You have two means of focusing on the S2.
NIKON S2 RANGEFINDER 5CM F1.4 PATCH
Unlike the M3, the S2’s rangefinder patch has no clear border and can be difficult to discern, much like Canons of the day. You can look through the viewfinder with one eye and the real world with the other for a seamless view. The S2 is the only rangefinder I know of with a real-world magnification. The viewfinder is beautifully clear and uncluttered with a 50mm frame whose magnification is 1x, compared to the M3’s.
The Nikon S2 mimics many of the features of the M3, and even improves upon some of them.
So it was back to drawing board for Nikon to rapidly rethink the S2 and offer a compelling rival to Leica’s M3.Īnd so they did. Nikon product designers quickly realized that their S2 was already obsolete before leaving the gate. Just before the launch of what was ostensibly to be the Nikon S2, Leica came out with its revolutionary M3. The Nikon S2 did not come out until after the Korean War in 1954, but by then, Nikon had already sealed its cred with professionals. Nikon cameras were also viewed as more durable and less finicky about maintenance than their Leica rivals, particularly important if you happen to be shooting in the midst of combat. Nikon lenses were viewed as exceedingly sharp and could give Leica a run for its money at a fraction the cost. American photojournalists covering the Korean War would pass through Tokyo, where they could purchase a workhorse Nikon kit on their way to Korea. In the early 1950s, Nikon had made a name for itself as a reasonable alternative to Leica for photojournalists. The body came with the outstanding S-mount Nikkor H 50mm f/2 lens. After doing some reading around, I ended up deciding on buying a Nikon S2 of the same era, found a reasonable deal on eBay and made the purchase. However, at the time I did not feel I was ready to plunk down the cash to invest in a Leica just to indulge a curiosity. In 2015 when I decided I wanted to give film photography a try, it was the Leica M3 rangefinder that intrigued me the most.
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