Oh why oh why.... did I buy another Nikon S2

[Erik van Straten]

Nikon changed the resting position angle, shape and length of those bright hollow levers series many times over years so this isn't surprising (it even matches some subtle design changes re. the winding ratchett gears that are under the top cover). If you look carefully you'll see that the lever of the black S2 is longer than the one of the chrome S2.

Thank you, Highway, for this explanation.

Erik.

 

[enasniearth]

There's some really interesting engineering in this thread. Alloys shrinking over 60 years? As someone else says, any evidence? And 3 instead of 4 screws? Consider the simple truth that a 3-legged stool must always have 3 legs on the ground, but a 4-legged chair (or table) can rock. Someone is misunderstanding generally accepted engineering principles, and I don't think it's me. Nor am I convinced that in engineering (unlike, say economics) 'conventional wisdom' is wrong.

Cheers,

R.

Roger ,
I'm trying to find a way to explain this , as I am not a metallurgist or engineer by trade . Perhaps shrink was not the proper word .
Below as it was explained to me .

A solid block of billet ( cast aluminum ) milled into a solid rectangular block
Will remain at the same size perhaps indefinitely .
Most castings are alloys where several metals are used to strengthen and add other characteristics to the aluminum that are desired in the design .
When cast the metals assume a crystalline structure , with each metal evenly dispersed in the block of alloy .
When more than one metal is used there are internal stresses in the structure from the grid of dispersed metal particles .
A camera is a casting that is milled out , machined , drilled , tapped , to hold the shutter mechanism . To access the mechanism for repair there is an access panel in the casting with a screwed on lid .
In the case of the Nikon the front panel that holds the focus assembly unscrews from the back box that hold the shutter machanism .

Machineing changes the metal , it is no longer a solid block of aluminum .
These machined castings do change over time .
It is very slight perhaps .002-.003 for Nikon and a little more for other cameras .
Perhaps something else is at work here , this was how it was explained to me
An observation is that in most cases the lens mount will need to have the flange to film plane distance checked , and in many cases shimmed out some small amount to restore factory spec .
The .002- .004 distance is in most cases within the depth of field of the lenses used , so effect is not noticed .
People talk about haveing their lenses collimated to the body for critical focus we assume the body is a perfect register .

As I had written before , the amount is small . In most cases it would not be obvious without critical measurement .

Perhaps the statement "machined aluminum alloy castings could possibly lose register over time "
is more accurate , sorry for the misunderstanding .
Several cameras I have had rebuilt have had the focus mount flange shimmed out to account for this

 

[dugwerks]

vick, you are weak. but i see no problem here, move along citizens.