Did anyone notice the Black S3....

I was a longtime Nikon SLR user when I discovered the rangefinders. Their size won me over. I've gone for years not using my F or F2 or FM2 (though, to be fair, the FM2 is about the same size and weight as a Nikon RF ... but the lenses for the FM2 are just huge). Pretty much I only use my SLRs, mainly an F2, when shooting my kids' sporting events. Sometimes you just need a 200/4 or 180/2.8. So my SLRs are specialty cameras and my RFs are everyday cameras.
 
It makes sense that military buyers would have been customers for the S3. The S3 was 20 percent cheaper than the SP for a camera of comparable quality. And unlike the professional shooters, the military weren't subject to camera-pack peer-pressure mentality (which has since transferred over to some, not all, Nikon collectors ... 'If you don't have an SP, you just don't get it"

Also, I've seen Japanese sites explaining that some Japanese users considered the fullsize 35mm frameline on the S3 to be an important advantage compared to the SP.
 
Parker51 said:
Are all the black S3 Olympic?


My old black S3 no 6312906 is an Olympic one and he didn't know that?
Anyway , is curtain is definitivly not titanium.
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The answer to your first question is NO!

And NO your Black S3 No. 6312906 is not "Olympic"...the "Olympic" serial numbers start with 632xxxx!

And Yes The camera listed here is an "Olympic" as I confirmed the serial number with the seller.

Kiu
 
I found another picture of the black Nikon S3:
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Kiu
 

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Fred,
My take on this is that the S3 was really only in production and promotion for two or three (count 'em, 2 - 3) years -- 1958 and 1959 and into '60. Once the F blasted off, RF customers suddenly became scarce, those seeking rangefinders for all the reasons we visit this forum. Nikon at that time had three camera models in production (not counting S4), only one of which was SLR. and probably decided to drop the S3 in order to keep two models in production. So those 14,000 Nikon S-3s all sold in 1958-59 for the most part, and stopped selling altogether once the F came out. The choice stopped being Pro Rangerfinder or Advanced Consumer Rangefinder and instead became Pro SLR vs. Pro Rangefinder. I will further postulate that, because there are no titanium-shutter S3s until the Olumpic, that the bulk of the S3 assembly line workers shifted to Fs, and S3 production all but ceased. That's why there were parts shortages when they went to build the Olympics.

I will then postulate that there was some low-level grousing among some Japanese photographers about how they rather liked the large wideangle finder on the S3 for available light work with the 35/1.8's. Plus, perhaps the designer of the fantastic Olympic 50/1.4 had been caught short, ready to introduce it when the RF production fell apart, and was looking for an excuse to get a few made.

All this is educated speculaton on my part.
 
f2eyelevel said:
so this makes it one of the last S3 produced by Nikon in the 1960's, and so, an "Olympic S3" because it belongs to the production batch released for the 1964 Olympic Games.
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I've found more evidence to indicate that these "Olympic S3s" have nothing to do with the Tokyo 1964 Olympics. Although the original S3 user manuals were not marked with a date, the Japanese language Nikon rangefinder book I have has illustrations of the two versions of User's Manual sold with these "Olympic S3" cameras. The first version is dated 65.08 (August 1965) and the second version is dated 65.10 (October 1965). Both these user manual's are four pages shorter than the original because the pages with information on no longer sold accessories have been removed. August and October 1965 is a bit too late to be associated with the Tokyo 1964 Olympics.

I think Fred's comment "My guess is that they are somewhat like the Apollo, which has no relation to the real NASA camera, but collectors have just gotten in the habit of using that name." is correct.
​
 
f2eyelevel said:
Just re-read your basics. The shutter is titanium, the selftimer lever is flat, the winding lever is longer and solid (not hollow), the concentric circles engraved on the top of the frame counter cover are more numerous, the camera is black paint original, so this makes it one of the last S3 produced by Nikon in the 1960's, and so, an "Olympic S3" because it belongs to the production batch released for the 1964 Olympic Games.

As for the rest of your post : I find that reporting here in public what you exchanged with the seller by private messages is very unfair. This is not another forum located on the other side of the pond and dedicated to a certain German brand of rangefinder cameras - where similar topics about highly collectable black cameras listed for sale got so much out of control recently that the administrators had to lock the thread up. I'm sure you understand what I'm talking about.

I am not a potential buyer of this black S3 but still, I'm shocked. Either buy it or pass on it - this is your own choice. Listing the camera on eBay is the plain right of the seller, too. And IMO he's right to say that the camera will sell quickly, sort of.

One year ago or so a black S3 with the same non-Olympic black Nikkor-S 50/1.4 sold for 4500 euros with Buy It Now on eBay France. The cosmetics condition was the same (lots of brassing) but IRRC it was a cloth shutter, and so, it wasn't an Olympic S3.
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OOPS...
Sorry about that. "You are right and I'm wrong" as says Lou Reed....
OK I'm new ,and feel sorry for the seller.

In a post after reading the ad ,I asked if anybody knew him, because he was not in the member list...I got no answer. .
At that time there was only one picture ,and I keep asking for details ,or an adress or a phone number By security...That the reason why I let it down
And on this post i'm not the first or the only one to feel insecure about these ad.
Anyway, last time I will keep my angish for myself.
So, I will learn the rule, (and try to make progress with my english....
I'm new and already feel like beeing the"black sheep of the forum, It's BAAAAD
And, Andrea, if you read that, I apologize and. wish you a good sale.
I REALLY feel sorry if i had offended somebody...

By the way, could you be less allusive about the "other forum" cause I don't get it.
Claude
 
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Well - after this server sapping dialogue - what the conclusion about this camera?

Is it rare
Is it worth the money
Is Bruno a good guy

As a user/fondler I think that I would prefer a nice used SP 2005 kit for not much more money
 
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f2eyelevel said:
I for sure won't paste any link to the other forum thread here - I'm not that village idiot.

You fully understood what I was speaking of, since in the thread I mentioned above you were yourself the seller of a highly collectable black rangefinder camera outfit for which you were asking a bit more than $9,000 USD (6,750 Euros) and got so much acid comments from the other members who defined themselves as "proud photographers vs. rich collectors" (to sum-up an not to spread more hurting details out) that the forum administrator had to lock the 8 pages long thread up and ask interested people to refrain from posting comments other than "I buy it, PM sent" ones to a copy of your original FS post he had made.

So, as you had yourself endured some unexpected problems as a seller, I was quite surprised to see you making public your PMs with the Nikon S3 Olympic seller here, and being publicly questionable about his honesty.

End of story, but maybe you should pay more attention to what you write in public here next time.

IMO classic, collectable and valuable cameras (was it for their rarity, technical specs, manufacturing historical background, etc) should always stay some friendly discussions topics. Life is short, and good time is rare. Making public some personal and intimate feelings that have to stay strictly private is beyond me.
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OK,THAT'S really unfair
What you are talking about is really different,and has nothing to do with that.
You know it was a ridiculous battle between "rich collectors" and" serious photographers" I don't feel part of that.
I'm not a rich collector,
I am a documentary filmmaker and I like taking picture with cameras I love.
That's it.
Yes, life is short and good time is rare , And if I want to be a forum member ,it's also to get new friends
So please don't make me feel like the "black sheep"
Claude
 
4423bruni said:
😀 I don't understand.... our english, too non scolastic.
I'havent a credit card, so ebay suspend my account, but i've just pay my commission with postal money, when arrive my payment i list my S3 on ebay, i will sell it from 1 $ with no reserve price, probably near the 10-15 of june.
I have understand some of us have difficult to ralized my "classified" thrue... i've pay this camera 1400 euro, like 2000$.

I've see non one buy on ebay another S3 at 2000$, bid is desert,impossible in this time of misery, ask more than 2000$

I intend to use all money from my Nikon selling to buy, also on Rangefiderforum, some Leica M.
I don't ask member phone or address is sufficient for me to use pay pal.
Please to meet you
Andrea.
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Andrea

Sorry , for all that mess
and I really apologize
But ,if I had your explanations earlier
There will be no problem.
and Brian or me would have buy your S3 .
So ,good luck to your sale Andrea
And now,everybody know you....
So ....BUY Andrea's camera!... please...;I feel terrible .

Claude
 
VinceC said:
Lot of intensity here.
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Agree

Totally un-necessary

"Judge and Jury" springs to mind

Parker51 - don't worry - the rain has stopped in Bordeaux today so all is fine, (with me anyway) and maybe the next US President will realise that the French speak a different language to them.
 
It's only a camera Forum, for (Ch....ts), sake - in english which is not everyones native language

This is what happens to Forums, (misunderstandings - from the keyboard)

I cannot understand why, as we, (well not me really), are only talking about a worn 40 year old camera - Japanese at that - I have an S which is nice but not a patch, (my opinion - no offence to anyone, E & OE) on my battered M3.

I bought my S as a "one night stand" - away from my Nikon F collection, (well not really a collection - only 4 bodies and about 10 Pre AI lenses) - you know what one night stands are like - nice - but never really develop - so I am back with my M3 and F3 plus fondling my Nikon Fs.

80% Humidity predicted here on Sunday so I may even get "hot under the collar" - do I need a nice humidifier for my DSLR? (It's a Pentax K100D)

Low flying French Airforce "top gun" jet shot over the vineyards - always rattles the house tiles and drives the dog crazy, (she chases it buts its a bit too fast for her)

f2eyelevel - Smile and continue your great advice on various cameras, (Contax are the threads that I look out for as I have a lla fondler which I am sure will need work) - I just missed your Contax which at that price was a bargain compared with this S3 stuff.

Cheers
 
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