Nikon

It would take more space than is available here to explore the storied history of Nippon Kogaku (Nikon), so I’ll concentrate on some of the more interesting points.

Founded in 1917, they were a large manufacturer of optical goods for the scientific and military communities. The years prior to WW2 saw the company grow to 20 factories and 23,000 employees. During the war they were the primary supplier of of optical ordnance for Japan’s Army, Navy and Air Force.

After WW2 they were reorganized for civilian production and were subsequently reduced to one factory with 1400 employees. At the time, they had yet to produce any cameras – putting most of their efforts into to fine optics. There was even a time when they supplied early-Canon with lenses for their rangefinders. But around 1946 they decided to begin production of their own cameras. The name “Nikon” was taken from NIppon KOgaku.

More Nikon Resources

Nikon F System (pdf)

Nikon F2 System (pdf)

Nikon FA Brochure (pdf)

Nikon Cameras 1990 (pdf)

Nikon F4 Brochure (pdf)

The company paid close attention to the cameras produced by Leica and Contax – two of the leading manufacturers of the day. And they combined their features to bring the world the first Nikon rangefinder – the Nikon I – in 1948. As much today as ever, Nikon products are synonymous with quality, innovation and reliability.