Show Off Your Nikon RF

[rbsinto]

Originally Posted by Tom A

I have no problem with "repaints", "replicas". or fakes - as long as they ate not passed off as the real thing. I have both original paint Nikon Rf's and repaints and as I am a user, it doesn't really matter yo me. I just prefer black cameras. Probably a force of habit - started with Leica's long time ago.
The cost of the "collectibles" have gone through the roof - if you as a user want an original black paint S2 or SP. A black paint S2 @ $6-8000 versus a chrome S2 @ $5-600 - takes the same pictures, uses the same lenses, so I rather have the S2 repainted and buy film for the balance!
As with any collectible - provenance is important. If you are spending 000's of dollars on something - have it checked out by an expert before you put the money down. If you just want the camera to use and enjoy - get a "replica" or "fake" and shoot away.

As a user and not a collector, I agree.
I've never liked chrome cameras, and managed over the years to use only black SLRs, going so far as to buy a black parts F and swap shells with my chrome street beater.
Unfortunately, the prices of the black S3s and SPs mean that my rangefinder bodies are chrome. However, in a moment of madness, I recently bought a re-issued black S3 and am using it as part of my rangefinder kit.
It doesn't take pictures any better than a chrome body, but I like it much better in black. Really nothing more than a personal affectation, I guess.

[Tom A]

When you are buying "collectibles" - it is very much "buyer beware. You are spending from $2000 and up to $10 000 for a camera body, thai in chrome might be worth 10-20% of that cost. You better check every listing available and talk to the experts such as Robert Rotoloni and here on RFf.
The same thing is going n with Leica M's. Leica's "list" of black paint cameras is reasonably correct - but Leica also did conversions for users and often these cameras do not show up on the "official" list.
Case in point: 51 Leica M3 DS in black paint with MP case hardened steel gear in them. Made for Brandt Optik in Sweden (official Leica importer at the time). Special order in 1956/57 for the Swedish Press-photographers Association. Never showed up on the offiicial list - but discovered on the shipping document to Brandt.
I suspect that "friends of Nikon" could get there cameras converted to black if they wanted - or simply made up in black at the time of purchase.
When you are dealing with high priced collectibles - do your research before putting down the money. If you just want a user - get a repainted one - but base the price on what a chrome would cost and add a bit for the paintjob if it is good.
We are not talking about 'defacing" the ceiling in the Sixtine Chapel or putting a beard on Mona Lisa. It is in the end just a box that transports film and gives you shutter speeds and focus.

[Tom A]

My Nikon Historical Meeting kit. SP (repaint) and 28f3.5, S3 Olympic with 35f1.8 and S3 Millennium in black with the C Sonnar 50mm f1.5. I am also taking along a F with the F mount 12f5.6 and a VC 21f4 + a 85f3.5 Apo Lanthar. Strictly Nikon and in formal black!
ORWO UN 54 (movie stock) in Beutler 1:1:10 for 7 min. Leica MP and Visoflex III with the V-Elmar 65mm f3.5

[mynikonf2]

Very nice kit Tom. Wish all of you the best in Paris. I really would have liked to make it but we have a daughter getting married this summer. Even so, I could have covered the wedding & Paris trip costs for the price of that new Leica 50mm lens.
...and probably had some spending money left over.

[Tom A]

Mike, you should have your daughter getting married in Paris instead! Romantic city and NHS meeting to boot - and the Bievres Swap meet for wedding presents.
The Summicron 50f2 Apo is nuts pricewise. No lens i that good - and most film and just about all sensors are lower resolution - at least for now. Unless the rumored M10 is a 45-50 mp sensor - who is going to be able to tell the difference anyway.

[Tom A]

This is the "interior" of my "beater" SP. Very large notches filed into the filmgate - and enough film has gone through it to wear off the black coating at the edge of the film chamber!

[mynikonf2]

Originally Posted by Tom A

Mike, you should have your daughter getting married in Paris instead! Romantic city and NHS meeting to boot - and the Bievres Swap meet for wedding presents.
The Summicron 50f2 Apo is nuts pricewise. No lens i that good - and most film and just about all sensors are lower resolution - at least for now. Unless the rumored M10 is a 45-50 mp sensor - who is going to be able to tell the difference anyway.

I'll try to sell them on that idea. Actually it might happen in Italy if the groom's Fiances' visa issues do not get resolved soon. He is from the coastal town of Bari on the Adriatic Sea & they meet while she taught English in a small private school there. We tried to warn her, when see went over there, not to fall in love but, she did anyway. So now we wait to see which country they will live in. Canada would be a good neutral country to make their home in, shouldn't it?

[bobkonos]

Merci Tom: this helps me finalize my NHS Paris kit.

Originally Posted by Tom A

My Nikon Historical Meeting kit. SP (repaint) and 28f3.5, S3 Olympic with 35f1.8 and S3 Millennium in black with the C Sonnar 50mm f1.5. I am also taking along a F with the F mount 12f5.6 and a VC 21f4 + a 85f3.5 Apo Lanthar. Strictly Nikon and in formal black!
ORWO UN 54 (movie stock) in Beutler 1:1:10 for 7 min. Leica MP and Visoflex III with the V-Elmar 65mm f3.5

[rbsinto]

Originally Posted by Tom A

This is the "interior" of my "beater" SP. Very large notches filed into the filmgate - and enough film has gone through it to wear off the black coating at the edge of the film chamber!

I'm curious about the notches.
I bought a beater S3 a couple of years ago that has three notches filed onto the top deck as well as three more filed into one vertical edge of the filmgate. I assume the notches differentiate multiple bodies, but do those on the filmgate leave discernible marks on the film that would let one know which body it went through. I've never bothered to tear apart a slide mount and check the edge of the film strip, but since you've got the notches I expect you could enlighten me as to their purpose.

[Steinberg2010]

Originally Posted by rbsinto

I'm curious about the notches.
I bought a beater S3 a couple of years ago that has three notches filed onto the top deck as well as three more filed into one vertical edge of the filmgate. I assume the notches differentiate multiple bodies, but do those on the filmgate leave discernible marks on the film that would let one know which body it went through. I've never bothered to tear apart a slide mount and check the edge of the film strip, but since you've got the notches I expect you could enlighten me as to their purpose.

Light passes through the notches darkening its shape onto the film. When you inspect your films, you can then match bodies to films – very useful if you have a shutter that is malfunctioning, capping or bouncing etc. as you can track the dodgy body down quickly.

~S

[rbsinto]

As I suspected.
My tracking isn't that sophisticated. I always use particular lenses on particular bodies and can pretty much by looking at a given slide, and by noting the point of view of the image, tell which body it came out of.

[robklurfield]

Just arrived today.






Shortly after the S2 arrived, so did two bricks of Tri-X. Perfect timing.

[maitani]

wow, beautiful a black dial S2, congrats on the new purchase

[robklurfield]

Put two rolls through it in 24 hours. What a treat to handle.

Then, to top things off, my wife said she'd make it a gift to me (29th anniversary) after I'd already bought it.I shot a portrait of her and handed the camera to her, saying I'd bought a new one. She said, "no, this is one you already had, right?" The longer we're married, the luckier I feel that I did well in the mate department.

Originally Posted by maitani

wow, beautiful a black dial S2, congrats on the new purchase

[Erik van Straten]

Contax G1, Sonnar 90mm f/2.8, Tmax100.

My chrome dial chrome S2 No. 6174231.

Erik.

[maitani]

[jonmanjiro]

The S-mount Nikkor-O 2.1cm 1:4 lens with finder - Robert Rotoloni states in his book The Complete Nikon Rangefinder System that according to factory records only 298 of these were made.

Over the years, I've seen maybe a dozen in the used camera shops in Tokyo, but never in this condition and never with a distance scale in meters. This is the only S-mount Nikkor-O 2.1cm 1:4 lens I've seen with a distance scale in meters. Thus its a very rare example of an already very rare lens. I wonder how many other samples with a distance scale in meters are out there?

Nikkor-O 1:4 f=2.1cm

[Tom A]

Drool, very heavy drool!

[Range-rover]

Wow, as a new member to the Nikon Rangefinder Club that nice stuff.

Range

[kdemas]

That rear element is unreal. Seems to shoot very well looking at your samples. Wowsa.

[fbf]

Very nice Jon.

[Erik van Straten]

!!!!!!

Erik.

[KHW]

Very impressive! Even just the photo of the 21/4. I only mange to get a F-S/C Voigtlander adaptor to may the F version mount on my S.

I just note that my 50/1.1 external mount has meter scale. Is it rare? I have one LMT version and a internal mount version. Seems to me that the focus the internal mount version is always off. Any recommendation?

[maitani]

that 21 and 5 1.1. are impressive, the condition of the 21 is unreal

[BobYIL]

Originally Posted by jonmanjiro

The S-mount Nikkor-N 5cm 1:1.1 - fastest standard lens for 35mm film cameras from Nikon ever. According to factory records, only 1,547 of these were made in external mount. I've posted some photos taken with this lens to flickr > link here.


Nikkor-N 5cm 1:1.1 - lens front by jonmanjiro, on Flickr


Nikkor-N 5cm 1:1.1 - lens side by jonmanjiro, on Flickr


Nikkor-N 5cm 1:1.1 - lens side by jonmanjiro, on Flickr


Nikkor-N 5cm 1:1.1 - lens, filter, caps by jonmanjiro, on Flickr


Nikon's fastest 50mm lens - Nikkor-N 1:1.1 f=5cm [Explored] by jonmanjiro, on Flickr

Jon! I hope the box of the 6mm f2.8 Nikkor falls on your left foot for poisoning us all!