[Nikon] S2 | Film Cameras | 1954

 

The Nikon S2 is a 35mm rangefinder camera made by Nippon Kogaku in Tokyo, Japan. The S2 was a significant upgrade to the original Nikon S rangefinder released in 1948 and was produced from 1955 to 1957, when it was succeeded by the Nikon SP. By the time the original Nikon S was launched, Nippon Kogaku was already a well-known lens manufacturer, but the S series marked their first attempt at making their own camera, and it is the only rangefinder they ever produced.

The Nikon S series was designed to combine the best features of the Leitz Leica and the Zeiss-Ikon Contax into a single high-quality Japanese-built rangefinder. This success helped change the tide in the Japan vs. Germany camera wars of the 1950s, allowing Nippon Kogaku to become one of the world's most successful camera companies.