Nikon Rangefinder Equipment
Nikon Rangefinder Cameras
Nikon M c/w 5cm f/2 Nikkor-HC lensMore... | EXC++ | £15000.00 |
In 1948 Nikon’s very first camera, the Nikon Model One was destined for only a brief production run. Its 24 x 32mm format proved unpopular with the GHQ of the Occupation Forces under General MacArthur, who would not allow the camera to be exported to the USA because the 24 x 32mm format was not compatible with Kodachrome slide mounts. It was replaced by the Nikon M (the M standing for mutatio – Latin for change or alteration). The M used a 24 x 34mm format, but it was still smaller than the 36 x 24mm employed by Leica.The camera is marked “Made in Occupied Japan”, a sign of the times following the 1945 Armistice. This very fine unsynched example is complete with a 5cm f/2 Nikkor-HC lens, a leather ever-ready case, an instruction manual, a Nikon Accessories leaflet and the original maker’s box. |
Nikon Rangefinder Lenses
2.8cm f/3.5 W-NikkorMore... | MINT- | £750.00 |
VIRTUALLY NEW! (Black Barrel version with chrome filter rim). Only the second wide angle lens to be designed for the Nikon Rangefinder system the 28mm came out in late 1952 and was listed until 1964 making it the longest running optic in the Nikon R/F lens system. Some 10,500 lenses were produced over the period. The lens comprised of 6 elements with a rear element unusually larger than the front as part of an arrangement designed to yield exceptional sharpness. See Robert Rotoloni - 'The Complete Nikon Rangefinder System' page 170. Our exceptional example is numbered 717300 (making it a late production lens) and comes complete with front (triangle Nippon Kogaku logo) cap and rear cap. | ||
2.8cm f/3.5 W-NikkorMore... | MINT- | £750.00 |
VIRTUALLY NEW! (Black Barrel version with chrome filter rim). Only the second wide angle lens to be designed for the Nikon Rangefinder system the 28mm came out in late 1952 and was listed until 1964 making it the longest running optic in the Nikon R/F lens system. Some 10,500 lenses were produced over the period. The lens comprised of 6 elements with a rear element unusually larger than the front as part of an arrangement designed to yield exceptional sharpness. See Robert Rotoloni - 'The Complete Nikon Rangefinder System' page 170. Our exceptional example is numbered 717828 (making it a late production lens) and comes complete with front (triangle Nippon Kogaku logo) cap and rear cap. | ||
3.5cm f/3.5 W-NikkorMore... | MINT- | £750.00 |
NEAR NEW (BETTER THAN 99.5%). Black Barrel Numbered 441855 | ||
3.5cm f/3.5 W-NikkorMore... | MINT- | £2500.00 |
REMARKABLE BOXED EXAMPLE WITH ORIGINAL INSPECTION CARD, DESSICANT BAG AND DEPTH OF FIELD CARD AND FRONT AND REAR CAPS. NUMBER 441732. | ||
5cm f/1.1 Nikkor N (External Mount)More... | EXC++ | £3995.00 |
The very impressive 5cm f/1.1 Nikkor-N lens was announced in February 1956 and was exhibited in Tokyo. The 5cm f/1.1 was a very radical lens for its time, consisting of nine pieces of glass, some of which were very thin split elements and others containing rare earth components. This stunning f/1.1 lens would reign supreme as the fastest lens made by the big four 35mm rangefinder camera makers, until the Canon 50mm f/0.95 lens was introduced in the early 1960s. The 5cm f/1.1 Nikkor-N weighed 12.25 ounces (355gm) and it could be stopped down to f/22 with click stops. It used a 12-blade diaphragm and had an angle of view of 46 degrees and a focusing range of 3ft (0.9m) to infinity. The first version of this lens had an internal mount the same as that found on their normal slower range of lenses, and is known as the ‘Internal Mount f/1.1’. However, this lens was so heavy, that its weight could distort the camera mount and cause rangefinder error. This engineering problem was overcome in June 1959, when a 5cm f/1.1 lens was released with a redesigned barrel with an external mount, such as those found on the wide-angle and telephoto Nikkor lenses. The optical formula is identical to the internal mount version and both lenses used the same 62mm accessories and only the rear cap differed.Factory records state that 1,046 internal mount lenses were made (835 in Nikon bayonet mount and 211 in Leica screw mount) and 1,547 of the external mount version. The 5cm f/1.1 stands as one of the most impressive looking lenses made by Nikon and is certainly one of the most sought-after by collectors. This example is an external mount version. | ||
5cm f/1.1 Nikkor N (Internal Mount)More... | EXC++ | £3750.00 |
The very impressive 5cm f/1.1 Nikkor-N lens was announced in February 1956 and was exhibited in Tokyo. The 5cm f/1.1 was a very radical lens for its time, consisting of nine pieces of glass, some of which were very thin split elements and others containing rare earth components. This stunning f/1.1 lens would reign supreme as the fastest lens made by the big four 35mm rangefinder camera makers, until the Canon 50mm f/0.95 lens was introduced in the early 1960s. The 5cm f/1.1 Nikkor-N weighed 12.25 ounces (355gm) and it could be stopped down to f/22 with click stops. It used a 12-blade diaphragm and had an angle of view of 46 degrees and a focusing range of 3ft (0.9m) to infinity. The first version of this lens had an internal mount the same as that found on their normal slower range of lenses, and is known as the ‘Internal Mount f/1.1’. However, this lens was so heavy, that its weight could distort the camera mount and cause rangefinder error. This engineering problem was overcome in June 1959, when a 5cm f/1.1 lens was released with a redesigned barrel with an external mount, such as those found on the wide-angle and telephoto Nikkor lenses. The optical formula is identical to the internal mount version and both lenses used the same 62mm accessories and only the rear cap differed. Factory records state that 1,046 internal mount lenses were made (835 in Nikon bayonet mount and 211 in Leica screw mount) and 1,547 of the external mount version. The 5cm f/1.1 stands as one of the most impressive looking lenses made by Nikon and is certainly one of the most sought-after by collectors. | ||
5cm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor for Nikon RangefinderMore... | MINT- | £5000.00 |
The 5cm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor lens for the Nikon rangefinder camera was introduced in May 1956. It has an aperture range of f/3.5 – f/22, an angle of view of 46°, 5 elements in four groups and a focusing range of 3ft (0.9m) to infinity (extended) or 1.5ft (0.45m) – 3ft (collapsed), however,it is not used for general photography in the collapsed mode; the filter size is 34.5mm and it weighs 4.8 ounces (145gm). The total production was 1,188 comprising of 901 in a bayonet mount and 287 in a Leica screw mount. Nikon used the same optical formula four years later for the reflex version of the Micro-Nikkor which is one of Nikon’s finest and most popular lenses, leading to a whole series of lenses right on up to the 200mm f/4 version.The 5cm /3.5 Micro-Nikkor is available only in a chrome collapsible mount. Being an apochromatic lens it also has a high degree of colour correction, assuring precise focus of all prime colours on the film plane. When mounted on one of the Nikon copy stands, such as the SA or PA, with the lens in its extended position it can be used from 1/20 reduction to life-size. When the lens is collapsed it offers reduction ratios from 1/6 to 1/20. | ||
8.5cm f/2 Nikkor-P.C, chromeMore... | MINT- | £750.00 |
NEAR NEW condition body. With original two-part hood and original rear cap. Number 401988. A rare and most sought after Nikon rangefinder lens with EP (Export Permitted) engraving. | ||
13.5cm f/3.5 Nikkor-Q Black (new style).More... | MINT- | £295.00 |
Superlative condition Numbered 279962. Complete with hood and caps. Late model. |
Nikon Rangefinder Accessories
Nikon 2.1cm finder for 2.1cm Nikkor rangefinder lensMore... | EXC | £745.00 |
Very rare - about 500 of these were made for the 2.1cm | ||
Nikon 13.5cm finder, chrome for Nikon Rangefinder camerasMore... | EXC+ | £95.00 |
With leather Nippon Kogaku (triangle logo) case | ||
Nikon Varifocal finder for Nikon rangefinder models | EXC+ | £375.00 |
Nikon Varifocal finder for Nikon rangefinder modelsMore... | MINT- | £1250.00 |
NEAR NEW EXAMPLE IN ORIGINAL BLUE 'VELVETINE' BOX WITH LEATHER NIPPON KOGAKU CASE AND EXCEPTIONALLY.... THE LITTLE SIGNED INSPECTION CARD. EXTRAORDINARY FIND! | ||
Nikon ever ready case for Nikon SP/S3 rangefinder, brown leather | MINT | £150.00 |
Nikon 34.5mm R60 Red filter, chrome rim | MINT | £30.00 |
Nikon 34.5mm XO Green filter, chrome rim | MINT | £30.00 |
Nikon 34.5mm snap-on Nikon lens capsMore... | NEW | £25.00 |
Boxed | ||
Nikon BC IV Flash Unit for Nikon Rangefinder camerasMore... | MINT | £345.00 |
Pocket-Type Reflector Flash Unit (uses flash bulbs), brown leather case, Nippon Kogaku Tokyo triangle logo, maker's box | ||
Nikon SP original ever ready case, brown leather | EXC++ | £150.00 |
CameraQuest Home
In practical terms, these four different models amount to minor variations of the same camera. The Nikon One and the M's are far too expensive to use. Serial #'s 6091 to 6094000. The Nikon S is comparatively common, and not very popular. As a result, the S is the lowest priced way to get into the Nikon Rangefinders. All share the heavy duty construction of tanks in terms of their body casting and body covers -- they have the thickest most difficult to bend or scratch chrome covers of any Nikon Rangefinder.
From a user standpoint, these cameras are slower working with knob wind and rewind. They are relatively heavy, noticeably heavier than the cameras which followed. Their combined Rangefinder / Viewfinders are small compared to the later Nikons or the Leica M, yet large and bright compared to their main competition -- the screw mount Leicas. The combined Rangefinder and Viewfinder window is nice (50 mm view only). Strangely enough, their RF image is probably the brightest of all the Nikon Rangefinders. While flash synced, the S uses an obsolete a prong type sync cord which is very difficult to find today. Nikon S serial numbers range from 6094001 to 6129600.All four early Nikon cameras share the same layout and can easily be mistaken for each other at a quick glance. See separate profiles: Unsynced M,Synced M , S.
The Nikon S2 was introduced in 1955, a great advance over the S. It showed Nikon's innovative design. See Separate Profile Much lighter than the S, its features included:
A much larger Rangefinder/Viewfinder for the 50mm field of view. In fact, it has the largest 50mm finder of any Nikon RF, but it is not parallax corrected. If you are going to shoot with only the 50, this makes an excellent choice. This is a 1:1 finder which is a big plus, allowing easy use with both eyes open, without eye strain. The S2 RF image is generally brighter and less flare than the later S3 and S4 finders. Many shooters find the S2 their favorite NRF camera for 50 lenses.
Faster and easier Lever advance and rewind, compared to the S's knobs.
Standard PC sync terminal
Single latch back removal, instead of the twin latches on the S
A much smaller and lighter body