S2 or Contax IIa finder

[jsuominen]

I'm just wondering which one has a better viewfinder Nikon S2 or Contax IIa?

I have a IIa and the finder feels a bit dimmer and smaller, when I compare it to my Leica M2. IIa doesn't have any brightline in finder. But I have read from Stephen Gandy's Nikon S2 webpage, that S2 has non parallax corrected 50 brightline in the finder.

 

[HuubL]

Yes, the S2 has a brightline. The finder of the IIa is a lot better than the peepholes of the Leica Barnacks, but the classic Ms have better finders than the Contax and the Nikon. The big advantage of the Nikon is the 1:1 view. Easy to keep both eyes open. My S2 finder is clear but a little green. I think it's normal, but I like the neutral ones better. The later Canon RFs have excellent finders too! Comparable with those of the Ms.

 

[VinceC]

I've used a Kiev II and Nikon S2. The S2 finder is hands-down the better finder. The slight greenish cast is normal. The brightline is etched with no parallax. Nikon S2 only focuses down to 3 feet, so the lack of parallax is less of a problem than it would be with closer-focusing Leica M.

The Nikon 1:1 finder is unique (except for Canon P, I think) and is a big advantage, one of may favorite things abou the Nikon RF system. I've never used an older Nikon S, but that doesn't have a 1:1 finder and so probably is closer to the Kiev/Contax, but with a less visible RF patch.

 

[jsuominen]

Thanks for information. I'll try to find a decent condition S2 in near future. S3 or SP are unfortunately too expensive for my budget.

 

[VinceC]

If you're comfortable with a Contax II/IIa, the S2 seems like a very familiar camera -- removable back, thumbwheel focus, bayonet lenses. Nikon put Zeiss's 1930s design on the road to being a modern camera.

 

[jsuominen]

Yes I'm comfortable with my Contax IIa. The dim and a bit hard to focus finder with glasses are few minor negative points with IIa. I'm using also a modern Voigtländer Bessa R2S, which takes Nikkor-S mount lenses (for example my CV S Heliar 50/3.5 and Nikkor-S.C 5cm/1.4). It has a very good finder.