RE. Auto Topcor 58mm f1.4 - Legendary
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- Опубликовано: 2 июн 2021
- Disclaimer - No technical or expert review found here! This video is a mix of entertainment and an introduction to this legendary lens! Today's Voigtlander 58mm f1.4 is basically a copy of this lens...nothing wrong with that. Topcor should consider that a compliment to the excellent design which was again rumored to be a Planar copy! Why not?! The Planar is an excellent lens in its own right!
Don't forget to get yourself a copy of Luminar for that extra touch desired to produce that perfect photo! Click here for a $10 discount! skylum.grsm.io/DrScott
I picked one up recently in a lot of 5 lenses from Goodwill, $36 for all of them (including a Super Takumar 50mm 1.4). It was dirty but I disassembled and did a CLA (well, no adjustment needed). It turned out to be in nearly perfect condition other than the rubber focus grip ring, which was not salvageable, cracked and sticky. I replaced with some brown leather. It is my favorite lens for sure! Focus throw isn't even really an issue most of the time, 3ft to infinity is a single wrist/finger movement - it's only closer than 3ft where the throw becomes excessive.
Wow Mike! That's an excellent score! With the prices that these lenses go for these days, that's a great savings! Although it's nice to have original parts on our vintage lenses, sometimes they do fall apart and need something else to replace them. The leather grip would be not only a decent option but one that makes your lens unique and quite personal. I too have some that needed a grip replacement...I had not thought of leather before but will consider it in the future! Thanks for this comment Mike! Best of luck with these, Scott
I picked up the RE Super body with 58mm f1.4 and 35mm f2.8 for 28$. Both lenses are RE. Got it at an estate sale sitting next to a Pentax K1000 that they were selling for more than double the Topcon. Lol 😂
NICE!!! Both for $28?! Wow! Good for you! That's something I can only dream about finding. Keep your eyes open for more deals like that and you'll come out on top some day if you look to sell them for a great profit! Or keep them and be happy with the price you paid. Best of luck and thanks for sharing! Cheers, Dr. Scott
@@DrScottMcDonald007 yup, both lenses and body for 28$. I don't ever plan on selling them. I already told my kids I'm keeping them until I die haha.
@@drum009...hahaha! That's what I tell Dylan too! He can either carry on the trend or sell them off to buy a house when I'm gone!
Ok I have just got a new Leica CL I am looking for an M42 Adaptor and a good nd filter for my 23mm Leica lens any ideas would be great
Congrats on your new camera and lens! Depending on where you are in the world...online shopping usually yields the best results. Camera shops have a limited inventory...except B&H in the US who seem to have everything. I buy most of my adapters and filters through Lazada and eBay on my side of the world.
Thank you
The Topcor 58mm f/1.4 is the grandfather of the Voigtlander Nokton 58mm f/1.4 but the Voigtlander is not a copy. The Topcor is a 7 element 5 group lens and the Voigtlander is a 7 element 6 group lens. Cosina did make a limited run using the 7/6 optical formula that is now in the Nokton as a tribute to this lens with Topcon's permission. It used Topcor branding and was silver and looked very similar.
Nice addition to the story Sebastian! Thanks!
@@DrScottMcDonald007 I have seen one Topcor vs Voigtlander and the images now long gone. The Voigtlander was better wide open slightly, but the Topcor pulled ahead from f/2.8 to f/4 in sharpness and then from f/5.6 little difference that disappeared by f/8. The Topcor also had better chromatic aberration control.
I tested a friends Nokton and found it to be a tad bit sharper overall in all apertures, however I chose to go with the Topcor as it had better color rendition and nicer bokeh and I got a sweet deal on both Topcon RE body and the lens ($$600 in mint condition 😊) However I will eventually get the VL Nokton because I do also shoot and would love it in a native Nikon mount and not adapted from Exakta
@@AdrianVegaOfficial Interesting. Are we talking small differences or obvious differences due to aberrations? There is sample variation with lenses and with Topcors age and wear is a factor. Would you be willing to post a comparison on Flickr or some other place. The only comparison I saw long ago is now removed.
Thanks Dr Scott . Great Video. My dad got into Topcon very early.I think in the mid 1960s. I have all of is gear including the Auto 58mm 1.4.
Is there an adapter that will allow me to use it on a Canon EF mount.
Hi Jeff...I use one from Fotodiox that works. It's got a proprietary mount but is really similar to Exakta so the EXA-EF would work. There is a spring-loaded arm on the adapter that latches onto the pin at the bottom of the Topcor lens holding it in place. It's not exactly pretty...but it gets the job done. There are a few mfrs out there making them, but it is always best to try to stick to name brand companies. Sometimes you can get lucky and the cheapo no-name ones will work too. It's your call. Thanks for the question! Best of luck finding one and enjoy that lens...it really is a gem! Cheers, Scott
@@DrScottMcDonald007 thanks very much for the quick response. I look forward to breathing new life into the lens. I'm also anxious to try his favorite lens which was the 25 mm 3.5. I remember that he had a friend who went to Japan in the early 70's who brought it back for him. That was a big deal at the time.
@@yugars22 ...I wish I had the 25! Enjoy it and experiment to figure out its strengths. Good luck and cheers, Scott
I bought one for peanuts at a house clearance sale last Monday for 67 pounds... I'm waiting for an exakta adapter, but playing with it on an m42 mount and the results are amazing. Absolutely wonderful.
It certainly IS a charming find! Congrats on that one! I find myself reaching for it quite often when choosing a lens for today's shoot. As you can see on my shelf, I have almost 100 to choose from! Thanks for the comment and have fun with your new "old" piece of history! Cheers!
@@DrScottMcDonald007 it's a jewel I'll always keep... along with my dad's Nikon F3, but that's another story 🙂
@@aidanhowgate5437 ...wise choice Aidan!
What a cute little model you have. The Topcor loved him (and, it seems, vice versa)!
Thanks Steve...yes he's a cutie...hopefully that doesn't lead to him being a trouble-maker at school. Teachers tend to forgive bad behavior because a kid is cute...same with his future girlfriends. At only 2 years old, his preschool teachers tell me that the girls in his class take turns hugging him! Uh-ohhh...the Topcors really are a fine collection of vintage glass that competes well with more modern lenses. Thanks for the comment and cheers!!!
I highly recommend this lens. I use it as my "goto" lens alongside the Topcor 35mm 1.4 with an adapter for my Fujifilm X-E3. I was surprised about the age of the lens. I was surprised to see the similarities between the Topor re:'s and the Voigtlander lenses. It is noticeable in the hardware and overall performance. I have over twenty lenses and cannot seem to get back to the rest of my collection. I have a concert to photograph next week so will leverage my automatic Fujifilm lenses due to the venue.
It is special, isn't it?! The Voigtlander is not an exact copy but I would suspect it certainly was an inspiration!
I used the Topcor 58mm f/1.8 back in the early 1970s, and I use one now on a Nikon Z5. It’s an incredible lens! I also have a Topcor 135mm and it also is a great lens. And cheap! About $75. These lenses have such a smooth 270-degree focus throw because they are lubricated using ball bearings. Back in the day, these lenses easily kept up with Canon and Nikon optics.
Hi Alex! Thanks for your contribution! I am onboard with you here...my five Topcor lenses are each superb in their own way. The 58/1.4 has its magic but the 58/1.8 is a fantastic little brother to it. I know some fellow users who would prefer that we do not mention Topcors to the masses as they worry that the best samples will soon be all gone and super expensive to obtain! I'm not letting any of mine go anytime soon, that's for sure. Enjoy your own Topcor/Nikon combo! Cheers, Scott
Thanks for this. Its very helpful. Is it better than nikkor 50 mm f/1,4. If yes I would love to sell mine to purchase Voigt 58
Thanks for the question...YES! I have the Nikkor 1.4 as well and the Topcor has many more qualities that make it stand out from the crowd. If you can find one at a decent price, jump on the opportunity to add one to your collection. You'll be happy with it! Cheers, Scott
@@DrScottMcDonald007 Thanks for insight. I have been looking for someone with first hand experience with both these lenses. Now I am assured voigtlander can replace my old 50 mm nikkor. I hope you make a video on their comparison. It's not available anywhere on an online platform.
@@myblueandme ...you're welcome! I have an original Voigtlander 50mm Color-Ultron 1.8 and a current Cosina Voigtlander 40mm 1.2 but those are as close as I get in my collection. The Voigtlander 58mm is inspired by the Topcor and I hear it is a pretty superb piece of glass! Cheers, Scott
Dr. Scott. Somewhere in these videos I promised to test the Topcors against Leica. I don't remember which video. I finally got around to testing the Summilux-R 50, RE Topcor 58 f/1.4, RE Topcor 58 f/1.8 (Two actually: One silver and one Black). I tested at f/4 and f/8 for now. Perhaps I will test wide open one day, but I don't shoot landscapes wide open. I tested on an overcast day with dull light. Here are my observations. The corners improve much quicker on the slower lenses (58 f/1.8) than they do on the faster lenses (Lux & 58 f/1.4). I did not test a Summicron, but I know this is also true for the Summicron from previous tests I have seen. When it comes to sharpness at these apertures you are really splitting hairs. I also refocused a few times at each aperture, and you could see some differences. That means the optics are better than my ability to focus with precision. I think many of these tests we see are useless for minor sharpness differences because of focus errors. Only when there is a significant difference, and it looks smeared does it mean anything as that is due to uncorrected aberrations. This also means the mechanics and ability to precisely focus is an important factor. Now onto the fun things. With the same white balance and conditions, the colors are not the same. The Leica has more "brilliance". The colors are more saturated and there appears to be a touch more clarity. It's hard to describe but all the Topcor's appeared to just have a touch more haze than the Leica. Very subtle. This impression of haze might be purely due to the less saturated colors in the Topcors. The reds, yellows, and greens are all more saturated on the Leica. Surprisingly the blues are more saturated on the Topcor and they fall more toward dull on the Leica. This is the only color that's reversed. Perhaps, it purely comes down to the Leica being a warmer lens and the Topcor's being colder. However, the Topcor colors are more accurate from what I remember. I can return to the scene, however, and confirm if my impression of color accuracy is correct.
Hi Sebastian! Thanks for adding to the conversation! I am onboard with your findings as I recognize similar experiences with my own uses of these lenses. Leica is quite in tune with their saturated colors that's for sure. It's almost a signature! I brought up the vibrancy of the blue colors when discussing this in the video about the Topcor 100mm lens. It really does stand out. There are so many minor adjustments that could be made to improve or reduce sharpness in manual focus lenses that I rarely if ever focus much on that myself either. You either get it or you don't. There's a lot of "good enough" that plays a role in this. Landscape may be a bit easier to get this done but trying to get a 2-year-old to stand still for a second is a job unto itself. I just got a variable ND filter this afternoon for my 58/1.4 since it is challenging to use this wide open while outside here (tropical sunshine tends to be quite bright). I've been meaning to get one for awhile now but never seemed to remember until today. 62mm is not all that common and was missing from my collection of filters. Now, I can't wait to get out there and use the heck out of it at the beach! Last weekend we were at the beach and my Leica 50lux and 90cron-R were getting the most love for the day. I wanted to bring the Topcor but without a filter, I knew it would be useless. Anyhow, thanks again for your input and time to write this out! Have a super week ahead and cheers! Scott
@@DrScottMcDonald007 I think my warmer tone theory is mostly correct. I readjusted white balance by picking a close to white point and the colors became mostly identical. The blues were the same. However this was not true for all colors and the Leica still had more saturation in a few areas but then again picking a white balance with a dropper is far from precise. I would have to use a white card to confirm. The Leica still appeared to have a tad more clarity however. The Topcors can play with the best though.
@@DrScottMcDonald007 Infinity can be very simple with the right adapter. Most adapters are too short. The only precise adapters I have found are rayquals which have not only spot on length but proper baffling to deal with reflections. They are very expensive though. I am always on the lookout for used ones as they sell at a fraction of the cost to retail. I had a rayqual for the Leica but not the topcors.
@@DrScottMcDonald007 I need to do another test in high contrast mid day light now. The last time I did this the micro contrast of the Summilux was at a crazy high level for a lens of its age. Much better than the other lenses in the test. This is why I chose to put it against the Topcors. This time there was no difference so either the topcors are just as good or it shows up in high contrast light. I chose the low contrast dull light because I shoot the kids a lot indoors and I don’t know if I am crazy but it seems the Leica lenses excel here. They maintain color saturation and brilliance and fine details while it seems most other lenses go dull in these conditions.
@@sebastiang7183 ...I agree. I also think that Topcors can certainly keep up with the pack for even that short time were with us...compared to Leica's extensive time playing in the game! I'm happy with the collection I have. There will always be other focal lengths I'd like to add but the 5 I have will do for now!
I was suprise you live here in Vietnam 🤣 love your videos champ
Hello Mr Ngo! Yes, I've been here since 2011. My wife and I lived in Little Saigon in California and I came here to finish my PhD research and stayed. Luckily my wife is Vietnamese and made my stay here problem-free! I teach at RMIT University and plan to stay and retire here! Thanks for the kind words and support! Have a super week and cheers, Dr. Scott
How does it compare with the Noct Nikkor 58mm f1.2?
Hi OMP! Thanks for the question but I'm going to say that there is no question that the Noct would take the cake as far as what its capabilities are. It's a special lens...it also has a 14-year Nikon advantage (and all the progress that brings) over the Topcor. I would love to have one but am not willing to pay today's prices for one! Do you have one? The closest Nikon I have is the 55mm 1.2 and it is not worthy of being mentioned in the same sentence!
Thank you for your response Mr. Scott. Sir, I got a copy of the Noct. My Papa left for abode in 2015. I found this in his almirah, never knew of its existance until recently. I'm not sure of how to use it. Perhaps you can guide me. I regularly follow your videos and was mesemerised to see your RE Topcor review . But the fact that the Noct is also 58mm made me inquistive. I thought I should ask you once before I pursue the Topcor. Please advise. Warm regards, Satya Jyoti from India.
@@onmypiano ...Hi Satya! You've got yourself a great lens. Sorry that your Dad is not there to enjoy it with you! Nikon produced a lot of super lenses throughout their history. Using lenses with large apertures is tricky...a very shallow field of focus so you have to take your time when shooting with them. If you ever get the Topcor, you'll be happy with it I'm sure. Besides, they hold their value quite well if you ever need to sell them. So...really...have fun with your Noct and practice using it a lot to become an expert! Cheers!
Dr. Scott, how are you doing Sir? Good news - I got a copy of this lens. It is black in color unlike the silvery one you have. Can you please suggest me an adapter to buy, to fit it on my Sony A6000 (APS-C).
@@onmypiano ...nice! I'm sure you'll enjoy using it and will be pleased with the photos you make. The adapter I use is a generic EXAKTA-NEX for my A7RII that I found on Lazada.com. An online e-commerce business, but you could probably have just as much luck on eBay. I just checked and see some from China (where most of these are made anyway) for not too much money. The adapters are not at all complex so the brand is not important. Best of luck with that!
Dr. Scott I have taken some time to look at the optical formula between the Voigtlander Nokton 58 f/1.4 and this Topcor and I think they are more similar than I originally thought. It looks like Voigtlander separated the second and third element while the Topcor has a doublet there.
That's what I've concluded as well. I figure that you can't go wrong with either choice. Even Ken (the Angry guy) claims it is the best of 100's of lenses he has. I just like the Topcor a bit more for the "cool" factor since Voigtlanders are quite abundant out there. Although the V lens would be brand new if you bought one. But...I've always had a soft spot for vintage things.
@@DrScottMcDonald007 I have mixed feelings about Ken. As a human being I like the guy as he seems genuine. In terms of lenses on one hand he has sometimes made recommendations and when he says a lens is 10/10 it has always been spectacular. On the other hand, he hasn't always done comprehensive testing. He often recommends Fuji's 35mm f/2 of the older 35mm f/1.4, but the f/1.4 in my use is a better lens. The issue is he doesn't mention the distortion issues of the 35mm f/2. The distortion is corrected in camera so it's not obvious to the eye. However, because of the high distortion the corners never reach a high level of sharpness.
@@DrScottMcDonald007 I prefer the Topcor to be honest. Their craftsmanship was superb even by today's standards. The lens hoods are bayonet mounted and reversable. The lenses are constructed with precision with lots of stops. Also, they are extremely easy to service; easier than almost anything out there. The biggest issue is the rubber grips, but many of them are 60 years old and have still survived.
@@sebastiang7183 ...yes...Ken can be both entertaining and informative but sometimes leans a little too far into an opinion. Not having any Fuji experience at all, I have nothing to add to your statements other than to take your word for it ;) I hear nothing but good things about Fuji but since I'm pretty deep into Leica/Sony/Canon already...Fuji is just an admiration.
@@sebastiang7183 ...me too...and I don't mean that as in the movement! My rubber grips are all in excellent condition for being older than me! They are also lighter than the Voigtlanders as well. The mount and adapter combo is a little fugly but I can overlook that due to the quality I get from the results. My Sony has the 58 on it as we speak.
The truth is I have a 58mmish problem. I have a Minolta 58 1/4, Minolta 55 f/1.7, Konica 57 f/1.4, RE Auto Topcor 58 f/1.4, Two RE Auto Topcor 58mm f/1.8 with different calculations, Macro Topcor 58mm f/3.5, three Helios 44-2 that are from different decades and a Fuji 56mm f/1.2 and maybe some other 58 that I have forgotten about. Optically, the Fuji is the best corrected and best wide open but that's a $1000 aspherical lens. I will say the vintages 58mm especially the Minolta 58 and Topcor 58 f/1.4 are astonishingly close. If you just want a portrait lens and can manually focus buy one of the vintage ones and be happy.
I agree Sebastian...the 58ish lens have that certain...'special' look that the 50s wish they had. I too have a soft spot for my own 58mm fetish!
I use this len with fuji xt100 apsc sensor.It is better than super takumar 50mm f1.4 7E
Hi Tritti, thanks for the input! I agree with you. I have 5 Takumars in my collection but I do believe, as you do, that this lens outperforms the Taks (which are great lenses in their own right). Cheers, Dr. Scott
As for the vaccine. This is only a small slice of data. People that I know and not a large set of aggregated data. However, there are two people that have died shortly after receiving their second vaccine dose. One an older gentleman that got a clot and then a stroke. 24 hours after his second dose. The other a young man 27 that died of an enlarged heart 48 hours after his second dose. No fatalities from the virus itself. 3 individuals were over 80 and recovered. The rest were younger and recovered. One does have long term side effects as his taste and smell has not fully returned. RUclips will probably censor this but screw them. Also, just to clarify I myself am vaccinated and not anti-vaccine. I am vaccinated against many different things as well. More than others due to international travel.
Vaccines are usually developed over years not months. There's bound to be flaws in the first iterations of this formula. I was saying that to the my colleagues here that I'd rather not get the vaccine in Vietnam that quickly...let the rest of the world work out the bugs so to speak. Not at the expense of other people's deaths mind you but I'm hoping for a tweaked version to arrive here before I get poked!
@@DrScottMcDonald007 I think the vast majority that will get this vaccine will be perfectly fine. This vaccine was developed in a single day not even months and fast tracked. However, I am not aware of any mRNA vaccine going through human trials, which is a bit concerning. Not this vaccine, but any mRNA vaccine. I also am bothered how they are marketing this. They are giving people free food and lottery tickets to get vaccinated. I thought it was illegal to give incentives like that. Other than the legality of that it seems like they are trying to train us like dogs.
The odds are on our side that the vaccines are "good enough" since the developers have plenty of experience in this field already...but someday, it won't be good enough and Mother Nature will drop something on us that we not be able to recover from. Hopefully, long after we're gone!
$700 USD? Don't pay $700 for this lens. For it to make sense it has to be priced less than the Voigtlander 58mm f/1.4 or you may as well just pick up the Nokton. If you have $700 USD to spend on this lens, then my copy is for sale.
Check eBay prices! You might get a nice pay day if you "sell" yours properly! I got mine at the bottom of the barrel...only $300 back in February.
@@DrScottMcDonald007 I may sell. I bought mine when prices weren't that crazy. Once it starts approaching prices of a used Voigtlander Nokton 58mm which goes for around $350 I say get the Nokton. People may not want to talk about this lens so prices don't increase further. You also mentioned the Minolta 58mm f/1.4 or f/1.2. I have the f/1.4 and it's also a great lens at a fraction of the cost. The Minolta has smoother bokeh where the Topcor will take you for a wild bokeh ride wide open before it smooths out stopped down. The Minolta 58mm f/1.2 is similar. Wild bokeh wide open and then smooths out stopped down. In my testing the Topcor has a slight performance edge both in sharpness and color rendition. They both have plasticity and the Minolta may win there over the Topcor.
@@sebastiang7183 ...yes, the Minolta is one of my keepers as well. I only have the 1.4 though so I can't speak about the 1.2...
@@DrScottMcDonald007 With the Minolta 58 1.4 there are several versions and a certain serial range that is considered the better performer. MCII with hills and valleys focus ring is considered better than MCI with a mostly flat focus ring with ridges. I have to find my notes on the serial number range. The f/1.2 I think had three generations with the earliest one being radioactive. Minolta seems to have just made changes at will during production.
@@sebastiang7183 ...I have the 'hills and valleys' version which I also discovered was the choice version!