tridente
Newbie
Hi,
thanks for comments. Nice to hear, focusing is possible by rotating the lens barrel
4-7 is not very much. I don´t wanna collect this nice camera, i wanna use it. So easy focussing is very important for me.
I only wanna use 50mm.
thanks for comments. Nice to hear, focusing is possible by rotating the lens barrel
4-7 is not very much. I don´t wanna collect this nice camera, i wanna use it. So easy focussing is very important for me.
I only wanna use 50mm.
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
Hi,
thanks for comments. Nice to hear, focusing is possible by rotating the lens barrel
You have to press the tab to unlock from infinity, though - if Nikon did not change that in the reissue.
Get a S2 then. In my opinion the S3 is a bit of a misdesign in the finder domain in that they significantly improved viewfinder brightness while leaving the rangefinder quite as it was. The S2 is much better balanced there. And cost aside, the SP finder would be wasted on a 50mm only kit. If you want a nice finder more than a classic camera, the Bessa R2S would be another option...
Arguably, the "2000" 1.4/50 will be near impossible to locate without a S3-2000 - if that lens is the driving force behind getting that camera, you'll have to live with the finder, or split it out and get another body.
tridente
Newbie
I want it all
I want the best finder and the best lens. Maybe this is the reason, because i had in past always a leica MP...
I am a car dealer. Lets compare with cars:
Maybe the leica MP is like a porsche 911. It is the perfect Sportscar, you can drive it every day to work and at weekend for race. But for me a porsche is boring.
I wanna drive maserati ghibli. It is not so perfect, but more rarely and for my use fast enough.
The question, that only i can answer for myself: Is the S3 a maserati ghibli, or "only" any nice car with old technic?
Thanks for your help!!!
I want the best finder and the best lens. Maybe this is the reason, because i had in past always a leica MP...
I am a car dealer. Lets compare with cars:
Maybe the leica MP is like a porsche 911. It is the perfect Sportscar, you can drive it every day to work and at weekend for race. But for me a porsche is boring.
I wanna drive maserati ghibli. It is not so perfect, but more rarely and for my use fast enough.
The question, that only i can answer for myself: Is the S3 a maserati ghibli, or "only" any nice car with old technic?
Thanks for your help!!!
ray*j*gun
Veteran
Use the "filter in the rangefinder trick" and the S3 2000 patch is very very good.
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tridente
Newbie
Oh, thank you for this link.
Now i only need a S3-2000
Now i only need a S3-2000
James24
Well-known
Oh, thank you for this link.
Now i only need a S3-2000
Here's one for sale in Germany. The price is about right for a dealer. If you're patient you might be able to find one privately for a few hundred pounds or Euros less.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/S3-S-3-NIKON-1-4-50-NIPPON-KOGAKU-LIMITED-2000-CASE-NIB-/390135611144
Others listed by dealers on eBay are generally on the expensive side:-
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?rt=nc&LH_PrefLoc=2&_nkw=nikon s3 2000&_fln=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m283
MikeL
Go Fish
The 50mm Millenium lens is well worth the price of admission, especially given the Leica equivalent (50mm asph) is going for 3-4 grand.
While the S3 patch isn't as good as the Leica patch in lower light, I never had a problem with it when more light was available.
While the S3 patch isn't as good as the Leica patch in lower light, I never had a problem with it when more light was available.
tridente
Newbie
Hello,
thanks for help. I am surching a black one. A dealer very near from me is selling one. Tomorrow we speak about the price
James24
Well-known
Hello,
thanks for help. I am surching a black one. A dealer very near from me is selling one. Tomorrow we speak about the price
Black ones are even better. Hope to hear of a purchase tomorrow.
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
I am a confirmed M-user since 1957 - but for some reason I started using Nikon Rf's about 15 years ago. I had some experience with them earlier, but they were thin on the ground among working press in Sweden in the late 50's and early 60's
The S3 is my preferred user - and I have 4 of them. The patch does not have the crispness of a new MP - but the much longer focus throw makes it easier to pinpoint focus. With the M's short throw - it is easy to "overshoot" the point (though focussing is faster than with the Nikon).
As stated before, rangefinders are not for everyone. You have to spend some time and a lot of film to get right - and many dont ever get it.
The Millennium 50f1.4 is one of the best medium speed 50's you can find (times have changed - a f1.4 is a medium speed lens now!). It's only rival is the Summilux 50f1.4 Asph (and you can get the S3 and the 50f1.4 for less than the cost of that lens!).
One advantage with the S3 Millennium is that the two I have (1 chrome/1 black) are the smoothest Rf's that I have ever used. Beats out MP's and M2's easily. My other 2 S3's are a Olympic 1964 - with titanium curtains - smooth but a bit more distinct sound and a beater chrome S3 that is a bit ratchety in its sound.
If you never have used a Rf camera -or a Nkon Rf - give yourself some time with it. Stock up on flm and run 50-100 rolls through it. This will make it "instinctive" to use. Any camera that requires you to look at the controls and "think" before shooting is a bad camera. You should be able to to set aperture, speed and approximate focus even before you hold the camera up to your eye - and just do the fine tuning of focus that split second before you trigger the shutter. Framing, particular in black/white is not as critical as you think, just be sure that you get a bit more than you need and crop later.
Be forewarned though. Once you get addicted to Nikon Rf's - you tend to accumulate them! I started out with a Nikon S and a S2 and a couple of lenses - and at the latest count there are now 15 bodies and 45+ Nikon Rf compatible lenses in the camera cabinet!
If you go for the S3 - also join the Nikon Historical Society (NHS) - very congenial group of slightly demented collectors/hoarders. Bi-Annual meeting - usually 40-50 members show up for several days of Nikon talk and food/drink.
Robert Rotoloni (president for life and founder) is trying to arrange the next meeting in Paris 2012 - to coincide with the the Bievre swap meet in May/june. How can you go wrong with that!
As for using Nikon Rf's as working cameras. some years ago the NHS meeting was in Vienna (they do pick great places for them too) and combined with a another 3 weeks of traveling (Germany, UK, Holland) all I used was Nikon's. Worked very well, got some really good shots. First couple of days I kept turning the focus the wrong way - but once in "synch" with the cameras - it really worked.
Nikon Rf's lenses in many way were better than Leica's offerings in the 50's and 60's - and they can be picked up for much less now. With the S3 all you need is the 50f1.4, a 35 and a 105f2.5 (all right - you probably will need another S3 for a wide-angle at some time (VC 21f4) - or a SP for the 28f3.5.
The S3 is my preferred user - and I have 4 of them. The patch does not have the crispness of a new MP - but the much longer focus throw makes it easier to pinpoint focus. With the M's short throw - it is easy to "overshoot" the point (though focussing is faster than with the Nikon).
As stated before, rangefinders are not for everyone. You have to spend some time and a lot of film to get right - and many dont ever get it.
The Millennium 50f1.4 is one of the best medium speed 50's you can find (times have changed - a f1.4 is a medium speed lens now!). It's only rival is the Summilux 50f1.4 Asph (and you can get the S3 and the 50f1.4 for less than the cost of that lens!).
One advantage with the S3 Millennium is that the two I have (1 chrome/1 black) are the smoothest Rf's that I have ever used. Beats out MP's and M2's easily. My other 2 S3's are a Olympic 1964 - with titanium curtains - smooth but a bit more distinct sound and a beater chrome S3 that is a bit ratchety in its sound.
If you never have used a Rf camera -or a Nkon Rf - give yourself some time with it. Stock up on flm and run 50-100 rolls through it. This will make it "instinctive" to use. Any camera that requires you to look at the controls and "think" before shooting is a bad camera. You should be able to to set aperture, speed and approximate focus even before you hold the camera up to your eye - and just do the fine tuning of focus that split second before you trigger the shutter. Framing, particular in black/white is not as critical as you think, just be sure that you get a bit more than you need and crop later.
Be forewarned though. Once you get addicted to Nikon Rf's - you tend to accumulate them! I started out with a Nikon S and a S2 and a couple of lenses - and at the latest count there are now 15 bodies and 45+ Nikon Rf compatible lenses in the camera cabinet!
If you go for the S3 - also join the Nikon Historical Society (NHS) - very congenial group of slightly demented collectors/hoarders. Bi-Annual meeting - usually 40-50 members show up for several days of Nikon talk and food/drink.
Robert Rotoloni (president for life and founder) is trying to arrange the next meeting in Paris 2012 - to coincide with the the Bievre swap meet in May/june. How can you go wrong with that!
As for using Nikon Rf's as working cameras. some years ago the NHS meeting was in Vienna (they do pick great places for them too) and combined with a another 3 weeks of traveling (Germany, UK, Holland) all I used was Nikon's. Worked very well, got some really good shots. First couple of days I kept turning the focus the wrong way - but once in "synch" with the cameras - it really worked.
Nikon Rf's lenses in many way were better than Leica's offerings in the 50's and 60's - and they can be picked up for much less now. With the S3 all you need is the 50f1.4, a 35 and a 105f2.5 (all right - you probably will need another S3 for a wide-angle at some time (VC 21f4) - or a SP for the 28f3.5.
barnwulf
Well-known
Gil, good luck with your S3. There are lots of great information here for you. I bought a S3 last summer, and later a 2000 S3, and my first look through the viewfinder I knew that it would take a little getting used to. I have used Nikon SLRs most of my 40 some years of shooting from a Nikon F to the D700. I had been using Leicas the last few years and enjoy shooting with them as well. Like Tom mentioned, I used my S3 for 2 months exclusively. I shot 4 or 5 days every week and it soon became very easy to use and a favorite of mine. I still like my Leicas but I feel like the Nikon is a bit special because it's a great classic rangefinder camera. Enjoy it! Jim
maddoc
... likes film again.
It can be a huge problem, especially when using "mixed mount" lenses, for example a 35mm M-mount lens and a 50mm S-mount lens with M-mount adapter. After getting used to one direction, the focusing-reflex is trained and it takes time (and many lost opportunities) to change that focus-reflex.
alfredian
Well-known
Easy to ignore
Easy to ignore
I have a couple of MPs and a couple of S3s - one old, one 2000. The Nikon RF patch doesn't get a lot of love, mainly because its soft edges. I feathers off gently instead of having a crisp rigid line. This makes it easy to ignore unless you need it to focus, otherwise it is quite transparent & allows you to put all of your attention on composition.
The wheel-focusing is strange at first, but after awhile it becomes your new norm - I found my self stroking the top edge of my Leica Ms with my fingertip, instinctively trying to focus like a Nikon S. If you want a "standard" type lens of high quality & low price, try the CV S-Nokton 50. Supposed to be a better version of the M-mount of the type.
MUCH easier to load than an M! never had a missed feed with an S-body. enjoy!
Easy to ignore
I have a couple of MPs and a couple of S3s - one old, one 2000. The Nikon RF patch doesn't get a lot of love, mainly because its soft edges. I feathers off gently instead of having a crisp rigid line. This makes it easy to ignore unless you need it to focus, otherwise it is quite transparent & allows you to put all of your attention on composition.
The wheel-focusing is strange at first, but after awhile it becomes your new norm - I found my self stroking the top edge of my Leica Ms with my fingertip, instinctively trying to focus like a Nikon S. If you want a "standard" type lens of high quality & low price, try the CV S-Nokton 50. Supposed to be a better version of the M-mount of the type.
MUCH easier to load than an M! never had a missed feed with an S-body. enjoy!
Mister E
Well-known
Yeah, it really gets annoying. I can't shoot the same day with an S-mount body with anything else I own since everything else focuses the other way. This didn't use to be a problem because I shot Nikon SLRs which focus the same way, but focusing the other way is so reflexive now that it gives me a headache to focus the opposite direction.