 to 33).
Fltm Loodlng:
Hinged comero bock locks tight on cotch when closed strongly. Opens when lock is
pulled down.View original page 11Page 12 · Read text
Digitally signed by Mike Butkus
Mike Butkus DN:ou=Butkus.org,email=mike@butkus.org,cn=Mike Butkus, o, c=US
Date: 2026.01.13 00:58:02 -05'00'
NOMENCLATURE
O Film winding speed-lever @ Shutter speed scole @ Aperture ring
@ Exposure counter a5) Film speed odiusting ring C) Depth of fleld scole
(} Film rpeed indicotor G) Self-timer lever O Dislonce focusing ring
www.butkus.usView original page 12Page 13 · Read text
www.butkus.us @ lens locking lever @ Ropid rewind cronk @ Finder eyepiece @ Shutter releose button @ Film plone indicqtor @ Eyepiece f rome slof @ Rewind knob (D Shoulder rtrop lug @ Focql ptone shutterView original page 13
Page 14 · Read text
@ Film tronsport sprocket @ Cortridge pressure spring @ Rewind button
@ Film toke-up spool @ Bottery switch @ Bock cover lock
'@ Film pressure plote et Botfery comportment cover @ M-setting flosh sockel
www.butkus.usView original page 14Page 16 · Read text
Venmo @mike-butkus-camera Ph. 2083
www.butkus.us www.PayPal.me/lynnbutkusPayPal Name Lynn@butkus.orgView original page 16Page 17 · Read text
PARTII wellHowever,os thesincedistonceexposureto theconditionssubiect, chonge,it is olsoos
required thot- BASICPICTURE.TAKING
PROCEDURES 4.3. ExposureDistonce bebe correctlyset properly,focusedond ond subiect
composed.
Only the bosic procedures for toking pictures And, finolly, since shorply focused pictures con
with the TOPCON RE-2 ore given in thir port. only be otfoined if the comero does not moye
Additionol informotion for toking superior while shooting, it is olso necessory fhot-
pictures ore covered in Port lV ond fllm lood-
5. The comero, with occessories, be held ing is discussed in Port lll.
properly.
The procedures covered in this port should be
proctised fully, before film is even looded in
ihe comero, in order thot you ore so fomilior
with the movements fhot they ore done ou-
tomoticolly. Bosicolllr picture-toking moy be
considered simply os-
l. Advoncing the film one frome, cocking the
focol plone shutter, chorging the mirror
mechonismr etc.r ond
2. Releosing the shutter.
l l$ i6iJtH * #$i** &l| *' '* **OL}View original page 17Page 18 · Read text
I
CORRECTEXPOSURE TOPCON frllrror-Meler:
One of lhc most importont foctors governing For obtoining for moro occurole exporure od-
the toking of superior picture is correcl cx- iustments thon possible with other comero3,
posurs, which is the correct relotionshlp be- the TOPCON RE-2 hos on exclusive built-
tween- in CdS Mirror-Meter (on exposure meter ot-
toched behind the reflex mirror) which is, fur-t. Shutter speed, ond
thermore, internolly coupled to both shutter
2. Aperture (lens opening), speed ond lens diophrogm. Since the Mirror-
os decided by- Meter is designed to give on overoge exposure
3. The brightness of the subiect, reoding for the full oreo covered in the focus-
ond dependent on-- ing screen, bosed on the omount of light
4. The speed (ftlm sensitivity - ASA or DIN refected from the subiect through the comero lens onto the reflex mirror, it is superior to
index number) of the film looded in the other oxposure meters.
cqmero.
When either the lens opening or shutfer speed, l. lt gives precise occurote exposure reod-
or both, ore incorrect for the brightness ings no motter whether interchongeoble
of the subiect motter, either under'exposure lenses, from wide-ongle to telephoto, or
or over-exposure is the result. Thus, it con speciol lenses ore ottoched to ihe cqmero,
be seen thof it is very importont to be oble or even when the cqmero is used on the
to iudge the brightness of the subiect correct- microscope or with the telescope, ond, of
ly in order to obtoin properly exposed pic- course, it works perfectly with the stondord
lures. 58 mm lens.
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J
Exposure Reodlng; con olso be us6d for obtoining one itop
exposure odiustments, f or slight oYer- or
Switch on the exposure meter, by pushing the under-exposure effects.
control switch (23) up to ON. This will ploce
ln qll instonces, however, once correct ex-the exposure pointer index (o circle on the
posure is obtoined with the finder indicotor,end of o pointer) into the lower right holf
both shutter speed ond lens openings ore outo-field of the finder. Nexi , point the comero moticolly odiusted ond nothing else need beot the subiect until the required oreo fills the
focusing screen (ond Mirror-Meter) oreo fully. done.
Adlust either or both the shutter speed diol Recommended Shutler SPeeds :
ond operture ring until the motch-point indi- As noted previously, it is recommended thot
cotor, seen in the lower right holf of the the shutter speed be set to the comero first,
ffnder field, is oligned correctly with the becouse it is more often dictoted by the light-
index. ing condition ond film speed. The toble on
poge l7 should be used os o generol guide:-Normolly, it will be much more simple to
choose o suitoble shutter speed first of oll GAUTION:
ond then odiust the operture ring until the The exposure meter control switch must ql-indicotor is oligned to show correct exposure, woys be set to OFF when not in use (thebecouse the operture ring is moved in the
circle index mork will disoppeor f rom thesome direction os the movement of the indi-
flnder field when set to OFF). Theref ore,cotor.
moke it o proctice to return the switch to
The top ond bottom rims of the circulor index OFF ofter eoch reoding or shooting session.
l5
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SINGIE IENS VIEW-FOCUSING l. Focusing is olwoys done ot the widest
operture ond the lens diophrogm closesTwo other importont foctors for obtoining down qutomoticolly (not monuolly),
good pictures ore :-
2. The finder shows 93 percent of the finol
l. Accurote focusing oi ihe imoge on the
negotive f rome, with on equolly spoced
film plone, ond morgin oreo oround the full frome, ond,
2, Correct composition of the subiect motter 3. The centers of the finder ond film negotive
within the limits of the negotive oreq. f rq me coincide exoctly.
In the TOPCON RE-2 both these importont
foctors ore token core of by o single system, Penioprism Finder:
-viewing ond focusing through the comero
The finder system utilizes o Pentogonol prismlens, which meons thot-
l. Focusingodiustmentsmode with the comero
lens con be checked directly in the finder,
ond,
2. An exoct negotive size frome is ploced
olong the extension of the opticol poth,
completely eliminoting the porollox prob-
l e m .
Furthermore,the system os incorporoted in the
TOPCON RE-2 is doubly ottroctive becouse-
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frnder, which is precision-mode of the flnest The lorge-size rectongulor eyepiece is voluo-
opticol gloss. ble f or checking oll f our corners of the
flnder oreo, even when the user weors eye- The Pentoprism ftnder meons thot-
glosses. 'A l. right side up loterolly correct imoge,
Correction lenses moy olso be used if the moving in the some direction os the octuol
user's eyesight is defective. subiect, is olwoys seen, ond is especiolly
ottroctive for fost, condid type snop-shoot-
Attclchment of Gorrectlon Lens: ing.
For diopter correction, when the user's eye-2. Both eyes con be used for shooting, with
sight is def ective, pleose order one of the one eye on the finder ond the other on
six occessory lenses, f or giving - 3 to + 3 the generol scene, which comes in useful
corrections, ond on odopter for ottochment when f ollowing your subiect with the
to the eyepiece frome. The odopter should comerq.
be slipped into the eyepiece frome slots (17)
3. Eye-level viewing meons correctly loterol ond the correction lens should then be
ond erecf imoges in verticol formot, olso.
4. Brilliont ond lif e-size enlorged imoge.
Lorge-Slze Finder Eyepl€G€ :
The TOPCON RE-2 hos one of the lorgest
flnder eyepiece ( | 6), ond on eye-cup moy
olso be ottoched to the eyepiece f rome.
l 9View original page 23Page 24 · Read text
screwed into the odopter. Consuh your BRITE,ct fresnel type plote lens.
opticion for the proper correction.
2. Flne Focus R,lng 3 A norrow ring sur-
Focuslng Adiustmenis : rounds the split-image rongeffnder, which
All focusing odiustments for obtoining o shorp is not ossisted by the fresnel lens but
imoge on the film plone must be mode direct- gives o finer focusing ground gloss circle.
ly on the comero lens itself, simply by re-
Ground gloss focuslng ir done ot widevotving the distonce focusing ring (9) in
operture by observing the shorpness of theeither direction until the imoge is properly
imoge os seen on the ground gloss. lf rhorp-focused. The distonce moy be found by reod-
ness is in doubf, re-focus in either directioning the distonce ftgure opposite the distonce
from the initiol point of utmost shorpness ondindex, which olso doubles os the operture
compore results.index. All focusing odiustments ore checked
on the focusing screen.
3, Mlcro-Prlsm Focuslng Spot : The
Focusing Screen : focusingspof in the centeris mode up of
The focusing screen hos o full-oreo ground
gloss fleld plus o micro-prism f ocusing spot,
surrounded by o fine focus ring.
f . Full-Arecr Ground Glclss: The ground
gloss extends oyer the full oreo of the
finder screen, except for o centrol round
portion, ond is boosted f or odditionol
brightness qnd brillionce by the TOKO- In Focus Not in Focus
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numerous microscopic prisms which breok combined will live still .more foster fousing
up the imoge when it is not in focus so speed.
thot the imoge is seen indistinct snd blur-
red. When the distonce focusing ring is
revolved ond the subiect is occurotely
focused, the imoge in the focusing spof
will be seen distinctly ond shorply.
Subiects with lineor feotures will be
porticulorly effective f or f ocusing be-
couse the stroight lines will look rogged
ond broken up when out of focus but
will be seen stroight when in focus.
When in doubt, revolve the distonce
focusing ring either woys from whqt is
considered optimum focusing ond check
the eftecf.
Gomblned focuslng is recommended in most
coses. The oreo covered by ihe micro-
prism focusing spot is smoll ond becouse the
.ground gloss simultoneously enobfes one to
focus on fhe eniire picture oreo. ond when
21
'View original page 25Page 26 · Read text
HOTDING THE CAilIERA
As importcnt os correct exposure ond occurote
focusing ore for getting better pictures, it is
iusi os importont to hold the comero in the
most steody ond comfortoble working posi-
tion for getting shorp pictures. Proctise the
following methods which ore recommended for
lhe TOPCON RE-2 ond which moy olso be
used with some odoption for the comero with
longer lenses ottoched or the ongle flnder
in position.
Horlzontol :
Most photos ore token in the horizontol for-
mot. Toke o flrm grip on the distonce focus-
ing ring (9), with the left thumb ond left
forefinger, resting the comero body on the
polm of the left hond. Ploce your right
thumb ogoinst the speed-lever (l), with either
the right foreftnger or middlefinger on the
shutter releose button (tl) ond tho rest of the
www.butkus.us 22View original page 26From the M. Butkus archive. Original publisher and archive notices are retained.
Check the model and edition against your equipment.
PDF verified 2026-10-10.

