Tocpon experts: which Topcon?

[twelvetone12]

So my father is going to retire, and I would like to gift him a Topcon camera. I know he has always dreamt of getting one - in the 70s they were quite popular in Italy and he could not afford one. He then moved to Nikon but from time to time he reminisces of the times Italian photographers all used Topcons, so I think it would be a nice gift (we still both do 100% analog photography).
But I know nothing about Topcons (he has a book called "Topcon Story" but I cannot get it without him noticing), so I'm appealing to experts here in Photrio for suggestions What could be a nice model to gift? I don't really have a budget limit, but under 1k euro would be nice. Any suggestion or pointer to literature is appreciated!
Thanks!

 

[Martin Rickards]

Super D or Super DM

 

[Paul Howell]

The D or Super DM's were the full system bodies, the RE was a step down, stay away from the Uni line up, these used leaf shutters and had very limited line of lens. Many of the Ds and Super DM were heavily used finding one in decent shape may be hard. At under 1k euro I would think about an Alpa 10 or 11. Swiss made, hand built, the Kern Swiss 50 1.9 Macro is one of the finest 50mm ever made.

 

[Billy Axeman]

A camera dealer in the Netherlands (Secondhandcamera, http://www.secondhandcamera.nl/) has a Topcon Super DM on his site for as long as I buy gear from him (for several years). It is listed in | Shopping | Other brands N/Z |.

 

[Paul Howell]

I see the body, the only lens is a 200 so you need to keep looking for normal lens, 50 1.8 or 1.4

 

[twelvetone12]

Thanks everybody! I will start to research on the D or Super DMs.

 

[John Koehrer]

Haven't seen many Topcons in the flesh but have never seen a black one. Tasty.

 

[Paul Howell]

The U.S Navy bought Topcon systems, late 60s to the end of the Topcon Camera lines. The rumor that was going round was that someone in Navy procurement thought that an American Company Bessler who marketed Topcon produced the line and bought Topcon because at the time the DOD had a buy American policy. I was at workshop put on the Navy and a few of us Air Force guys got to attend. A civilian from Washington DC was in there and told the group that the Navy knew Topcon was made in Japan and after extensive testing bought Topcon for it's full system, meter was in the body, had a better motor drive than Nikon or Canon, and it's lens were just as good as either Nikon or Canon. I did find it odd that at the same time the Navy was buying Topcon they were also buying Canon F1s and the Marine Corps used Nikon. All the Navy Topcons I saw were black.

The mount is based on Exacta, not sure if Exacta lens will work as shutter linkage appears to be different.

 

[wiltw]

The Topcon RE Super is the same model as the Beseler badged Topcon Super D. Eventually all cameras acquired the Super D badge name regardless of US vs. Japanese home market.