Re: Nikon SP

[Stephen Gandy <cameras@jetlink.net>]

Stark wrote:
> 
> To the group: I have the opportunity to purchase a Nikon SP-Nikkor 1.4
> f=5cm and I would like your opinion on this camera, I have never had this
> model so I do not have anyway to make a comparison I.E. III-G  M-3 Est.
> the camera is in very good shape and I would like to buy it as a user, any
> and all opinions are welcome.                 Good Evening---Tony Stark

I'm a fairly serious Nikon collector and collectible dealer.  I'm among
the first 10 members of the Nikon Historical Society, and must of had at
least 100 SP's over the years.

The SP was the ultimate production Nikon Rangefinder, competing directly
with the other great system cameras, the M3, the Contax IIA, and the
Canon V.

The SP was amazing in many firsts:

1) first RF with six viewfinders built in.  The combined RF/VF window
had projected parallax frames for the 50/85/105/135.  To the left of the
main window was the wide angle window, showing non parallax corrected
views of the 28 and 35.   Keep in mind this was in 1957!   It only took
Leica 23 years to equal this feat with the M4P of 1980.  Unfortunately,
the SP's glory was also its weak point.  It has a noticeably dimmer RF
and finder image than the M series. 

2) first RF that could have a motor attached to every body--although
with a repairman's help and slight modification.

3) first and to this date I believe only 35 RF which had a brightline
illuminator available for low light.   A battery operated attachment
illuminated the framelines.


The SP also boasted an amazing array of optics including a 21, a 25,  a
50/1.1,  a 50 mm macro, a 85/1.5, a stereo lens, and the longest lens
ever available for a RF, the fabled 1000/6.3 (only 50 of these were
made).

The SP has a very nice feel to it, every bit competitive to the M3.  The
SP's finish was great, but not as good as Contax or Leica.  Time has
proven the SP shutter superior to the Leica and Contax in terms of
reliability   9 out of 10 M's rescued out of the retirement closets
after 30 years need shutter work.  Inaccurate slow speeds and jammed
shutter are VERY common with these old closet cameras.  In contrast, a
SP stored under the identical conditions has much more accurate shutter
speeds.  I know this from experience,  and am sure of what I speak.  

Nikon optics of the era were superior to Leitz in terms of  a much
harder front surface coating and in terms of being clear as bell after
decades of storage.   As discussed before in this newsgroup, Leitz
lenses of the 50's and 60's are often very foggy after years of storage
due to the condensation of the lubricant they used.  About 90% of the
screw mount Summitars and Summicrons are scratched from lens cleaning,
while the same is almost never true of a Nikon RF lens.   While some
believe Leitz/Nikon/Contax lenses of the era are sharper than the
other,  I have found that in practical terms there is very little
difference.    

The SP, as well as all Nikon Rangefinders, used a modified Contax
mount.  Nikon tried to copy it exactly, but failed in that the helical
thread is a slightly different pitch.  While wide angle lenses can be
interchanged between the two systems, the difference in focusing starts
to show up in the 50's and longer.

Nikon made Leica mount lenses for other manufacturers, including Nicca. 
All of their RF bodies, except for a few prototypes, however were using
the Contax lens mount.

Retail market value of a chrome camera ranges from about $750 for a very
used but complete and working body with 50/1.4, to about $7,000 new in
the box with cards.    

Stephen Gandy