Peter Jennings
Well-known
Selftimers aren't just for selfies 
richardHaw
junk scavenger
from what I understand, the S4 was meant to be a newsman's camera as it was dictated by DDD himself on what would be a nice newsman's camera
this meant stripping things to the bare minimum like getting rid of the self time which can snag on a shirt pocket or the extra 35mm frame which cluttered the view. incidentally, I read that DDD liked the 50mm and 135mm FOV so this probably explained why 35mm was not included.
I was freelancing for the local newspaper a long time ago and my editor would not allow me to take pictures that are wider than 35mm for a few reasons. he is an old-timer. is it me or people in the journalism industry back then disliked wider focal lengths.
the reasons my editor gave me for not going beyond 35mm was it distorts the image, distorting facts, making small things look bigger and it made people look like caricature/cartoon characters when their face look distorted. this is probably why DDD didn't want the 35mm frame in?
on a more realistic note, omitting the 35mm frame line lowers cost which is the whole point of the S4.
the cloth shutter is also for lowering cost. If I am a newsman in the late '50s I would want to have a cloth shutter since it is less prone to finger-poking damage, can be fixed easily in the field when you get holes by using a rubberized paint and is quieter.
just some random thoughts...
this meant stripping things to the bare minimum like getting rid of the self time which can snag on a shirt pocket or the extra 35mm frame which cluttered the view. incidentally, I read that DDD liked the 50mm and 135mm FOV so this probably explained why 35mm was not included.
I was freelancing for the local newspaper a long time ago and my editor would not allow me to take pictures that are wider than 35mm for a few reasons. he is an old-timer. is it me or people in the journalism industry back then disliked wider focal lengths.
the reasons my editor gave me for not going beyond 35mm was it distorts the image, distorting facts, making small things look bigger and it made people look like caricature/cartoon characters when their face look distorted.
this is probably why DDD didn't want the 35mm frame in?on a more realistic note, omitting the 35mm frame line lowers cost
which is the whole point of the S4.the cloth shutter is also for lowering cost. If I am a newsman in the late '50s I would want to have a cloth shutter since it is less prone to finger-poking damage, can be fixed easily in the field when you get holes by using a rubberized paint and is quieter.
just some random thoughts...
Great season for hunting Nikon S4!
First time I've heard DDD and the S4 mentioned in the same sentence
In his latest tome, Bob Rotoloni starts his S4 section as below. No mention of DDD in there anywhere though.
"It appears that sometime in early 1959 the people at N-K decided to produce a new model that would make it easier for someone to enter the Nikon rangefinder system. This was not a new idea, as Leitz had been doing the very same thing for years."
You'll have to buy the book to read more
The S4 was announced in March 1959 and production was in three batches that date to March 1959, May 1959, and July 1960. The Tokyo Olympics were held in October 1964.
from what I understand, the S4 was meant to be a newsman's camera as it was dictated by DDD himself on what would be a nice newsman's camera
First time I've heard DDD and the S4 mentioned in the same sentence
In his latest tome, Bob Rotoloni starts his S4 section as below. No mention of DDD in there anywhere though.
"It appears that sometime in early 1959 the people at N-K decided to produce a new model that would make it easier for someone to enter the Nikon rangefinder system. This was not a new idea, as Leitz had been doing the very same thing for years."
You'll have to buy the book to read more
The S4 was announced in March 1959 and production was in three batches that date to March 1959, May 1959, and July 1960. The Tokyo Olympics were held in October 1964.
I can't see how an alternate frame line mask saves cost.
richardHaw
junk scavenger
https://www.cameraquest.com/nrfs4.htm
this is from the english internet
I read something on a japanese site or MOOK mentioning it, too but I am unsure if they got the information from the CQ site
there is a more extensive one online, I will look for it
this is from the english internet
I read something on a japanese site or MOOK mentioning it, too but I am unsure if they got the information from the CQ site
there is a more extensive one online, I will look for it
... and on the head bartender's website no less
First time to see that.
richardHaw
junk scavenger
menos
Veteran
That is an interesting bit of info - thanks for sharing!
I didn't know the article on the CameraQuest website and it does indeed show the S4 in a slightly different light.
Now how to find a nice condition S4 with meter scale for myself (feet scaled S4 might be more valuable but they are just soooooooo confusing)
Now if Nikon ever had made a few in black paint, THAT would be a very tasty camera to me ;-)
I didn't know the article on the CameraQuest website and it does indeed show the S4 in a slightly different light.
Now how to find a nice condition S4 with meter scale for myself (feet scaled S4 might be more valuable but they are just soooooooo confusing)
Now if Nikon ever had made a few in black paint, THAT would be a very tasty camera to me ;-)
richardHaw
junk scavenger
if I recall, me and my friend saw one. it was not "official" and probably requested by a customer
menos
Veteran
Beautiful - a repaint then I suppose.
Great season for hunting Nikon S4!
IIRC Tom A had a black paint Nikon S4, painted by Shintaro. I don't remember hearing about or seeing a factory black paint S4 though. DDD must have forgotten to suggest Nikon make black paint versions
IIRC Tom A had a black paint Nikon S4, painted by Shintaro. I don't remember hearing about or seeing a factory black paint S4 though. DDD must have forgotten to suggest Nikon make black paint versions
Highway 61
Revisited
cwereley
X6
I see the thread has been idle for quite some time, but curious about prices of the S4 over the past ten years or so. I’ve collected Nikon SLR’s forbuears and have just recently caught the RF bug.
Anyone can shed some light on S4 average prices since year 2000!or so? Have prices slumped since then and why? Perhaps all Nikon RF camera prices have decreased....
Would like to add S4 to collection at some point. I still shoot film and use my S2 most often.
Thanx in advance for any insight
Anyone can shed some light on S4 average prices since year 2000!or so? Have prices slumped since then and why? Perhaps all Nikon RF camera prices have decreased....
Would like to add S4 to collection at some point. I still shoot film and use my S2 most often.
Thanx in advance for any insight
wes loder
Photographer/Historian
At the time the S4 came out, Japan was in the midst of an economic recession. The S4 was an attempt to low the price point for the Japanese market to maintain market share. It was not imported to the US, but was sold in the military exchange stores. Those S4s are marked in feet. It was also normally sold with the 50/2 to lower the cost. The 105/4 was introduced at the same time and for the same reasons, but that lens was exported to the US market.