Quirks

[John Cox]

I'm looking at getting either an S or and S2 I wondering if there's anything I need to know. Some other vintage cameras have an issue where changing to 1/500 is bad for the shutter after the shutter is cocked. I've also read that some older cameras don't space frames the way modern cameras do.
Is there anything like this in either camera I should know about?
The body I'll get will have a patched curtain, how big a deal is this?

Lastly I have a sekonic l-398 for metering but it's missing a few things, Does anyone have any thoughts on a good pocket meter.
Thanks in advance,
John

 

[thegman]

I had a Nikon S2, but don't know much about it, it seemed to me to be technically in between a Barnack and a Leica M3.

For meter, I like the Voigtlander VC II, very small, simple, and clips onto any camera with a flash hotshoe, or coldshoe.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I have a Nikon S2 kit, and at some point I read that if the shutterspeed dial was moved after cocking the shutter it would be damaged. One of the RFF's authorities on Nikon RF cameras told me it's simply not true. You can change shutterspeeds at any time, whether the shutter is cocked or not.

Nice feature: you always can tell whether the camera is ready to shoot because, if it is, the index line in the shutterspeed dial is lined up with the small indicator arrow in the body. If the shutter isn't cocked, the shutterspeed index lines do not coincide.

Quirk (perhaps?): the VF has a nice magnification (it's 1:1! Not even Leica's are this big!). However, it's NOT parallax correcteed, so if you want the image in your VF to appear in your film, just move slightly to the left. If your subject is close, the displacement will be more extensive than when your subject is further than, say, 12 feet. And at infinite, I wouldn't even bother.

Quirk? You tall me. Unlike its brethren (the Contax bodies) and some contemporaries (Barnack Leicas), loading film is not a terrible problem because the spool is nicely designed and has a slot to slide in the film leader. The catch is in that you have to dismount the entire back of the camera to do it.

Meters: get yourself a Sekonic L-86. It's a selenium meter, older than dirt, tough as nails, although of limited range. Or go more contemporary with a Sekonic L-208 (takes a battery that lasts an eternity). There's also the selenium Sekonic Leader L-38 (metal body), equally reliable, a bit tougher... within limits. They all will look great and work well with the S2.

Last: the S2 is the ideal tool for a 50mm shooter, but if you want to shoot wider, the SP or the S3 are your ticket. Just be aware that if you use the SP, you compose with one VF window and focus using another one (somebody correct me here... I'm sure I'm right, but I may not). Apparently, the S3 does have a plethora of framelines in its VF, which makes it a bit messy. Again: clean, simple and effective, the Nikon S2. Have fun! 🙂

 

[B-9]

There has been a good deal of discussion in my previous thread "Nikon S/CV Q&A.."
Check it out, all the big dogs chimed in with their 2 cents. Good luck!

 

[jonmanjiro]

I have a Nikon S2 kit, and at some point I read that if the shutterspeed dial was moved after cocking the shutter it would be damaged. One of the RFF's authorities on Nikon RF cameras told me it's simply not true. You can change shutterspeeds at any time, whether the shutter is cocked or not.

Nice feature: you always can tell whether the camera is ready to shoot because, if it is, the index line in the shutterspeed dial is lined up with the small indicator arrow in the body. If the shutter isn't cocked, the shutterspeed index lines do not coincide.

Yep, nonsense. You can set the shutter speed before or after cocking the shutter. But doing so after cocking the shutter is easier because index line lines up properly and the shutter speed dial is locked in position.

As for quirks, the S2 (and I assume the S) shutter speed dial rotates when the shutter is fired. So if any of your fingers drag on the shutter speed dial as its rotating you'll change (slow down) the shutter speed! So keep fingers clear when firing the shutter. The advantage to this is that double exposures are easy. Without winding the film to the next frame, rotate the shutter speed dial back into its locked position. This re-cocks the shutter so you can shoot again.

 

[ChrisLivsey]

IMHO the best pocket meter is the Sekonic Digisix. It is tiny but delivers. I try and shoot sunny sixteen all the time but my internal meter lets me down indoors with "artificial" light. I do take it out because the weight is negligible, less than a couple of loaded cassettes, especially an IXMOO or a Nikon cassette 😀

Meter 39g, Std. Casette 20g, IXMOO 46g, Nikon 36g ( empty non loaded at the moment)

http://www.lightmetering.co.uk/Gossen-Digisix.html

If you research you will find battery life is an issue that crops up, it is always on, (no switch to break). I find it is very battery quality dependant. I've had nearly 12 months or 6 weeks depending on battery maker.

 

[VinceC]

Most people new to Nikon/Contax/Kiev find the infinity lock to be very quirky ... you focus the 50mm lens to infinity and it stays locked there until you press the infinity unlock button in front of the focus wheel. Once you get used to the camera, you soon develop the habit of reaching your finger there without thinking to unlock the focus.

The focus wheel is a very nice feature for one-handed shooting and useful when removing the lens.

 

[marcr1230]

The SP has frame lines for 50 and above
28 and 35 are in a separate finder - for these you focus in the main and view the composition in the dedicated WA finder

 

[marcr1230]

Nikon S has film wind knobs instead if the S2's levers
Also the S has a smaller frame size 24x34mm if I remember

 

[wes loder]

Quirks of Nikon S or S2?

Quirks of Nikon S or S2?

The Nikon S has not yet been discussed here. Quirks: The frame size is 24 X 34. Advance is the same as 24X36 but you do have bigger gaps between frames. The shutter dial will not indicate the correct set speed unless the you have advanced and cocked the shutter. The focus wheel does require some getting used to. It is almost the same as a Contax but requires fewer turns so it is faster. The camera is heavy-built, like a tank some say. Flash cords need a unique connector.
The S2 is lighter, faster and the bright frame is nice. Correct speeds can be set before or after the shutter is cocked. The 1000th of a sec speed setting will not drop all the way down onto the dial as do other speeds.
What to do with the back while loading film? Clip the right edge of the back into the left camera groove. It will hang there out of the way while you load the film. No need to find a place to set it down. Removable backs were once sales points which allowed the back and inside of the camera to be inspected and cleaned-unlike early Leicas. Hope this helps. WES

 

[Steve Bellayr]

What about a light meter app on a smart phone? It is free.

 

[B-9]

What about a light meter app on a smart phone? It is free.

Good suggestion, most people carry a smartphone everywhere anyhow. Not the most accurate way around, but compared to an old sekonic or brockway 'studio' meters, you won't be far off.

I especially liked the software used with the "Luxi" light meter attachment for the iPhone.
Now that I have an Android phone, I use an Application called "Beecam light meter" but its quirky at best, and I typically have to close it and restart for a fresh reading. Not exactly convenient or easily done on the fly.

Can anyone reccomend a good Android application?