Nikon S3 and/or Nikon SP

[SolaresLarrave]

Who has both around here? If you have them, which one's your favorite?

Just for conversation.

I'm lucky enough to have them and find the S3 better suited for my needs (my favorite focal length is 35mm), but the parallax corrected finder in the SP tips the balance even when I seldom use it to compose. In fact, I think the SP is about perfect for other focal lengths.

So, back to the original question: if you have these two cameras, which one is your go-to camera?

 

[the_hunter]

I also have both and use both. The S3 I have is beat up and always used with a 35mm (and gets a lot of use) The SPs get more use with the 50mm or 85mm and sometimes the 28mm. One SP is a 2005 the other is vintage but in near perfect shape. I think one reason I use the SPs less is because they are in such great shape and a I fear damaging them. I am pushing my self to use the vintage model more as it does have some small scratches and dust in the finder so a bit more ware should just add character at this point. This summer I think I will load the S3 with color film and fit it with the old 35mm f3.5 and put BNW film in the SP and give if a 50mm f2 or possible the 28mm for some variety day to day.

 

[Larry Cloetta]

Had both, preferred the SP to the reissue S3. Preferred the S2 to the reissue S3 as well, for that matter. Wish I had never sold the S2, don't miss the S3. S2 viewfinder is nicer than the S3. Maybe it was just mine, but I'm not the only one who has ever said that.
If I only ever had one Nikon rf, however, it would be the SP because I use all focal lengths. If I only ever used a 50, I'd find a nice S2 again. YMMV,

 

[SolaresLarrave]

BTW, I don't have the reissue S3 but the vintage one. 🙂 In fact, I purchased it here, from Dez (a Canadian RFFer).

Like TheHunter, I find the SP optimized for the 50mm (same as the S2!). I have found that the S3 works well for the 35mm, although I have used it extensively with the 50mm as well.

I see the 85mm used... I have a 105mm (which has been used in the S3). What type of long lenses do you guys use?

 

[Erik van Straten]

Had both, preferred the SP to the reissue S3. Preferred the S2 to the reissue S3 as well, for that matter. Wish I had never sold the S2, don't miss the S3. S2 viewfinder is nicer than the S3. Maybe it was just mine, but I'm not the only one who has ever said that.

I say that too, all the time. With the S2 you can hold both eyes open while shooting. With the SP you only think all the time about the other lenses you can use. While shooting, it is better to think about pictures.

gelatine silver print (s skopar 50mm f2.5) nikon s2

Erik.

 

[hap]

I have both. I love the SP. but tend use the S2 even though finder flares a bit more.
SP is protected

 

[Retro-Grouch]

I've handled both, but own neither. What I do own is several S2 cameras. I love the finder, and appreciate the simplicity. I'll usually leave a 28 finder in the shoe, and switch back and forth between a 50 or a 28. I actually prefer the view with my Voigtlander accessory finders; it's bigger and brighter than anything built into the S3 or SP, and I don't mind the trade-off in convenience. For my needs, the S2 is the ultimate Nikon RF.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

The S2 was my very first Nikon RF camera. I never imagined I'd like it... but I did. In the end, I sold it because I was really into Leicas and didn't believe I could branch out. Then, during the pandemic something kinda snapped inside me and decided to buy an S3 for a very convenient price and that was the gateway drug... 🙂

 

[Range-rover]

I had both but sold the S3 and kept the SP, I just love the way it handles.
Would love to find another one (S3) or S4.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I have both- prefer the SP for the 5cm and Telephoto lenses, S3 for the 3.5cm.

 

[Highway 61]

With the S2 you can hold both eyes open while shooting. With the SP you only think all the time about the other lenses you can use. While shooting, it is better to think about pictures.

I wonder where the hell you found that idea of "thinking all the time about the other lenses you can use" : with the 50mm framelines selected, the SP does not display anything else than the 50mm framelines for instance (with continuous parallax compensation by the way, something the S2 does not). So if you use the only lens which the S2 offers framelines for, i.e. the 50mm, the SP finder will display the exact same thing as the S2 finder, with the same global greenish tint and the same yellowish RF patch. Of course the framelines of the SP finder have rounded corners, like the Leica M3 framelines. So what ?
The only serious answer is : it all depends on the actual condition of the viewfinder you look through. My 1962 SP has a stellar viewfinder, and is better (global brightness, RF patch contrast, resistance to flare) than both the finders of my two 1954 and 1956 S2 bodies, although those are just as good as it gets for any clean and desilvering-free S2 finder.
My 1958 S3 has an excellent viewfinder. It doesn't flare the way many people despise the S3 for. And the main advantage of it over my S2 finders is that, since I have to wear glasses all the time, I can see the 50 mm framelines way more easily. I don't see the 35 mm framelines - which is normal when you wear glasses - and frankly the always visible 105 mm framelines are something I never think of. After a while, if you never use the 105 mm, just because you don't own any, the 105mm framelines are something you will never notice.
I can keep both eyes open with the three models and none distracted me from thinking about pictures, ever.
I have traveled a lot with my S3 only. I never thought I would have got better pictures if I had taken the S2 instead.
Like one of the previous posters, I would say that the condition of my SP does that I feel a bit reluctant to carry it everywhere, especially on travel or as my 24/24 camera. I should use it more, sure.
Bottom line : a clean vintage S3 finder is better than the reissue S3 finder. The framelines of the reissue finder are too thick and, although new, that finder can flare a lot sometimes.
To the OP : with my Nikon rangefinders I use lenses from 21mm to 50mm. For longer lenses I use my Nikon SLRs and my F-mount Nikkors.

 

[keytarjunkie]

I currently have a S3 (reissue) because I like using both 35mm and 50mm lenses. I don't find the flaring to be an issue, though I agree the framelines are pretty bold. I had a S2 about 13 years ago and liked it. In the future, I would like to add a S2, S3 (original), S4, and SP. I think the only way I will be a happy Nikon RF user is with all of them!

I generally prefer the SLR experience for telephoto lenses. I keep a Nikon F with 55mm, 85mm, or 105mm lens nearby. It's functionally identical to the rangefinders, they make a great pair!

 

[steveyork]

I had an original S3 for a summer. I preferred the more contrasty rangefinder patches of the S2 (or Leica's). That even after I cleaned the rangefinder mirrors on the S3. Useable but just not as convenient (for me). I just had that one sample experience. It now lives on the opposite side of the world.

The one time I looked through an original SP at a shop, the rangefinder patch was faded to the point of ghost like uselessness.

Over the years I've had 4 or so S2's, and they've all been very useable cameras. The big 1.0x viewfinder of these Nikons is intoxicating, much like the M3. If I were a 50mm guy, I would still have the S2's, but they're now scattered across the world -- Canada, Europe, Asia.

 

[Erik van Straten]

I wonder where the hell you found that idea of "thinking all the time about the other lenses you can use"

I don't know were I found this idea, but I use on my rangefindercameras only 50mm and 35mm lenses. True, the SP has a finder for a 35mm lens, but I much prefer the interchangable black 35mm Nikon brightline finder I have on my S2. For an S2/50mm combination parallax correction is not necessary because there hardly is any parallax. The optical center of the finder of the S2 is very close to the optical center of the lens.
So all those moving framelines on the SP are useless for me. They only make me think about lenses I do not need.
Also, the S2 is for me a much more beautiful camera to look at. I happen to have an original black paint/chrome dial S2.

Erik.

gelatine silver print (s skopar 50mm f2.5) nikon s2

 

[Highway 61]

Always posting the same nice pictures taken with a black paint Nikon S2 doesn't really tell that you don't have any obvious and long-run user experience with the Nikon SP versus the Nikon S3 (remember : this is what the OP's question is about), but it does not tell that you have some, either.
We could speak of self-timer vs no self-timer, automatic frames counter zero reset vs manual resetting, two-scales and quirky speeds selector dial versus more modern and user-friendly speeds selector dial etc. But we'd be off topic as well.
After all... off topic discussions are what the internet forums are all about, aren't they ? 😀

 

[splitimageview]

I have had original S3s, reissue S3s (both chrome and black), original SPs, and reissue SP.

Individual cameras can vary quite a lot with regards to viewfinders/rangefinders/framelines, really isn't dependent on the model, but on how well they were cared for/stored since new.

The S3 is unique with the life-size viewfinder for 35mm frames, but all those framelines visible at once can be distracting.

Probably would go for the SP if given the choice of these two. It's handy to have everything from 28mm up without an aux vf, even if the 28/35 are reduced magnification.

As it is, I now have none of the above; just have an S2 with an aux Nikon 35mm viewfinder. 😀

 

[Erik van Straten]

I'm a long time user of the Nikon S2!

gelatine silver print (all black nikkor 50mm f1.4 No.331109) nikon s2

Erik.

 

[jmanivelle]

Cap Sicié by JM__, on Flickr

5cm Nikkor SC 1.4 all black sn 331441 on Nikon S2 and Velvia 50

 

[Erik van Straten]

Very nice, JeanMarc!

gelatine silver print (nikkor sc 1.4 all black) nikon s2

Erik.

 

[kram]

With the re issued SP and S3, the SP is around X2.5 the cost of a S3. Sure the SP is a more refined camera (better RF). But x2.5 is a lot of scratch.