Nikon S2 lens question

[KN4SMF]

I've saved a 5cm 1.4 Nikkor lens for S2 on an auction site for possible purchase because it has a problem that i think I can fix, and can pick it up a little cheaper. But the lens is black, and all the pictures of 1.4 5cm S2 lenses were all-silver. Am I possibly looking at an incorrect lens?

 

[SolaresLarrave]

No, but they were later models. However, without seeing an image of it nobody can tell whether it's the lens that was retro-engineered for the 2000 issue of the Nikon S3, with was black (IIRC).

Can you post an image? Again, I recall having seen photographs of black 50mm Nikon lenses for the S2 in the auction site, but a photo would help.

 

[wes loder]

Nikon changed all its rangefinder lenses to black mountings in 1956-1957 (except the 50mm Micro Nikkor). Any S2 sold after the spring of 1957 probably came with a black-mounted lens. Of course, the S2 itself changed to black markings in the fall of 1957 after the SP went on sale.

 

[farlymac]

The "Nippon Kogaku Japan" Nikkor-S.C 5cm f1.4 was introduced in 1953, and produced through 1962, and likely the black ones with chrome filter rings were introduced with the Model II S2 ("Black Dial") after 1956. These were brass barrels. Most of the later aluminum barrel black lenses were all black (the third of four batches had some chrome filter rings, and in the fourth batch all had chrome filter rings). An even later version produced from 1962 to 1964 were all black with a new taller design and larger rear element, commonly referred to as the "Olympic", and supposedly supplied with the all black S3 for the '64 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.


PF

 

[wes loder]

Perhaps you need to clarify your chronology. The 5cm f1.4 came out in the fall of 1950. The change from a marking of NK Tokyo to NK Japan on the beauty ring was not clear-cut but certainly well before 1953. All these Nikkors, even the black-finished, have quite a bit of brass in their mountings, although the later ones have less—and weigh noticeably less. The only "All black" 5cm Nikkors were ones made for Black-finished Nikons, and the later re-designed 50s that came out in the 1960s. All-black 50mm Nikkors are rare. They were not part of the regular series. NK transitioned to the Black-mounted 5cm Nikkor before the Black-dial S2 came out. Take a look at the second version of the S2 instructions and you will see a chrome-dial S2 but the normal lens is a black mount. Virtually all 50mm f1.4 Nikkors from 1957 through 1962 were manufactured in black mounts with chrome noses for the filter rings.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Perhaps you need to clarify your chronology. The 5cm f1.4 came out in the fall of 1950. The change from a marking of NK Tokyo to NK Japan on the beauty ring was not clear-cut but certainly well before 1953. All these Nikkors, even the black-finished, have quite a bit of brass in their mountings, although the later ones have less—and weigh noticeably less. The only "All black" 5cm Nikkors were ones made for Black-finished Nikons, and the later re-designed 50s that came out in the 1960s. All-black 50mm Nikkors are rare. They were not part of the regular series. NK transitioned to the Black-mounted 5cm Nikkor before the Black-dial S2 came out. Take a look at the second version of the S2 instructions and you will see a chrome-dial S2 but the normal lens is a black mount. Virtually all 50mm f1.4 Nikkors from 1957 through 1962 were manufactured in black mounts with chrome noses for the filter rings.

This is for 100% correct.

"All-black 50mm Nikkors are rare. They were not part of the regular series."

They weigh much less too, 116 grams against 152 grams for a chrome one.

Erik.

 

[farlymac]

Perhaps you need to clarify your chronology. The 5cm f1.4 came out in the fall of 1950. The change from a marking of NK Tokyo to NK Japan on the beauty ring was not clear-cut but certainly well before 1953. All these Nikkors, even the black-finished, have quite a bit of brass in their mountings, although the later ones have less—and weigh noticeably less. The only "All black" 5cm Nikkors were ones made for Black-finished Nikons, and the later re-designed 50s that came out in the 1960s. All-black 50mm Nikkors are rare. They were not part of the regular series. NK transitioned to the Black-mounted 5cm Nikkor before the Black-dial S2 came out. Take a look at the second version of the S2 instructions and you will see a chrome-dial S2 but the normal lens is a black mount. Virtually all 50mm f1.4 Nikkors from 1957 through 1962 were manufactured in black mounts with chrome noses for the filter rings.

Wes, I didn't bother mentioning the "Tokyo" marked lenses, as none of those were done in black. Both my sources for information (Braczko, Rotoloni) state that the "Japan" lenses were introduced in 1953, and that the black lenses appear right around the time the black dial S2's came out, which was shortly before the introduction of the SP in 1957. But since their appearance was not synchronous with the Mod II S2, you could find official photos of a black lens on a chrome dial camera.



The count of aluminum barreled black lenses was 500 total in four batches, but not all of them were all black, just the first two batches, and most of the third. So maybe only 350 are all black (assuming batch size of 125). So yes, they are rare. And only the barrel is aluminum, not the focusing mechanism.



PF

 

[Erik van Straten]

only the barrel is aluminum, not the helix

The 50mm lenses have no helix, the helix is in the camera.


Erik.

 

[farlymac]

The 50mm lenses have no helix, the helix is in the camera.


Erik.

Oops. I keep doing that. I'll amend it to "focusing mechanism".


PF

 

[Erik van Straten]

I'll amend it to "focusing mechanism".

I am sorry, the 50mm lenses have no focusing mechanism. They simply click into the focusing mechanism that is built into the camera.

There are two exeptions AFAIK: the S Nokton 50mm f/1.5 and the S Skopar 50mm f/2.5. Those lenses are built like telephotos and have their own helix.


Erik.

 

[farlymac]

I am sorry, the 50mm lenses have no focusing mechanism. They simply click into the focusing mechanism that is built into the camera.

There are two exeptions AFAIK: the S Nokton 50mm f/1.5 and the S Skopar 50mm f/2.5. Those lenses are built like telephotos and have their own helix.


Erik.

Well, I went back and read my source material, and you're correct. What they were referring to was the part that connects to the camera focus mechanism. I probably shouldn't be writing about technical matters late in the evening, as I'm usually getting a bit fuzzy brained around that time.😕


PF