Focus wheel

[ruben]

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.

Hi loneranger,

Assuming Nikon has borrowed the little wheel from the Contax with good fidelity to the original, it must work extremely soft.

Yet there are clear reasons why it may not be soft:
a) Stiff grease

b) Dirt. In this case it will feel as if there are grains of sand.

c) Too much grease, acting as a brake. The right amount is the minimum of the minimum.

You can check it yourself without dismounting the camera, by dismounting the lens, bring the focusing to minimum distance and pass a finger along the thread. If you have either oil or grease on your finger, this is a clear sign the helicals have too much oil or grease. In this case, whip out as much as you can and see if it improves the smoothness of the little wheel.

As for the convenience of the little wheel, obvously until yours comes back to life again, it is quite pointless to speak about it. Once it works propperly you will discover the many functions it performs by yourself.

Cheers,
Ruben