What's your favorite Nikon RF camera?

What's your favorite Nikon RF camera?

  • Total voters
    459
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I simplified my life. Rather than having to choose - I just accumulated a lot of Nikon Rf's over the years. Only missing ones are the S3M and the SP 2005 (though I do have the 35f1.8 re-issue). No, this was not a "bulk buy" - it has taken 10/12 years to accumulate these. No "collators" item, straight users all of them. Favorite, maybe the Olympic S3 and a black S3 Millennium as that one is the smoothest release and advance of any camera that I won.
 
Do you realize this poll is now over 6 years old?

I would say it's safe to assume Nikon S2 and Nikon SP are by far the most popular Nikon Rangefinder Cameras.
The S3 came in 3rd thanks to it's reproduction, otherwise, it would have been down there along with the S!

The other thing I noticed is that there are 23 other Nikon idiots around here like me!
🙂

Kiu
 
Late vote 🙄

However far down the S3 came I voted for it because I have an "Olympic" in the post.😀 Against anything by Leica (disclaimer: I have 5 Leica bodies, well last time I looked 4 as one is off being painted) that has a whiff of rare or collectible the Nikons are affordable and shootable (is that even a verb 😎)
TomA is responsible for getting me, however late, to this party.
 
I really love the feel of the S2; it's about the only film camera I use these days. I even prefer it to my film SLRs, which consist of a stable of various Olympus OMs and the oddball FTL.
 
I just picked-up a nearly mint S-2 outfit, and it is REALLY nice....

But for sentimental reasons, my favorite Nikon RF would be the knob-wind S - my Dad had one ( now mine) and it is the first "real camera" I ever handled and shot - under Dad's direct supervision ! 😉

Dad always swore by Tri-X and Kodachrome.

Can't wait to run some film through the "new" S-2 though...

That said, I would mind having a nice SP...
 
Erik van Straten said:
I prefer the S2 for actual use. For this camera I have diopters for the eyepiece, +0,5. Maybe diopters exists for the SP or S3, but I've never seen them. Without diopters, I cannot use M-Leicas or Nikon Rfs.

Erik.
Click to expand...
It is very easy to make a good, effective diopter for the Nikon SP from the dirt-cheap diopter used for the Nikon EM. Takes about 15 minutes with a small file.

Cheers,
Dez
 
Have a S2 & a SP.
They are easier to load than a Leica.
Can be used with one hand while holding your drink in the other hand.
Look better than a Leica.
. . .
and meanwhile, nearly everybody will have a Leica.
 
I picked up an S3 2000 with the limited edition Zeiss. I shot a roll with it and found it hard to focus. It is ok focusing when there are straight lines but when I tried focusing on a face for a portrait I would not do it. Is there a solution?
 
Do you mean the Zeiss C-Sonnar in S-mount?

I don't know what the issue is (I don't have that problem myself) but if you end up selling, I'd be interested in the Sonnar.
 
Rayt said:
I picked up an S3 2000 with the limited edition Zeiss. I shot a roll with it and found it hard to focus. It is ok focusing when there are straight lines but when I tried focusing on a face for a portrait I would not do it. Is there a solution?
Click to expand...

You need to expand on "I would not do it". I know language can be a limitation in understanding but: could you not find an area to focus on with the patch (the eyes are always good) did you focus but the result was not what you wanted (the Sonnar, and I have one, and no it's NOT for sale, does have some focus shift if you are shooting with restricted DOF?
If it is just you and you are having trouble try, as I say the eyes, and practice. If you are shooting portraits with the 50mm that is probably not the best choice the 105mm f2.5 was and is highly praised for that genre and will give a more pleasing perspective to the facial features, the 85mm isn't half bad either.
Some Nikon patches are better than others as well, have you had this issue with more than one Nikon body, have you shot well with a Leica rangefinder for these subjects?
Personally I find straight lines easier on the Leica, like a split image SLR, but seek out an area of contrast with the Nikons as the patch edge is less well defined.
Perhaps you need to move away from straight lines for general work to gain more confidence in the system?
 
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