The Nikon S3M is an exceptionally rare and historically significant half-frame 35mm rangefinder film camera released in 1960, notable for being Nikon's only half-frame camera and designed specifically for use with a motor drive.
Key Features & Specifications
Film Format: The S3M is a half-frame (18x24mm image size) camera, which allows for 72 exposures on a standard 36-exposure roll of 35mm film.
Motorization: The "M" in its name stands for motorized; it was designed for use with the specific, and equally rare, S72 electric motor drive.
Viewfinder: It features a unique, custom-made viewfinder for the 18x24mm format, with manually selectable etched frame lines for 35mm, 50mm, and 105mm lenses.
Shutter: Like the full-frame S3, it utilizes a horizontal-travel cloth focal plane shutter with speeds from 1 second to 1/1000 second, plus Bulb (B) and Time (T).
Speed: When paired with the S72 motor drive, it could achieve burst speeds of up to 4 frames per second (or even faster with specific tuning), making it suitable for motion analysis and sports photography.
Rarity and Collectibility
The Nikon S3M holds a special place in camera history due to its extreme rarity and unique design as the last rangefinder model produced by Nikon before the dominance of SLRs.
Limited Production: Only approximately 195 units of the S3M were ever manufactured, making it one of the rarest Nikon cameras in existence.
Historical Significance: It was largely produced to showcase Nikon's technical capabilities and as a niche offering for specialized, high-speed photography needs.
High Value: Due to its scarcity, the S3M is highly sought after by collectors. A complete set with the S72 motor drive can command a very high price, often in the five-figure range at auctions or specialized retailers.
User Experience
While most S3Ms are collector's items rather than daily shooters, expert opinions highlight its intriguing capabilities for the time.
Performance: Users note that the half-frame format combined with the high-speed motor drive was impressive for its era, offering twice the number of images per film roll and fast sequential shooting.
Handling: The camera handles similarly to the full-frame Nikon S3, which is praised for its solid build and operational ease compared to earlier models.
Viewfinder & Focus: The simplified, fixed-frameline viewfinder (as opposed to the parallax-correcting, auto-selecting finder on the top-of-the-line SP model) was an economical modification for a low-production camera but is functional for its intended purpose.