Nikon S2 Rangefinder Serial Numbers
Nikon: Specializing in Nikkor rangefinder cameras, Nikon rangefinder lenses, Nikon SP, Nikon S2. Box for Nikon SP, w/o serial numbers, Ex+/Ex $225. For regular F3 bodies, serial numbers up through 189xxxx are from between 1980 and 1989. 19xxxxx is 1990s, with the 20xxxxx serial range being 2000-04ish. The F4 has a formula that is listed on the old Nikon F4 FAQ site, which has been archived, since the site owner shut it down.
The Nikon was the first camera introduced by the optical manufacturer Nippon Kogaku KK.[1] It is a 35mmrangefinder camera, in retrospect known as the Nikon I.[2] The original design was approved by September 1946, and the camera was released in March 1948. At first, it was sold locally, and it did not come to the attention of the western media until 1950, when photographers from the Life magazine were shown photographs taken with these cameras. The lenses draw special attention, like the Nikkor-P.C 1:2 f=8.5cm. A demand to fit Nikkors to the reporters' Leicas were immediately met at the factory in Tokyo, and soon the word spread about these Japanese lenses which were just as good as, or possibly better than their German counterparts.[3] The camera design was strongly inspired by the German Contax and Leica cameras. After careful studies of these, Nippon Kogaku had decided to base their camera on the Contax, but substitute the complicated shutter design for the cloth focal plane shutter of the Leica, these being considered the best features from either camera.
The original Nikon I, as introduced in 1948,[1] had no flash synchronisation, but was otherwise a fully-fledged up-to-date rangefinder camera. The factory chose the 24 × 32 mm frame size pioneered by the Minolta 35 launched a year earlier by Chiyoda Kogaku, known as the Nippon format, which yielded more frames per length of film, and matched more closely the common paper sizes. However, the camera never caught on, because the US administration in Tokyo did not permit export to the US due to the non standard format, incompatible with the Kodak slide mounts.
In consequence, the Nikon M was introduced in the autumn 1949. This model is recognised by the M preceding the body number. Nippon Kogaku had settled for an intermediate frame format of 24 × 34 mm,[1] hoping to find acceptance on the export market. Why Nippon Kogaku was reluctant to go all the way to the widely accepted standard size, is not fully understood, the camera itself seems prepared to accommodate the full frame size for the vast majority of situations. In fact, a new improved model was planned, retaining the non-standard frame format.
This was the Nikon S, long overdue when made available early in 1951; it is a Nikon M with flash sync contacts, two sockets at the upper left-hand edge of the body. All cameras sold with this feature are considered a Nikon S by the factory, even if marked M.[1] Despite its shortcomings, the Nikon S sold well, and became the first Nikon on the US market. By chance, a number of Nikon S cameras have one more serial number digit, known as the 8-digit Nikon S. When reaching 6099999 the engraver continued at 60910000, but it was soon realized that the long serial number was impractical, and after some 1200 cameras, the numbering reverted to 6100000. The 609 prefix in the serial number refers to the date the design was approved in September 1946.[4]
Several highly sought-after Nikon models were made available throughout the 1950s, and the first SLR camera from this maker, the Nikon F, shares the basic body configuration of the latest rangefinder models. All Nikon rangefinders are historically significant and considered highly collectible.[3]
Narayan (1906–2001), born and educated in India, was the author of fourteen novels, numerous short stories and essays, a memoir, and three retold myths. His work, championed by Graham Greene, who became a close friend, was often compared to that of Dickens, Chekhov, Faulkner, and Flannery O'Connor, among others. The Guide is a 1958 novel written in English by the Indian author R. Like most of his works the novel is based on Malgudi, the fictional town in South India. The novel describes the transformation of the protagonist, Raju, from a tour guide to a spiritual guide and then one of the greatest holy men of India. Guide r k narayan pdf. 'The Guide' by R.K. Narayan is an excellent example that how beautiful and intriguing simplicity can be. Narayan wrote the novel with sheer simplicity of language and expression. Even with simplicity - which is the power of the novel - the story is deep and touches the inner recesses of human nature.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ abcdJames M. and Joan C. McKeown (2004). McKeown's price guide to antique classic Cameras, 12th Ed. Centennial Photo Service, Grantsburg. ISBN0-931838-40-1.
- ^Gustavson, Todd (2009). Camera A history of photography from Daguerreotype to Digital. Sterling Signature. ISBN978-1-4027-5656-6.
- ^ abLong, Brian (2006). Nikon - A celebration. The Crowood Press, Ramsbury. ISBN1-86126-831-9.
- ^Rotoloni, Robert (1983). Nikon Rangefinder Camera. Hove Foto Books, Hove. ISBN0-906447-25-9.
External links[edit]
The Pictorial History of Nikon Starts from here.. |
1917,July 25
Three of Japan's leading optical manufacturers merged to form a fully integrated optical company known as Nippon Kogaku K.K. with its head office located in Tokyo, Japan.
1932,
thename 'Nikkor' was first used to identify its lenses.
1935/1937,
The first Nikkor for civil use came with a bayonet mount. The camera, Hansa-Canon, has a special bayonet mount (similar to Nikon-S). Nikon designed lenses were used by Canon, that included the Finder-optics ( Rangefinder) and lens mount of Hansa-Canon also made by Nippon Kogaku.
Nikon 1, 1948 |
Questions, issues & Answer(s)
The first Nikon camera featured a focal plane shutter with rangefinder focusing and a smaller picture format of 24mm x 32mm. The first Nikkor for Nikon was a collapsible 50mm/F3.5 designed for this Nikon I. Shutter speed offered only from 1 second to 1/20 sec. & 1/30 sec. to 1/500 sec. with Time and Bulb modes. No flash synchronization. A highly collectible model as the quantity produced were limited (less than a thousand). All were chrome-silver finished except probably a few were made in black-paint. Some protoypes prior to actual production surfaced as well. It has a cloth shutter and most were printed with 'Made in Occupied Japan' (MIOJ) at the base section. According to some references, there are ONLY 738 Nikon 1 being produced (early prodcution bear serial numbers in 4 digits (6091-6095); those after first quarter bear 5 digits numbers 60912-60983); the last quarter from six digits serial numbers from 609158 to 609758 in 1949. Reference: Robert Rotoloni
NEW:- MIR's Nikon (Nippon Kogaku KK) Rangefinder Nikkor lens Resources
NikonM,1950
The second rangefinder focusing camera, while the format has shifted to a slightly larger format of 24mm x 34mm. Has a short run on production. Some Nikon historian stated production was probably began in 1949 but ended in December, 1950. Similar to the Nikon I in appearance (Similar Shutter speed range as well) except the Serial number began with 'M XXXXXXX'. Early version has no flash synchronization but later version has it and some termed them as Nikon M Synchro. Virtually all standard production units were produced in silver-chrome. Some rare black versions were custom-made made for war photographers. A total of 1,643 cameras have been produced. The first from 08.1949 with serial number from 609759-609991 and changed number to 7 digits that begin from 6091098 in 1950; it ended with 6092401 in 12.1950. Reference: Robert Rotoloni. The rare numbers of both the Nikon 1 and Nikon M make both of these Nikon rangefinder models a difficult to source and incredibly expensive.
Nikon M Tokyo Red Sync Model
Early Nikon M unSync Model
NikonS,1951
Still deployed with an old format of 24mm x 34mm but the the Nikon S was the first to incorporate a built-in flash sync contact via accessory shoe at the top panel. Some features were redesigned to improve handling. The 5cm f/1.4 Nikkor was the standard lense - it was also the world's fastest standard lens with f/1.4 during that period. Launched with the camera were addition of new RF-Nikkor optic, the Nikkor-S.C 8.5cm f/1.5 and W.Nikkor.C 25cm f/4. Early versions were still engraved with 'MIOJ' but removed/replaced with 'Made in Japan' at later stage (engraved at the film chamber release lever at the base). Popularity of Nikon began to take off as reflected by good sales of the Nikon S. A few variations were produced in black for photo-journalists. The Nikon S has picked up in production numbers, a total of 36,746 Nikon S were being produced.
Instruction Manual forNikon S
Nikon S 8 digits Model - identical to normal production model except for its 8-digits serial numbers
Questions, issues & Answer(s)
Instruction Manual for Nikon BC-B Flash Unit
Nikon BC-5Nikon BC-7Nikon SB-1
* From the Nikon M, the advance step of the film has been modified to adapt with auto film cutter (which cut film every 8 perforation hole).
The format is modified to 34 x 24 simultaneously, but no space was remained to enhance to standard 36 x 24 -
although Nikon claimed the S was the first to adapt to the standard 36 x 24mm format.
While the subsequent model, the Nikon S2 was a redesigned camera with a true 36 x 24mm format.
* Source: Nikomat Club, Japan.
Nippon Kogaku / Nikon RF- Nikkor lens Resources:- Main Index Page
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Nikon RF lens group(MAIN INDEX PAGE):-
2.1cm f/4.0(21mm)
RF
18cm f/2.5(180mm)
Accessories: Lens
TheRangefinder
SLRs -1959/1979
The Eyes of Nikon:-
Rangefinder RF-Nikkor lenses:- Main Index PageNikon Auto Focus Nikkor lenses:- Main Index Page
Nikon Manual Focus Nikkor lenses:-
Fisheye-Nikkor Lenses - CircularFull FrameUltrawides Lenses - 13mm15mm18mm20mmWideangle Lenses - 24mm28mm35mm
Standard Lenses - 45mm50mm58mmTelephoto Lenses - 85mm105mm135mm180mm & 200mm
Super-Telephoto Lenses - 300mm400mm500mm600mm800mm1200mm
SpecialApplication lenses:
Micro-NikkorLenses-
PerspectiveControl(PC) - 28mm
DedicatedLenses for Nikon F3AF:
Depthof Field Control (DC): 105mm 135mm
MedicalNikkor:
Others:Noct Nikkor
MFZoom-Nikkor Lenses: 25~50mm28~45mm28~50mm28~85mm35~70mm36~72mm E35~85mm35~105mm35~135mm
35~200mm43~86mm50~135mm50~300mm70~210mm E75~150mm E80~200mm85~250mm
100~300mm180~600mm200~400mm200~600mm360~1200mm1200~1700mm
Tele-Converters:TC-1TC-2TC-200TC-201TC-300TC-301TC-14TC-14ATC-14BTC-14CTC-14E TC-16TC-16ATC-20E
Nikon F
Nikon FM
MIR
NikonF-seriesNikonF2-series NikonF3-series Nikon F4-series
Nikon FM-seriesNikonFE-seriesNikonFA NikonDigitalSLRseries VariousNikonModels NikkorOptic-shared
Others
Apple's
Recommended links to understand more technical details related to the Nikkor F-mount and production Serial Number:
http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-153.html by: my friend, Rick Oleson
http://www.zi.ku.dk/personal/lhhansen/photo/fmount.htm by: Hansen, Lars Holst
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/nikonfmount/lens2.htm
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html
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