Seeking history of Nikkor LF lenses

[PunkFunkDunk]

Yes, I know, such info does not matter in terms of picture-making, but I do like to know the design history of lenses I own.

When it comes to Nikkor large format lenses as far as I have been able to deduce they were first released in 1977 (according to a Nikon dealer catalogue that announces their “new” appearance). These were the first variants with Nikon Integrated Coating (which looks purple-pink).

Then another catalogue dated 2002 suggests the second variants with Nikon SUPER Integrated Coating appeared (which looks green). I’m guessing these were produced until circa 2012 based on when they seem to have dropped out of B&H catalogues).

Can anyone shed any light (corrections) on this indicative timeline?


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[Tin Can]

https://www.bing.com/search?q=history+of+Nikkor+LF+lenses&aqs=edge..69i57j69i60&FORM=ANCMS9&PC=U531

[Drew Wiley]

Try to pin down the time of the switch from Nikkor Q single-coated tessars to the equivalent multi-coated M series. That was long before 2002. You could also try to research the history of Seiko shutters, and when those were still being used, since earlier Nikkor LF lenses came in them. Their LF lineage might go back quite a bit further than you think. Their manufacture of high-end process or graphics lenses goes quite a ways back; and it would have been a simple step plus a shutter from there to making LF camera lenses, or simply an end-user adaptation of those. Nikon industrial lenses seems to stem from 1946, aerial lenses back to 1933. By the 70's, Apo Nikkors were already the predominant lenses being used by the printing industry for high-end applications in this region; so their reputation and roots most go further back than that. And there might have been a distinct gap between the first Nikon LF lenses and their distribution and brochure here in the US, with an already large selection of LF lenses to choose from. By the mid 70's that whole selection was already in stock at a local store. But it's s hard topic to pin down, since Nikon places more emphasis on the history of their microscopes and survey optics than large format camera applications. It was a minor player.

Of course, you haven't specified the actual Nikon lenses you own yet, so their own vintage can't be addressed.

[Oren Grad]

Speaking of view camera lenses more generally rather than strictly lenses for formats big enough to be considered large format by our criterion, the 105mm f/3.5 Nikkor-Q dates back at least to the time of the Marshal Press camera, for which it served as the normal lens. That was introduced in 1966. The successor 105/3.5 M is listed in the 1982 Nikon LF lens catalog that I have.

EDIT: Marketing of Nikkor LF lenses was discontinued in 2005-6 - some in 2005, IIRC most in 2006. Production likely ended a while before that. Of course, there was NOS of some of the lenses in the retail pipeline for a while after that. Long-timers here may remember the fire sale on the 120mm AM:

https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?22821-Why-Did-YOU-Buy-299-Nikon-Macro-120mm-f-5-6-Nikkor-AM(ED)-Lens-with-Copal-0

[Oren Grad]

Some historical nuggets:

https://web.archive.org/web/20100131161151/http://nikon.com/about/info/history/memo/m02_e/index.htm

https://web.archive.org/web/20100114132226/http://nikon.com/about/info/history/memo/m04_e/index.htm

https://web.archive.org/web/20080501065810/http://www.cameraguild.jp/nekosan/others.htm

[Oren Grad]

More: this page attributes early-version Apo-Nikkors, with focal lengths marked in cm, to dates as far back as 1946.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikkor#Apo-Nikkor_/_Early_type

[Oren Grad]

This page in Japanese Wikipedia...

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%8B%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3%E5%A4%A7%E5%88%A4%E7%94%A8%E3%83%AC%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BA%E3%81%AE%E4%B8%80%E8%A6%A7

...has the following product introduction dates:

Nikkor W

100/5.6 (12/1979)
105/5.6S (8/1984)
105/5.6 (no date)
135/5.6S (3/1984)
135/5.6 (4/1977, shutter changed in 9/1978)
150/5.6S (3/1984)
150/5.6 (3/1977, shutter changed in 9/1978)
180/5.6 (4/1977, shutter changed in 9/1978)
210/5.6S (9/1979(
210/5.6 (3/1977, shutter changed in 9/1978)
240/5.6 (7/1978)
300/5.6 (9/1978)
360/6.5 (12/1985)

Nikkor SW

65/4S (no date)
65/4 (6/1978)
75/4.5S (3/1984)
75/4.5 (7/1978)
90/4.5S (3/1984)
90/4.5 (6/1978)
90/8S (3/1984)
90/8 (1/1981)
120/8S (no date)
120/8 (12/1979)
150/8 (12/1981)

Nikkor T

270/6.3 (12/1981)
360/8 (12/1981)
500/11 (3/1983)
600/9 (3/1983)
720/16 (12/1985)
800/12 (3/1983)
1200/18 (12/1985)

Nikkor M

105/3.5 (12/1979)
200/8S (10/1984)
300/9 (12/1977)
450/9 (12/1977)

Nikkor AM

120/5.6S (no date)
120/5.6 (3/1983)
210/5.6 (12/1985)

"Nikkor" (series not specified)

300/9 (11/1968)
450/9 (11/1968)

A couple of notes re shutters:

* As we've discussed here...

https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?31427-Nikkor-(S)-lenses

...the "S" designation refers to Copal shutters with a 7-bladed iris rather than the 5-bladed iris used in earlier models.

* I do not know what the "shutter change" was for several of the W series lenses in 9/1978.

[Drew Wiley]

I have a superb multi-coated 105/3.5 M for sake of 6x9 roll film backs. It doesn't have sufficient coverage for 4X5 film. For that, I use 200 or 300 M's. All my own Apo Nikkor process lenses seem to be of early 70's vintage, and are exceptional optics, better corrected than any other lenses I have ever used, in any format. I use them mostly for enlarging, making precision dupes and internegs, masks, etc, though I also have Sinar lensboards fitted to them, if I want to shoot with them.

Thanks for those links, Oren. The industrial heritage of Nikon lenses based on the Apo El lineage is still alive, but has evolved mostly along machine optics and laser applications of fixed focal lengths and apertures, and special glass types.

[Mark Sampson]

My undocumented memory recalls a "View from Kramer" column in "Popular Photography" magazine, extolling the Nikkor LF lenses, in the late '70s.
When I bought my first one, used, in NYC in about 1985, there was a selection of used Nikkors to be bought, along with all the other brands. Those were the days... IIRC I paid $400 for a Nikkor-W 180/5.6.
It seems that Nikon did not make changes in their designs over time, unlike their competitors.

[Tin Can]

I don't see the 610/9

Which I really like, but no shutter fitted, process lens

very lightweight

[Oren Grad]

I don't see the 610/9

The Japanese Wikipedia page is devoted to lenses marketed for general-purpose use, not process lenses. You'll find the 610 in Dan Fromm's article on Nikkor process lenses:

https://galerie-photo.com/apo-process-nikkors-en.html

[PunkFunkDunk]

Thank you all.


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[Drew Wiley]

"Process Nikkors" indicated a lower-budget line suitable for stat cameras, much like the abundant Rodenstock Roganors which have been private-labeled many different ways for silkscreen stat camera, budget enlarging lenses, etc. But I've never even seen any kind of Process Nikkor in this part of the world - they were all 4-element Apo Nikkors, originally expensive, or else a few Apo El Nikkors, really expensive. I used a 305/9 Apo Nikkor a few hours ago for an 8X10 color film enlargement. They're remarkable lenses. The dang print looks almost like a contact print, except for being large. But if you need brighter focussing or more speed, most regular f/5.6 El Nikkor enlarging lenses are pretty darn good in their own right. The difference is, the Apo Nikkors are superb all the way from quite close up to infinity; so you can use them for cameras too if you like. But other than a little experimentation in that manner, I keep mine in the lab.