Nikon RF

ColColt · May 20, 2016

I sprung for that CLA'd S2 tonight...Sulfate made me do it.

rwreich · May 20, 2016

Ah, as it turns out, mine is 6160xxx - so, a little later than I was thinking. Still, for a beautiful, all-mechanical, 60 year old camera, mine is really perfect... I hope I'm just as "operational" when I'm sixty!

ColColt · May 20, 2016

60's not bad for us, I'm 70 and still kicking!! Cameras...well, could be good or bad depending on availability of parts and service. We've got the F2 series covered with Sover Wong and several for the Leica but the Nikon RF, I'm not sure.

rwreich · May 20, 2016

I've posted this elsewhere on APUG, but i like to keep my S2 in good company and I carry it everywhere.

ColColt · May 20, 2016

Looks mighty fine. I have some PanF in the bag I haven't tried yet along with enough FP-4 to last me till Christmas. My "fast" film is usually Tri-X, HP-5 or RPX-400.

I'm hoping this one is going to be a good one and should be as it was recently CLA'd by DAG.

Theo Sulphate · May 20, 2016

I was hoping you'd spring for the Contax...

That's ok; the Nikon is far more reliable and easier to work on.

rwreich · May 20, 2016

That film stash is a hodge podge of HP5+ (which I develop and print in my basement darkroom as is the case with all my B/W), Portra 400, PanF, Ektar 100, and Delta 3200.

I also carry a Sekonic L-398a (batteries not required), a small rocket blower, and a sharpie marker in that bag.

Point is, the S2 is really useful in addition to being easy on the eyes.

ColColt · May 20, 2016

I was hoping you'd spring for the Contax...

They're probably a great camera but I never liked the looks as much. Who knows down the road....

Point is, the S2 is really useful in addition to being easy on the eyes.

How do you like the lens?

rwreich · May 20, 2016

My copy has a subtle glow wide-open that transitions into crisp sharpness by f/2.8. Here's a print that I made (still wet in this image) at f/2.8, I think. I only have seceral hundred negarives that need to be printed, so only time will tell.

ColColt · May 20, 2016

Looks like it was done in the 50's...toned?

rwreich · May 20, 2016

Yes, in selenium. The lights in my basement might be funky, though.

For a normal 50mm, it has a character that is far from clinical. That's kinda why I fell in love with it, too. I was looking for an experience that would be notably different from my "electronic" kit. Even my FM2n feels too cloaely related to the unmentionable sometimes. This S2 is different. It's harder (slower) to use, but it feels so much more rewarding. When I shoot with this camera, I really sense that faith plays such a big role... Faith in my ability to read the scene, in my equipment, in my vision, and in my abikity to render a finished product. When I look at a print from the S2, I think, "I made that by hand from start to finish," and that is so much more rewarding than any camera that tries to 'think' for itself.

ColColt · May 20, 2016

I've read this is the "Holy Grail" of Nikon Rangefinders. I guess I'll find out late next week when it hopefully will be here for the weekend. Making prints from negatives you've developed yourself was always such a great revelation to me, slowly watching the image appear and finally when you could turn the lights on...nothing more satisfying, IMHO.

rwreich · May 20, 2016

ColColt said:
I've read this is the "Holy Grail" of Nikon Rangefinders. I guess I'll find out late next week when it hopefully will be here for the weekend. Making prints from negatives you've developed yourself was always such a great revelation to me, slowly watching the image appear and finally when you could turn the lights on...nothing more satisfying, IMHO.

Agreed!

As a point to consider, I wonder if the shutter speed must be set after winding the shutters, or if it matters.

Theo Sulphate · May 21, 2016

rwreich said:
My copy has a subtle glow wide-open that transitions into crisp sharpness by f/2.8. Here's a print that I made (still wet in this image) at f/2.8, I think. I only have seceral hundred negarives that need to be printed, so only time will tell.

View attachment 157363

A very charming photo. You're right, it's definitely not clinical or electronic-looking. It's sharp, but there's a pleasing overall "softness" of a different form. I can't put it into words, but I like the effect.

rwreich · May 21, 2016

Theo Sulphate said:
A very charming photo. You're right, it's definitely not clinical or electronic-looking. It's sharp, but there's a pleasing overall "softness" of a different form. I can't put it into words, but I like the effect.

Many thanks! One "benefit" of a rangefinder design like the S2 is that the imprecise framing (because of paralax) and lack ofTTL preview means every frame is at least a slight unknown.

ColColt · May 21, 2016

As a point to consider, I wonder if the shutter speed must be set after winding the shutters, or if it matters.

I don't recall seeing anything about that in the manual I downloaded. You have one, do it both ways and see.

One "benefit" of a rangefinder design like the S2 is that the imprecise framing (because of paralax) and lack ofTTL preview means every frame is at least a slight unknown.

Would that not be applicable for any rangefinder, such as the Leica M? I've had no problem with those.

rwreich · May 21, 2016

I had one bad frame back in December and I later ran a test roll where every shot was at 1/1000. Every single frame was perfect, so I wondered if I had caused the problem by changing speeds before winding. I had read that regarding other cameras from the era (but not the Leica) so it made me curious. From then on, I've been winding the film and then changing speeds to avoid any potential issues.

Yes, that would be applicable to all rangefinders, but this was my first one and I wasn't accustomed to it. I've been using SLRs my whole life - minolta, nikon, pentax, mamiya - so this was just very different. in an SLR, I see the picture before I take it. With the S2 and other rangefinders, I have to imagine what it will be like.

ColColt · May 21, 2016

I think I'd try that again to see if you got similar results. I don't know why changing the shutter speed before/after winding would matter. I didn't see any warning to that effect in the manual.

ColColt · May 21, 2016

I just read this about the S2..."You can only set shutter speeds with the shutter cocked, etc." Is that true? That wasn't from the manual.

rwreich · May 21, 2016

Well, in practice, it isn't really a big deal. You'll see when you start winding yours that the shutter speed dial is directly linked to the winding mechanism and that the shutter speed indicator will only appear to point to the correct speed when the shutter is cocked. So, after a week or so, you'll just start doing it that way without any issues. You wind the film and select the shutter speed for your next shot. If you're using the same shutter speed, then it's already on the previous setting. I don't know if it affects the shutters' timing, but it does make a difference in the display.

Is this not true of the screw mount Leicas, too?

ColColt · May 21, 2016

I don't know as I've never had the screw mount type, just the M's. It may take a bit of getting use to, especially the rotating shutter indicator so, I need to remember to keep my paws off of it.

rwreich · May 21, 2016

Here's a link to a youtube video that I made just so you can see what I was speaking about:

ColColt · May 21, 2016

Checking it out now-thank you very much.

ColColt · May 21, 2016

Interesting. I've never seen a RF operate like that. It appears it's best to wind the film before setting the shutter speed.

rwreich · May 21, 2016

Yes, and it becomes intuitive to work that way after just a short time. I want to post another video about how to load film, but my internet connection is quite slow at the moment. Manually winding the shutter with the knob instead of the film advance lever is a very convenient way to do double exposures.

Nikon RF

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