New to Nikon RF with an S2...

dufffader

dufffader

Leicanaut/Nikonaut...
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Hi there. Bought my first Nikon RF, an S2 complete with the standard 5cm f1.4 S.C, earlier this month in Tokyo and I've just developed 2 rolls of Neopan 400 from it.

Picture looks great, however, I do see some glow in the picture at wide open aperture of f1.4 that reminds me of my old 5cm f1.5 Summarits' "leica glow" in some lighting conditions. I'll spend another few more rolls to get to know the character of the Nikkor.

Want to let everyone know how I just love the retro look, especially the old style Nikon font on the front of the S2. Now I'm starting to use it more than my Leica, which has been sitting there for the last couple of weeks.

Was thinking of getting the S2 as a precursor to getting a SP 2005! I think I'm going to fall for it!!!🙄
 
The S2 is all you need for using 50's. The finder of the SP is great for everyting else.

The Summarit and Nikkor on opposite ends for formula. The Summarit is a modified Planar, the Nikkor is a tweeked Zeiss Sonnar. The Nikkor went all out for wide-open, close-up performance. It is a higher-contrast lens. The Summarit is soft wide-open, sharpens up at F4. It is a low-contrast lens. I find it does better in harsh-lighting conditions, such as outdoor portaiture. The Nikkor can lose high-light detail.

Obviously, I've rationalized owning both for you so you will not have to sell the Leica.
 
Don't worry, I'm not going to sell the Summarit. One of the reason I won't be selling it would be for the XOONS hood! I also have this habit of hogging my photo equipment...

I was out today shooting my third roll. Thanks for the insights!

Brian Sweeney said:
The S2 is all you need for using 50's. The finder of the SP is great for everyting else.

The Summarit and Nikkor on opposite ends for formula. The Summarit is a modified Planar, the Nikkor is a tweeked Zeiss Sonnar. The Nikkor went all out for wide-open, close-up performance. It is a higher-contrast lens. The Summarit is soft wide-open, sharpens up at F4. It is a low-contrast lens. I find it does better in harsh-lighting conditions, such as outdoor portaiture. The Nikkor can lose high-light detail.

Obviously, I've rationalized owning both for you so you will not have to sell the Leica.
Click to expand...
 
dufffader said:
Hi there. Bought my first Nikon RF, an S2 complete with the standard 5cm f1.4 S.C, earlier this month in Tokyo and I've just developed 2 rolls of Neopan 400 from it.

Picture looks great, however, I do see some glow in the picture at wide open aperture of f1.4 that reminds me of my old 5cm f1.5 Summarits' "leica glow" in some lighting conditions. I'll spend another few more rolls to get to know the character of the Nikkor.

Want to let everyone know how I just love the retro look, especially the old style Nikon font on the front of the S2. Now I'm starting to use it more than my Leica, which has been sitting there for the last couple of weeks.

Was thinking of getting the S2 as a precursor to getting a SP 2005! I think I'm going to fall for it!!!🙄
Click to expand...

Congrats on your S2! Did you go for a chrome dial or black dial version? IMO an SP 2005 is a great companion to an S2 🙂 The only problem is once you start adding bodies, soon you'll want an S3, then an S4, then a Millennium 50/1.4 lens etc. etc. 😀
 
Welcome "Dufffader"... for me the Nikon RF´s are a great hobby but the risk is, as others have pointed out here, that you will want them all! I have a S2 (which has the brightest finder), a S3 (my copy is very difficult to focus but I think that is true for many S3´s) and then the S3-2000 (which is not as bright as the S2 I think but more easy to operate).... The SP is on my "list" but I have focused getting some good glass first!
Jon
 
I have a chrome dial S2. Compared to Leicas, I like the fact that I can now focus with the same hand I'm holding the camera! I'm already starting to get the disease... I make quite a number of trips to Tokyo and I have been eyeing the SP 2005 in Fujiya for for some time already, even before I got the S2.

I'm just a little afraid that if I do go SP 2005 I'll be babying it like a collector. I've seen, while lurking in this forum, that you seem to be using your SP 2005! I'll join you one of these days when I take the plunge. Then the S3 and S4 will seem like a piece of cake!

jonmanjiro said:
Congrats on your S2! Did you go for a chrome dial or black dial version? IMO an SP 2005 is a great companion to an S2 🙂 The only problem is once you start adding bodies, soon you'll want an S3, then an S4, then a Millennium 50/1.4 lens etc. etc. 😀
Click to expand...
 
I'm also in the position of considering a S3 2000 as I can not afford the SP. I however use 35mm lenses for often and really can't find good 35mm lens anywhere. I wish Zeiss had made the Biogon available for S mount too.
I really wonder why many of you stay with Nikon S even the S mount really need more lenses choice.
Just my 2 cents of course.
 
fleetwoodjazz said:
I'm also in the position of considering a S3 2000 as I can not afford the SP. I however use 35mm lenses for often and really can't find good 35mm lens anywhere. I wish Zeiss had made the Biogon available for S mount too.
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There's a Jupiter-12 (copy of pre-war 35mm f2.8 Biogon) on my S3-2000 at the moment, seems to work well. I just received a new S-mount Voigtlander Skopar 28mm f/3.5 from Cameraquest.com. There's also a Skopar 35mm f/2.5. You might click the Cameraquest ad in this forum to check out what SC lenses are available, as they're on reduced price clearance... And KevinCameras.com has a lot of Nikon RF gear, very well pictured and described... not at bargain prices but there's plenty of of selection. Also Contax RF gear including several 35 Biogons which I think should work fine on the Nikon too.
 
With regards to 35s I have the Nikkor 35/2.5 which is excellent; the new Voigtlander 35/2.5 is discontinued but still available.
 
I don't find the SP too dark but I havent ever used an S2 to compare...maybe I shouldn't. 😉

And yes SP limited editions should be used, not put on a shelf.
 
Compared with the S2, the SP has an extra beamsplitter in it for the framelines. I have three late-model SP's that have very bright finders. My earlier SP had a "less Bright" finder. I took the RF mask out and that helped.
 
Brian Sweeney said:
Compared with the S2, the SP has an extra beamsplitter in it for the framelines. I have three late-model SP's that have very bright finders. My earlier SP had a "less Bright" finder. I took the RF mask out and that helped.
Click to expand...

Brian - since I am looking for a good SP, how do you define the "late SP"... by serial number and so what should I be looking for ?
/Jon
 
My earliest SP with a titanium shutter is 6216xxx. The finder is very bright, as good as Kiu's SP 2005. The other two are a 6219xxx and 6222xxx. The finders on all three are wonderful to use.
 
Jon, the starting point for titanium shutter SPs is about s/n 6214000. About six months ago, I looked pretty hard for a nice vintage SP. Probably looked at about 20 to 30 cameras. While the brightness on the good finders was similar to my SP 2005, the focus patches tended to be faded in comparison. The few that came close in the focus patch department were later models with titanium shutters, but even they tended to be a mixed bag. Perhaps the humid Japanese climate hasn' been very kind to these cameras ...
 
Thanks for comments Brian, Jon & Nikonwebmaster.... for a collector that may not be the end of the day but if you spend a lot of money for using something it is really important!
/jon
 
fleetwoodjazz said:
I really wonder why many of you stay with Nikon S even the S mount really need more lenses choice.
Just my 2 cents of course.
Click to expand...
We use classic lenses bought from second hand. I for myself found all what I wanted to in Nikon-S mount at online auctions.

Right now I have two 35mm wides in Nikon-S mount, a W-Nikkor-C 35/2.5 and its 35/1.8 brother. I like them both. Okay they're 50 years old lenses, but fitting them on a 50 years old camera doesn't bother me... when you buy a Nikon rangefinder, you know that lenses other than the new "Millenium" 50/1.4 will have to be second hand classics.

You may also consider third parties lenses made at the time Nikon made the lenses mentioned above, such as the Tanaka Kogaku Tanar 35/2.8 or the Komura one, etc.

If you use a Jupiter-12 on a Nikon rangefinder, no issues whatsoever with the mount or the photo quality if your lens is a good one ; just pay attention not to scratch the camera front plate (the rear outer flange of the J-12 bayonet - same with the original Zeiss Biogon 35/2.8 the J-12 is a copy of - is a bit too thick and filing it down a little should be considered).

Search this forum, you will find dozens of threads about 35mm lenses for Nikon rangefinders.
 
It's easy enough to adapt lenses to the Nikon S-Mount. In addition to the 5cm f1.4 and 5cm f2 Nikkors, I use a Zeiss Sonnar 50mm F1.5 and 50mm F2 on my Nikon RF's. Changed the element spacing on the F1.5 lens and shimmed the F2 lens to correct the focus error. I've also modified Menopta and Helios-103's for the Nikon. These lenses are not available for a Leica, and would require an expensive Contax to Leica M-Mount adapter. It's easier to adapt them to the Nikon. As for using them on the Contax and Kiev- the Nikon 1x finder is better. I also have a Contax IIIa and a Kiev.

Even Kodak got into the act.

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I think the lack of lens choice is a good thing. Having only 20 to 30 different types of lenses to choose from is hard enough. I'd go nuts if there were hundreds of different types to choose from 😱:bang:
 
I also think the lack of lens choice is a positive. The original 1950s lenses are excellent, and the Cosina lenses benefit those who want modern multicoating. The new version of the 50/1.4 is among the two or three finest 50s ever made.

The Webmaster is right. I travel with a 28/3.5; a 35/1.8 (mainly for its low-light speed), 50/1.4 and 105/2.5 (sometimes 85/2 instead).
 
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