S3 2000 - improving the focus patch by installing a color filter

[jonmanjiro]

i think the problem with the S3 is partly that the rear viewfinder element is very reflective. I remember brian Sweeney mentioning a while back that he keeps his hair long as a preventative measure! Or you could just do as Bjorn Rorslett did and glue a piece of cutout neck strap over the finder 😱😱😱

 

[JohnM]

I used the Roscolux Swatch Book to find a blue filter similar to the one used above -- I bought it at B&H for $1.95. It's actually pretty cool - there are dozens and dozens of filter samples in it and they more or less fit most flashes that I have.

I actually tried a combo of Jon's fix and Tom A's Okaro-esque suggestion. I haven't had a chance to look through it in bright light, but at first glance, it's not a huge improvement. May fiddle with the colors a bit to see if I can come up with a combo that keeps the brightness, but adds contrast.

The S3 2000 has made a left-eye shooter of me on occasion. Seems to do the trick when there's light being reflected back out of the rear viewfinder window. I seem to notice that the left side of the element is where most of the reflected light comes from.

 

[JonR]

Very interesting - well worth trying but I am a little bit worried about starting to take my cameras apart! 🙂
Jon

 

[rbsinto]

Very interesting - well worth trying but I am a little bit worried about starting to take my cameras apart! 🙂
Jon

Jon,
It's very easy to do, unless you are all thumbs.
I added a filter to one of my S3s months ago based on only the sketchiest of verbal instructions.
The only things you need beside the filter gels and the exacto-knife to cut it to shape is a jewellers screw driver, a small glass bowl to put the screws in and a clean white dish towel to place on the work surface, so if you drop a screw, it won't bounce off the surface.
It's very easy to do and there aren't any nasty surprises awaiting you when you take the front piece off. No loose pieces or springs to shoot across the room.

 

[monemmer]

This is a really cool idea. In many 70s rangefinder cameras that have a reputation for a contrasty rangefinder the focus patch is quite intensely yellow or green. I was wondering if one could achieve a similar result by placing a filter in the light path of the rangefinder, thereby just changing or intensifying the color of the patch. This would be particularly easy to do on russian rangefinders such as the Fed 2, where there is a small frame in the light path that one could simply place the filter on.

 

[wakarimasen]

This is a really cool idea. In many 70s rangefinder cameras that have a reputation for a contrasty rangefinder the focus patch is quite intensely yellow or green. I was wondering if one could achieve a similar result by placing a filter in the light path of the rangefinder, thereby just changing or intensifying the color of the patch. This would be particularly easy to do on russian rangefinders such as the Fed 2, where there is a small frame in the light path that one could simply place the filter on.

Just tried this myself with an ND filter. It seems that placing the filter over the viewfinder rather than the RF gives a better effect. I'm now on the lookout for some 'donor' filters....

would these do?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CTO-Color-Correction-Flash-Filter-Gels-Strobist-Rosco_W0QQitemZ290315888794QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCamera_Flash_Accessories?hash=item290315888794&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A4|65%3A1|39%3A1|240%3A1309|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A200

 

[TWoK]

I really need to do this.

 

[stupid leica]

i did this with my Bessa, and thought it was a wonderful little trick.

 

[ray*j*gun]

I just did this mod and what a difference!! Thanks Jon for the great idea and thanks for the help on my helicoid question!

 

[Mister E]

I had done this mod, but I removed it because it seemed to cause even more flare in the finder.

 

[Mablo]

Leica used to make a small orange filter that would fit over one of the rangefinder windows to up the contrast of the "patch". It does work with faded rangefinders. Unfortunately, they are scarce as well as round - but if you can get hold of a Lee Filter sample pack, you can cut your own and install. I did it with a SP with "diminished" capacity in the RF. Kind of works too.

I used Tom's Lee Filter-trick to my Canon P. I can see the yellow rangefinder blob much better now.

 

[jonmanjiro]

I had done this mod, but I removed it because it seemed to cause even more flare in the finder.

From memory (I don't have one anymore so cannot check) with the filter installed in the S3 finder, bright unfiltered flarey light is visible along the left edge of the frame when your eye is off-centre to the left side of the eye piece. Is that what you experienced?

Except for keeping your eye centered on the eye piece, I don't know of a way to work around this with the S3. It's not a problem with an SP or S2.

 

[Mister E]

From memory (I don't have one anymore so cannot check) with the filter installed in the S3 finder, bright unfiltered flarey light is visible along the left edge of the frame when your eye is off-centre to the left side of the eye piece. Is that what you experienced?

Except for keeping your eye centered on the eye piece, I don't know of a way to work around this with the S3. It's not a problem with an SP or S2.

That and more. It seemed to catch every stray ray of sunlight. The S3 finder isn't very good anyway so this just made it worse for me. While the contrast was better the flare drove me insane. The S2 is a dream and the SP is nice too. I'd rather have had a Reissue S2 with a SP/S3/S4/F style shutter speed dial than an S3.

 

[jonmanjiro]

I'd rather have had a Reissue S2 with a SP/S3/S4/F style shutter speed dial than an S3.

That would be very nice. Preferably with titanium shutter curtains.

 

[Mister E]

That would be very nice. Preferably with titanium shutter curtains.

While we're dreaming with either a multi-coated 5cm f/1.1 or a 2.1cm f/4. 😱😎😀

 

[rgeorge911]

Many years later - just added the filter to my new S3 2000 finder, and it is indeed transformative! Thank uou!

 

[Highway 61]

Many years later (...)

You were lucky enough that this thread, like anything a bit technical looks to be nowadays and PDQ, hadn't been moved into the "Repair forum" yet, where you probably would have never found it... 🙄.

 

[rgeorge911]

Why not filter on focus window?

Why not filter on focus window?

I’m wondering why the decision was made to put a blue filter over the main finder instead of a stronger yellow over the rangefinder patch window?

Anyone know? Is it worth a try?

Reed

 

[jonmanjiro]

I’m wondering why the decision was made to put a blue filter over the main finder instead of a stronger yellow over the rangefinder patch window?

Anyone know? Is it worth a try?

Reed

I'm the OP. I remember trying a bunch of different filters at Yodobashi Camera before deciding on the blue filter I ended up getting, but its been almost 11 years and the details have faded from memory plus I no longer have a Nikon S3 now anyway. So... over to you. Give it a try and post back here with your thoughts!

 

[rgeorge911]

Will Do! Now to make sure I do the operation again with enough care to avoid a single mark on the screws!

Reed