The camera came from Japan in three days, one day less than a 5cm 14 I bought for it in the USA.
Cosmetics are fine, with a small dent on top, helicoid a little dry, viewfinder clear, rangefinder accurate, shutter seems accurate at all speeds but the slow setting on the top shutter dial does not work on the correct detent position, it is off a bit and only works at a non detent position so it does not stay put when the shutter turns.
Camera is going back to Japan. Lens stays, it is like new.
GeorgeBo wrote:
Thanks for the well wishes everyone!
George,
Reading this late so hope you are over the worst.
The plus side is that we get some nice product photos from you.
In keeping with a new year resolution - to use my MF lenses more - I been using the 50/2 HC on my Z6 a lot this week.
No means to process images whilst on the road though.
That’s a job for the weekend.
That thing looks like a freaking telescope not a lens that thing's huge.
You know the sigma 105 f 1.4 you can just flip on the manual switch button if you need if you want a manual focus it. I've read the reviews on it it's probably the best portrait lens money can buy it's a $1,600 lens but I'm not willing to pay that much but there's an auction on eBay right now somebody selling a mint version of it and it's going to go well below that.
I think I'm finding I don't need an 85 mm I think the 105 mm to Sweet spot I have a 135 mm right now I don't have an 85 but 105 seems to be the sweet spot for portraits.
rafaelcasd wrote:
The camera came from Japan in three days, one day less than a 5cm 14 I bought for it in the USA.
Cosmetics are fine, with a small dent on top, helicoid a little dry, viewfinder clear, rangefinder accurate, shutter seems accurate at all speeds but the slow setting on the top shutter dial does not work on the correct detent position, it is off a bit and only works at a non detent position so it does not stay put when the shutter turns.
Camera is going back to Japan. Lens stays, it is like new.
To close out the story, the Japanese seller accepted that the camera has a defect and sent me a DHL label to send the camera back.
Took three days to get the camera here, one to inspect it, and one to get a response and a shipping label to return.
That is what I meant: Japanese sellers are very ethical, there may be misunderstandings on descriptions, but they stand behind their product and provide excellent service.
No issues on my part, got to learn how a S2 works and had one at no cost for a couple of days. Did not like the shutter controls, will get an S3 or S4 instead, have no desire for an SP.
Too bad Rafael that S2 had a defect! Other than that hotshoe dent it looked pretty spotless to me but I have different standards. All the best with your quest. There's quite a few out there, but its possible for the quality you are looking, S3s (and certainly S4s) are going to be somewhat rarer.
And certainly it helps that the seller was quick to work out a return.
Best
rafaelcasd wrote:
To close out the story, the Japanese seller accepted that the camera has a defect and sent me a DHL label to send the camera back.
Took three days to get the camera here, one to inspect it, and one to get a response and a shipping label to return.
That is what I meant: Japanese sellers are very ethical, there may be misunderstandings on descriptions, but they stand behind their product and provide excellent service.
No issues on my part, got to learn how a S2 works and had one at no cost for a couple of days. Did not like the shutter controls, will get an S3 or S4 instead, have no desire for an SP.
saph wrote:
Too bad Rafael that S2 had a defect! Other than that hotshoe dent it looked pretty spotless to me but I have different standards. All the best with your quest. There's quite a few out there, but its possible for the quality you are looking, S3s (and certainly S4s) are going to be somewhat rarer.
And certainly it helps that the seller was quick to work out a return.
Best
For me the search for the perfect sample is half the fun Samy.
At last I was able to get a good sample of the chrome 5cm 1.4, here with the millennium brother, 47 years apart :
The Millennial is sitting on $350 worth of adapters for the Z, the S.C is on $100 worth of adapters, the Fotofox has a smoot helicoid and worked well with the internal mount, it was $70. Could not use it with the external mount.
Those are really clean looking 5cm f1.4 samples! I really like that lens vs. the f2 which doesn't do well with bright light sources nearby. Will have to look into those adapters. I have a few of the much cheaper fotodiox LTM-Z adapters. And neat NK cap too!!
rafaelcasd wrote:
For me the search for the perfect sample is half the fun Samy.
At last I was able to get a good sample of the chrome 5cm 1.4, here with the millennium brother, 47 years apart :
The Millennial is sitting on $350 worth of adapters for the Z, the S.C is on $100 worth of adapters, the Fotofox has a smoot helicoid and worked well with the internal mount, it was $70. Could not use it with the external mount.
I shot this a while ago (apologies if I posted this before) looking for differences between the f2.8 and f3.5 versions of the 55mm micro lenses. Shot on a copy stand with the lenses being the only difference. I see a slight difference in focal length (magnification), and sharpness. SOC JPGs show that either lens has excellent IQ.
Perhaps this thread is not for you. All the best Whatever you decide Mike.
Flipping a switch if you want/need MF ?
Blasphemy 😁
Califmike33 wrote:
That thing looks like a freaking telescope not a lens that thing's huge.
You know the sigma 105 f 1.4 you can just flip on the manual switch button if you need if you want a manual focus it. I've read the reviews on it it's probably the best portrait lens money can buy it's a $1,600 lens but I'm not willing to pay that much but there's an auction on eBay right now somebody selling a mint version of it and it's going to go well below that.
I think I'm finding I don't need an 85 mm I think the 105 mm to Sweet spot I have a 135 mm right now I don't have an 85 but 105 seems to be the sweet spot for portraits. ...Show more →
Rafael, that is one heck of a collection. I would not mind taking the millennium for a thorough test drive.
The walls of the ancient city of Toledo, an easy 35 minute train ride from Madrid. It is a very popular day trip destination but well worth a 2-3 days stay.
On the other side, the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes (ca 1504) becomes visible.
After so many years if hoarding Nikon F lenses the mirrorless Z gave me an opportunity to use the original rangefinder Nikkors. I am too young (Ha!) to have a native interest in the rangefinder era, but I acquired a taste now. My F Nikkor collection has some truly rare lenses, my rangefinder collection never will ,I started too late to find them at reasonable prices.
I am not a true collector, but a user looking for unique experiences, don't care to look for the first of a series, prefer excellent condition. Also not an artist but a gig who cannot afford a classic car collection but able to put together some lenses.
This is most of my rangefinder lenses and camera, there is a 3.5cm 2.5 hidden behind the S3, also have extra copies of the 5cm 2.0, 8.5cm and 10.5cm that are in excellent user condition: All these lenses were bought for ~$200 each, except the LTM 8.5cm, and the millennium. The 13.5cm is the only MIOJ.
These are the more recent additions, all perfect glass, some oil on blades here and there (the oil that NKJ used does not generate haze and it is in the lens anyway, oil in RF blades generates some extra reflection but no other harm, in reflex blades oil will keep them from closing in time), latest lens first:
Rafael, I don't know how you have such dust free pristine gear. Beautiful!
Guess this is gear Saturday.
Picked up a couple camera support aids recently. One is a table top tripod that goes from 9"-25", can hold 22 pounds of gear, and only weights 2 pounds. This forced me to clean one end of my desk. Here is a 960mm EFL combo (D7200 + 400mm f5.6 ais + tc-16a) I can now use for the birds I lure to the yard. Next I added a carbon fiber monopod that has a nifty foot with a lockable ball socket. Last, I needed to re-examine the 24mm f2.8 ais after finding that for IR it can produce hot centers. For just normal light photography the lens has superb image quality - as the lens cap shot at MFD wide open demonstrates. All of these were shot with the said 24mm.
It has been a while since I last posted an image using a MF Nikkor.
I am just back from a short skiing holiday in Wengen, Switzerland. I decided to take the Z6 and carry it on the slopes in my Lowpro Pro Tactic AW 350. The camera bag is very stiff and has waist and chest straps. It worked extremely well and protected the limited gear I took onto the slopes.
The 50/2 HC came along for the ride. Here is a 20 frame pano of the north face of the Eiger. Best viewed over on Flickr since it is a huge file.
The Eiger is a huge lump of rock topping out at 13,015 feet. The famous face of rock and ice rises 5,900 feet from its base. I took the image at an altitude of ~6000 feet, on the slopes, just down from the Kleine Scheidegg railway terminal.
Awesome Colin! So glad you too a MF lens along for the ride. Looking forward to more!
George
DeltaSigma wrote:
It has been a while since I last posted an image using a MF Nikkor.
I am just back from a short skiing holiday in Wengen, Switzerland. I decided to take the Z6 and carry it on the slopes in my Lowpro Pro Tactic AW 350. The camera bag is very stiff and has waist and chest straps. It worked extremely well and protected the limited gear I took onto the slopes.
The 50/2 HC came along for the ride. Here is a 20 frame pano of the north face of the Eiger. Best viewed over on Flickr since it is a huge file.
The Eiger is a huge lump of rock topping out at 13,015 feet. The famous face of rock and ice rises 5,900 feet from its base. I took the image at an altitude of ~6000 feet, on the slopes, just down from the Kleine Scheidegg railway terminal.
What a beauty. I had an old BGN grade 300/2.8 AIS 10 years ago that was marvelous. That lens makes the 200/2 feel easy to handle in comparison, not many lenses can say that.
