When Tokyo Optical began production of their R series cameras, circa 1957, they selected the Beseler Photo Marketing Company to distribute their consumer photographic equipment in the US. Beseler was a respected old line company, known mostly for their enlargers and other photo processing equipment. Part of the agreement between the two companies was that those cameras imported and sold in the US would carry not only the Beseler logo, but also a different model designation--thus the Topcon Beseler B and C. (I suppose there was a Beseler Topcon A but I have no information.) When Topcon began manufacturing the next model, the RE, the logical Beseler name sequence would be the Beseler Topcon D. But because the new camera was so revolutionary they added the superlative 'Super' before the D designation and so the Beseler Topcon Super D was named. Not to be outdone by a mere distributor, Topcon added the same 'Super' after their RE. Except for the engraving on the sheet metal, the two cameras were identical.

Over the years Beseler watched the sales of the Super D remain flat and I suppose were somewhat envious of the success of Nikon, Canon, Minolta, Pentax, etc. The majority of their sales may have been to the US Navy and other government agencies. And while the Super D was bought by many serious amateurs, Beseler was never able to seduce professional photographers away from the hype of the glitzy Nikons. Even the introduction of redesigned Model 71 in 1972 failed to revitalize the sagging sales.

About 1973-74 Tokyo Optical and Beseler parted ways and another distributor for Topcon cameras was sought. The new distributor, Paillard Incorporated, turned out to be a very prestigious importer, representing the Hasselblad line of medium format cameras and the Bolex movie cameras and projectors. Both were European, so Topcon represented their first involvement with a Japanese camera manufacturer. It seemed like a marriage made in Heaven--Paillard was successfully marketing Hasselblad and Bolex in the US and Topcon filled in the 35mm void, with quality equal to the European equipment. When Paillard began importing Topcons, the new Super Dm with autowinder was in production so Paillard had no history with the earlier models. Also, about this time Topcon filled in the voids in their line of RE Auto lenses.

A question: Did Beseler ever sell the Super Dm? I have never seen a CC finder with the Beseler logo.

But the marriage made in Heaven did not last long. By 1976 Paillard had apparently became disillusioned with poor Topcon sales and opted out. Then along came Hervic Corporation to pick up importing and distribution duties. I know little about Hervic, and in any case they apparently became liquidators when Tokyo Optical ceased production of all consumer camera equipment about 1977. I have a Hervic-Topcon price list dated June 1, 1976 and it would appear that Hervic was not discounting prices to move the merchandise. In fact their prices were considerably higher than those of Paillard ( for a Topcon Supreme I Super Dm with Autowinder and a f/1.4 GN lens: Paillard--$727.45, Hervic-- $860.35).

If anyone has more information on this subject please e-mail me. I would especially like to get the 'official' word from Beseler, Pailland and Hervic--some 'hard' facts to substitute for my surmises.

This I know is the first configuration since I copied this image from a very early instruction book. However, I have never seen this type on an actual camera so it may have been a prototype that never entered production. For this configuration, two bumps have been molded into the inside plate on the door--nothing else.

The first modification was the addition of a flat, chrome plated spring, riveted in between the bumps of the first configuration.

The flat spring is retained but the bumps are gone. Replacing the bumps is a strip of metal with formed ends to match the bumps. The strip is secured to the back using the spring attachment rivets.

The final evolution, retained through the later  Model 46s, the Model 71 and the Super Dm.  This is a single formed piece of sheet metal that acts to apply pressure to both the cassette ends, and the center.