jim_gardner4 Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Hi, I am thinking of buying a Nikon S rangefinder from the states which has a Nikkor H.C F2 lens serial number 634***. I have read this lens uses "soft focus" elements but I am unsure what the results would be. Does any one who has used one of these lenses have an opinion on how "soft" they are? Naturally I wouldnt expect a 50ish year old lens to be the same as a new one but I would want to use the camera / lens to make prints up to 10x8 or poss 9.5x12. Any idea how theselenses compare to a 1970 AI? Also does any one know who CLA's Nikon rangefinders and lenses in the UK? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sattler123 Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Soft Focus lenses were/are being used for portraits to elminate the harshness that comes from "normal" lenses. I would not use a soft focus lens for anything but portraits and maybe still lifes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lex_jenkins Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Some soft focus lenses, especially for large format, are highly prized and valuable. Dunno if the lens you're considering falls into that category. IMO, soft focus lenses are useful for anything you put your imagination to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_warn Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Where did you read that this lens used "soft focus" elements? The 50mm f2 Nikkor HC was one of Nikon's sharpest lenses for the rangefinders. About the only lens for hte rangefinder that was sharper was the 50mm Micro Nikkor and that was only at close focusing distances. Compared to a modern lens it will have the same level of resolution with a somewhat reduced contrast level. However, if it's been contaminated by fungus, a seller might state it has soft focus elements in order to cover up the fact that it's defective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly_flanigan1 Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 The 1950's 50mm F2 Nikkor HC I have here in Leica Thread mount is the version that focuses down to 18"; and works great on a copy stand. Its a great lens on the Epson RD-1s camera Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelging Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Jim , a little off topic,but if you want the Nikon as a shooter , I would pass on a S and get a S2,or even one of the other nikon rangfinders.The S is not a very user friendy camera compared to the cameras that followed it. IMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly_flanigan1 Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 This handheld was shot at 1/500 second at iso 400 with an Epson RD-1; with the fstop set between F4 and F5.6 using the Nikkor-HC 5cm F2 #7305XX LTM version; its cost about 10 bucks on ebay. I was the only bidder in a 10 day auction. Its was listed as a Nikkor enlarging lens. The freight train was moving to the left at about 20MPH. The shot was in lame JPEG mode; the 6 megapixel image is a JPEG 3152K in size.<BR><BR><IMG SRC="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/ektar/EPSON%20R-D1/_EPS3677NIKKOR5cmF2FULL.jpg?t=1202527193"><BR><BR><IMG SRC="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/ektar/EPSON%20R-D1/_EPS3677NIKKOR5cmF2boxcar.jpg?t=1202527491"><BR><BR><IMG SRC="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/ektar/EPSON%20R-D1/_EPS3677NIKKOR5cmDEERE.jpg?t=1202527350"> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graham_marsden Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 I know it isn't exactly what the poster asked but, I'm with Lex on this one. <i>'Softness'</i> is a strange concept anyway and the degree of <i>sharpness</i> you find desirable varies. I have a middle-aged Casio compact which produces attractively 'soft' images; compared to my Nikkor lenses on my D80. And often they are the more attractive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_gardner4 Posted February 9, 2008 Author Share Posted February 9, 2008 Scott,Peter Brackzos The Nikon Handbook, when refering to to the lens, states,"it used the same optics as earlier lenses of this series". On the previous page in that book, when refering to the collapsible version, he writes, "This soft focus six element lens......" I am still undecided. They seem hard to come-by in the U.K and with import duty the S would be about 450 pounds and S2 seem to be about 600-700 pounds. Thanks everyone for your help, I must make a decission by Monday so any furthur help would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith_lubow Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 I don't think anyone on the planet has an idea how they compare to a 1970 AI lens... That's a pricey camera. Have you looked at Canons and Leicas of the same vintage? You should be able to get either one of these with a lens for one-third of what you are thinking of spending on the Nikon. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelging Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 I would suggest that you try and find,both a S and a S2 to hold them in your hand and note the view finder, the S2's viewfinder is a joy to use, Its much bigger, brighter and easier to focus. The lever wind means you do not have to take your eye from the camera , which you do with the knob wind. The rewind knob on the S is a pain to use and will remove skin off your fingers if you shoot a lot of film in a day. I used a S for a while and bought a S2 a couple of years ago,on ebay with a 50mm 1.4 lens for Less than 200 pounds. I sent it to Pete Smith in excellent repair person in Floria who did a CLA on the camera and lens for around 70 pounds , and I have beautiful working camera.My first Nikon was a Nikon F, 35yrs ago and the body of a S2 is amost exactly that of a Nikon F. Controls are the same, in the same place and it has the same take of back. This is a small pain in the butt to use ,but was corrected in the S3 and later cameras.The S2 also has a 1/1000 of a second for the top shutter speed ,rather than the 1/500 of the S. If you are in london there is a group of 2 or 3 camera stores in a courtyard across the street from the British Musuem. If I remember correctly,one of the stores carried mostly Leica cameras, but the other 2 had a selection of Nikon Rangefinders. With the strength of the pound against the dollar you might see which cameras you want in london and then buy it in the US. Here is a link from Steven Gandy's excellent site on the S and S2 cameras. http://www.cameraquest.com/nfs2al50.htm http://www.cameraquest.com/nrfs.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly_flanigan1 Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 The Nikkor 5cm F2's design goes back to the 1930's; where it was the standard lens on the Canon RF. The 5cm/50mm F2/F1.8 is one most widely studied and lens design in 35mm Camera optics. <BR><BR>With the Epson RD-1 I actually can mount what Keith mentioned <i>"I don't think anyone on the planet has an idea how they compare to a 1970 AI lens.."</i>; with my Novoflex LEM/NIK adapter; that mounts a Nikon F lens on a Leica M. There never was a 1970 AI lens; thats before AI came out. At F4 to F5.6 the old Nikkor 5cm F2 is as good as a modern 50mm Nikkor. The Nikkor 5cm F2 in LTM or Nikon rangefinder was NEVER called a softfocus lens by anybody who ever uses them; its really a bizzare statement. With the Epson RD-1 here the Nikkor 5cm F2 is perfered ove my New Summicron LTM chrome lens; that cost about a grand in 1998; and is the latest modern Leica multicoated design of 1979; Leicas latest Summicron. The Summicron is somewhat better at F2 and F4; but cost me 100 times more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly_flanigan1 Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 Thousands of folks used the rangefinder Nikkor 5cm F2 for Kodachrome slides over many decades and found it to be an outstanding lens; not a soft focus one. <BR><BR> In slr F's There never was a 1971 AI 50mm F2 Nikkor; the AI version came out in March 1977. Multicoating was added in Dec 1972. In Nikon F slr the 5cm/50mm F2 lens was made from 1959 to 1979; the F1.8 version from 1978 on.<BR><BR>In the 1960's the 5cm F2 and 50mm F2 F series Nikkors were a nice lens for bellows useage; ones used on slide copy rigs. They had way less barrel distortion than the faster F1.4 lenses when copying books on a copy stand. The Rangefinder 5cm F2 of mine that scale focuses down to 18 inches works well too at copy distances.<BR><BR>In 5cm/50mm F2 lens designs the 1953 Summicron and later verions are outstanding lenses. The six element double Gauss design of many lens makers of that period and later are typically great lenses; with modern lenses typically only being quote *better* say at F4 and faster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith_lubow Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 I was referring to the fact that AI lenses did not exist in 1970. To my knowledge, they were just called Nikon F lenses at that time. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_gardner4 Posted February 11, 2008 Author Share Posted February 11, 2008 Well Mondays been and gone and after reading the above and talking to other people I decided not to buy it. I am ok with the lens but the view finder issue was already playing on my mind so I have decided to wait for an S2. If it has the 50mm HC f2 on it, so much the better. Thanks for your help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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