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Nikon Historical Society -- hosted by Bob Rotoloni NHS was Founded by Bob Rotoloni, author of the must have Nikon Rangefinder Camera book. Bob's updated book is expected to arrive later this year. NHS is the largest Nikon Historical Society outside of Japan. Bob is recognized as internationally as a leading Nikon expert. Joining NHS gives you the superb NHS quarterly magazine which often include Nikon information not published anywhere else in the world. If you are a serious Nikon Collector, you MUST be a NHS member. Join at www.NikonHS.org ! IMPORTANT READ THIS: CWE Forum hosts have moderation powers within their forum. Please observe copyright laws by not copying and posting their material elsewhere without permission.

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Just Your Common Ordinary Nikon S
Old 10-18-2007   #1
CameraQuest
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Just Your Common Ordinary Nikon S
http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/388...spagenameZWDVW

Stephen
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Old 10-18-2007   #2
xayraa33
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a few people would want this.
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Old 10-19-2007   #3
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Hi Fred,

I am skeptical of it being the real thing too, but not not nearly as skeptical as you.

If that is a fake black Nikon S Life camera, from what I can see in the pics it is extremely well done.

But without a guarantee of authenticity and its documented history, there is no way I would pay anywhere near that kind of money for it.

Stephen
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Old 10-19-2007   #4
xayraa33
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The black Nikon S shown in Robert Rotoloni's book does not have the hi-knobs, but he does not state that the example he shows in the book is a Life-mag camera ( this could be a painted former chrome S).
But he first mentions that" little is known about the black Nikon S with special wind and rewind knobs that were made for Life magazine ".
So this could be the real Mcoy but there is no provenance for it which is kind of suspect.
Is there any period photos of any of the Life photographers or any photographers like Hank Walker or Horace Bristol with a black Nikon S in their hand or around their neck?
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Last edited by xayraa33 : 10-20-2007 at 17:21.
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Old 10-20-2007   #5
NIKON KIU
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nikonhswebmaster
.

I was told the owner of 6196936 did not remember where the camera came from.



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This must be a typo, 619xxxx is a Nikon S2!

Refer to NHS-97 Journal. Skinner goofed up.

Kiu

yep the 0 and 9 are just next to each other...
Last edited by nikonhswebmaster : 10-25-2007 at 18:50.
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Old 10-20-2007   #6
Tom A
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OK, I have to admit taht is is a bit "retentive'! The pictures of the two "Life" S's in the latest NHS journal are different. The knurling is not the same on the knobs. If they were special order, I would have suspected that Nikon would have made a series of these knobs all the same and fitted them. I dont have the magazine handy right now, but i did count the "knurls" and one was 18 and the other one 24!
It would be quite easy to do these knobs - all you need is a small milling machine and a dividing head with a chuck in it.
I do have a fake/replica black paint S - maybe I should make my own Life camera, but I would add the rewind crank to the rewind knob!
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Old 10-20-2007   #7
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How about the black Nikon I nr. 609431, shown in Rotoloni's book.
Don't tell me thats fake too.
BTW, who is the famous american photojournalist that (suposedly) own this rare camera?
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Old 10-21-2007   #8
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Jun Miki is the japanese photographer that showed David Douglas Duncan the sharp photos taken by the 85/f2 Nikkor lens, this got DDD to start using Nikkors on his Leica IIIc's.
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Old 10-21-2007   #9
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Now I see why Tom A would add a rewind crank to his painted Nikon S Life mag mock up.

http://www.nikonhs.org/article_archi...icleNHS_1.html
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Old 10-21-2007   #10
NIKON KIU
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nikonhswebmaster
confused? I know I am.

Image changed... see above.
Arakawa-san's is different because his is a prototype

Kiu
Last edited by nikonhswebmaster : 10-21-2007 at 22:10.
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Old 10-23-2007   #11
NIKON KIU
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Quote:
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would be fun to call...



I have asked about where that story first began, with so far no luck, but I am going to take down my page on the NHS about it, until there is more information. (this response also posted on the NHS)
Now wait a minute...
Just because YOU wonder,it doesn't chenge the outcome!!
Bob thinks it's legit,so do I!!
Your deletions will not contribute either!!
I have asked Skinner about the owner, putting my $15,000 bid on-line!!
There will be no more info. if you delete!!!
Just like the Kwanon.

Kiu
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Old 10-24-2007   #12
NIKON KIU
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But at this point your opinion is as good as anyone's, since there is no information. I simply do not want to perpetuate the idea that these cameras are part of a special Life order, without more information (by the way I am not talking about the pages here, or on the NHS forum, but the photo with Life covers I have up in the Article Archive).



The more I think about them the more uninteresting they become, clearly they are "legit" in the sense they most likely were not made to fool anyone. They are much like the Nikon F36 Motor drives cut down to fit...
Believe it or not, FWIW, around here my opinion has a lot more weight to it than yours, or the head Bartender's!!
Sounds pretty childish and brash of a claim, but I can conduct a poll to prove my point

Fred you are not perpetuating the origins of this camera,as a matter of fact, you have clearly positioned yourself the opposite way. SKINNER is the one that claims it's a "Life" camera.

Clearly this can't be compared to modifed F36's to work on RFinders, that's a VERY different story. Only two of these cameras are known and that's pretty inconclusive, however, I wasn't the one who claimed: "A myth no more".
I do have to go with the flow, once two of anything is out there,it proves a point. Doesn't clear the picture, but proves the possibility of others.

The serial number discrepency only adds to the the mystery,but if one or two other cameras show up, proving a batch....We'll have a new ball-game!

Kiu

PS: More to come
Last edited by NIKON KIU : 10-24-2007 at 22:22.
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Old 10-25-2007   #13
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Are any of the LIFE shooters still around, aside from DDD? Would they recognize the camera, if they had it in hand?

Could it be that some one had their Nikon S modified to LIFE spec after encountering one in the field? There were a lot of people shooting in Korea etc, but only a limited amount of LIFE cameras modified for use with gloves. Did people start to copy the features of cameras modified to LIFE spec? Not a very difficult thing to do, even in the field (think Army repair depot or someone in Japan)

Would the serial numbers of these cameras show up on a inventory list of the LIFE camera department? I suspect that you had to sign out gear from somewhere and that records were kept.

HL
Last edited by Harry Lime : 10-25-2007 at 03:36.
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Old 10-25-2007   #14
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I see. I didn't realize that these were unofficial LIFE cameras.

thanks,

HL
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Old 10-25-2007   #15
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tell us more about the Jack Ruby S3.
I am thinking this was the camera Bob Jackson used to capture the killing of Lee Oswald by Jack Rubenstein
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Old 10-28-2007   #16
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Carl Mydans's family would be out of a bit of money.

http://blog.awm.gov.au/focus/?p=17
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Last edited by xayraa33 : 10-28-2007 at 17:37.
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