Mark Hansen comment on Nikon RF

Like it or not, people entitle free express their opinions. I have been in this forum since 2006. I find his observation based on his first hand experience. His comment on Leica is correct, use your hunting knife try to cut Leica M's out shell, they are just soft pot metal. Every cameras has its weak point, Nikon has no exception, even SP its viewfinder is inferior to Leica M3.
I just want to share what I have find on the net, his observation is interesting and I agree with him.
 
Friends I was about 10 years away for fun nikon rangefinder repair ...... biggest I've done apart from the hole caused by carelessness in the cloth curtain, was a simple CLA.
I have a lot and I've repaired dozens ... I have never seen major damage
 
I think he's probably right. Maybe his comments will help drive down the price of old NIkon RFs. : )

The man clearly loves Contaxes, but their finders are so inferior to the Leica and Japanese "knock-offs" that in the end the Contax gains no advantage. Ever try accurately framing a fast 85 on a Contax/Kiev? The only lens where the long Contax RF base length would really matter is probably the very limited production RF-coupled 180/2.8, which reportedly was so large it blocked the window anyway. I haven't noticed many folks running out and modifying those for Nikon or Leica coupling.

As many others have stated, Nikon is generally considered extremely reliable. Cosmetically, the Nikon RFs follow the styling cues of Contax II cameras, but the interior mechanisms are dramatically different and much simpler (ie., more reliable).
 
Zen-shooter said:
Do you really need hardened metal if the camera is able outlive the person who first bought it?

The way I see it, there's a difference between need and nice-to-have.

Anything that can function 50-60 years after its production is pretty good.
Click to expand...

I would say his claim is a bit of a misnomer. It really depends on what the part is doing. I don't see a problem with soft brass gears myself. In fact I think they would last longer than hardened steel gears simply because they are more corrosion resistant, they are non-magnetic so they won't attract metal grit that could cause them to wear out prematurely or jam and they are less likely to break under stress. Also they are much easier to machine, which at the time was important as it was before the advent of CNC lathes and mills.

I think he is one of the many who equate hardened steel with quality, but that isn't always true. Also, under most conditions, steel wont' last forever. Eventually it will corrode, and once it does it is like an unstoppable cancer.
 
So don't send your Nikon RFs to him.

If however you have one of the cameras that he likes to work on, and you like for it to be serviced in terms of weeks instead of months or years, with reasonable price and friendly correspondence, then contact him.

No relations other than a satisfied repeat customer.
 
The sky is falling!

The sky is falling!

Crap, now that I can't buy a Nikon S2 or SP because of one opinion, all my Leica gear is also inferior.
Who wants an M4, M4-P and an M9? I have to get rid of them before they fall apart! Don't mind the scratches and the tool marks on my M4, it got those scars while in Iraq covering urban combat for a few weeks in Fallujah.
I didn't know they were such time bombs though, thanks for the warning!
I'm dumping everything and getting a Contax II and the fantastic, albeit limited, number of lenses offered for it.

Phil Forrest
 
My experience with Mark is concerning Kodak lens repair.Excellent and quick.
(A person without an opinion is called a corpse.)
Regards,Peter
 
More specifically, his Website says he repairs the following:

"Range Finder Cameras With Screw Mount Lenses:Including Leica SM, Minolta, Nikon, Canon. Sorry no M mount service."
 
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