Nikkor

Last updated
Nikkor
ニッコール
Product type Camera lenses
Industrial optics
Enlarger lenses
Microscope objectives
Owner Nikon Corporation
Country Japan
Introduced1932;92 years ago (1932)
MarketsWorldwide
Website www.nikkor.com

Nikkor is the brand of lenses produced by Nikon Corporation, including camera lenses for the Nikon F-mount and more recently, for the Nikon Z line of mirrorless cameras.

Contents

Nikko parent company brand, from which the Nikkor brand evolved. Nikko old logo.jpg
Nikko parent company brand, from which the Nikkor brand evolved.

The Nikkor brand was introduced in 1932, a Westernised rendering of an earlier version Nikkō (日光), an abbreviation of the company's original full name Nippon Kōgaku ("Japan Optics"; 日本光学工業株式会社). [1] (Nikkō also means "sunlight" and is the name of a Japanese town.) In 1933, Nikon marketed its first camera lens under the Nikkor brand name, the "Aero-NIKKOR," for aerial photography. [1]

Nikon originally reserved the Nikkor designation for its highest-quality imaging optics, but in recent history almost all Nikon lenses are so branded.

Notable Nikkor branded optics have included:

Nikkor Z 24-70
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f/4 S lens Nikon Z 24-70 f4 S 2.jpg
Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S lens

Lenses for Nikon systems

Nikon Z-mount

Nikon introduced the Z-mount in 2018 for their system of digital full-frame and APS-C (DX) mirrorless cameras. All of Nikon's Z-mount lenses are Nikkors.

Nikon F-mount

Nikkors constitute the majority of lenses available for the Nikon F-mount, which is itself the largest system of interchangeable flange-mount photographic lenses in history[ clarification needed ]. These lenses are designed for the 135 (35mm) and Nikon DX formats. Over 400 different F-mount Nikkor models are known to exist. [2]

Nikon 1-mount

Nikon introduced the compact mirrorless Nikon 1 camera system using 2.7x-crop sensors in 2011. The Nikon 1 system was effectively discontinued in 2018 with the introduction of the full-frame Nikon Z system.

Nikonos

The original Nikonos system introduced in 1963 is a scale-focus and rangefinder system for underwater photography. The 1992 Nikonos RS system is an underwater autofocus SLR system based on the F-mount.

Nikon S-mount

Nikkor-S-C 5 cm
f/1.4 on a Nikon S2 camera Nikon S2 Chrome Dial (14065413151).jpg
Nikkor-S-C 5 cm f/1.4 on a Nikon S2 camera

Rangefinder camera system dating to the late 1940s which became popular with the 1951 Nikon S.

Lenses for other camera systems

Note: In the case of the Nikkor wides, "W" just means "wide". Prior to approximately 1976, most Nikon lenses had a suffix appended directly after the "Nikkor" name that was used to denote the number of optical elements in the lens design.

No. of ElementsDesignator LetterOrigin of Designator
1U"Uns"
2B"Bini"
3T"Tres"
4Q"Quatour"
5P"Pente"
6H"Hex"
7S"Septem"
8O"Octo"
9N"Novem"
10D"Decem"
11UD"Uns" and "Decem"

For example, a lens with eight elements would be marked "Nikkor-O", and a lens with eleven elements "Nikkor-UD".

Zenza Bronica SLR

Leica "L" rangefinder

Plaubel Makina

Airesflex TLR

Marshal Press

Hansa Canon rangefinder

Lenses for large format photography

Nikkor-SW

Four-group wide-angle lens series, consisting of six, seven, or eight elements:

Nikkor-W

Six-element, four-group series:

Nikkor-M

Compact, 4-element, 3-group series.

Nikkor-AM

8-element, 4-group true Apochromat macro lens series, optimized for 1:1 reproduction.

Nikkor-T

Telephoto series. The 360 mm / 600 mm are triple-convertible lenses with 500 mm and 720 mm / 800 mm and 1200 mm interchangeable rear elements which were available separately.

Apo-Nikkor

Apo-Nikkor 240mm
f/9 lens ApoNIKKOR240.jpg
Apo-Nikkor 240mm f/9 lens

true Apochromat series, designed for the printing industry, optimized for 1:1 reproduction.

With Waterhouse type Filter Slot.

Apo-Nikkor / Early type

Lens Construction 4 elements in 3 groups / Tessar Type Lenses.

  • Apo-Nikkor 12cmF9 (Release of drawing Year : 1961)
  • Apo-Nikkor 15cmF9 (Release of drawing Year : 1960) - φ53mmP=0.75 Screw Mount
  • Apo-Nikkor 18cmF9 (Release of drawing Year : 1962) - Image circle φ250mm。
  • Apo-Nikkor 21cmF9 (Release of drawing Year : 1959)
  • Apo-Nikkor 24cmF9 - Image circle φ350mm。
  • Apo-Nikkor 30cmF9 (Release of drawing Year : 1949)
  • Apo-Nikkor 38cmF9 (Manufacture start Year : 1946)
  • Apo-Nikkor-Q.C 45cmF9 (Product Year : 1948) - φ72P=1.0mm Screw Mount
  • Apo-Nikkor 60cmF9 (Release of drawing Year : 1948)
  • Apo-Nikkor 75cmF9 (Release of drawing Year : 1957)
  • Apo-Nikkor 90cmF9 (Release of drawing Year : 1953)

Apo-Nikkor / Later type

Lens Construction 4 elements in 4 groups / Double Gauss Type Lenses.

  • Apo-Nikkor 180mmF9 - 7inch. φ53mmP=0.75 Screw Mount. - Image circle φ300mm
  • Apo-Nikkor 240mmF9 - 9.5inch. φ53mmP=0.75 Screw Mount. - Image circle φ410mm
  • Apo-Nikkor 305mmF9 - 12inch. φ72mmP=1.0mm Screw Mount. - Image circle φ520mm
  • Apo-Nikkor 360mmF9 - 14inch. φ72mmP=1.0mm Screw Mount. - Image circle φ600mm
  • Apo-Nikkor 420mmF9 - 16.5inch. φ90mmP=1.0mm Screw Mount. - Image circle φ710mm
  • Apo-Nikkor 455mmF9 - 18inch. φ90mmP=1.0mm Screw Mount. - Image circle φ770mm
  • Apo-Nikkor 480mmF9 - 19inch. φ90mmP=1.0mm Screw Mount. - Image circle φ820mm
  • Apo-Nikkor 610mmF11 - 24inch. φ110mmP=1.0mm Screw Mount. - Image circle φ1030mm
  • Apo-Nikkor 760mmF11 - 30inch. φ110mmP=1.0mm Screw Mount. - Image circle φ1170mm
  • Apo-Nikkor 890mmF11 - 35inch. φ162mmP=1.5mm Screw Mount. - Image circle φ1360mm
  • Apo-Nikkor 1210mmF12.5 - 47.5inch. φ162mmP=1.5mm Screw Mount. - Image circle φ1750mm
  • Apo-Nikkor 1780mmF14 - 70inch. φ213mmP=1.5mm Screw Mount. - Image circle φ2310mm

Wide-Angle-Apo-Nikkor

Lens Construction 6 elements in 4 groups / Orthometar Type Lenses. The wide angle version Apo-Nikkor lens was developed for small-scale platemaking cameras.

  • W.A.Apo-Nikkor 150mmF8 - φ53mmP=0.75 Screw Mount. - Image circle φ350mm。
  • W.A.Apo-Nikkor 210mmF8 - φ72mmP=1.0mm Screw Mount. - Image circle φ460mm。
  • W.A.Apo-Nikkor 240mmF10
  • W.A.Apo-Nikkor 300mmF9 - φ90mmP=1.0mm Screw Mount. - Image circle φ610mm。
  • W.A.Apo-Nikkor 360mmF9 - φ90mmP=1.0mm Screw Mount. - Image circle φ730mm

Photographic enlarging lenses

EL-Nikkor 68mm
f/3.5 lens EL68.jpg
EL-Nikkor 68mm f/3.5 lens
Apo-EL-Nikkor 170mm
f/5.6 lens Esclo apo el nikkor 170.jpg
Apo-EL-Nikkor 170mm f/5.6 lens
Apo-EL-Nikkor 105mm
f/5.6 lenses, old type and new type (small) AEN105.jpg
Apo-EL-Nikkor 105mm f/5.6 lenses, old type and new type (small)

EL-Nikkor

The EL-Nikkor series of lenses are designed for photographic enlargers. Most feature 39mm Leica thread mounts, although some feature a 50mm screw mount. Most are 6-element, 4-group designs. Some slower, lower-cost designs (marked †) are 4-element, 3-group designs. Newer versions of these lenses are marked with an "N" (focal lengths to 105mm) or "A" (focal lengths from 135mm). (Per Nikon, Inc. Technical and Service Support (800-645-6689), manufacture and sale of all enlarging lenses has been discontinued.)

EL-Nikkor N

EL-Nikkor A

Apo-EL-Nikkor

The Apo-EL-Nikkor series of lenses are true Apochromat photo enlarging lenses with chromatic aberration corrected not only for the entire visible range of the spectrum, but also in near ultraviolet and near infrared ranges (380-700 nm). They are all 8-element, 4-group designs with maximum-minimum aperture of f/5.6-45.

Apo-EL-Nikkor N

EL-Zoom-Nikkor

Ortho-EL-Nikkor

Industrial special-purpose lenses

Fax-Nikkor

Designed for 1:1 reproduction with a usable magnification range from 0.3x to 3x. Transmission from 350 to 700 nm, no focus shift between visible and actinic light used for photoresists. Completely symmetric lenses with no distortion.

Fax-Ortho-Nikkor

Designed for 10:1 reproduction. Field size varies from 200x200 mm to 400x400 mm with correspondingly larger image sizes and very long back-focal distances (several meters). Completely symmetric lenses with no distortion.

Fish-Eye-Nikkor

Pro-Fish-Eye-Nikkor

Aero-Nikkor

The lens for aerial photographs produced at prewar days

Aero-Nikkor

  • Aero-Nikkor 7.5 cm F3.5 (Sale Year : 1937)
  • Aero-Nikkor 10 cm F5.6 (Sale Year : 1939)
  • Aero-Nikkor 18 cm F4.5 (Sale Year : 1933)
  • Aero-Nikkor 20 cm F3.5
  • Aero-Nikkor 50 cm F4.8 (Sale Year : 1932) - (Lens Construction 3 elements in 3 groups)
  • Aero-Nikkor 70 cm F5 (Sale Year : 1932) - (Lens Construction 3 elements in 3 groups)

R-Aero-Nikkor

  • R-Aero-Nikkor 50cmF5.6

COM-Nikkor

for Computer Output Microfilming Lens

CRT-Nikkor

for Oscilloscope Output Microfilming Lens

Micro-Nikkor

Ultra-Micro-Nikkor

for Microfilming Lens

Macro-Nikkor

The interchangeable lens only for large-sized macro photography equipment "Multiphot"

Printing-Nikkor

Was developed as an optical lens for optical printing, as demand occurs after the line sensor lenses. Thoroughly eliminate various aberrations in the reference scale, with a high color fidelity and resolution. Has now been redesigned for the Eco-glass, like the current product.

Printing-Nikkor

  • Printing-Nikkor 75mmF2.8 - (Lens Construction 12 elements in 4 groups)
  • Printing-Nikkor 95mmF2.8 - (Lens Construction 12 elements in 4 groups)
  • Printing-Nikkor 105mmF2.8 - (Lens Construction 12 elements in 4 groups)
  • Printing-Nikkor 150mmF2.8 - (Lens Construction 10 elements in 4 groups)

Printing-Nikkor N

  • Printing-Nikkor 150mmF2.8N

Printing-Nikkor A

  • Printing-Nikkor 95mmF2.8A - φ45mmP=0.75 Screw Mount.
  • Printing-Nikkor 105mmF2.8A - φ45mmP=0.75 Screw Mount.

Process-Nikkor

The lens for table type small platemaking cameras. Lens Construction 4 elements in 4 groups. Topogon Type Lens. Standard magnification is ×1. A 400 to 650 nm chromatic aberration compensation wavelength band.

Rayfact

Rayfact is the current industrial lens brand of Tochigi-Nikon, which doesn't use the Nikkor brand any more.

Rayfact

  • Rayfact ×7 OFM70350HN-TS - φ72mmP=0.75 Screw Mount.
  • Rayfact ×7 OFM70350HN-TS - φ72mmP=0.75 Screw Mount.
  • Rayfact ×3.5 OFM35162MN - φ67mmP=0.75 Screw Mount.
  • Rayfact ×2 OFM20119MN(Sale Year : 2006) - φ45mmP=0.75 Screw Mount.
  • Rayfact ×1 OFM10090MN(Sale Year : 2006) - φ45mmP=0.75 Screw Mount.
  • Rayfact PF10545MF-UV - The succeeding kind which made "Ai UV-Nikkor 105mmF4.5S" eco-glass specification.
  • Rayfact 25mmF1.4(Sale Year : 2001) - C Mount.

Rayfact IL

The succeeding kind of "EL-Nikkor" which ended sale in 2006.

  • Rayfact IL40mm PF4040ML(Sale Year : 2007) - M39 Screw Mount.
  • Rayfact IL50mm PF5028ML(Sale Year : 2007) - M39 Screw Mount.
  • Rayfact IL63mm OF6328ML(Sale Year : 2007) - M39 Screw Mount.

Rayfact VL

The succeeding kind of "Printing-Nikkor". Use by a line sensor was designed as a premise from the beginning.

  • Rayfact VL ×0.5 OFM05042MN - Real focus distance 119.3mm
  • Rayfact VL ×0.7 OFM07052MN - Real focus distance 121.0mm
  • Rayfact VL ×1 OFM10064MN - Real focus distance 123.9mm
  • Rayfact VL ×1.4 OFM14074MN - Real focus distance 121.0mm

Repro-Nikkor

It is designed supposing the use as x1 copy or a relay lens.

Regno-Nikkor

The lens for X-rays indirect photograph equipment.

TV-Nikkor

The lens for fluoroscopy of an X-ray.

Xero-Nikkor

The lens for about doubling the enlarging radiography of the documents displayed on CRT.

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 The 75th Anniversary of NIKKOR Lenses Archived 2008-04-07 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Nikon Lenses". Roland's Nikon pages. 2023-06-05. Retrieved 2023-06-10.