Last Updated on 02/09/2019 by Mark Beckenbach
If you’re a Nikon fan or collector, this rare Nikon S3M is sure to make your heart skip a beat and take a bite out of your wallet.
Looking for the next vintage beauty to add to your gang of awesome and rare cameras? Today’s find is without a doubt on the wishlist of every hardcore Nikon fan and camera collector out there; a super rare Nikon S3M package. Time to make some space and ready your wallet if it sounds like something you’ve always wanted!
According to Hong Kong-based ebay seller breguetcamera, the package listed includes a Nikon S3M with 50mm f1.4 lens, an S72 motor winder, power cord, aluminum box, and the key for the box. However, the photo also shows two battery packs, one of them a brown battery pack that takes 8 C cell batteries. The camera body itself is cosmetically rated A/B++ with slight marks from use, but with no mechanical issues.
“Virtually impossible to find, it’s the stuff that Nikon collectors’ dreams are made of,” said CameraQuest on this rare package. The Nikon S3M is unique in several ways. Introduced in March 1960, it was the first and only half-frame Nikon camera ever made, and the company’s last rangefinder camera. There were only 195 units of this camera manufactured, the first batch produced in August 1960 and the second batch in October 1961. It came in both black and chrome bodies. Most of the black models came with the motor plate connection for the S72 motor drive, but most of the chrome models didn’t have it. However, the motor plate could also be installed easily.
As production for the half-frame S3M was most likely planned for only several hundred units, Nikon modified the S3’s viewfinder by taking out the full-frame 35/50/105 brightlines and added selectable 35, 50, 105 frame lines proportioned for 18×24 vertical format.
So, how much is this package going to set you; $59,130, which comes with free expedited international shipping. As always, we recommend asking around for the current market value of such a rare item before parting with that much cash. Check out the ebay listing to make an inquiry for this package.
Photos from the ebay listing by breguetcamera
