NIKON S3 LIMITED EDITION (SORT)

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NIKON S3 LIMITED EDITION (SORT)
4960759023650
25.000,00 DKK

Nikon S3 Year 2000 Millennium Model - A reproduction of the vintage rangefinder camera Nikon S3
Nikon S3 Year 2000 Millennium (Y2K) model (hereinafter referred to as S3 Replica model) is a near duplicate of the rangefinder camera Nikon S3 released in March 1958. It was produced in limited quantity to commemorate the year 2000 millennium. The S3 Y2K was made identical as possible to the original Nikon S3 except for very minor details to accommodate the present camera operating practices, including the change in the exposure indication from "20" to "24," and the film sensitivity indication calibrated in "ISO" instead of "ASA."

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1-3 hverdage efter 1. april

25.000,00 DKK

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Nikon

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Nikon started their 35 mm rangefinder camera product line with Nikon I launched in 1948, which evolved into M and S later, and the rangefinder series was valued highly as a line of main cameras until the single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras became widespread. The S series was the precursor of Nikon F and was highly regarded as a classic camera, and there was a growing call for its revival from many enthusiasts.
Nikon S3 was a relatively later model in the S series, featuring a rangefinder with the world's first life-size 1:1 viewfinder for 35mm focal length lens. The Nikon S3 Y2K precisely reproduced not only the 35mm life-size viewfinder but also the focal length adjusting gear unit arranged in the upper right of the body, and the quiet and soft shutter releasing sound called “whispering shutter” which in those days was achieved by the cloth focal-plane shutter curtains.
The S3 Replica model was produced based on orders, and the orders were accepted from April 6, 2000 to June 30, 2000. It was first shipped in October 2000 and approx. 8,000 units were sold. The standard equipment Nikkor S 50 mm f/1.4 lens was a reproduction of the lens incorporated in the Olympic version, known as the all-black chrome-finish “later series” type. It was a multi-coated lens just like the currently available Nikkor lenses to ensure a higher degree of color reproducibility.
In June 2002, Nikon S3 LIMITED EDITION BLACK was introduced in a limited quantity of 2,000 by redesigning the S3 Replica model with a black chrome finish.

Calls for reproduction of rangefinder cameras
A revival of the former elaborate camera had been much anticipated within the Nikon group since the early 1990s. The most enthusiastic in favor of the revival in the Nikon group was Mito Nikon, which was then responsible for the production of F4, F3, and New FM2. Mito Nikon was a production plant primarily involved in manually operated cameras, and in the past it had manufactured the Nikomat series. The FM3A, whose sale was discontinued in January 2006, was also manufactured there. In the spring of 1994, driven by the surge of enthusiasm for Leica and other classic cameras, Mito Nikon initiated a new project to reproduce a Nikon's rangefinder camera which had once enjoyed great popularity for its outstanding performance.
The S3 was selected as a target for reproduction because at that time it was a relatively recent model in the S series, and also because it featured a simple mechanism and thus it was expected that it would be easier to reproduce from the technical aspect. However, it was a coupled rangefinder camera introduced to the market over 40 years ago, therefore there was some apprehension about whether the reproduction project would be feasible and a reproduction model could be actually realized.
Mito Nikon got the design drawings for S3 from Nikon and started a close study for the reproduction. It was soon discovered that a considerable upfront investment would be needed for the reproduction of the S series. That was an obstacle from a business standpoint. In addition, there was an economic decline in the next year 1995, and so the reproduction of S3 was aborted.

Initiation of the project 4 years after planning
As mentioned above, the S3 reproduction project was abandoned; however, in 1998, 3 years later, Mito Nikon was approached by Nikon Photo Products Inc. (present Nikon Imaging Japan Inc.), a sales company for Nikon's image-related products, about the reproduction of S3. That company insisted that coupled rangefinder cameras were very attractive products and that they wanted to express their appreciation to Nikon product lovers.
Mito Nikon, which had been incubating the plans for the reproduction of S3, and Nikon Photo Products Inc., which judged that the reproduction of coupled rangefinder camera would be a business opportunity, agreed with each other. The sales price was once estimated to be considerably high in the original study, though it was substantially reduced after reviewing the individual component parts and improving the manufacturing processes. Furthermore, Tochigi Nikon was relied upon to cooperate in the manufacturing of the lenses.
In November 1998, when a system for the implementation of the project was nearly established, four companies, Nikon, Mito Nikon, Tochigi Nikon and Nikon Photo Products Inc., had joint discussions and decided to start the project for the reproduction of S3. In December 1998, the S team was formed to implement the project, and then the project got into full swing.

 

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