Photos with your Nikon S2.

[Erik van Straten]

Thank you, mothertrucker! But the Nikon S2 is one of my favorites.

Nikon S2, Nikkor 50mm f/2, 400-2TMY.

Erik.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Nikon S2, Nikkor 50mm f/1.4, 400-2TMY.

Erik.

 

[Darinwc]

Waiting at the park

Waiting at the park

Waiting at the park
Nikon S2, 35mm f2.5, Delta 100

 

[Highway 61]

A walk in Rome from Gianicolo to Trastevere, May 19th 2012

Ciao e arrivederci Roma, addio Neopan 400...

Nikon S2 "black dial " - Nikkor-H-C 5cm f/2 black - Fuji Neopan 400 - D76 1+1

 

[JoeLopez]

A very nice series of images, I'd love to add a Nikon SX to my bag some day.

 

[Timmyjoe]

Nikon S2, W-Nikkor-C 3.5cm f/2.5, Double-XX

Little House on the Prairie

Best,
-Tim

 

[Erik van Straten]

Beautiful series of Rome, Nicolas! My favorite part of the city.

Leica MP, Summaron 35mm f/3.5 LTM, Tmax400. (I am sorry, this time no S2)

Erik.

 

[Darinwc]

Veterans memorial, Sacramento, California

 

[Highway 61]

Beautiful series of Rome, Nicolas! My favorite part of the city.

Thanks, Erik (and what a wonderful photo from you, too). That part of Rome was Chateaubriand's favorite as well... 😉

 

[Erik van Straten]

Thank you, Nicolas, this one is from about the same place, but 27 years earlier.

Leica M3, Summilux 50mm f/1.4 v2, Ilford HP5.

 

[jonmanjiro]

Lovely image Erik.

I know you're not fond of the Summitar's pin cushion distortion, but there seems to be almost as much pin cushion distortion as the Summitar in this shot. It doesn't bother you with the Nikkor-H 5cm F2?

A walk in Rome from Gianicolo to Trastevere, May 19th 2012

Ciao e arrivederci Roma, addio Neopan 400...

Nikon S2 "black dial " - Nikkor-H-C 5cm f/2 black - Fuji Neopan 400 - D76 1+1

Lovely series Nicolas!

 

[Erik van Straten]

Lovely image Erik.

I know you're not fond of the Summitar's pin cushion distortion, but there seems to be almost as much pin cushion distortion as the Summitar in this shot. It doesn't bother you with the Nikkor-H 5cm F2?

Thank you, Jon,

Yes! It bothers me a lot. I've used this lens before on my Contax I but did not see any distortion. So I used the lens for these architectural shots. I am not very happy now. Maybe it is the architecture, very modern.

On the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 there is less, but that lens not really pulls in the corners. The Color-Skopar distorts too, but less. The Jupiter distorts much more. What to do?

However, this pictures I've made five minutes after the other one. I do not see much distortion on this one.

Nikon S2, Nikkor 50mm f/2, 400-2TMY.

Erik.

 

[Highway 61]

Let's look at these photos (both with a Nikon S2 and on Tri-X) : yes the Nikkor-H-C 5cm f/2 has some very noticeable pincushion distorsion :

(Henri Cartier-Bresson Fundation resting room, Paris)

And the prewar CZJ Sonnar 5cm f/2 has some heavier pincushion distorsion :

(Galerie Vivienne in front of the house of Vidocq, Paris)

What to do ? I don't know. Those are old lenses. They still perform remarkably even by modern standards. The distorsion will show with some vertical or horizontal lines in the image only, especially if those lines are close to the frame edges.

Erik : about that photo taken from the Gianicolo 27 years earlier with a Leica M3 and a Summilux 50mm f/1.4 v2 on Ilford HP5 : I now badly want a 8x10" FB darkroom print of this fantastic shot.

I have the frame already ! 😉

 

[Erik van Straten]

Nicolas, maybe I have one for you, I'll look it up.

Erik.

 

[jonmanjiro]

What to do?

This kind of simple pin cushion distortion is very simple to correct in Photoshop etc. I don't usually bother with such corrections though, I just go with what the lens gives me.

What to do ? I don't know. Those are old lenses. They still perform remarkably even by modern standards. The distorsion will show with some vertical or horizontal lines in the image only, especially if those lines are close to the frame edges.

True, these are indeed old lenses and they perform exceedingly well given their age. The pin cushion doesn't particularly bother me personally (I find barrel distortion more objectionable for some reason) but having read some of Erik's comments in the past about his dissatisfaction with the Summitar's pin cushion distortion (such as here, and here) I was curious to know his thoughts on the Nikkor-H 5cm F2.

This shot by Erik with the Nikkor-H 5cm F2 has some pin cushion distortion:

And this shot by Erik with a Summitar 5cm F2 may have a little more pin cushion distortion, but the difference doesn't seem that much to me.

 

[Erik van Straten]

This kind of simple pin cushion distortion is very simple to correct in Photoshop etc. I don't usually bother with such corrections though, I just go with what the lens gives me.

True, these are indeed old lenses and they perform exceedingly well given their age. The pin cushion doesn't particularly bother me personally (I find barrel distortion more objectionable for some reason) but having read some of Erik's comments in the past about his dissatisfaction with the Summitar's pin cushion distortion (such as here, and here) I was curious to know his thoughts on the Nikkor-H 5cm F2.

Yes, Jon is right that I complained about the pincushion distortion of the Summitar. In that case I was surprised, because the other Leitz lenses of that period do absolutely not distort.

I must say that distortion like this is very annoying when viewed digital and online. The computer screen is perfectly flat and does not forgive any distortion in a picture. When the picture is printed on paper the distortion is not so obvious.

I can correct the distortion in Photoshop, but then I'll lose parts of the negative. I don't want that.

Which 50mm lenses with Nikon RF or Contax RF mount do not distort?

Erik.

 

[NaChase]

S2 + Millennium Nikkor + Neopan 400
Inverse by Nick Chase, on Flickr
S2 + Millennium Nikkor + Bergger 400
Vanishing Point by Nick Chase, on Flickr

 

[richardHaw]

damn! Framing with the 135 sure is challenging! 😱😱😱

 

[jonmanjiro]

Which 50mm lenses with Nikon RF or Contax RF mount do not distort?

I think with the Nikkor-H, the distortion becomes more obvious as the distance to subject increases, though I haven't done any testing to prove that.

I'm not very familiar with Contax RF lenses, but as for which Nikon RF lenses don't distort, I think the Millennium Nikkor 50/1.4 is acceptable, and possibly also the Micro Nikkor 50/3.5 (expensive option though).

 

[Erik van Straten]

I think with the Nikkor-H, the distortion becomes more obvious as the distance to subject increases, though I haven't done any testing to prove that.

Thank you, Jon.

I've been thinking the same thing, but I keep also thinking that it is the architecture. It is a new building, made with new technologies and is strangely curved on the outside. I will do some research on that.

Of course, I will do some more testing with the lens.

Erik.