Nikon S3 2000 is a duplicate of the original Nikon S3 introduced in 1958. A total of 8,000 units was produced in silver chrome version and another 2,000 units were released in black paint.

The S3 2000 limited edition is not the last rangefinder produced by Nikon. There is Nikon SP 2005 limited edition which was released in 2005 as a reproduction of the original SP. It is however extremely hard to see the new version of SP in South Korea these days. You may be lucky and find an original SP body on sale, but it is highly likely to be in poor condition with a stiff price tag.

So, if you are looking for a mint Nikon rangefinder film camera in faultless condition, the limited edition of S3 is probably the only available option.

Those who praise Leica, especially M3, tend to devalue Nikon rangefinders, but reflecting on my experience, it is hard to say precisely that one is better than the other. It just so happens that they are different in design, grip, and handling. It is quite fair to say that M3 is a better camera in terms of mechanical precision, but still, the ‘Zeiss Ikon-motivated’ design and mechanical excellence of the S3 make the camera a masterpiece.