As you all probably know, this is old news. But I would love to see this NIkon S3 2000 widely accepted and available here in the U.S
oftheherd
Veteran
The price is just too much. I do think the old Nikon and Contax rangefinders are the prettiest cameras out there. Nikons are just too expensive, and generally not usable, and now the Contax cameras are 50+ years old. I am definately tempted to buy a Kiev, if it didn't require I start a new lens system (the madness has to stop somewhere). If Nikon committed to actually producing this camera they could lower the price, but how low? And are they willing, if they price it wrong, to eat 10,000 units and loose money? Heck, this has to be a loosing proposition for them as it is.
SolaresLarrave
My M5s need red dots!
If that's the Nikon re-issue, I think B & H is selling it already. And you can find the older versions at a lower price in KEH too...
O
Oldprof
Guest
Most of these Nikons will go to collectors who will never run a roll of film through them (even the slightest sign of use detracts from the collectible value). The "beauty" of Nikon rangefinders is based on the fact that their external styling is largely copied from the Contax II. If you like this look (and I do) and want a user get a mint or mint- Kiev 2 or 4a for about $70-80.
R
Rich Silfver
Guest
THAT is a VERY pretty camera!
Lovely camera, one which I used briefly when I worked in a small camera shop in the mid-60's.
I am studying the third picture down to determine if the shutter is cloth or metal. Looks like a regular cloth FP shutter from here. Some have previously claimed it had a metal shutter.
The one I borrowed turned out to have pinholes in the shutter curtain. Probably from sitting too long in the store's front west-facing display window, tilted up for easy examination by passers-by.
Those who say these camers had metal shutters logically doubt the pinholes story. But I can put my hands on the negatives with a little effort!
I am studying the third picture down to determine if the shutter is cloth or metal. Looks like a regular cloth FP shutter from here. Some have previously claimed it had a metal shutter.
The one I borrowed turned out to have pinholes in the shutter curtain. Probably from sitting too long in the store's front west-facing display window, tilted up for easy examination by passers-by.
Those who say these camers had metal shutters logically doubt the pinholes story. But I can put my hands on the negatives with a little effort!
Hello, My first Post. This seems an appropriate thread! I have an S3 which I use on a regular basis, it is a great "shooter". I wear glasses, so the VF intended for 35mm lenses works out great for 50mm "I can see the whole thing without squinting".
How many others of you shoot with Nikon RF gear? If not many, count on me to try pursuade you into it. The prices on S2's are dropping on EBay; I picked up a user with a 5cm F1.4 lens for under $400 recently...
Nikon S3 w 5cm F1.4 Lens at Cox Farms Halloween Festival, Northern Virginia
How many others of you shoot with Nikon RF gear? If not many, count on me to try pursuade you into it. The prices on S2's are dropping on EBay; I picked up a user with a 5cm F1.4 lens for under $400 recently...
Nikon S3 w 5cm F1.4 Lens at Cox Farms Halloween Festival, Northern Virginia
Well That Worked!
Almost forgot; Only the late run S3's and SP's had Titanium Foil Shutters like the Nikon F. The Re-Issue has the Cloth Curtainsl. A good repair shop like Essex in New Jersey can put Titanium Foil Shutters into any S2->S4.
My S3 is an early one, cloth shutters, original, no Problems.
Almost forgot; Only the late run S3's and SP's had Titanium Foil Shutters like the Nikon F. The Re-Issue has the Cloth Curtainsl. A good repair shop like Essex in New Jersey can put Titanium Foil Shutters into any S2->S4.
My S3 is an early one, cloth shutters, original, no Problems.
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taffer
void
Hey Brian, welcome to the forum !
lucky you with that S3 !
A lovely picture, btw !
Hope to read more from you soon !
Oscar
lucky you with that S3 !
A lovely picture, btw !
Hope to read more from you soon !
Oscar
I am sure someone around here has some Nikon gear, but no names are jumping into my mind. So you are looking for someone to pursuade. Target Francisco, I bet you can get him to buy one. It took him just about a year to jump from a Canonet to a Leica, so Nikon should be next. It would look nice with your N80 Francisco.
Ok everyone, the over/under is 6 months. I bet Brian can get Francisco to buy a Nikon in less than months.
Welcome Brian.
Ok everyone, the over/under is 6 months. I bet Brian can get Francisco to buy a Nikon in less than months.
Welcome Brian.
back alley
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rover,
you are bad!!
i say over 6 months...
...and then comes the divorce,lol!
joe
btw - welcome brian!
you are bad!!
i say over 6 months...
...and then comes the divorce,lol!
joe
btw - welcome brian!
oftheherd
Veteran
IIRC, he showed us a photo of his wife once, and I think she is to classy a lady to divorce him. She will just quietly shoot him and be done with it.
If you like shooting with "Classic Glass", the Nikon Rangefinders will run you less than a similarly equipped Leica. It is true that the collector's that buy them up to lock them in drawers drive the prices up on the best looking ones. BUT if someone actually used it, got a few dings in it, the prices become affordable. The prices of good user S3's have come down under $1K with the re-issue of the new one. S2 prices are below $500. The 1x magnification viewfinder spoils you. And lens prices for the Nikons are reasonable. I have picked up an 8.5cm F2 for under $200; a 5cm f1.4 for under $100; a 13.5cm f3.5 Black/Chrome for under $50. It's hard to find Leica glass nearly that cheap. If a lens does not have some wierd serial number on it, stamped MIOJ, in-the-box, etc, it actually gets affordable. The lenses are sharp and contrasty; and have a personality that is different from Canon and Leica glass from the same period.
SolaresLarrave
My M5s need red dots!
My! What a reputation I have!
I certainly considered Nikon, and got into thinking about it seriously enough to launch a small offensive. However, I wasn't as interested on it as I was on Leicas. Roger and Frances, the authors of the "Rangefinders" book, give it high marks, though. I, in turn, am concerned about the variety of lenses available. Wasn't Nikon an exclusive mount or didn't it share it for a while with Contax?
And yes, check those prices at KEH! After having seen it advertised in B&H for over $4000, when I saw the market price of a S3 the thought crossed my mind...
It's still at it, though... I mean, crossing my mind.
How big are these cameras?
What a reputation I have! I certainly considered Nikon, and got into thinking about it seriously enough to launch a small offensive. However, I wasn't as interested on it as I was on Leicas. Roger and Frances, the authors of the "Rangefinders" book, give it high marks, though. I, in turn, am concerned about the variety of lenses available. Wasn't Nikon an exclusive mount or didn't it share it for a while with Contax?
And yes, check those prices at KEH! After having seen it advertised in B&H for over $4000, when I saw the market price of a S3 the thought crossed my mind...
It's still at it, though... I mean, crossing my mind.
How big are these cameras?
back alley
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it's all in fun francisco.
joe
joe
Oh Francisco, there are always CV lenses as they make an R2 in Nikon mount.
SolaresLarrave
My M5s need red dots!
Brief note: my wife loved this thread... and I laughed myself silly!
and I laughed myself silly!
The S3, and the other Nikon Rangefinders, are about the same size as a Nikon FM, FE, FM3a. The S3 will actually fit in a case for the FM2; if you drill a hole in the case for a screw it works. It is a "bit" smaller than the M3 and smaller than a Canon 7.
The mount is "physically" compatible with the Contax mount. But, the RF Cam is slightly different. This is a problem for the Telephoto lenses, but NOT for lenses up to and including the 5cm F1.5 Sonnar. I have used the Sonnar with my S2 with good results; wide-open and at minimum focus the DOF covers the critical focus. The Depth of the focus extends back; for instance if shooting a close-up of a person, focus on the nose. If you get a body, you can use a Jupiter-8 or Sonnar from a Contax.
See how easy this can be?
The Nikon is styled after the Contax; but the finder is better. I wish that Zeiss had upgraded their finder. I also have a Contax IIIa with the Zeiss-Opton Sonnar 5cm f1.5. The meter even works on it; and I love the precision of the shutter; but using a separate finder for telephoto lenses makes it difficult to get pictures of moving targets (my kid).
The mount is "physically" compatible with the Contax mount. But, the RF Cam is slightly different. This is a problem for the Telephoto lenses, but NOT for lenses up to and including the 5cm F1.5 Sonnar. I have used the Sonnar with my S2 with good results; wide-open and at minimum focus the DOF covers the critical focus. The Depth of the focus extends back; for instance if shooting a close-up of a person, focus on the nose. If you get a body, you can use a Jupiter-8 or Sonnar from a Contax.
See how easy this can be?
The Nikon is styled after the Contax; but the finder is better. I wish that Zeiss had upgraded their finder. I also have a Contax IIIa with the Zeiss-Opton Sonnar 5cm f1.5. The meter even works on it; and I love the precision of the shutter; but using a separate finder for telephoto lenses makes it difficult to get pictures of moving targets (my kid).
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Tha nks, Brian, for the shutter info; now I know the answer! Also, nice shot of your favorite model!