Where to buy a Nikon Rangefinder?

keytarjunkie said:
Congrats. The "best" 50mm for S mount is the millennium kit lens, Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4, which pops up only occasionally on its own. But there are no losers. The original lenses, 50/1.4 SC and 50/2 HC sonnars, are both nice, with the 1.4 glowing a lot wide open. I prefer the 50/2 but a lot of people like having the ability to open up to 1.4. They're both really small.

I wouldn't pay a lot for either, since they often come for free on a Nikon S2 or S3 body. I recently paid $40 for a silver barrel 50/2 off ebay which needed just a bit of cleaning up.

The modern Voigtlander 50's are all great if you can find them. 50/1.5, 50/2.5, and 50/3.5. You can also use a Zeiss Contax lens, with some focusing and compatibility issues, but something like the Opton Tessar 50/3.5 would be fine. At close distances and wide open apertures with the faster 50's, the focus might be slightly off.

I think I recall there was a recent discussion about the best lens/focal length for the S3. The W-Nikkor 3.5cm f/2.5, Voigtlander 35mm f/2.5, or Zeiss Contax 35mm f/2.8 post-war Biogon would make a great choice for a walk-around lens.
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Quick reply on this as I was just on the thread...this was extremely helpful. I actually used to use the 50/2 in ltm and loved it so much. I made one of my all-time favorite photos with it on my M9 a little over a year ago. I sold it when I left the M mount system but it would be nice to use it on the S3. The only problem is that they are very hard to find on their own, the 50/1.4 seems much easier to find. Maybe I'll wait a few days to see if an f2 pops up and if not just get the 1.4. I really would prefer the f2 though.

In regards to the 35's, ideally I'd add the 35/2.5 and 105/2.5 if I get along with the S3 seeing as they are pretty cheap.

Here is the shot with the 50/2 I mentioned:
L1006146.jpg by Joe Monat, on Flickr
 
If you join the Nikon Historical Society, there are occasionally cameras that pop up for sale in classifieds there.
 
Congrats on your S3! I purchased a black-dial S2 earlier this year while my Contax IIa was in the shop. I found a seller in Japan on EvilBay who had a 100% satisfaction reputation and had a return policy. I pulled the trigger and a week later had the camera together with the Nikkor-SC 50mm f1.4 lens. The camera is in great condition as is the lens. I’ve only shot a couple rolls of film through it, but it looks like a solid buy.
 
jmonat7 said:
Quick reply on this as I was just on the thread...this was extremely helpful. I actually used to use the 50/2 in ltm and loved it so much. I made one of my all-time favorite photos with it on my M9 a little over a year ago. I sold it when I left the M mount system but it would be nice to use it on the S3. The only problem is that they are very hard to find on their own, the 50/1.4 seems much easier to find. Maybe I'll wait a few days to see if an f2 pops up and if not just get the 1.4. I really would prefer the f2 though.

In regards to the 35's, ideally I'd add the 35/2.5 and 105/2.5 if I get along with the S3 seeing as they are pretty cheap.
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Hey Joe, great image. I think you should try to find a 50/2 then. They're not rare, but they're usually sold attached to a camera. Still, keep looking around and you'll see them. Igor's Camera Exchange has a silver 50/2 in as-is condition right now, but you could do better if you wait. Alternatively, KEH has the Voigtlander 50/2.5 in at the moment for a bit more $, which is a great modern-ish and compact lens (just ask Erik, or he will show you).
 
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