Topcon Unirex EE 35mm slr camera

This post covers the Topcon Unirex EE which was a 35 mm film camera introduced in about 1972 as a lower cost variant of the popular Topcon Unirex camera introduced a couple of years before.

My Topcon Unirex EE Camera

My camera is actually in pretty decent condition. The light seals in the film chamber are all disintegrated and will need to be replaced, and I can’t be sure the light meter is working since I don’t have a battery, but the lens stops down properly, and the shutter speeds all seem about right. The pictures above make it look filthy, but that is always the case – in fact it is pretty clean for a camera which is 40 odd years old.

Topcon Unirex EE Images

Topcon Unirex EE Description

Many of the features of this camera are similar to the original Unirex, so this is going to be a short post just describing the differences and the particular condition of my example camera. For more information on the original Unirex please see my other post.

Topcon Unirex EE Differences

I would guess this must have been a cheaper version of the Unirex, because all the changes see to be to lower the spec and performance of the camera. The main differences I can see are

• The metering system no longer has the switch to move between average and spot metering. This camera has light measuring cells on either side of the viewfinder eyepiece and averages the light across the scene.
• The lens is now a 50 mm f/2.8 fitted as standard rather than the f/2.0 fitted to the Unirex.
• The frame counter is less stylish and doesn’t have the raised bevel.
• The rewind crank is no longer chromium plate but coloured black.
• The film advance lever is also not as nicely styled with more plastic.
• The shutter speed dial and aperture ring around the lens mount are black rather than chromium.

The basic operation of the camera is otherwise much the same. There is still the automatic exposure, and it is still a leaf shutter mounted behind the lens rather than a focal plane shutter.

Camera manual

I’ve included the manual I received with this camera here since it has some interesting hand additions showing prices for add on lenses at the time the camera was originally bought in 1974.

Topcon Unirex EE spec

• Topcon Unirex EE 35 mm SLR
• Leaf shutter 1 sec to 1/500 + B
• Bayonet lens mount
• Average metering
• Auto and Manual exposure
• 10 sec self timer
• X and M flash sync
• ‘Cold’ accessory shoe with flash sync socket
• UV coated 50mm f/2.8 Topcor lens
• Flash sync (with electronic flash) up to 1/500 sec
• Body Serial No 15897
• Lens Serial No 13381