loneranger
Well-known
Just wondering how many Nikon RF users actually use the little focus wheel on the S2/S3's. I find it pretty useless, it is too firm for everyday use and kind of hurts the fingers after a while. It seems to just add useless bulk to the camera. Am I wrong about this, am I missing some essential functoin? or is it just a gimmick.
NikonS2
Newbie
Hi lr,
I use the focus wheel on my S2 all the time. But then, I only have a 50/2.0.
It (focus wheel) works very easily and smoothly. Maybe yours needs a CLA.
Best of luck with it,
Will
I use the focus wheel on my S2 all the time. But then, I only have a 50/2.0.
It (focus wheel) works very easily and smoothly. Maybe yours needs a CLA.
Best of luck with it,
Will
BillBingham2
Registered User
My S2 was CLAed by Stephen's Team before I received her and she is a joy to use. I use it with my 50/1.4 all the time. She is smooooth.
I wish I could use it on my 25/4, too bad CV did not make thier small wide angles make use of the internal focusing in the S series!
B2 (;->
I wish I could use it on my 25/4, too bad CV did not make thier small wide angles make use of the internal focusing in the S series!
B2 (;->
css9450
Veteran
BillBingham2 said:
They can't? I thought it was OK to use the wheel with them.
loneranger
Well-known
Well, mine is a S3 2000 , pretty much new. The lens is 35/1.8. focusing is just not super smooth. Is it supposed to work better with normal lenses. Not sure.
x-ray
Veteran
I have a S3 2000 also and have often wondered why they put that miserable wheel on such a fine camera.
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
Supposedly you are not to use the wheel with external mount lenses. I do it occasionally with the lighter CV lenses, like the 21/25/28 but not with my 35/1,2 and the 85/3.5 as I can feel resistance on the gear-train. I can see trying to shift the mass of a 50f1.1 or a 85f1.5 straining the rather thin gears in the drive.
It is not the most comfortable way of focussing I admit, but one advantage that Alex Shishin taught me - you can focus and shoot one-handed with the 50's.
I have been using strictly nikon Rf's for the last month - going through a can of 400 ft of Agfapan 250 movie stock and the Nikon re-loadable cassettes ( as in which one works in what camera - they are finnicky little buggers!). My S2's have smooth focus and so has my Millenium S3 black, whilst my S3Mill. chrome squeeks in the focus with a 50 on it. The black S3 Mill. is the smoothest camera I own, Leica,Nikon,Canon etc. The 2 SP's are OK, the black one is slightly "tense" but my solemnly beaten up one is smooth. Me thinks one has to shoot a lot of film with them and they get smoother as you go along!
It is not the most comfortable way of focussing I admit, but one advantage that Alex Shishin taught me - you can focus and shoot one-handed with the 50's.
I have been using strictly nikon Rf's for the last month - going through a can of 400 ft of Agfapan 250 movie stock and the Nikon re-loadable cassettes ( as in which one works in what camera - they are finnicky little buggers!). My S2's have smooth focus and so has my Millenium S3 black, whilst my S3Mill. chrome squeeks in the focus with a 50 on it. The black S3 Mill. is the smoothest camera I own, Leica,Nikon,Canon etc. The 2 SP's are OK, the black one is slightly "tense" but my solemnly beaten up one is smooth. Me thinks one has to shoot a lot of film with them and they get smoother as you go along!
MikeL
Go Fish
I thought the focus was stiff with the original 35mm f1.8, but using the wheel works fine with the 50mm and CV 35mm. I like the wheel on both my S3 and S2 that Pete Smith had given the once over.
I use the focus wheel to hold the lens in place (stop the lens from rotating) when changing the lens aperture. very handy!
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VinceC
Veteran
The focus wheel is designed to be used with 50mm and wider lenses. I use it all the time with Nikkor 35/1.8 and 28/3.5; CV 25/4 and Zeiss 21/4.5. If the lens or focus wheel is too old and stiff, it can be a problem. But the camera is designed to use the focus wheel for all wides (the 25/4 Nikkor can't be focused unless you use the focus wheel).
It takes getting used to. It is different from Leica and other non-Contax cameras. However, it makes one-handed shooting marvelously easy. You can also use your left hand to steady the camera in low-light shooting while focusing with the wheel.
It takes getting used to. It is different from Leica and other non-Contax cameras. However, it makes one-handed shooting marvelously easy. You can also use your left hand to steady the camera in low-light shooting while focusing with the wheel.
ZivcoPhoto
Well-known
I've always thought that the focus wheel was one of neat features of the Nikon RFs and Contax IIA/IIIA RFs.
I use mine all the time for the lenses Vince indicated...although I am trying to break the habit of using it with the 35mm F1.8 or 21 CV.....I do feel a light drag when using the wheel for those lenses. With the 50 1.4, it is so smooth, and as Tom says perfect for one handed shooting if necessary.
On one of my S2's the Pete Smith CLA made the wheel easier to use with the outside mount lenses.
I use mine all the time for the lenses Vince indicated...although I am trying to break the habit of using it with the 35mm F1.8 or 21 CV.....I do feel a light drag when using the wheel for those lenses. With the 50 1.4, it is so smooth, and as Tom says perfect for one handed shooting if necessary.
On one of my S2's the Pete Smith CLA made the wheel easier to use with the outside mount lenses.
rbsinto
Well-known
I've found that I must always use the focusing wheel when I using the CV 21 because I originally learned to focus my SLR lenses using my thumb and middle finger. And with the stubby 21, I fouind that my left index finger was appearing in the corner of many shots.
So I hold the camera by its bottom with my left thumb and index and middle fingers, as well as gripping it with my right thumb and middle fingers and focus and pull the trigger with my right index finger.
I'm finding my S3 to be very good for shooting unnoticed, but for anything really critical, or for my most creative street work, I get much better and more interesting images with my SLRs.
So I hold the camera by its bottom with my left thumb and index and middle fingers, as well as gripping it with my right thumb and middle fingers and focus and pull the trigger with my right index finger.
I'm finding my S3 to be very good for shooting unnoticed, but for anything really critical, or for my most creative street work, I get much better and more interesting images with my SLRs.
VinceC
Veteran
Nikon recommended focusing with the middle finger while keeping your index finger on the shutter and your thumb on the advance lever. This way, you could very rapidly shoot sequences. If you do this, your hand is positioned in such a way that the location of the shutter button feels just right, not too far back, as some people complain.
I have tried this but don't really care for the technique. So I focus with my index finger, then use the same finger to fire the shutter. However, the Nikon-recommended method really does work well for fast-moving situations.
I have tried this but don't really care for the technique. So I focus with my index finger, then use the same finger to fire the shutter. However, the Nikon-recommended method really does work well for fast-moving situations.
furcafe
Veteran
Whether it's a "gimmick" depends on personal preference, of course. Nippon Kogaku "borrowed" the idea from Zeiss Ikon along w/the Contax bayonet mount. I've noticed that quite a few cameras/lenses, both 35mm & 120, back in the '30s & '40s had focus wheels. Personally, I think it's a holdover from medium format camera design (e.g., Super Ikonta B), back when film was super-slow & expensive, "small" & "miniature" cameras were used in a more leisurely fashion, & precise focusing was perhaps valued more than speed of use by most users. Coming from a Contax RF background, I don't routinely use the wheel, but don't mind it, either. It is useful on those rare occasions when I shoot 1-handed & when I'm wearing gloves (perhaps why the Kodak 47/2 Ektar for the Kardon has a focus wheel).
As others have mentioned, it shouldn't be stiff or firm, even when using the 35/1.8 or 35/2.5, unless the lenses themselves need to be cleaned/relubed. That said, I also have an S3 2000 (chrome), & it is noticeably "squeakier" & less smooth than the vintage S2's & SP's I've owned/handled--I'm not sure whether this is because something was lost in the reproduction process (not impossible given that Nikon had to re-learn how to make such cameras in the 1st place) or because the camera just needs a few decades of hard use to smooth out the kinks (as Tom wrote). I'm leaning towards the 2nd explanation as that gives me an excuse to shoot more often.
As others have mentioned, it shouldn't be stiff or firm, even when using the 35/1.8 or 35/2.5, unless the lenses themselves need to be cleaned/relubed. That said, I also have an S3 2000 (chrome), & it is noticeably "squeakier" & less smooth than the vintage S2's & SP's I've owned/handled--I'm not sure whether this is because something was lost in the reproduction process (not impossible given that Nikon had to re-learn how to make such cameras in the 1st place) or because the camera just needs a few decades of hard use to smooth out the kinks (as Tom wrote). I'm leaning towards the 2nd explanation as that gives me an excuse to shoot more often.
loneranger said:
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migtex
Don't eXchange Freedom!
Use it most of the time with anything below 50. The hardest one is the Jupiter 12, but the CV's and the 35 2.5 are smooth as silk on any of the S's/S2's
dexdog
Veteran
Based on my experience with several Contax RFs and one Nikon SP, I regularly use the wheel for 50, 35 and 21mm lenses. Works quite well on either flavor camera. I think that the state of lubrication is very important when using the external mount lenses, though. If the lens is at all stiff, it won't work effectively, and you have to focus using the lens body.
Funny thing though...the focusing movement of the Zeiss wide angles on the SP feel abou the same as on the Contax bodies, while the focusing action of the 35/1.8 and 35/2.5 Nikkors feels noticably looser on the Contax bodies.
Funny thing though...the focusing movement of the Zeiss wide angles on the SP feel abou the same as on the Contax bodies, while the focusing action of the 35/1.8 and 35/2.5 Nikkors feels noticably looser on the Contax bodies.
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dexdog
Veteran
It occurs to me that some folks think that the focus wheel is horrid and fiddly.
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
Kiev 4 user here, love the focusing wheel on 50-ish lenses (tried both Jupiter 8 and Helios 103).
NIKON KIU
Did you say Nippon Kogaku
loneranger said:
Must be your 3.5 cm f1.8 needs a CLA, does the lens bind while focusing Off-camera?
Kiu
Xmas
Veteran
With some lube & filing most J12 will focus with the wheel on most Contax or Kiev, a Nikon on a Nikon should be ok but if it is stiff it is relube or file, or both, one can damage the wheel otherwise.
The wheel is very slow.
Noel
The wheel is very slow.
Noel