Topcon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Topcon (トプコン) Corporation is a Japanese manufacturer of optical equipment for ophthalmology and surveying. Their headquarters are in Itabashi, Tokyo. They are affiliated with Toshiba, which holds 40% of Topcon's stock.

Prior to the end of World War II, Topcon sold optical equipment to the Imperial Japanese Army.

1 Company history
2 Cameras
3 Topcon In Australia
4 External links

[edit] Company history

A Topcon ACP 8 projector found in a Lenscrafters in San Bruno, California

1932 The surveying instrument division of Hattori Watch Company Seiko-sha became the basis for the new company, at first known as Tokyo Kogaku Kikai Kabushiki-gaisha. Their headquarters were in the Ginza area of what was then known as Tokyo City (presently Chūō).
1947 The company listed its shares on the Tokyo and Osaka Stock Exchanges.
1960 They affiliated themselves with Tokyo Shibaura (now called Toshiba).
1989 Tokyo Kogaku changed its name to Topcon.

[edit] Cameras

Tokyo Kogaku produced cameras, beginning with a 6×4.5 cm medium format model in 1937. A 127 film camera followed the next year. After the war, the Primoflex I twin-lens reflex camera came out in 1951. The Topcon 35A was born in 1953. In 1960, the company produced a 6x9 press camera on order from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. It initially used a Mamiya lens; civilian models became available with Topcon lenses.

With the 35 mm Topcon RE Super of 1963, the company pioneered full-aperture metering. Tokyo Kogaku continued to innovate until leaving that line of business in 1981.

About 1965 the US Navy tested cameras from several Japanese and German manufacturers (including Nikon's F). The Topcon Super D was the winner of this competition and served in the Navy until the very end of Topcon production in 1977.

In 2003, Cosina released a photographic lens bearing the Topcon brand.

[edit] Topcon In Australia

Topcon has since 2003 started significant operations from their Brisbane office. These operations deal mostly with Agricultural Guidance Systems by means of GPS and producing Topcon's own surveying equipment data processing software. Officially dedicated in August 2006, this office is quickly growing into a major player in the development of Ag. Guidance Systems and Surveying equipment. Employing talented computer engineers, Topcon delivers GPS systems that have been well researched, tested and developed. Suffice to say Topcon is in the running for market leader in the field of agricultural guidance systems, a concept still relatively young. Topcon is fast making this method of guidance system a global success.*

Also in Brisbane is Australian company Automated Positioning Systems which uses Topcon technology to build high precision guidance systems for mining equipment such as shovels, drills, dozers and excavators.

Topcon also has an office in Technology Park Adelaide at Mawson Lakes, South Australia.