Sad.įor those unfamiliar with Kodak Tri-X, it's a classic 400 ASA (by some people called ISO these days) black and white film, first introduced in 1954. But the world isn't what it used to be: I couldn't find any Tri-X anywhere! According to one dealer, it's difficult to get anything from Kodak these days. A real beauty.Įager to test the new camera, I called a few local photo stores. The camera arrived in the mail a few days later, and was just as nice as I had hoped for (I had seen some photos, but it's hardly the same thing as holding the camera yourself). Completely different cameras with one thing in common: They're both among Nikon's finest. You'll probably save a few euros by buying one from a seller in North America.ĥ0 years apart: The vintage S2 with Nikon's latest and greatest: The mighty D2X. Needless to say, they're also more expensive. S2's are relatively easy to find on eBay and elsewhere, so do your homework and check the current prices if you plan to buy one.Įuropean readers should also know that most of these cameras were originally sold in Japan (obviously) and in the United States, meaning that Nikon rangefinders are less common on this side of the pond. Black S2 bodies sell for a LOT more than chrome bodies (including those with a black dial). For example, later "black dial" versions sell for more than those with a chrome dial. As always, the price depends on several factors. You'll find nice S2's (including a 50mm lens) costing anywhere from $500 to $1000, or so. More than 56.000 units were made, making it the most common Nikon rangefinder ever. It has the best 50mm viewfinder of any Nikon rangefinder, and is less expensive than the later SP, S3 and S4 models. The camera is still considered a favourite among many Nikon rangefinder users (yes, there are still people using these things - myself included). Undoubtedly, the S2 was a big step forward compared to previous Nikon models. A single bottom opening key, making it easier to change film.Improved flare baffling in film chamber.1/1000 second top shutter speed (compared to 1/500 on previous models).Lever rewind (again, earlier models used a rewind knob).Lever film advance (earlier Nikon models used an awkward knob).The S2 included many great features, like: Earlier models used a slightly smaller 24x32mm (Nikon I) and 24x34mm (Nikon M and S) format. The S2 was the first Nikon camera to use a standard 24x36mm film format. When a local seller offered me this pretty camera with a pristine 5cm f/1.4 Nikkor lens, I just had to get it. I've always wanted one of the early Nikon rangefinders.
This is the real thing: A Nikon S2 rangefinder camera from 1955!
#NIKON S2 RANGEFINDER FOR SALE PRO#
And no - I'm not talking about Fujifilm's S2 Pro 6.17 megapixel DSLR from 2002 or Nikon's own Coolpix S2 announced in May 2005. Having collected many of the early digital SLR bodies from Nikon and Kodak, I was thrilled to find a very nice and fully functional S2 in September 2005.