| Model: | Nikon SP |
| Kind: | 35 mm rangefinder camera |
| Filmformat: | 35 mm |
| Filmsize: | 36 mm × 24 mm |
| Lens: | interchangeable lens, Nikon 'S' bayonet mount |
| Shutter: | mechanically timed |
| Shutterrange: | 1 s to 1/1000 s with Bulb and 1/60 s flash-sync |
| Metering: | no integrated meter |
| Emode: | Manual (M), and Bulb (B) |
| Fmode: | Split and superposed-image rangefinder |
| Cont: | 1 FPS manual wind, 3 FPS S-36 motordrive |
| Viewfinder: | Dual brightline and etched frame viewfinder |
| Magnification: | 1x |
| Flash: | PC Sync |
| Fsynch: | 1/60 s |
| Fadvance: | manual |
| Frewind: | manual |
| Omd: | S-36 motordrive |
| Dimensions: | 136 mm (w) × 81 mm (h) × 43 mm (d) |
| Weight: | 590g |
| Madein: | Japan |
The Nikon SP is a professional level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, rangefinder camera introduced in 1957. It is the culmination of Nikon's rangefinder development which started in 1948 with the Nikon I, and was "arguably the most advanced rangefinder of its time."[1] It was manufactured by the Japanese optics company Nippon Kogaku K. K. (Nikon Corporation since 1988).[2] Three other lower featured rangefinder models were subsequently produced on the SP frame, and production continued into the 1960s, but further development of Nikon's professional rangefinders ended with the introduction and success of the single lens reflex Nikon F in 1959.
In 2005 2,500 models of a repro model were manufactured under the name of "Nikon SP Limited Edition". The camera was exclusively sold in Japan and came with a (modern multi-coated) W-Nikkor 3.5 cm f/1.8 lens.[3]
The Nikon SP has dual viewfinders providing frame lines for a total of six focal lengths. The main viewfinder has 1x magnification and has frame lines for 50 mm, 85 mm, 105 mm and 135 mm (selected by rotating a dial under the rewind crank). The frames are parallax-corrected and the focusing patch appears in the centre of the viewfinder. A separate, smaller viewfinder (less than life size) to the left of the main viewfinder has non-parallax corrected frame lines for 35 mm. The entire window acts as a frame for 28 mm lenses.
The camera uses Nikon's 'S' bayonet lens mount which is a modified Contax 'C' bayonet and Contax 'C' lenses are physically compatible but do not accurately focus with the built-in rangefinder. In common with Contax, a small toothed wheel in front of the shutter release is used to focus lenses that use the internal bayonet.
The camera does not have a flash sync on its hot shoe. Instead a pc sync socket is provided. The shutter on early models is a horizontally running mechanically timed rubberized silk fabric curtain. In 1959 the shutter curtain was changed to titanium similar to the Nikon F.
The camera will advance film at a rate of 3 FPS with an added S-36 motor drive. This made the SP the first rangefinder to have motorized film advance.[4]
The Nikon F SLR of 1959 has many structural similarities to the SP from which it evolved[5] with the addition of a reflex mirror and interchangeable pentaprism viewfinder.
The camera is seen in the background, casually slung from the hand of Bob Neuwirth in Daniel Kramer's portrait of Bob Dylan that is the over image of his "Highway 61 Revisited" of 1965.