Almost bought a Nikon SP at Pacific Rim Camera...

[ornate_wrasse]

My job requires me to go to Salem, OR once a month. I decided to visit Pacific Rim Camera this afternoon before heading back to Portland. They had two Nikon SP rangefinders. Each of them was selling for $1,400. I really fell in love with that camera. I loved the large viewfinder with the multi-colored frame lines. The second viewfinder for wide angle looked like it could be very useful. Anyway, I walked out without buying it though I did purchase a telephoto zoom lens for my FM2N that cost me only $75.

Now I'm wondering...should I have bought it? I've seen several Nikon RF come up here recently so maybe I could get one for less than $1,400 so maybe I should wait and be patient.

What do you think? Is $1,400 way too much for a Nikon SP?

Ellen

 

[jonmanjiro]

Does $1,400 also get you a lens (50/1.4 or 50/2)? If so, its a fair price for fully functional, clean SP, with a good finder. By "good finder" I mean one with a focus patch that has good contrast which makes focusing easy. Many SPs (and S3s, S2s etc.) have faded focus patches, making it difficult or even impossible to focus. So being able to check the camera first-hand is a big plus!

 

[ornate_wrasse]

They did have a 50/1.4 lens but it was not included. The price was $1,400 for the body alone. The focus patch, BTW, seemed to be in good shape.

You don't have any more Nikon RF to sell here on RFF, do you?

 

[Mister E]

I think their prices are to high. I'd consider $1400 for a titanium shutter with a nice lens. I just got an SP with 5cm f/1.4 in supposedly great shape for $699.

 

[jonmanjiro]

They did have a 50/1.4 lens but it was not included. The price was $1,400 for the body alone. The focus patch, BTW, seemed to be in good shape.

Since the finder is good, $1,400 is not unreasonable for an SP (body only) if its in very good condition (very clean, no dings, no obvious scratches etc.) and comes with some sort of warranty.

You don't have any more Nikon RF to sell here on RFF, do you?

Nothing at the moment. I prefer to stick to the reissue Nikon gear though, as its mostly very lightly used and there's much less of a risk of not meeting a buyer's expectations. That's always a problem with old gear and fussy buyers (like myself 😉).

 

[jonmanjiro]

I just got an SP with 5cm f/1.4 in supposedly great shape for $699.

Hasn't arrived yet?

 

[Mister E]

I'm in Vietnam right now. It's at the post office waiting on me.

 

[NIKON KIU]

I just got an SP with 5cm f/1.4 in supposedly great shape for $699.

Prices in Japan are much lower than here in the USA.

I would say around $1000 is a good price, $1400 is a bit steep.

Kiu

 

[ornate_wrasse]

Prices in Japan are much lower than here in the USA.

I would say around $1000 is a good price, $1400 is a bit steep.

I think their prices are to high. I'd consider $1400 for a titanium shutter with a nice lens.

In response to both of your comments, the SP I was looking at had a cloth shutter which would make it worth less than an SP with a titanium shutter. And, of course, the price did not include a lens.

My nephew used to live in Japan (he taught at a high school in Kanagawa) and I visited him in 2005. Wish I'd picked one up when I was there. He is married to a Japanese woman and maybe I can convince her to pick one up for me the next time she goes back to visit her family 😀

Ellen

 

[Mister E]

Nikon Kiu, I've never seen an SP with lens in japan for even close to $800. I bought this SP from the US. I actually paid $799 I think. I'm not 100% sure because I'm on the road. The same shop has another $799 SP with a black 2.8cm lens last time I checked. That was posted in this subforum twice.

I'd only pay $1400 for a cloth curtained SP that was a good repaint or originally black.

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

Amazing how many cameras are 'almost' bought here, over the years - I've nearly bought a few myself, before thinking better of it, or checking my account! 😀

 

[NIKON KIU]

Nikon Kiu, I've never seen an SP with lens in japan for even close to $800. I bought this SP from the US. I actually paid $799 I think. I'm not 100% sure because I'm on the road. The same shop has another $799 SP with a black 2.8cm lens last time I checked. That was posted in this subforum twice.

I'd only pay $1400 for a cloth curtained SP that was a good repaint or originally black.

$800 is a good price, same camera was not selling for less than $1500 a few years back.

I have a bit more time today and am going to milk this subject and lure our OP to buy a Nikon!! 😀

I did a little ebaying...

Pacific Rim has these two SPs on the 'bay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NIKON-SP-CHROME...=ViewItem&pt=Film_Cameras&hash=item58886fac5f

http://cgi.ebay.com/NIKON-SP-CHROME...=ViewItem&pt=Film_Cameras&hash=item20b1bedcb9

Both have a BIN price of $1400 and both have "best offer", meaning that they may well take a lower offer for them. Don't forget that Pacific Rim does a lotta consignments and can probably sell for less if they find a good offer.

Now, the trick is to be patient, these things can sell for less and they do all the time, the other day I saw this one sell for around $1275:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110549634873&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT


How about this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-Rangefind...=ViewItem&pt=Film_Cameras&hash=item2eae0a7a95

May be this one can be had under a grand?

Kiu

 

[ornate_wrasse]

I have a bit more time today and am going to milk this subject and lure our OP to buy a Nikon!! 😀

I did a little ebaying...

Pacific Rim has these two SPs on the 'bay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NIKON-SP-CHROME...=ViewItem&pt=Film_Cameras&hash=item58886fac5f

http://cgi.ebay.com/NIKON-SP-CHROME...=ViewItem&pt=Film_Cameras&hash=item20b1bedcb9

Both have a BIN price of $1400 and both have "best offer", meaning that they may well take a lower offer for them. Don't forget that Pacific Rim does a lotta consignments and can probably sell for less if they find a good offer.

So you're going to try and lure me to buy a Nikon RF? 😉

Regarding the two Nikon RF that I've quoted above, those were the two that I examined when at Pacific Rim. The truth is that I did make an offer. I was actually going to offer them $1000 for one of the cameras and see if they would accept. I decided not to make such a lowball offer, however, feeling that I might insult them, so I merely asked if they would accept offers. He replied that !0% less than the asking price would be accepted. Hmmm, I did the math $1,400 less 10% would be $1,260. No way. At that point, I left and counted my blessings that I bought a Vivitar Series 1 70-210 zoom for only $75 (he wanted $85 originally, I offered $50 and he countered with $75).

But, I did receive a PM from a RFF member who offered to sell me his S3 2000. I'm waiting for him to get back to me on the price.

So, your efforts are not in vain 🙂

Thanks for looking out for me.

Ellen

PS Is the reason you "somehow" knew that I'm a Washington, D.C. native, meaning I was born and raised there, connected with your efforts to try and help me buy a Nikon? 🙂 BTW, I loved your image of the Washington Monument that you recently posted. I've climbed up and down the Washington Monument more times than I can remember and the image meant a lot to me. Thanks for posting it.

 

[Mister E]

So I got my $799 SP in today. It has some issues, mostly a dim finder, but it came with TI shutters, 50/1.4, and hood.

 

[former member]

I paid a premium for my SP's. The lowest was $1400 (EX+) , $1,800(Mint-), and $1900(Mint-). This was a few years back. All are Titanium shutters, all have RF patches like new. They compared well with an Sp-2005 that I handled. No regrets, but they would go for less now. I had a 4th SP, sold ot a few years back at a good price. It was $900 with lens, which needed repair to the aperture blades and the VF/RF required cleaning and alignment.

The S3-2000 is a smooth operating camera, the lens is why I bought it. The day of investing in film cameras, unless they are exceptionally rare or dirt cheap, are over. An S3-2000 is a great camera to use, and many were made. They should not sit on a shelf or in a drawer.

 

[Mister E]

I bought this SP having been told it had cloth curtains and a good RF patch. I'm not sure if I'll keep it or not. I'd rather pay a premium for a better patch.

 

[former member]

The RF patch is the Achilles Heel of an old Rangefinder. Hard to fix, and expensive if you can. Not just replacing a semi-silvered mirror on a professional grade rangefinder. If the cemented prisms come undone, or the silvering of the prism deteriorates- expensive and hard to repair.

 

[NIKON KIU]

I bought this SP having been told it had cloth curtains and a good RF patch. I'm not sure if I'll keep it or not. I'd rather pay a premium for a better patch.

You don't need a better patch, you need a 21mm

Who needs a patch with a 21mm?? The Titanium shutter can come in handy with a wide angle.



Kiu

 

[JonR]

Amazing how many cameras are 'almost' bought here, over the years - I've nearly bought a few myself, before thinking better of it, or checking my account! 😀

Very good comment - I can echo that!
🙂
Jon R

 

[Mister E]

You don't need a better patch, you need a 21mm

Who needs a patch with a 21mm?? The Titanium shutter can come in handy with a wide angle.



Kiu

I'll have the SP back from a Pete CLA next week. I hope the finder has improved!