the s2 is here...

back alley

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...in my hands!

what a lovely camera, very solid and a bit chunkier than it's contax brother. it fits my hand nicely. the finder is green which is different, a bit canon p like, if i recall correctly, in it ease of focus.

the moment i saw/held it i knew this camera was going to get a nice cardinal red cover from camera leather. it just screams sexy!!

but i may not get the 35 lens. it may, like the lla, remain a 50mm camera.

the reality is the finder on the zi ruins every other camera/finder for my eyes. the zi and lenses will remain my primary kit.

that is not to say that the nikon will get neglected - it will get used alot.
i already know and like this camera.

i also got the domke 803 bag today and it way bigger than i had imagined. i doubt that i would ever use it as a camera bag but it seems perfect for a day bag, much much nicer than my backpack. so i can carry all my crap plus a camera/extra lens/film, whatever.
i like it!!
it is a good day.

joe
 
Congrats, Joe.

I would love to see some photos of your three fast 50 Sonnars next to each other !

Roland.
 
Hmm, tomorrow my 50/2 Nikkor will arrive, so my S2 will have 2 eyes to see out of.

Glad to hear you like it.
 
back alley said:
now that would be pornographic eh?

joe

:)

I should have said "photos taken by the three lenses next to each other"; whatever "portraits" you want to take, just no Joe bathroom mirror shots, please :)

Roland.
 
rover, do me a favour please, have a look through the finders of the p and the s2 and compare them for me.
nothing to in depth, just want to know if you think they are similar.

joe
 
Glad the S2 made it to you in good shape. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

My Canon P has a clear finder, no tint, like the Nikon S3, etc. To me, a green tinted VF is a trademark of the Zeiss Ikon RFs (Contax, Contessa, etc.).

back alley said:
rover, do me a favour please, have a look through the finders of the p and the s2 and compare them for me.
nothing to in depth, just want to know if you think they are similar.

joe
 
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Perhaps the 1x magnification (or lack of minification)?

back alley said:
sorry, didn't mean that the tint was similar.

when i look thru the s2 i am reminded of the p but not sure why.
 
Well, first things first, the S2 is a smaller camera in hand. Half the weight, it doesn't seem like that much of a difference, but dimensionally it is smaller.

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And I had not noticed the green tinted viewfinder of the S2. The Canon P finder is cool toned, but very bright and clear. My P finder is brighter than my S2 finder. The RF patch though in the S2, warm toned is much more defined than the cooler P patch.

That said, I actually was fondling my cameras this weekend, the result was in fact that I am much more impressed with the P finder than I was before. Comparing my cameras, the P finder is bigger and brighter than the S2. Though the S2 patch is better defined, the brightness of the P finder more than makes up for it and makes its patch easy to see and use.

I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that the P is a 5 year younger design than the S2. When compared to my L1 and VT the S2's finder does shine. I do not have an SP or S3 (P contemporaries) to add to the comparison, but I suspect there is a difference largely to be seen in my next comparison. The entry and exit pupil of the P finder is clearly larger than that of the S2. While both finders have a 1:1 magnification, the P accommodates 35mm framelines due to the fact that the finder simply has more viewable area.

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To this point, I do think using a 35mm lens with the S2 is possible, but the 35mm framelines in the P are clearly wider than the viewable full area through the S2 finder. If you want to be careful with your edge composition with an S2/35mm combo you will have to really be into your finder and really look out to the edges. You have to do the same with the P finder, but not to the same degree because the framelines are there and you can see beyond them with a little work.

What else can I offer Joe?
 
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well done rover!
a+!! and beyond the call!

the s2 seems almost pugnacious compared to the p which i previously said was a rugged looking looking camera.
joe
 
The P is no slouch. Both cameras are made of like materials and quality, but the P seems a bit more "finished." Perhaps Canon's many more years as a camera manufacturer at that time shows. Again, I wish I had an S3 to hold too.

Pugnacious, I guess if the P is elegant then we say the S2 has a little pit bull in it.
 
Size-wise, the S3/SP are the same size as the S2. Also very close in weight. The S3/SP are supposed to weigh a little less than the S2 but I don't detect a difference.

The S3 finder is considerably larger than either the S2 or Canon P. If you don't wear eyeglasses, you can easily use it to frame 28mm lenses at 1:1 magnification, and the full field of view approximates the 25mm lens ... I've daydreamed about getting contact lenses just to take advantage of this.

The S2 has a fairly sharp rear finder that will scratch eyeglasses. The S3 and SP have a flattened rear finder that's less damaging (but still scratches the coating off my eyeglass lens).

Fit and finish on the S3 and SP are comparable to a Nikon F.

That "pugnacious" description seems apt. These are serious business-like cameras.
 
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