Photos with New 50mm Nikkor on S3-2000

Nice shots with a truly lovely lens. Beautiful wide open, so smooth and natural. The fact that my old S3 won't likely ever see one of these new 50's is killing me! 🙂
 
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VinceC said:
I used to say that being a photographer is a lot like being a gunslinger. You have to keep practicing constantly, keep your timing at its peak, because you never know when you're going to need to be ready for that split-second moment.
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Yep, that's very true. The other single most important thing is to have some kind of camera on you at all times. The best camera in the world is the one you have in hand.

Excellent shots in this thread. Thank you.

William
 
VinceC said:
Flipflop,
Several forum members in recent weeks/months have bought the S3-2000 w/ lens kit at B&H photo for $2,295. Not cheap, but cheaper than a new equivalent Leica and about on par with a Zeiss Ikon and lens (but a stop faster). There appear to have been about 10,000 of the new S3s made. About 14,000 original S3s were made in the late 1950s/early 1960s.
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This price is reasonable when you want such equipment. It may be much too costly for most people, but it is good to know what the going price is at B&H. The danger of owning such a camera-lens combination is that you will most likely nearly abandon everything else for quite a while. Maybe this could lead to selling off some other high quality cameras and lenses, resulting in having more cash and owning a beautiful camera with a great lens.
 
I've thought about this. In January I had my very beat-up SP CLA'ed and overhauled by Stephen Gandy (excellent job, by the way), so I'm trading off between the two, using the SP for black and white and the S3 for color. I've always gone back and forth on favoring one camera over the other. Stephen really brought the SP back to life ... but I really love shooting 35mm and 50mm lenses through the S3.

My thought was to sell off some stuff, including my old S3. But most of my gear is really, really beat up from semi-professional use, so it's hard to say who would want it.
 
Vince, those shots are great...of course the lens performs very well too. I like its signature...it is very smooth and the colors are great.

I wish I could compare a modern 35mm F1.8 v.s. mine (1957?) with regard to color.

IMO the Nikkor lenses of the fifties had a better coating than Leica glass of the period. I have a 135mm Hektor lens whose color rendition is simply dull when compared with a modern Leica lens on the next frame.

My 35mm F1.8 Nikkor has pretty nice color with no ajustments (in Photoshop), but a comparison with a limited release 35mm !.8 would be interesting.

I compared one of my 85mm F2 RF lens with my AI 85mm F2 and the color was basically similar....maybe a slight bit more saturation on the AI version (on an F3HP).

When I am shooting B&W, the difference is non existant...except the older lenses of the fifties are quite a bit smoother!
 
VinceC said:
My thought was to sell off some stuff, including my old S3. But most of my gear is really, really beat up from semi-professional use, so it's hard to say who would want it.
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That statement terrifies me. You might actually put an S3 on the market in a condition that I might, with extream effort, be able to afford????? :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang:

Yep, that many "bang heads" are needed. 🙄 That camera coming available when I could not afford it would need to be at least that painful...

William
 
Vince, I agree with Frank that the last image in your 1st post is just amazing (woods). I wonder if the Nokton 40/1.4 would / could perform as well or even come close.

Btw, as you know I am a proud owner of one Nikkor lens (the 135/3.5) and no Nikon body so if you ever decide to sell even the most beat up S-something ... 🙂
 
Thanks for this unexpected interested in the old S3. I'm afraid I'm going to be hanging onto it for now.

I not long ago left newspaperig for a position with the U.S. government, and I've unexpectedly but happily discovered there will still be ocassional opportunities for me to pursue my passion for photography. I'm actually planning to photograph an international performance later this week, and suddenly realized I'll be able to take two S3s with me -- something I was never able to do before. Deadlines are relaxed enough that I can have the film scanned at a one-hour photo place the next morning.

If I change my mind, I'll let you know. RFF has certainly been a big influence in rekindlilng my passion for photography, because I had a writing job for many years and so had let the cameras sit mostly unused. My wife doesn't quite understand why we now have hundreds of pictures of the kids taken during the last year, but I expect she knows its harmless compared to most other mid-life crisis. And it's not nearly as expensive as a red convertible.
 
By the way, I would also LOVE to see comparison shots with the new 3.5cm f/1.8 and the original version, which has been my workhorse lens for 15 years. If Kiu has access to an original 35/1.8, perhaps he can help us out.
 
Greetings,
I don't have the 1.8 although I have the 3.5 and 2.5...Brian lives close to me I wonder if he has one. May be one of these days we can hook up and do a little testing 😎
Kiu
 
I have the old 3.5cm/1.8, but you'll have to come into the city to do your testing, as I don't own a car & am allergic to suburbs. 😛

Also, the lens has a little haze @ the edges, so a comparison would probably not be fair.

NIKON KIU said:
Greetings,
I don't have the 1.8 although I have the 3.5 and 2.5...Brian lives close to me I wonder if he has one. May be one of these days we can hook up and do a little testing 😎
Kiu
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No 3.5/1.8 here. I have the 3.5/2.5. I'm always looking for one, but the prices are usually too high. I prefer the telephoto's.
 
VinceC said:
By the way, I would also LOVE to see comparison shots with the new 3.5cm f/1.8 and the original version, which has been my workhorse lens for 15 years. If Kiu has access to an original 35/1.8, perhaps he can help us out.
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OK Vince,
Ready or not, I have both now...how about that test you were proposing?

From the pictures you are showing us, you seem to be in my neck of woods(or Vice-Versa).

Kiu
 
My neck is closer to Great Neck.


Seems like the main things to check would be contrast, color fidelity and out-of-focus highlights.
 
Threads like this are dangerous! Was a bit hesitant about it but looks like tomorrow I'm going go ahead and pick up the last couple chrome S3 sets with the idea I will keep the 50 from one to go along with my SP/35. So if someone is interested I'll be posting a FS for one camera/lens set and a new S3 body. Anyone interested? February was too short, March is a good month for Nikons also... 😀
 
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