Nikon S2
Nikon S series RF Camera
Nikon RF Camera
Nippon Kogaku started to sell the Nikon Camera(so-called Nikon I model) in 1948 after the WII. It was a high end interchangable lens 35mm range finder camera with focal plane shutter. Though it called 35mm camera, its image size on the film was different from the normal Leica size(24x36mm), which was smaller 24x32mm size. In 1949, the Nikon M was launched, which image size became a bit wider of 24x34mm, still it was not a Leica size. The synch function was added to this Nikon M as a Nikon S camera was sold in late 1950. The image size of the camera was not changed even for this model.
The new disign Nikon S2 was launched in Sept 1954. It was not a development model of former Nikon series RF cameras. The film size became 24x36mm standard format at last.
The lever wind, crank re-winding, albada frame, 1:1 view finder, new series speed of shutter dial, 1/1000sec. shutter speed, those were the newest specifications for such a range finder cameras at that moment.
The Nikon S series continued Nikon SP(Sept 1957), Nikon S3(Sept 1958), Nikon S4(Mar 1959) and Nikon S3M(Apr 1960) was the last model of S series camera.
Nikon Corporation announced Feb that they will produce "The 2000 memorial reprint model of Nikon S3(F1.4 50mm)" for limited production. Farther info is here (Jaoanese).
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