Nikon s2 rangefinder serial numbers dates

Those muscular, oversized dials the finely stepped chamfers the polished accents – they all combine to form a camera that’s gorgeous, even to those who couldn’t possibly care less about cameras. At once elegant and utilitarian, it’s a camera of juxtaposition. This assemblage of aluminum, brass, steel, and glass is a stunning example of the high craftsmanship that occasionally exists on this planet. Take one look, and you’ll begin to see why.Īesthetically, the Contax IIa is beautiful. It is, rightfully so, a legend among photo geeks. It offers the greatest degree of sophistication in the smallest and most ergonomically pleasing package of all Zeiss rangefinders, and provides the shooter with mechanical perfection paired with what was once the best glass in the world. Six years later in 1950, Zeiss released the Contax IIa, a major update to this incredible rangefinder, and nearly seventy years later it remains one of the best cameras ever made.Ī 35mm film rangefinder camera, the Contax IIa continues a line of machines that stretches back to the original Contax I of 1932, and is the last of the non-metered Contax rangefinders (the IIIa, a version with a built-in light meter, debuted in 1951). With it, he shot his Magnificent Eleven, eleven captivating photos of the D-Day landing. In his hand was the Zeiss Contax II, then the finest 35mm film camera in the world. With the first wave of troops was a young combat photographer named Robert Capa.

In 1944, Allied invasion forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in France.

Nikon s2 rangefinder serial numbers dates