Nikon S3 2000, Chrome vs Black paint, price difference

[xayraa33]

Does anyone know what the price difference is ,between a new Nikon S3 2000 (with the new Olympic style 50mm lens included) that is in black paint, versus the chrome one?

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Somewhere around $700. Remember when Black Paint was "add $20".

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Well people can scratch one more S3-2000 chrome off of B&H's inventory.

At $2,295 I've been counting the ones bought by RFF members of late.

At that price with the Case and modern version of the 5cm F1.4 Olympic lens, it is less than what an S3 body with 5cm F1.4 Sonnar formula lens used to go for in 2000. Of course at that time, the S3-2000 was going for $5,000.

How many others have taken this plunge?

 

[Simon Larbalestier]

I got the black version in 2003 cost me a lot more than the price you mention above Brian!
Now its got knocks, small dents and brassing nicely..........

Simon

 

[VinceC]

I'm probably already on your list, but I bought a Chrome S3-2000. It was delivered last Friday evening.

 

[xayraa33]

Well people can scratch one more S3-2000 chrome off of B&H's inventory.

At $2,295 I've been counting the ones bought by RFF members of late.

At that price with the Case and modern version of the 5cm F1.4 Olympic lens, it is less than what an S3 body with 5cm F1.4 Sonnar formula lens used to go for in 2000. Of course at that time, the S3-2000 was going for $5,000.

How many others have taken this plunge?

Is B&H the lowest priced seller of the (NIB) chrome S3 2000 with the Miilenium Nikkor 50mm f1.4 ?

 

[VinceC]

I haven't seen a new one cheaper. They go for less used, but they're seldom sold used because original purchasers don't want to take the loss.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Also: The B&H are Nikon USA cameras, not "grey market". They have a full one year warranty. I put mine on a card that "doubles the warranty" period.

B&H is the cheapest place I know of for Nikon USA cameras. And the shipping was VERY reasonable.

 

[taffer]

Congrats Brian !

There seems to be a bunch of acquisitions lately, but after all we're (were) in January when of course everybody's broke after all the Xmas purchases 😉

 

[VinceC]

Oops. I imagine the Nikon warranty folks would frown at switching out the front plate with an older camera.

The camera just seemed so darned new, and I've never shot with a new camera before. So I swapped the front plate with my venerable S3, which I sprayed black about 15 years ago using furnace paint back when I used the camera to photograph military people in the field. A little black electrical tape and, voila! It suddenly felt a lot more like the camera I've been using all these years.

I was out snapping pictures of my kids at a playground with the grunged-up S3-2000 when one of the parents turned to me and said, "That's a nice old camera. All you see these days is digital."

I'm not even going to talk about the day-glo red and green used on the shutter-speed dial.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I don't think I'll be swapping out front plates. But you do have to remove it for adjusting the RF anyway.

The "Day-Glow" shutter speed dial is like that of the late-run SP's, S3's, and 1965'ish and on Nikon F's. I'll have to check if it is one or two retaining screws holding it in. The little plastic cover was missing from my otherwise mint SP. I put one in it from a Nikon F. The early F's have one screw like most of the RF's.

And I see it has SEVEN concentric circles around the film counter, not three...

 

[taffer]

I love Nikon RFs
I love coffee
I love old typewriters
I love handheld meters
I love maps

So that has to be one of my favs C&C pics ever !

Oops. I imagine the Nikon warranty folks would frown at switching out the front plate with an older camera.

The camera just seemed so darned new, and I've never shot with a new camera before. So I swapped the front plate with my venerable S3, which I sprayed black about 15 years ago using furnace paint back when I used the camera to photograph military people in the field. A little black electrical tape and, voila! It suddenly felt a lot more like the camera I've been using all these years.

I was out snapping pictures of my kids at a playground with the grunged-up S3-2000 when one of the parents turned to me and said, "That's a nice old camera. All you see these days is digital."

I'm not even going to talk about the day-glo red and green used on the shutter-speed dial.