NIKON S3 - Remake 2000 and Comparison with SP

The Nikon S3

This came one year later, in 1958 : The S3, a semi-professional model, placed a little below the SP, superseded the S2. Weight at 580g, about 20g lighter than the SP, apart from the viewfinder, signature and nameplate, both models were technically largely identical. Priced at ¥86,000 (domestic price in Japan), it was not far below the SP (¥98,000 - which converts to 3.860 € in 2023 prices, plus taxes), the most expensive Japanese 35mm camera, but not much above the S2 at ¥83,000 (each with f/1.4 lens). In addition, it offered a self-timer, the modernized shutter (like the SP or F) and a viewfinder with three framelines (35/50/105 mm). Other than the SP, these were not parallax-corrected or reflected, but only projected, and were somewhat thicker and protruding than these on the S2. Those who look into the viewfinder for the first time may be irritated by the three prominent frames, but you get used to it.

Statistics Production of rangefinder cameras 1945-1970 : post-war boom and end in the 1960's.
The peak was reached in 1955 (Leica M3). The innovations of the late 1950's could not stop the decline.

Collector status before 2000

The remake of the S3 : "Millennium" Edition

Nikkor-P.C 10.5cm f/2.5

W-Nikkor 3.5cm 1:2.5

W-Nikkor 2.8cm 1:3.5

Collector status after the remakes

Canon P and Nikon S3 with their latest 50mm f/1.4 lenses .

Both cameras had very similar specs , size and weight , but the Nikon S3 costs about 1/3 more than the Canon P, launched one year later (1959), and therefore, sold less. Both Nikon S3 and the Canon P had large, bright lifesize (1.00x) finders with brightline framelines for three focal- lenghts, 35, 50 and 100/105 mm . The frame lines were et ched into the glass, not projected as in the highest rangefinder mode ls (Canon 7, Nikon SP). Canon P finder has parallax correction, the more expensive Nikon S3 hasn't!
Both cameras are without meter, but for the Canon P are easy to find and cheap Coupled Selenium Meters available , which work reasonably at most light conditions (except night possibly). For the Nikon S3 there were also coupled selenium meters, but these are very rare and nowadays mostly dead, plus they give the whole camera an unwanted SLR look.
Comparison result: The CANON P is, as the NIKON S3, a very capable, very smooth, great useable rangefinder camera, with the plus of smaller price, and usability of LEICA screwmount lenses, which are a bit more common than S-series Nikkors .

The S3 was sold with the "Sonnar type" 50/1.4 initially, which dated of 1950, whereas the Canon was available with a new one"Planar type" 50/1.4 launched in the same year as the camera, 1959, which received excellent reputation. So Nikon created a Planar type 50/1.4 lens as well, the so called "Olympic" lens, which was issued to the public as late as 1964, when their last series of rangefinder cameras were sold.

the last Not yet. The S3 shown here is the "Millennium" remake , issued 2000.
Plus there was a final SP remake in 2005.

External Link: What happened if...? -- NIKON Rangefinder Prototypes (SP2/ SPX) a
Great article with pictures by Robert Rotoloni, at Mike Eckman's website Nikon SP2 + Prototype Lens Nikkor-S 1:1.4 f=35mm

Nikon S3 and SP in practice