Nikon RF vs Leica RF

[rbsinto]

That's two of the reasons I sold my S2, it was noisy with that wack of
the shutter and the spinning shutter dial kept getting in the way of my
fingers, it's a great camera but I like the S3 more.

Range

Yup. Me too.
My favorite is the S3 followed by the SP.
Their controls are identically laid out to those on the F, and to a lesser extent the F2 so for me, switching back and forth between rangefinders and SLRs is seamless.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Any system that you're unused to using will feel clunky at first. As for usability of Nikon RF cameras - they must be pretty solid since they were used to shoot the Korean War.

D. D. Duncan was the one known for using Nikon lenses but not on a Nikon body. He used a Barnack Leica.

Phil Forrest

 

[jerrybro]

I have an S2 and an M4, I'll be selling the M4 and lens and keeping the Nikon. It feels better in my hand.

 

[Highway 61]

D. D. Duncan was the one known for using Nikon lenses but not on a Nikon body. He used a Barnack Leica.

Phil Forrest

The last camera used by Robert Capa when he jumped onto a landmine in 1954 was a

Nikon S which was on display at the 2004 NHS convention.

 

[Frontman]

I have also been shooting both Leica and Nikon rangefinder cameras. I have a few M cameras, M3/M4s, and an M6TTL. On the Nikon side, I have the S, s few S2 bodies, a few S3 bodies, and an SP. No S4 yet, but I imagine I'll get one eventually.

For M lenses, I have a 21mm SA, 35/2 Cron, DR Summicron, and pre-aspherical Summilux. I generally shoot with a Nokton 50/1.5.

For S lenses, I have the 2.1cm O-Nikkor, 2.8cm f/3.5 3.5cm f/1.8, a few 50/1.4 Sonnar-type lenses, and a Millenium Nikkor.

I generally carry a camera with me everywhere I go. I am often carrying a briefcase or a backpack, as I commute to and from work from Tsukuda to Marunouchi on foot, and I often find interesting things to shoot.

I have found the Nikon S cameras much easier to handle when one's hands are full. The camera can be operated entirely with only the right hand, I can reach the aperture ring, shutter speed ring, and focusing wheel. I have to use two hands when shooting a Leica M, unless I have the camera pre-set. I find the life-size viewfinder in the Nikon S cameras to be much faster and easier to use than the finders in the Leica M cameras. I like the 35mm finder in the M4 and newer cameras, it takes a bit of practice to get used to the dual finder on the SP, or to use an accessory finder on the earlier cameras.

As for smoothness and silence of operation, it depends a lot on the particular cameras. I have a Millennium S3 which is far smoother and quieter than any of the 6 or 7 M cameras I have. Other Nikon cameras are less smooth, but all are relatively quiet.

The Leicas cannot touch the Nikon S cameras in terms of reliability. I have never owned a Leica M camera which has not required a repair or adjustment. I have never owned a Nikon rangefinder which has required a repair or adjustment. The Leica M is designed like a surgical instrument, the Nikon S is designed like a military weapon.

in regards to the lenses, it is hard to be objective, each has their unique strong points. My favorite lenses are the Nokton for the Leica, and the Millennium Nikkor for the Nikon. The 3.5cm Nikkor I had been using was quite scratched up, but still performed admirably. I have just replaced it with a clean lens, but have not shot anything with it yet. I love the Leica SA, but I haven't yet looked at the results from the O-Nikkor yet.

Anyway, I find myself shooting much more with Nikon RF gear than with Leica.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

After years of curiosity and of using Leica M bodies, I jumped to the chance of owning a Nikon S2 with a 50mm f1.4 lens (even though I'm NOT a big 50mm user).

What can I say? I loved the thing... mostly because it was vastly different from what I was used to. In fact, I used it a lot for the 4 or 5 months after purchase, even though the rangefinder was not well adjusted (I believe the vertical lines didn't quite match). Some time later, I even took it with for a 6-week stint in Toledo, Spain, as my only film body. That's when I figured out that I could use the camera with my right hand only (and this was after two years of ownership).

What I essentially want to say is that one can use both systems and adapt to them well. They're not too different, but distinct enough to make it fun. Some lenses can be reasonably priced, but anything wide is going to be pricy. Also, these bodies are optimized for the 50mm FOV, so consider a viewfinder if you're a fan of any other focal length. If you can find a nicely priced S2 with a 50mm lens, go for it. The lack of parallax shouldn't deter you. And yes, they're a bit noisier than the Leica M bodies, but nobody notices the noise anyway (they're still quieter than any regular SLR).

Take care! 🙂

 

[VinceC]

The S-2 used a robust but loud shutter mechanism and is decidedly noisy. The S3 and SP (and S4) use a much quieter redesigned shutter that most people compare to the sound of a Leica M.

 

[Huss]

That's two of the reasons I sold my S2, it was noisy with that wack of
the shutter and the spinning shutter dial kept getting in the way of my
fingers, it's a great camera but I like the S3 more.

Range

Having just checked out an S3, I prefer the VF and focus blob on the S2 so much more that the improved shutter speed dial on the S3 matters not one whit to me.