Topman 80-300mm f/5.6 MC Auto Zoom/C-Macro

Topman 80-300mm f/5.6
MC Auto Zoom/C-Macro

2016.09.29 - Published
2018.01.01 - Re-written

2022.08.11 - Re-written and re-uploaded

Topman

80-300mm f/5.6

MC Auto Zoom/C-Macro

System - Topcon universal mount

Year Produced - Probably mid to late 1970s

Focal Range - 80mm to 300mm

Minimum Focusing - 2.5 meters

Macro - 50cm (1:3)

Focusing - Varifocal

Zoom Type - One-touch (aka 'push-pull zoom')

Filter Thread Ø - 58 mm

Aperture Run - f/5.6 - f/32

Maximum Aperture - f/5.6 (80mm/300mm)

Optical Formula - ?el/?gr

Coating - Multicoated elements

Made in Japan

Photo Album

https://photos.app.goo.gl/tEzrx18peHFH9A9QA

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Impressions

History

Very little info about Topman lenses. But they bought the Miranda factory and began manufacturing lenses themselves. Miranda Camera Company manufactured cameras in Japan from 1955 to 1978. They had a reputation of creating cheap budget cameras. They designed lenses but outsourced the manufacturing. The same company that owned Miranda (before it was sold and became Topman) also owned Soligor.

Who is Topman anyway? Only very little can be found on the web about them, but they came into business in 1980 (bought Miranda) and also made lenses for Hanimex. Of the very few reviews, Topman lenses were generally regarded as top notch in build and image quality.

Adaptability

This lens was in Olympus OM mount, but I found out that the mount could be removed since it was merely a bayonet style adapter. I don't know what it is since Topman lenses are almost impossible to find, but they use a universal interchangeable mount system just like Tamron's Adaptall and Sigma's YS system.

The thing is that this lens is hard to find, and adapters are even harder to find. If you own a mirrorless camera, then it doesn't matter whatever mount it comes in. My camera at the time was a Nikon D5200. My only way to adapt this lens was to mod and change the mount. It worked eventually, but the aperture was now stuck at f/5.6 as a result.

Handling/Build Quality

The lens feels very solidly built, and the zooming/focusing ring feels very easy to operate with only a little resistance. The normal focusing range is from 2.5 meters to infinity. But macro can focus as close at 50cm.

Image Quality

The lens could only be used at f/5.6 wide open, and there was a chip on the edge of the front element, which only had effect at 300mm. Despite its condition, the lens does wonderfully wide open, it was already sharp at any focal length (even 300mm). The lens has a constant maximum aperture of f/5.6 on either 80mm or 300mm.

Conclusion

Too bad it only had limited use back in 2016, I could have done more with it nowadays. This lens is super rare and might not have the mount you need, particularly DSLR users. I would recommend instead a better alternative such as the Zoom-Nikkor 100-300mm f/5.6 -- it's like shooting with three prime lenses!

Unkown universal interchangeable mount.
Press the button on the left, twist the adapter clockwise to dismount.

Mount modded for my Nikon DSLR

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Samples

Topman 80-300mm f/5.6 MC Macro

Shot with Nikon D5200

All shots at f/5.6

These were shot August and December 2016.
It was rainy and cloudy during those times it was shot.
There was a chipped glass on the edge of the front element.
It may have an effect from 200mm to 300mm