(, ; ), also known just as Nikon, is a Japanese
multinational corporation
A multinational company (MNC), also referred to as a multinational enterprise (MNE), a transnational enterprise (TNE), a transnational corporation (TNC), an international corporation or a stateless corporation with subtle but contrasting senses, i ...
headquartered in
Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
, specializing in
optics
Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behaviour and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. Optics usually describes the behaviour of visible, ultraviole ...
and
imaging
Imaging is the representation or reproduction of an object's form; especially a visual representation (i.e., the formation of an image).
Imaging technology is the application of materials and methods to create, preserve, or duplicate images.
...
products. The companies held by Nikon form the Nikon Group.
![Nikon WestBuilding](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Nikon_WestBuilding.jpg)
Nikon's products include
camera
A camera is an Optics, optical instrument that can capture an image. Most cameras can capture 2D images, with some more advanced models being able to capture 3D images. At a basic level, most cameras consist of sealed boxes (the camera body), ...
s,
camera lens
A camera lens (also known as photographic lens or photographic objective) is an optical lens or assembly of lenses used in conjunction with a camera body and mechanism to make images of objects either on photographic film or on other media capab ...
es,
binoculars
Binoculars or field glasses are two refracting telescopes mounted side-by-side and aligned to point in the same direction, allowing the viewer to use both eyes (binocular vision) when viewing distant objects. Most binoculars are sized to be held ...
,
microscope
A microscope () is a laboratory instrument used to examine objects that are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Microscopy is the science of investigating small objects and structures using a microscope. Microscopic means being invisibl ...
s,
ophthalmic lenses
A corrective lens is a lens (i.e. a transmissive optical device) that is typically worn in front of the eye to improve daily vision. The most common use is to treat refractive errors: myopia, hypermetropia, astigmatism, and presbyopia. Gla ...
,
measurement instrument
A measuring instrument is a device to measure a physical quantity. In the physical sciences, quality assurance, and engineering, measurement is the activity of obtaining and comparing physical quantities of real-world objects and events. Establi ...
s,
rifle scopes
A telescopic sight, commonly called a scope informally, is an optical sighting device based on a refracting telescope. It is equipped with some form of a referencing pattern – known as a ''reticle'' – mounted in a focally appropriate po ...
,
spotting scopes
A spotting scope is a compact high-power telescope optimized for detailed observation of distant objects. They are used as portable optical enhancement devices for various outdoor activities such as birdwatching, skygazing and other naturalis ...
, and the
stepper
A stepper is a device used in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs) that is similar in operation to a slide projector or a photographic enlarger. ''Stepper'' is short for step-and-repeat camera. Steppers are an essential part of the com ...
s used in the
photolithography
In integrated circuit manufacturing, photolithography or optical lithography is a general term used for techniques that use light to produce minutely patterned thin films of suitable materials over a substrate, such as a silicon wafer, to protect ...
steps of
semiconductor fabrication
Semiconductor device fabrication is the process used to manufacture semiconductor devices, typically integrated circuit (IC) chips such as modern computer processors, microcontrollers, and memory chips such as NAND flash and DRAM that are pres ...
, of which it is the world's second largest manufacturer. The company is the eighth-largest chip equipment maker as reported in 2017. Also, it has diversified into new areas like
3D printing
3D printing or additive manufacturing is the Manufacturing, construction of a three-dimensional object from a computer-aided design, CAD model or a digital 3D modeling, 3D model. It can be done in a variety of processes in which material is ...
and
regenerative medicine
Regenerative medicine deals with the "process of replacing, engineering or regenerating human or animal cells, tissues or organs to restore or establish normal function". This field holds the promise of engineering damaged tissues and organs by st ...
to compensate for the shrinking
digital camera
A digital camera is a camera that captures photographs in digital memory. Most cameras produced today are digital, largely replacing those that capture images on photographic film. Digital cameras are now widely incorporated into mobile device ...
market.
Among Nikon's many notable product lines are
Nikkor
Nikkor is the brand of lenses produced by Nikon Corporation, including camera lenses for the Nikon F-mount.
Nikko parent company brand, from which the Nikkor brand evolved.
The ''Nikkor'' brand was introduced in 1932, a Westernised rendering of ...
imaging lenses (for
F-mount cameras,
large format
Large format refers to any imaging format of or larger. Large format is larger than "medium format", the or size of Hasselblad, Mamiya, Rollei, Kowa, and Pentax cameras (using 120- and 220-roll film), and much larger than the frame o ...
photography,
photographic enlarger
An enlarger is a specialized transparency projector used to produce photographic prints from film or glass negatives, or from transparencies.
Construction
All enlargers consist of a light source, normally an incandescent light bulb shining thou ...
s, and other applications), the
Nikon F
The Nikon F camera, introduced in April 1959, was Nikon's first SLR camera. It was one of the most advanced cameras of its day. Although many of the concepts had already been introduced elsewhere, it was revolutionary in that it was the firs ...
-series of
35 mm film 35 mm may refer to:
* 135 film, a type of still photography format commonly referred to as 35 mm film
* 35 mm movie film
35 mm film is a film gauge used in filmmaking, and the film standard. In motion pictures that record on f ...
SLR cameras, the Nikon D-series of digital SLR cameras, the Nikon Z-series of digital mirrorless cameras, the Coolpix series of compact digital cameras, and the
Nikonos
Nikonos is the brand name of a series of 35mm format cameras specifically designed for underwater photography launched by Nikon in 1963. The early Nikonos cameras were improvements of the Calypso camera, which was an original design by Jacques-Y ...
series of underwater film cameras. Nikon's main
competitor
Competition is a rivalry where two or more parties strive for a common goal which cannot be shared: where one's gain is the other's loss (an example of which is a zero-sum game). Competition can arise between entities such as organisms, indivi ...
s in camera and lens manufacturing include
Canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western ca ...
,
Sony
, commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...
,
Fujifilm
, trading as Fujifilm, or simply Fuji, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, operating in the realms of photography, optics, office and medical electronics, biotechnology, and chemicals.
The offerings from th ...
,
Panasonic
formerly between 1935 and 2008 and the first incarnation of between 2008 and 2022, is a major Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate corporation, headquartered in Kadoma, Osaka, Kadoma, Osaka P ...
,
Pentax
is a brand name used primarily by the Japanese multinational imaging and electronics company Ricoh for DSLR cameras, lenses, sport optics (including binoculars and rifle scopes), and CCTV optics. The Pentax brand is also used by Hoya Corporatio ...
, and
Olympus.
Founded on July 25, 1917 as ''Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha'' ( "''Japan Optical Industries Co., Ltd.''"), the company was renamed to Nikon Corporation, after its cameras, in 1988. Nikon is a member of the
Mitsubishi
The is a group of autonomous Japanese multinational companies in a variety of industries.
Founded by Yatarō Iwasaki in 1870, the Mitsubishi Group historically descended from the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, a unified company which existed from 1870 ...
group of companies (''
keiretsu
A is a set of companies with interlocking business relationships and shareholdings. In the legal sense, it is a type of informal business group that are loosely organized alliances within the social world of Japan's business community. The ''ke ...
'').
History
Nikon Corporation was established on 25 July 1917 when three leading optical manufacturers merged to form a comprehensive, fully integrated optical company known as Nippon Kōgaku Tōkyō K.K. Over the next sixty years, this growing company became a manufacturer of optical lenses (including those for the first
Canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western ca ...
cameras) and equipment used in cameras, binoculars, microscopes and inspection equipment. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
the company operated thirty factories with 2,000 employees, manufacturing binoculars, lenses, bomb sights, and periscopes for the Japanese military.
Reception outside Japan
After the war Nippon Kōgaku reverted to producing its civilian product range in a single factory. In 1948, the first Nikon-branded camera was released, the Nikon I. Nikon lenses were popularised by the American photojournalist
David Douglas Duncan
David Douglas Duncan (January 23, 1916 – June 7, 2018) was an American photojournalist, known for his dramatic combat photographs, as well as for his extensive domestic photography of Pablo Picasso and his wife Jacqueline.
Childhood and educat ...
. Duncan was working in Tokyo when the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
began. Duncan had met a young Japanese photographer,
Jun Miki
was a Japanese photographer and one of Japan's pioneers in photojournalism. Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, editor. . Kyoto: Tankōsha, 2000.
The Selection Committee of Nikon Salon established the Miki Jun Award in 1999 to remember his ...
, who introduced Duncan to Nikon lenses. From July 1950 to January 1951, Duncan covered the Korean War. Fitting Nikon optics (especially the NIKKOR-P.C 1:2 f=8,5 cm) to his
Leica rangefinder cameras produced high contrast negatives with very sharp resolution at the centre field.
Names and brands
Founded in 1917 as ''Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha'' ( "Japan Optical Industries Corporation"), the company was renamed ''Nikon Corporation'', after its cameras, in 1988. The name ''Nikon'', which dates from 1946, was originally intended only for its small-camera line, spelled as "Nikkon", with an addition of the "n" to the "Nikko" brand name. The similarity to the Carl Zeiss AG brand "ikon", would cause some early problems in Germany as Zeiss complained that Nikon violated its trademarked camera. From 1963 to 1968 the Nikon F in particular was therefore labeled '
Nikkor
Nikkor is the brand of lenses produced by Nikon Corporation, including camera lenses for the Nikon F-mount.
Nikko parent company brand, from which the Nikkor brand evolved.
The ''Nikkor'' brand was introduced in 1932, a Westernised rendering of ...
'.
The ''Nikkor''
brand
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...
was introduced in 1932, a westernised rendering of an earlier version ''Nikkō'' (), an abbreviation of the company's original full name (''Nikkō'' also means "sunlight" and is the name of
a famous Japanese onsen town.). ''Nikkor'' is the Nikon brand name for its lenses.
Another early brand used on
microscope
A microscope () is a laboratory instrument used to examine objects that are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Microscopy is the science of investigating small objects and structures using a microscope. Microscopic means being invisibl ...
s was ''Joico'', an abbreviation of "Japan Optical Industries Co".
Expeed
The Nikon Expeed image/ video processors (often styled ''EXPEED'') are media processors for Nikon's digital cameras. They perform a large number of tasks: Bayer filtering, demosaicing, image sensor corrections/dark-frame subtraction, image noise ...
is the brand Nikon uses for its image processors since 2007.
Rise of the Nikon F series
![Nikon F FTN Camera Austin Calhoon Photograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Nikon_F_FTN_Camera_Austin_Calhoon_Photograph.jpg)
The
Nikon SP
The Nikon SP is a professional level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, rangefinder camera introduced in 1957. It is the culmination of Nikon's rangefinder development which started in 1948 with the Nikon I, and was "arguably the most advanced ...
and other 1950s and 1960s
rangefinder camera
A rangefinder camera is a camera fitted with a rangefinder, typically a split-image rangefinder: a range-finding focusing mechanism allowing the photographer to measure the subject distance and take photographs that are in sharp focus. Most var ...
s competed directly with models from Leica and Zeiss. However, the company quickly ceased developing its rangefinder line to focus its efforts on the
Nikon F
The Nikon F camera, introduced in April 1959, was Nikon's first SLR camera. It was one of the most advanced cameras of its day. Although many of the concepts had already been introduced elsewhere, it was revolutionary in that it was the firs ...
single-lens reflex line of cameras, which was successful upon its introduction in 1959. For nearly 30 years, Nikon's F-series SLRs were the most widely used small-format cameras among professional photographers, as well as by some U.S. space program, the first in 1971 on Apollo 15 (as lighter and smaller alternative to the
Hasselblad
Victor Hasselblad AB is a Swedish manufacturer of medium format cameras, photographic equipment and image scanners based in Gothenburg, Sweden. The company originally became known for its classic analog medium-format cameras that used a waist- ...
, used in the
Mercury
Mercury commonly refers to:
* Mercury (planet), the nearest planet to the Sun
* Mercury (element), a metallic chemical element with the symbol Hg
* Mercury (mythology), a Roman god
Mercury or The Mercury may also refer to:
Companies
* Merc ...
,
Gemini
Gemini may refer to:
Space
* Gemini (constellation), one of the constellations of the zodiac
** Gemini in Chinese astronomy
* Project Gemini, the second U.S. crewed spaceflight program
* Gemini Observatory, consisting of telescopes in the Northern ...
and
Apollo
Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...
programs, 12 of which are still on the Moon) and later once in 1973 on the
Skylab
Skylab was the first United States space station, launched by NASA, occupied for about 24 weeks between May 1973 and February 1974. It was operated by three separate three-astronaut crews: Skylab 2, Skylab 3, and Skylab 4. Major operations in ...
and later again on it in 1981.
Nikon popularized many features in professional SLR photography, such as the modular camera system with interchangeable lenses, viewfinders, motor drives, and data backs; integrated light metering and lens indexing; electronic strobe flashguns instead of expendable flashbulbs; electronic shutter control; evaluative multi-zone "matrix" metering; and built-in motorized film advance. However, as
auto focus
''Auto Focus'' is a 2002 American biographical drama film directed by Paul Schrader and starring Greg Kinnear and Willem Dafoe. The screenplay by Michael Gerbosi is based on Robert Graysmith's book ''The Murder of Bob Crane'' (1993).
''Auto Focus ...
SLRs became available from
Minolta
was a Japanese manufacturer of cameras, camera accessories, photocopiers, fax machines, and laser printers. Minolta Co., Ltd., which is also known simply as Minolta, was founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1928 as . It made the first integrated autofocu ...
and others in the mid-1980s, Nikon's line of manual-focus cameras began to seem out of date.
Despite introducing one of the first autofocus models, the slow and bulky F3AF, the company's determination to maintain lens compatibility with its F-mount prevented rapid advances in autofocus technology.
Canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western ca ...
introduced a new type of lens-camera interface with its entirely electronic
Canon EOS
Canon EOS (Electro-Optical System) is an autofocus single-lens reflex camera (SLR) and mirrorless camera series produced by Canon Inc. Introduced in 1987 with the Canon EOS 650, all EOS cameras used 135 film, 35 mm photographic film, film until ...
cameras and
Canon EF lens mount
The EF lens mount is the standard lens mount on the Canon EOS family of SLR film and digital cameras. EF stands for "Electro-Focus": automatic focusing on EF lenses is handled by a dedicated electric motor built into the lens. Mechanically, it ...
in 1987. The much faster lens performance permitted by Canon's electronic focusing and aperture control prompted many professional photographers (especially in sports and news) to switch to the Canon system through the 1990s.
Post-millenium film camera production
Once Nikon introduced affordable consumer-level DSLRs such as the
Nikon D70
The Nikon D70 is a digital single-lens reflex camera, introduced at the 2004 PMA Annual Convention and Trade Show, as Nikon's first consumer-level digital SLR, and a Competition, competitor to the Canon EOS 300D. It was often sold in a "kit packa ...
in the mid-2000s, sales of its consumer and professional film cameras fell rapidly, following the general trend in the industry. In January 2006, Nikon announced it would stop making most of its film camera models and all of its large format lenses, and focus on digital models.
Nevertheless, Nikon remained the only major camera manufacturer still making film SLR cameras for a long time. The high-end
Nikon F6
The Nikon F6 is a 35 mm film single-lens reflex camera body manufactured by Nikon between 2004 and 2020. It is the sixth top-of-the-line professional film camera in Nikon's line. The Nikon F6 is designed by Nikon and was manufactured at their S ...
and the entry-level
FM10 remained in production all the way up until October 2020.
Digital photography
Digital single-lens reflex and point and shoot cameras
![Nikon Nasa F4 front with lenses](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Nikon_Nasa_F4_front_with_lenses.jpg)
Nikon created some of the first digital SLRs (DSLRs,
Nikon NASA F4
The Nikon NASA F4 Electronic Still Camera was one of the first and rarest fully digital cameras with development started in 1987. While Nikon delivered a modified Nikon F4 body, most of the electronics for the digital camera and housings were d ...
) for
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
, used in the
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program na ...
since 1991. After a 1990s partnership with
Kodak
The Eastman Kodak Company (referred to simply as Kodak ) is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in analogue photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorpor ...
to produce digital SLR cameras based on existing Nikon film bodies, Nikon released the
Nikon D1
The Nikon D1 is a digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) made by Nikon Corporation introduced on June 15, 1999. It featured a 2.7-megapixel image sensor, 4.5-frames-per-second continuous shooting, and accepted the full range of Nikon F-mount l ...
SLR under its own name in 1999. Although it used an
APS-C
Advanced Photo System type-C (APS-C) is an image sensor format approximately equivalent in size to the Advanced Photo System film negative in its C ("Classic") format, of 25.1×16.7 mm, an aspect ratio of 3:2 and Ø 31.15 mm field d ...
-size light sensor only 2/3 the size of a 35 mm film frame (later called a "
DX sensor"), the D1 was among the first digital cameras to have sufficient image quality and a low enough price for some professionals (particularly photojournalists and sports photographers) to use it as a replacement for a film SLR. The company also has a
Coolpix
The Nikon Coolpix series are digital compact cameras in many variants produced by Nikon. It includes superzoom, bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without bloc ...
line which grew as consumer digital photography became increasingly prevalent through the early 2000s. Nikon also never made any phones.
Through the mid-2000s, Nikon's line of professional and enthusiast DSLRs and lenses including their back compatible AF-S lens line remained in second place behind Canon in SLR camera sales, and Canon had several years' lead in producing professional DSLRs with light sensors as large as traditional 35 mm film frames. All Nikon DSLRs from 1999 to 2007, by contrast, used the smaller DX size sensor.
Then, 2005 management changes at Nikon led to new camera designs such as the full-frame
Nikon D3
The Nikon D3 is a 12.0-megapixel professional-grade full frame (35 mm) digital single lens reflex camera (DSLR) announced by the Nikon Corporation on 23 August 2007 along with the Nikon D300 DX format camera. It was Nikon's first full-frame ...
in late 2007, the
Nikon D700
The Nikon D700 is a professional-grade full-frame digital single-lens reflex camera introduced by the Nikon Corporation in July 2008 and manufactured in Japan. It uses the same 12.1-megapixel "FX" CMOS image sensor as the Nikon D3, and is Nikon ...
a few months later, and mid-range SLRs. Nikon regained much of its reputation among professional and amateur enthusiast photographers as a leading innovator in the field, especially because of the speed, ergonomics, and low-light performance of its latest models. The mid-range
Nikon D90
The Nikon D90 is a 12.3 megapixel digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) model announced by Nikon on August 27, 2008. It is a prosumer model that replaces the Nikon D80, fitting between the company's entry-level and professional DSLR models. I ...
, introduced in 2008, was also the first SLR camera to record video. Since then video mode has been introduced to many more of the Nikon and non-Nikon DSLR cameras including the
Nikon D3S
The Nikon D3S is a 12.1-megapixel professional-grade full frame (35mm) digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) announced by Nikon Corporation on 14 October 2009. The D3S is the fourth camera in Nikon's line to feature a full-frame sensor, foll ...
,
Nikon D3100,
Nikon D3200,
Nikon D5100, and
Nikon D7000
The Nikon D7000 is a 16.2-megapixel digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) model announced by Nikon on September 15, 2010. It replaced the D90 as the top end consumer camera, by using much of the technology and controls from the earlier D5000, ...
.
More recently, Nikon has released a photograph and video editing suite called ViewNX to browse, edit, merge and share images and videos. Despite the market growth of
Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Cameras
A mirrorless camera is a photo camera featuring a single, removable lens and a digital display.
The camera does not have a reflex mirror or optical viewfinder like a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera, but may have an electronic ...
, Nikon did not neglect their F-mount
Single Lens Reflex
A single-lens reflex camera (SLR) is a camera that typically uses a mirror and prism system (hence "reflex" from the mirror's reflection) that permits the photographer to view through the lens and see exactly what will be captured. With twin le ...
cameras and have released some professional
DSLRs
A digital single-lens reflex camera (digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor.
The reflex design scheme is the primary difference between ...
like the
D780, or the
D6 in 2020.
Mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras
In reaction to the growing market for
Mirrorless cameras, Nikon released their first
Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Cameras
A mirrorless camera is a photo camera featuring a single, removable lens and a digital display.
The camera does not have a reflex mirror or optical viewfinder like a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera, but may have an electronic ...
and also a new
lens mount
A lens mount is an interface – mechanical and often also electrical – between a photographic camera body and a lens. It is a feature of camera systems where the body allows interchangeable lenses, most usually the rangefinder camera, singl ...
in 2011. The lens mount was called
Nikon 1
The Nikon 1 series is a discontinued camera line from Nikon, originally announced on 21 September 2011. The cameras utilized Nikon 1-mount lenses, and featured 1" CX format sensors.
The series included the Nikon 1 V1, J1, J2, and S1 with a ...
, and the first bodies in it were the
Nikon 1 J1 and the
V1. The system was built around a 1 inch (or CX) format
image sensor
An image sensor or imager is a sensor that detects and conveys information used to make an image. It does so by converting the variable attenuation of light waves (as they pass through or reflect off objects) into signals, small bursts of curr ...
, with a 2.7x
crop factor
In digital photography, the crop factor, format factor, or focal length multiplier of an image sensor format is the ratio of the dimensions of a camera's imaging area compared to a reference format; most often, this term is applied to digital ca ...
. This format was pretty small compared to their competitors. This resulted in a loss of image quality,
dynamic range
Dynamic range (abbreviated DR, DNR, or DYR) is the ratio between the largest and smallest values that a certain quantity can assume. It is often used in the context of signals, like sound and light. It is measured either as a ratio or as a base-1 ...
and fewer possibilities for restricting depth of field
depth of field range. In 2018, Nikon officially discontinued the 1 series, after three years without a new camera body. (The last one was the
Nikon 1 J5
The Nikon 1 J5 is a digital mirrorless camera announced by Nikon on April 2, 2015.
See also
* Nikon 1 series
* Nikon 1-mount
The Nikon 1-mount is a type of interchangeable lens mount developed by Nikon for its Nikon CX format mirrorless interch ...
).
Also in 2018, Nikon introduced a new
mirrorless system in their lineup: the
Nikon Z system. The first cameras in the series were the
Z 6 and the
Z 7, both with a
Full Frame (FX) sensor format,
In-Body Image Stabilization
Image stabilization (IS) is a family of techniques that reduce blurring associated with the motion of a camera or other imaging device during exposure.
Generally, it compensates for pan and tilt (angular movement, equivalent to yaw and pit ...
and a built-in
electronic
Electronic may refer to:
*Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor
* ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal
*Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device
*Electronic co ...
viewfinder
In photography, a viewfinder is what the photographer looks through to compose, and, in many cases, to focus the picture. Most viewfinders are separate, and suffer parallax, while the single-lens reflex camera lets the viewfinder use the main ...
. The Z-mount is not only for FX cameras though, as in 2019 Nikon introduced the
Z 50 with a DX format sensor, without
IBIS
The ibises () (collective plural ibis; classical plurals ibides and ibes) are a group of long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae, that inhabit wetlands, forests and plains. "Ibis" derives from the Latin and Ancient Greek word f ...
but with the compatibility to every
Z-mount
Nikon Z-mount (stylised as \mathbb) is an interchangeable lens mount developed by Nikon for its mirrorless digital cameras. In late 2018, Nikon released two cameras that use this mount, the full-frame Nikon Z 7 and Nikon Z 6. In late 2019 N ...
lens. The handling, the ergonomics and the button layout are similar to the Nikon
DSLR
A digital single-lens reflex camera (digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor.
The reflex design scheme is the primary difference between a ...
cameras, which is friendly for those who are switching from them. This shows that Nikon is putting their focus more on their
MILC
A mirrorless camera is a photo camera featuring a single, removable lens and a digital display.
The camera does not have a reflex mirror or optical viewfinder like a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera, but may have an electronic ...
line.
In 2020 Nikon updated both the Z 6 and the Z 7. The updated models are called the
Z 6 II and the
Z 7 II. The improvements over the original models include the new EXPEED 6 processor, an added card slot, improved video and
AF features, higher burst rates, battery grip support and
USB-C power delivery.
In 2021, Nikon released 2 mirrorless cameras, the
Z fc and the
Z 9. The
Nikon Z fc
The Nikon Z fc, announced on 29 June 2021 and scheduled for release in July 2021, is a mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera with the Nikon Z-mount with a MSRP of $960.
It is based on the DX-format Nikon Z 50 and has a classic design with diago ...
is the second Z-series APS-C (DX) mirrorless camera in the line up, designed to evoke the company's famous
FM2 SLR from the '80s. It offers manual controls, including dedicated dials for shutter speed, exposure compensation and ISO. The
Z 9 became Nikon's new flagship product succeeding the D6, marking the start of a new era of Nikon cameras. It includes a 46 megapixel
Full Frame (FX) format stacked CMOS sensor which is stabilized and has a very fast readout speed, making the mechanical shutter not only unneeded, but also absent from the camera. Along with the sensor, the 3.7 million dot, 760 nit
EVF, the 30 fps continuous burst at full resolution with a buffer of 1000+ compressed raw photos,
4K 120 fps
ProRes
Apple ProRes is a high quality, "visually lossless" lossy video compression format developed by Apple Inc. for use in post-production that supports video resolution up to 8K. It is the successor of the Apple Intermediate Codec and was introduc ...
internal recording, the
8K 30 fps internal recording and the 120 hz subject recognition
AF system make it one of the most advanced cameras on the market with its main rivals being the
Canon EOS R3
The Canon EOS R3 is a 24 megapixel full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera launched by Canon officially announced by Canon on 14 September 2021 alongside two RF mount lenses. The camera is available as body only with a MSRP of US$5,999 ...
and the
Sony α1
The Sony α1 is a full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera by Sony that was announced on January 27, 2021. The α1 was announced together with the Xperia Pro smartphone, which can be used as an HDR monitor and a 5G transmitter. The c ...
. (As of February 2022)
Movie camera production
Although few models were introduced, Nikon made movie cameras as well. The R10 and R8 SUPER ZOOM Super 8 models (introduced in 1973) were the top of the line and last attempt for the amateur movie field. The cameras had a special gate and claw system to improve image steadiness and overcome a major drawback of Super 8 cartridge design. The R10 model has a high speed 10X macro zoom lens.
Contrary to other brands, Nikon never attempted to offer projectors or their accessories.
Thai operations
Nikon has shifted much of its manufacturing facilities to
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
, with some production (especially of Coolpix cameras and some low-end lenses) in
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
. The company constructed a factory in
Ayuthaya north of
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...
in Thailand in 1991. By 2000, it had 2,000 employees. Steady growth over the next few years and an increase of floor space from the original 19,400 square meters (209,000 square feet) to 46,200 square meters (497,000 square feet) enabled the factory to produce a wider range of Nikon products. By 2004, it had more than 8,000 workers.
The range of the products produced at Nikon Thailand include plastic molding, optical parts,
painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...
,
printing
Printing is a process for mass reproducing text and images using a master form or template. The earliest non-paper products involving printing include cylinder seals and objects such as the Cyrus Cylinder and the Cylinders of Nabonidus. The ea ...
, metal processing,
plating
Plating is a surface covering in which a metal is deposited on a conductive surface. Plating has been done for hundreds of years; it is also critical for modern technology. Plating is used to decorate objects, for corrosion inhibition, to improv ...
, spherical lens process,
aspherical lens
An aspheric lens or asphere (often labeled ''ASPH'' on eye pieces) is a lens whose surface profiles are not portions of a sphere or cylinder. In photography, a lens assembly that includes an aspheric element is often called an aspherical lens. ...
process,
prism
Prism usually refers to:
* Prism (optics), a transparent optical component with flat surfaces that refract light
* Prism (geometry), a kind of polyhedron
Prism may also refer to:
Science and mathematics
* Prism (geology), a type of sedimentary ...
process, electrical and electronic mounting process,
silent wave motor and
autofocus
An autofocus (or AF) optical system uses a sensor, a control system and a motor to focus on an automatically or manually selected point or area. An electronic rangefinder has a display instead of the motor; the adjustment of the optical system ...
unit production.
As of 2009, all of Nikon's
Nikon DX format
The Nikon DX format is an alternative name used by Nikon corporation for APS-C image sensor format being approximately 24x16 mm. Its dimensions are about (29 mm vs 43 mm diagonal, approx.) those of the 35mm format. The format was ...
DSLR
A digital single-lens reflex camera (digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor.
The reflex design scheme is the primary difference between a ...
cameras and the
D600, a
prosumer
A prosumer is an individual who both consumes and produces. The term is a portmanteau of the words '' producer'' and ''consumer''. Research has identified six types of prosumers: DIY prosumers, self-service prosumers, customizing prosumers, coll ...
FX camera, are produced in Thailand, while their professional and semi-professional
Nikon FX format
A full-frame DSLR is a digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) with a 35 mm image sensor format (). Historically, 35 mm was one of the standard film formats, alongside larger ones, such as medium format and large format. The full-fra ...
(full frame) cameras (
D700,
D3,
D3S
The Nikon D3S is a 12.1-megapixel professional-grade full frame ( 35mm) digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) announced by Nikon Corporation on 14 October 2009. The D3S is the fourth camera in Nikon's line to feature a full-frame sensor, fo ...
,
D3X,
D4,
D800 and the retro-styled
Df) are built in Japan, in the city of
Sendai
is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Miyagi Prefecture, the largest city in the Tōhoku region. , the city had a population of 1,091,407 in 525,828 households, and is one of Japan's 20 Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, desig ...
. The Thai facility also produces most of Nikon's digital "DX" zoom lenses, as well as numerous other lenses in the Nikkor line.
Nikon-Essilor Co. Ltd.
In 1999, Nikon and
Essilor
Essilor International is a French-based international ophthalmic optics company that designs, manufactures and markets lenses to correct or protect eyesight. Its headquarters is in Charenton-le-Pont (near Paris), France.
It is the world's larg ...
have signed a Memorandum of understanding to form a global strategic alliance in corrective lenses by forming a 50/50 joint venture in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
to be called Nikon-Essilor Co. Ltd.
The main purpose of the joint venture is to further strengthen the corrective lens business of both companies.
This will be achieved through the integrated strengths of Nikon's strong brand backed up by advanced optical technology and strong sales network in Japanese market, coupled with the high productivity and worldwide marketing and sales network of Essilor, the world leader in this industry.
Nikon-Essilor Co. Ltd. started its business in January 2000, responsible for research, development, production and sales mainly for ophthalmic optics.
Recent development
Revenue from Nikon's camera business has dropped 30% in three years prior to fiscal 2015.
In 2013, it forecast the first drop in sales from interchangeable lens cameras since Nikon's first digital SLR in 1999.
The company's net profit has fallen from a peak of 75.4 billion (fiscal 2007) to 18.2 billion for fiscal 2015.
Nikon plans to reassign over 1,500 employees resulting in job cuts of 1,000, mainly in semiconductor lithography and camera business, by 2017 as the company shifts focus to medical and industrial devices business for growth.
Film cameras
In January 2006 Nikon announced the discontinuation of all but two models of its film cameras, focusing its efforts on the digital camera market. It continues to sell the fully manual
FM10, and still offers the high-end fully automatic
F6. Nikon has also committed to service all the film cameras for a period of ten years after production ceases.
Film 35 mm SLR cameras with manual focus
High-end (Professional – Intended for professional use, heavy duty and weather resistance)
*
Nikon F
The Nikon F camera, introduced in April 1959, was Nikon's first SLR camera. It was one of the most advanced cameras of its day. Although many of the concepts had already been introduced elsewhere, it was revolutionary in that it was the firs ...
series (1959, known in Germany for legal reasons as the ''Nikkor F'')
*
Nikon F2
The Nikon F2 is a professional-level, interchangeable lens, 35mm format, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex (SLR) camera. It was manufactured by the Japanese optics company Nippon Kogaku K. K. (Nikon Corporation since 1988) in Japan from September 1 ...
series (1971)
*
Nikon F3
The Nikon F3 was Nikon's third professional single-lens reflex camera
A single-lens reflex camera (SLR) is a camera that typically uses a mirror and prism system (hence "reflex" from the mirror's reflection) that permits the photographer to ...
series (1980)
Midrange
*
Nikkorex series (1960)
*
Nikkormat
Nikkormat (Nikomat in Japan) was a brand of cameras produced by the Japanese optics company Nippon Kogaku K. K., as a consumer version of the professional Nikon brand. Nikkormat cameras, produced from 1965 until 1978, were simpler and more affo ...
F series (1965, known in Japan as the Nikomat F series)
*
Nikon FM (1977)
*
Nikon FM2
The Nikon FM2 is an advanced semi-professional, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex (SLR) camera. It was manufactured by Nippon Kogaku K. K. (today Nikon Corporation) in Japan from 1982 to 2001. The original camera was released ...
series (1982)
*
Nikon FM10
The Nikon FM10 is a manual focus 35 mm film camera sold by Nikon Corporation. It is of SLR design and was first available in 1995. It is normally sold in a kit that includes a Zoom Nikkor 35–70 mm f/3.5-4.8 zoom lens, although a Zoom Nik ...
(1995)
Midrange with electronic features
*
Nikkormat
Nikkormat (Nikomat in Japan) was a brand of cameras produced by the Japanese optics company Nippon Kogaku K. K., as a consumer version of the professional Nikon brand. Nikkormat cameras, produced from 1965 until 1978, were simpler and more affo ...
EL series (1972, known in Japan as the Nikomat EL series)
* Nikon EL2 (1977)
*
Nikon FE (1978)
*
Nikon FE2
The Nikon FE2 is a 35 mm single lens reflex (SLR) camera manufactured by Nippon Kogaku K. K. (Nikon Corporation since 1988) in Japan from 1983 to 1987. The FE2 used a Nikon-designed vertical-travel focal-plane shutter with a speed range ...
(1983)
*
Nikon FA
(, ; ), also known just as Nikon, is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and Photography, imaging products. The companies held by Nikon form the Nikon Group.
Nikon's products include cam ...
(1983)
*
Nikon F-601M (1990, known in North America as the N6000)
*
Nikon FE10
The Nikon FM10 is a manual focus 35 mm film camera sold by Nikon Corporation. It is of SLR design and was first available in 1995. It is normally sold in a kit that includes a Zoom Nikkor 35–70 mm f/3.5-4.8 zoom lens, although a Zoom Nikk ...
(1996)
*
Nikon FM3A
The Nikon FM3A is an interchangeable-lens, focal-plane shutter, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex ( SLR) camera. It was manufactured by Nikon Corporation in Japan, on small-volume assembly lines, from 2001 to 2006. The camera was available in ...
(2001)
Entry-level (Consumer)
*
Nikon EM
The Nikon EM is a beginner's level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single lens reflex (SLR) camera. It was manufactured by Nippon Kogaku K. K. (today Nikon Corporation) in Japan from 1979 to 1982 (available new from dealer stock until circ ...
(1979)
*
Nikon FG
The Nikon FG is an interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex (SLR) camera. It was manufactured by Nippon Kogaku K. K. (Nikon Corporation since 1988) in Japan from 1982 to 1986.
The FG was the successor to the Nikon EM camera of 1979 a ...
(1982)
*
Nikon FG-20 (1984)
*
Nikon F-301
The Nikon F-301 (sold in the United States as the N2000) is a manual focus, autoexposure, auto film loading and advancing 35 mm SLR camera that was sold by the Nikon Corporation beginning in 1985. It was the replacement for the FG.
The F-301 ...
(1985, known in North America as the N2000)
Film APS SLR cameras
* Nikon Pronea 600i / Pronea 6i (1996)
* Nikon Pronea S (1997)
File:Nikon Pronea 600i img 0604.jpg, The Nikon Pronea 600i
File:Nikon Pronea S img 1320.jpg, The Nikon Pronea S
Film 35 mm SLR cameras with autofocus
![NIKON AC-2E 1993](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/NIKON_AC-2E_1993.jpg)
High-end (Professional – Intended for professional use, heavy duty and weather resistance)
*
Nikon F3
The Nikon F3 was Nikon's third professional single-lens reflex camera
A single-lens reflex camera (SLR) is a camera that typically uses a mirror and prism system (hence "reflex" from the mirror's reflection) that permits the photographer to ...
AF (1983, modified F3 body with Autofocus Finder DX-1)
*
Nikon F4
The Nikon F4 is a 35 mm autofocus (AF) single lens reflex (SLR) film camera, introduced in 1988 as the next generation in Nikon's line of F series professional cameras. With industrial design by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the F4 was the first pro ...
(1988) – (World's first professional auto-focus SLR camera and world's first professional SLR camera with a built-in motor drive)
*
Nikonos RS (1992) (Professional when reviewed in underwater conditions) – (World's first underwater auto-focus SLR camera)
[Nikon , Imaging Products , Evolution of NIKONOS](_blank)
Imaging.nikon.com. Retrieved on 2013-07-26.
*
Nikon F5
The Nikon F5 is a 35 mm film-based single-lens reflex camera body manufactured by Nikon from 1996 through 2004. It was the fifth in Nikon's professional film camera line, which began in 1959 with the Nikon F. It followed the Nikon F4 of 1988, w ...
(1996)
*
Nikon F6
The Nikon F6 is a 35 mm film single-lens reflex camera body manufactured by Nikon between 2004 and 2020. It is the sixth top-of-the-line professional film camera in Nikon's line. The Nikon F6 is designed by Nikon and was manufactured at their S ...
(2004)
High-end (Prosumer – Intended for pro-consumers who want the main mechanic/electronic features of the professional line but don't need the same heavy duty/weather resistance)
*
Nikon F-501 (1986, known in North America as the N2020)
*
Nikon F-801 (1988, known in the U.S. as the N8008)
* Nikon F-801S (1991, known in the U.S. as the N8008S)
*
Nikon F90
The Nikon F90 (known as the N90 in the United States) is a 35mm SLR camera manufactured between 1992 and 2001 and replaced the earlier Nikon F-801 (N8008 in the U.S.). At the time of its release it was noted for its fast autofocus speed compared ...
(1992, known in the U.S. as the N90)
*
Nikon F90X
The Nikon F90 (known as the N90 in the United States) is a 35mm SLR camera manufactured between 1992 and 2001 and replaced the earlier Nikon F-801 (N8008 in the U.S.). At the time of its release it was noted for its fast autofocus speed compared ...
(1994, known in the U.S. as the N90S)
*
Nikon F80
The Nikon F80 (or N80 as it is known in the U.S.) is an SLR prosumer camera manufactured by Nikon, released in January 2000.
History
The F80 was introduced on January 27, 2000, to the worldwide consumer market. It was the successor to the F70 ...
(2000, known in the U.S. as the N80)
*
Nikon F100
The Nikon F100 is a 35 mm Photographic film, film-based single-lens reflex camera body introduced in 1999. It is often thought of as a scaled-down version of the Nikon F5, and as a precursor to the Nikon F6. The F100 was discontinued, along wi ...
(1999)
Mid-range (Consumer)
*
Nikon F-601
The Nikon F-601, otherwise known as the Nikon N6006, is a 35mm single-lens reflex (SLR) film camera that was produced by Nikon starting in 1991. The F601 featured an improved second-generation autofocus system, motor drive for automatic film adva ...
(1990, known in the U.S. as the N6006)
*
Nikon F70
The Nikon F70 (or N70 as it is known in the U.S.) is an SLR camera formerly manufactured by the Japanese Company Nikon
(, ; ), also known just as Nikon, is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in ...
(1994, known in the U.S. as the N70)
*
Nikon F75 (2003, known in the U.S. as the N75)
Entry-level (Consumer)
*
Nikon F-401
The Nikon F-401 (N4004 in North America) was a beginner's level, autofocus, 35mm, single-lens reflex (SLR) film camera built by Nikon and introduced in 1987. The camera represented one of Nikon's first endeavours into consumer-based autofocus, as ...
(1987, known in the U.S. as the N4004)
* Nikon F-401S (1989, known in the U.S. as the N4004S)
* Nikon F-401X (1991, known in the U.S. as the N5005)
*
Nikon F50
(, ; ), also known just as Nikon, is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and imaging products. The companies held by Nikon form the Nikon Group.
Nikon's products include cameras, camera ...
(1994, known in the U.S. as the N50)
*
Nikon F60
The F60 (or N60 as it is known in the U.S.) is a 35mm film SLR camera which was sold by Nikon between 1998 and 2001. It replaced the F50 and was aimed at the lower end of the amateur autofocus SLR market.
The F60 features autofocus, two forms ...
(1999, known in the U.S. as the N60)
*
Nikon F65
The F65 (known as the Nikon N65 in the U.S. and the Nikon U in Japan) is a 35mm film SLR camera introduced by Nikon in 2001.
History and Design
Like its predecessor, the F60, the F65 was aimed at the lower end of the amateur autofocus SLR m ...
(2000, known in the U.S. as the N65)
*
Nikon F55 (2002, known in the U.S. as the N55)
Professional
Rangefinder cameras
A rangefinder camera is a camera fitted with a rangefinder, typically a split-image rangefinder: a range-finding focusing mechanism allowing the photographer to measure the subject distance and take photographs that are in sharp focus. Most var ...
*
Nikon I (1948)
*
Nikon M (1949)
*
Nikon S (1951)
* Nikon S2 (1954)
*
Nikon SP
The Nikon SP is a professional level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, rangefinder camera introduced in 1957. It is the culmination of Nikon's rangefinder development which started in 1948 with the Nikon I, and was "arguably the most advanced ...
(1957)
*
Nikon S3
The Nikon S3 is a professional level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, rangefinder camera introduced in 1958. It was manufactured by the Japanese optics company Nippon Kogaku K. K. (Nikon Corporation since 1988).
The S3 is mechanically similar ...
(1958)
*
Nikon S4 The Nikon S4 is a rangefinder camera produced by Nikon that was very similar to the Nikon S3 but had a slightly lower price. This was because it used a cloth shutter curtain (rather than titanium foil curtains) and it lacked the self-timer and moto ...
(1959) (entry-level)
* Nikon S3M (1960)
*
Nikon S3
The Nikon S3 is a professional level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, rangefinder camera introduced in 1958. It was manufactured by the Japanese optics company Nippon Kogaku K. K. (Nikon Corporation since 1988).
The S3 is mechanically similar ...
2000 (2000)
*
Nikon SP
The Nikon SP is a professional level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, rangefinder camera introduced in 1957. It is the culmination of Nikon's rangefinder development which started in 1948 with the Nikon I, and was "arguably the most advanced ...
Limited Edition (2005)
Compact cameras
Between 1983 and the early 2000s a broad range of compact cameras were made by Nikon. Nikon first started by naming the cameras with a series name (like the L35/L135-series, the RF/RD-series, the W35-series, the EF or the AW-series). In later production cycles, the cameras were double branded with a series-name on the one and a sales name on the other hand. Sales names were for example ''Zoom-Touch'' for cameras with a wide zoom range, ''Lite-Touch'' for ultra compact models, ''Fun-Touch'' for easy to use cameras and ''Sport-Touch'' for splash water resistance. After the late 1990s, Nikon dropped the series names and continued only with the sales name. Nikon's APS-cameras were all named ''Nuvis''.
The cameras came in all price ranges from entry-level fixed-lens-cameras to the top model Nikon 35Ti and 28Ti with titanium body and 3D-Matrix-Metering.
Movie cameras
: Double 8 (8mm)
* NIKKOREX 8 (1960)
* NIKKOREX 8F (1963)
: Super 8
* Nikon Super Zoom 8 (1966)
* Nikon 8X Super Zoom (1967)
* Nikon R8 Super Zoom (1973)
* Nikon R10 Super Zoom (1973)
Professional Underwater cameras
*
Nikonos
Nikonos is the brand name of a series of 35mm format cameras specifically designed for underwater photography launched by Nikon in 1963. The early Nikonos cameras were improvements of the Calypso camera, which was an original design by Jacques-Y ...
I
Calypso (1963, originally known in France as the Calypso/Nikkor)
* Nikonos II (1968)
* Nikonos III (1975)
* Nikonos IV-A (1980)
* Nikonos V (1984)
* Nikonos RS (1992) (World's first underwater Auto-Focus SLR camera)
Digital cameras
![Nikon COOLPIX P7700 front](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/Nikon_COOLPIX_P7700_front.JPG)
Nikon's
raw image format
A camera raw image file contains unprocessed or minimally processed data from the image sensor of either a digital camera, a motion picture film scanner, or other image scanner. Raw files are named so because they are not yet processed and the ...
is ''NEF'', for Nikon Electronic File. The "DSCN" prefix for image files stands for "Digital Still Camera – Nikon."
Digital compact cameras
The Nikon Coolpix series are
digital compact camera
A digital camera is a camera that captures photographs in digital memory. Most cameras produced today are digital, largely replacing those that capture images on photographic film. Digital cameras are now widely incorporated into mobile devices ...
s produced in many variants:
Superzoom
A superzoom or ultrazoom lens is a type of photographic zoom lens with unconventionally large focal length factors, typically ranging from wide angle to extreme long lens focal lengths in one lens. There is no clear definition of a superzoom le ...
,
bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
,
travel-zoom,
miniature compact and
waterproof/rugged cameras. The top compact cameras are several "Performance" series indicated by a "P...".
Larger sensor compact cameras
Coolpix series since 2008 listed.
*
Nikon Coolpix P6000
(, ; ), also known just as Nikon, is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and Photography, imaging products. The companies held by Nikon form the Nikon Group.
Nikon's products include cam ...
, 2008-08-07 (CCD, 14 megapixels, 4x zoom)
*
Nikon Coolpix P7000, 2010-09-08 (CCD, 10.1 megapixels, 7x zoom)
*
Nikon Coolpix P7100, 2011-08-24 (roughly same specifications as predecessor)
*
Nikon Coolpix P7700
*
Nikon Coolpix A, 2013-03-05 (16MP
DX-CMOS sensor)
*
Nikon Coolpix A900
*
Nikon Coolpix P7800
=Light-weight fast lens compact cameras
=
*
Nikon Coolpix P300
*
Nikon Coolpix P310
(, ; ), also known just as Nikon, is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and imaging products. The companies held by Nikon form the Nikon Group.
Nikon's products include cameras, camera ...
*
Nikon Coolpix P330
*
Nikon Coolpix P340
Bridge camera
Bridge cameras are cameras that fill the niche between relatively simple point-and-shoot cameras and interchangeable-lens cameras such as mirrorless cameras and single-lens reflex cameras (SLRs). They are often comparable in size and weight ...
s
*Nikon Coolpix L810, Feb, 2012–16 MP, 26x optical zoom, no wi-fi, fixed LCD, ISO 80–1600
*Nikon Coolpix L820, Jan, 2013–16 MP, 30x optical zoom, no wi-fi, fixed LCD, ISO 125-3200
*Nikon Coolpix L830, Jan, 2014–16 MP, 34x optical zoom with 68x Dynamic Fine Zoom, no wi-fi, tilting LCD, ISO 125-1600 (3200 in Auto)
*Nikon Coolpix L840 Feb, 2015–16 MP, 38x optical zoom with 76x Dynamic Fine Zoom, built-in Wi-Fi and NFC (Near Field Communication), 3 inch high-resolution tilting LCD, ISO 125 – 1600
ISO 3200, 6400 (available when using Auto mode)
*
Nikon Coolpix P500
(, ; ), also known just as Nikon, is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and Photography, imaging products. The companies held by Nikon form the Nikon Group.
Nikon's products include cam ...
, Feb, 2011–12.1
MP, 36x optical zoom, tilt LCD, ISO 160–3200
*
Nikon Coolpix P510
The Nikon Coolpix P510 is an ultrazoom bridge camera announced by Nikon
(, ; ), also known just as Nikon, is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and imaging products. The companies held by ...
, Feb, 2012–16.1 MP, 41.7x optical zoom (24–1000mm), no wi-fi, vari-angle LCD, ISO 100–3200
*
Nikon Coolpix P520
The Nikon Coolpix P520 is a DSLR-styled digital ultrazoom bridge camera announced by Nikon
(, ; ), also known just as Nikon, is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and imaging products. The ...
, Jan, 2013–18.1 MP, 42x optical zoom, optional wi-fi, vari-angle LCD, ISO 80–3200
*
Nikon Coolpix P530
(, ; ), also known just as Nikon, is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and Photography, imaging products. The companies held by Nikon form the Nikon Group.
Nikon's products include cam ...
, Feb, 2014–16.1 MP, 42x optical zoom & 84x Dynamic Fine Zoom, opt wi-fi, fixed LCD, ISO 100–1600 (ISO 3200, 6400 in PASM mode)
*
Nikon Coolpix P600, Feb, 2014–16.1 MP, 60x optical zoom and 120 Dynamic Fine Zoom, built in wi-fi, vari-angle LCD, ISO 100–1600 (ISO 3200, 6400 in PASM mode)
![Nikon 1 V1 with lenses and flash](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Nikon_1_V1_with_lenses_and_flash.jpg)
*
Nikon Coolpix P610
The Nikon Coolpix P610 is a superzoom bridge camera announced by Nikon on February 10, 2015.
It differs from its predecessor, the Nikon Coolpix P600, with the inclusion of a sensor to automatically switch between monitor mode and the electronic v ...
*
Nikon Coolpix B500, Feb, 2016-16
MP, 40x optical zoom, tilt LCD, ISO 160–6400
*
Nikon Coolpix P900
The Nikon Coolpix P900 is a superzoom digital bridge camera announced by Nikon on March 2, 2015. With 83× zoom limit and a maximum 2000 mm 35 mm equivalent focal length, it was the greatest-zooming bridge camera at the time of its announcement ...
*
Nikon Coolpix P950
The Nikon Coolpix P900 is a superzoom digital bridge camera announced by Nikon
(, ; ), also known just as Nikon, is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and imaging products. The companies ...
*
Nikon Coolpix P1000
The Nikon Coolpix P1000 is a superzoom digital bridge camera produced by Nikon, released on September 6, 2018. It has a 125× optical zoom, its focal range going from 24 mm to 3000 mm 35 mm equivalent focal length. As of September 2022 ...
Mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras
![Nikon Z 6 with Nikkor Z 24-70 4S front left](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Nikon_Z_6_with_Nikkor_Z_24-70_4S_front_left.jpg)
Nikon Z series –
Nikon Z-mount
Nikon Z-mount (stylised as \mathbb) is an interchangeable lens mount developed by Nikon for its mirrorless digital cameras. In late 2018, Nikon released two cameras that use this mount, the full-frame Nikon Z 7 and Nikon Z 6. In late 2019 N ...
lenses
*
Nikon Z 7
The Nikon Z 7 is a 45.7 megapixel full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera produced by Nikon. The camera was officially announced on August 23, 2018, for release in September 2018. It was the first camera to use Nikon's new Z-mount sys ...
,
FX/Full Frame sensor, August 23, 2018
*
Nikon Z 6
The Nikon Z 6 is a full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera produced by Nikon. The camera was officially announced on August 23, 2018, to be released in November. Nikon began shipping the Z 6 to retailers on November 16, 2018. This was t ...
,
FX/Full Frame sensor, August 23, 2018
*
Nikon Z 50
The Z 50 is an APS-C mirrorless camera (1.5x APS crop) announced by Nikon on October 10, 2019. It is Nikon's first Z-mount crop sensor camera body. With its introduction, Nikon also announced two crop-sensor Z-mount lenses. It is the third Z-m ...
,
DX/APS-C sensor, October 10, 2019
*
Nikon Z 5
The Nikon Z 5 is a full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera produced by Nikon. The camera was officially announced on July 21, 2020, at the price of US$1,399.00. It is an entry-level full-frame camera that uses Nikon's Z-mount system. ...
,
FX/Full Frame sensor, July 21, 2020
*
Nikon Z 6II
The Nikon Z 6II is a high-end full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera (MILC) produced by Nikon and is the successor to the Nikon Z 6. The camera was officially announced on October 14, 2020 alongside the Nikon Z 7II, and became availabl ...
,
FX/Full Frame sensor, October 14, 2020
*
Nikon Z 7II
The Nikon Z 7II is a high-end full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera (MILC) produced by Nikon, and is the successor to the Nikon Z 7. The camera was officially announced on October 14, 2020, alongside the Nikon Z 6II, and became availabl ...
,
FX/Full Frame sensor, October 14, 2020
*
Nikon Z fc
The Nikon Z fc, announced on 29 June 2021 and scheduled for release in July 2021, is a mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera with the Nikon Z-mount with a MSRP of $960.
It is based on the DX-format Nikon Z 50 and has a classic design with diago ...
,
DX/APS-C sensor, July 2021
*
Nikon Z 9
The Nikon Z 9 is a full-frame mirrorless camera produced by Nikon. The camera was announced on October 28, 2021.
The Z 9 has the same 45.7 MP resolution as the Z 7 and Z 7II cameras, but uses a much faster stacked CMOS sensor which improves a ...
,
FX/Full Frame sensor, October 28, 2021
Nikon 1 series – Nikon CX format, CX sensor, Nikon 1 mount lenses
*
Nikon 1 J1, September 21, 2011, : 10
MP
*Nikon 1 V1, September 21, 2011, : 10 MP
*Nikon 1 J2, August 10, 2012, : 10 MP
*Nikon 1 V2, October 24, 2012, : 14 MP
*Nikon 1 J3, January 8, 2013, : 14 MP
*Nikon 1 S1, January 8, 2013, : 10 MP
*Nikon 1 AW1, : 14 MP
*Nikon 1 V3, : 18 MP, tilt LCD
*Nikon 1 J4, : 18 MP
*
Nikon 1 J5
The Nikon 1 J5 is a digital mirrorless camera announced by Nikon on April 2, 2015.
See also
* Nikon 1 series
* Nikon 1-mount
The Nikon 1-mount is a type of interchangeable lens mount developed by Nikon for its Nikon CX format mirrorless interch ...
, : 20 MP
Digital single lens reflex cameras
![Nikon D600 back view](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Nikon_D600_back_view.jpg)
High-end (Professional – Intended for professional use, heavy duty and weather resistance)
*
Nikon D1
The Nikon D1 is a digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) made by Nikon Corporation introduced on June 15, 1999. It featured a 2.7-megapixel image sensor, 4.5-frames-per-second continuous shooting, and accepted the full range of Nikon F-mount l ...
,
DX sensor, June 15, 1999 – Discontinued
*Nikon D1X#D1H and D1X, Nikon D1X,
DX sensor, February 5, 2001 – Discontinued
*Nikon D1X#D1H and D1X, Nikon D1H,
DX sensor, high speed, February 5, 2001 – Discontinued
*Nikon D2H,
DX sensor, high speed, July 22, 2003 – Discontinued
*Nikon D2X,
DX sensor, September 16, 2004 – Discontinued
*Nikon D2H#D2HS improvements, Nikon D2HS,
DX sensor, high speed, February 16, 2005 – Discontinued
*Nikon D2Xs, Nikon D2XS,
DX sensor, June 1, 2006 – Discontinued
*
Nikon D3
The Nikon D3 is a 12.0-megapixel professional-grade full frame (35 mm) digital single lens reflex camera (DSLR) announced by the Nikon Corporation on 23 August 2007 along with the Nikon D300 DX format camera. It was Nikon's first full-frame ...
, Nikon FX format, FX/Full Frame sensor, August 23, 2007 – Discontinued
*Nikon D3X, Nikon FX format, FX/Full Frame sensor, December 1, 2008 – Discontinued
*
Nikon D3S
The Nikon D3S is a 12.1-megapixel professional-grade full frame (35mm) digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) announced by Nikon Corporation on 14 October 2009. The D3S is the fourth camera in Nikon's line to feature a full-frame sensor, foll ...
, Nikon FX format, FX/Full Frame sensor, October 14, 2009 – Discontinued
*Nikon D4, Nikon FX format, FX/Full Frame sensor, January 6, 2012 – Discontinued
*Nikon D4S, Nikon FX format, FX/Full Frame sensor, February 25, 2014 – Discontinued (In U.S.A. only)
*Nikon D5, Nikon FX format, FX/Full Frame sensor, January 5, 2016
*Nikon D6, Nikon FX format, FX/Full Frame sensor, February 12, 2020
![jm111](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Jm111.jpg)
High-end (Prosumer – Intended for pro-consumers who want the main mechanical/weather resistance and electronic features of the professional line but don't need the same heavy duty)
*Nikon D100,
DX sensor, February 21, 2002 – Discontinued
*Nikon D200,
DX sensor, November 1, 2005 – Discontinued
*Nikon D300,
DX sensor, August 23, 2007 – Discontinued
*Nikon D300S,
DX sensor, July 30, 2009 – Discontinued
*
Nikon D700
The Nikon D700 is a professional-grade full-frame digital single-lens reflex camera introduced by the Nikon Corporation in July 2008 and manufactured in Japan. It uses the same 12.1-megapixel "FX" CMOS image sensor as the Nikon D3, and is Nikon ...
, Nikon FX format, FX/Full Frame sensor, July 1, 2008 – Discontinued
*Nikon D800, Nikon FX format, FX/Full Frame sensor, February 7, 2012 – Discontinued
*Nikon D800E, Nikon FX format, FX/Full Frame sensor, April 2012 – Discontinued
*Nikon D600, Nikon FX format, FX/Full Frame sensor, September 13, 2012 – Discontinued
*Nikon D610, Nikon FX format, FX/Full Frame sensor, October 2013
*Nikon Df, Nikon FX format, FX/Full Frame sensor, November 2013
*Nikon D810, Nikon FX format, FX/Full Frame sensor, June 2014
*Nikon D750, Nikon FX format, FX/Full Frame sensor, September 11, 2014
*Nikon D810, Nikon FX format, FX/Full Frame Sensor, February 2015
*Nikon D500,
DX sensor, January 5, 2016
*Nikon D850, Nikon FX format, FX/Full Frame sensor, announced July 25, 2017
*Nikon D780, Nikon FX format, FX/Full Frame sensor, January 7, 2020
![Nikon D810 EM1B6357-2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Nikon_D810_EM1B6357-2.jpg)
Midrange and professional usage cameras with
DX sensor
*
Nikon D70
The Nikon D70 is a digital single-lens reflex camera, introduced at the 2004 PMA Annual Convention and Trade Show, as Nikon's first consumer-level digital SLR, and a Competition, competitor to the Canon EOS 300D. It was often sold in a "kit packa ...
, January 28, 2004 – Discontinued
*Nikon D70s, Nikon D70S, April 20, 2005 – Discontinued
*Nikon D80, August 9, 2006 – Discontinued
*
Nikon D90
The Nikon D90 is a 12.3 megapixel digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) model announced by Nikon on August 27, 2008. It is a prosumer model that replaces the Nikon D80, fitting between the company's entry-level and professional DSLR models. I ...
, August 27, 2008 – Discontinued
*
Nikon D7000
The Nikon D7000 is a 16.2-megapixel digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) model announced by Nikon on September 15, 2010. It replaced the D90 as the top end consumer camera, by using much of the technology and controls from the earlier D5000, ...
, September 15, 2010 – Discontinued
*Nikon D7100, February 21, 2013 – Discontinued ( In U.S.A. only )
*Nikon D7200, March 2, 2015
*Nikon D7500, April 12, 2017
Upper-entry-level (Consumer) –
DX sensor
Along with the D750 and D500 above, these are the only Nikon DSLR's with the Articulating screen, articulated (tilt-and-swivel) display.
*Nikon D5000, April 14, 2009 – Discontinued
*
Nikon D5100, April 5, 2011 – Discontinued
*Nikon D5200, November 6, 2012 Discontinued
*Nikon D5300, October 17, 2013
*Nikon D5500, January 5, 2015 – Discontinued
*Nikon D5600, November 10, 2016
Entry-level (Consumer) –
DX sensor
*Nikon D50, April 20, 2005 – Discontinued
*Nikon D40, November 16, 2006 – Discontinued
*Nikon D40X, March 6, 2007 – Discontinued
*Nikon D60, January 29, 2008 – Discontinued
*Nikon D3000, July 30, 2009 – Discontinued
*
Nikon D3100, August 19, 2010 – Discontinued
*
Nikon D3200, April 19, 2012 – Discontinued
*Nikon D3300, January 7, 2014 – Discontinued (In U.S.A. only)
*Nikon D3400, August 17, 2016 – Discontinued
*Nikon D3500, August 3, 2018
Photo optics
Lenses for Nikon Z-mount
Nikon introduced the Z-mount in 2018 for their system of digital full-frame and APS-C (DX) mirrorless cameras.
Lenses for F-mount cameras
The Nikon F-mount is a type of interchangeable lens mount developed by Nikon for its Single-lens reflex camera, 35 mm Single-lens reflex cameras. The F-mount was first introduced on the Nikon F camera in 1959.
*See Nikon F-mount#Nikkor, Nikon F-mount → Nikkor
*Lenses with integrated motors: List of Nikon F-mount lenses with integrated autofocus motors
Other lenses for photography and imaging
Electronic flash units
Nikon uses the term ''Speedlight'' for its electronic Flash (photography), flashes. Recent models include the SB-R200, SB-300, SB-400, Nikon SB-600, SB-600, SB-700, Nikon SB-800, SB-800, Nikon SB-900, SB-900, SB-910, SB-5000 and R1C1.
Film scanners
![Coolscan-V](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Coolscan-V.jpg)
Nikon's digital capture line also includes a successful range of dedicated scanners for a variety of formats, including Advanced Photo System, Advanced Photo System (IX240),
35 mm, and Roll film, 60 mm film.
* (1988) LS-3500 (4096x6144, 4000 dpi, 30 bits per pixel) HP-IB (requires a third-party NuBus card; intended for Mac platforms, for which there is a Photoshop plug-in).
* (1992) Coolscan LS-10 (2700 dpi) SCSI. First to be named "Coolscan" to denote LED illumination.
* (1994) LS-3510AF (4096x6144, 4000 dpi, 30 bits per pixel) Auto-focus SCSI (usually employed on Mac platforms with a Photoshop plug-in; TWAIN is available for PC platforms).
* (1995) LS-4500AF (4 x 5 inch and 120/220 formats, 1000x2000 dpi, 35mm format 3000x3000). 12bit A/D. SCSI. Fitted with auto-focus lens.
* (1996) Super Coolscan LS-1000 (2592x3888, 2700 dpi) SCSI. scan time cut by half
* (1996) Coolscan II LS-20 E (2700 dpi) SCSI
* (1998) Coolscan LS-2000 (2700 dpi, 12-bit) SCSI, multiple sample, "CleanImage" software
* (1998) Coolscan III LS-30 E (2700 dpi, 10-bit) SCSI
* (2001) Coolscan IV LS-40 ED (2900 dpi, 12-bit, 3.6D) USB, SilverFast, ICE, ROC, GEM
* (2001) Coolscan LS-4000 ED (4000 dpi, 14-bit, 4.2D) Firewire
* (2001) Coolscan LS-8000 ED (4000 dpi, 14-bit, 4.2D) Firewire, multiformat
* (2003) Coolscan V LS-50 ED (4000 dpi, 14-bit, 4.2D) USB
* (2003) Super Coolscan LS-5000 ED (4000 dpi, 16bit, 4.8D) USB
* (2004) Super Coolscan LS-9000 ED (4000 dpi, 16bit, 4.8D) Firewire, multiformat
Nikon introduced its first scanner, the Nikon LS-3500 with a maximum resolution of 4096 x 6144 pixels, in 1988. Prior to the development of 'cool' LED lighting this scanner used a halogen lamp (hence the name 'Coolscan' for the following models). The resolution of the following LED based Coolscan model didn't increase but the price was significantly lower. Colour depth, scan quality, imaging and hardware functionality as well as scanning speed was gradually improved with each following model. The final 'top of the line' 35mm Coolscan LS-5000 ED was a device capable of archiving greater numbers of slides; 50 framed slides or 40 images on film roll. It could scan all these in one batch using special adapters. A single maximum resolution scan was performed in no more than 20 seconds as long as no post-processing was also performed. With the launch of the Coolscan 9000 ED Nikon introduced its most up-to-date film scanner which, like the Minolta Dimage scanners were the only film scanners that, due to a special version of Digital ICE, were able to scan Kodachrome film reliably both dust and scratch free. In late 2007 much of the software's code had to be rewritten to make it Mac OS 10.5 compatible. Nikon announced it would discontinue supporting its Nikon Scan software for the Macintosh as well as for Windows Vista 64-bit. Third-party software solutions like SilverFast or Vuescan provide alternatives to the official Nikon drivers and scanning software, and maintain updated drivers for most current operating systems. Between 1994 and 1996 Nikon developed three Image scanner#Flatbed, flatbed scanner models named Scantouch, which couldn't keep up with competitive flatbed products and were hence discontinued to allow Nikon to focus on its dedicated film scanners.
Sport optics
Binoculars
* Sprint IV
* Sportstar IV
* Travelite V
* Travelite VI
* Travelite EX
* Mikron
* Action VII
* Action VII Zoom
* Aculon
* Action EX
* Sporter I
* Venturer 8/10x32
* Venturer 8x42
* Prostaff 5
* Prostaff 7
* Monarch ATB
* Monarch 3
* Monarch 5
* Monarch 7
* Monarch HG
* Monarch M5
* Monarch M7
* StabilEyes
* Superior E
* Marine
* EDG II
Spotting scopes
* Prostaff 3 16-48x60
* Prostaff 5 60
* Prostaff 5 80
* Spotter XL II WP
* Spotting Scope R/A II
* Spotting Scope 80
* Fieldscope 60mm
* Fieldscope ED78/ EDII
* Fieldscope III/EDIII
* Fieldscope ED82
* Fieldscope ED50
* Fieldscopes EDG 65 /85
* Fieldscope EDG 85 VR
Rifle scopes
* BLACK
* Monarch 7
* Monarch 5
* Monarch 3
* Monarch
* Laser IRT
* Prostaff 5
* Encore
* Coyote Special
* Slughunter
* Inline
* Buckmaster II
* Buckmaster
* AR
* ProStaff II
* Prostaff
* Team REALTREE
* Rimfire
* Handgun
Nikon Metrology
Overview
Nikon Metrology, a division of Nikon, produces hardware and software products for 2D & 3D measurement from nano to large scale measurement volumes. Products include Optical Laser Probes, X-ray computed tomography, Coordinate-measuring machine (CMM),Laser Radar Systems (LR), Microscopes, Portable CMMs, Large Volume Metrology, Motion Measurement and Adaptive Robotic Controls, Semiconductor Systems, Metrology Software including CMM-Manager, CAMIO Studio, Inspect-X, Focus, and Automeasure. Measurements are performed using tactile and non-contact probes, measurement data is collected in software and processed for comparison to nominal CAD (Computer-aided design) or part specification or for recreating / reverse engineering physical work pieces.
Origins
The origins of Nikon go back to 1917 when three Japanese optical manufacturers joined to form Nippon Kogaku KK ('Japan Optics'). In 1925 the microscope having revolving nosepiece and interchangeable objectives was produced. Significant growth for the microscopy division occurs over the next 50 years as Nikon pioneers development of polarising and stereo microscopes along with new products for measuring and inspection (Metrology) markets. These new products include devices targeted for industrial use such as optical comparators, autocollimators, profile projector and automated vision based systems. Continued effort through the next three decades yield the release of products including the Optiphot and Labophot microscopes, Diaphot microscope, the Eclipse range of infinity optics, and finally the DS camera series and the Coolscope with the advent of digital sensors. With the acquisition of Metris in 2009 the Nikon Metrology division was born. Nikon Metrology products include a full range of both 2D & 3D, optical, tactile, non-contact, and X-Ray Metrology solutions ranging from nanometer resolution on microscopic samples to μm resolution in volumes large enough to house a commercial airliner.
Products
* Coordinate-Measuring-Machines
** Bridge, Gantry and Horizontal Arm CMMs
** Digital / Analog Tactile and / or Non-Contact Optical sensors
* Portable arms – 6 and 7 axis models
* Laser Scanning – Optical Line Scanners in single Line and Multi-line (Cross Scanner) configurations
* X-ray-and-CT-Inspection
* Video-Microscope-Measuring – Optical Probe and Multi-Sensor options available
* Microscope-Systems
* Large Volume Systems
* Application Software – several options available depending on specific application and hardware.
** CMM-Manager – Multi-sensor 3D Metrology software for third party CMMs, Articulated Arms, and Nikon video-measurement systems
** Automeasure, NIS Elements, E-Max, Automeasure Eyes – 2D / 3D imaging software for use on Nikon video-measurement systems
** Focus, CMM-Manager, CAMIO – Software for 3D Metrology
Lithography equipment
Overview
Nikon manufactures scanners and
stepper
A stepper is a device used in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs) that is similar in operation to a slide projector or a photographic enlarger. ''Stepper'' is short for step-and-repeat camera. Steppers are an essential part of the com ...
s for the manufacture of integrated circuits and flat panel displays, and semiconductor device inspection equipment. The steppers and scanners represent about one third of the income for the company as of 2008.
Nikon developed the first lithography equipment from Japan. The equipment from Nikon enjoyed high demand from global chipmakers, the Japanese semiconductor companies and other major companies such as Intel, and Nikon was the world's leading producer of semiconductor lithography systems from the 1980s to 2002. Nikon saw a sharp drop in its market share from less than 40 percent in early 2000s to no more than 20 percent as of 2013.
The company has been losing an estimated 17 billion a year in its precision instruments unit.
In contrast, ASML Holding, ASML, a Dutch company, has grabbed over 80 percent of the lithography systems market as of 2015 by adopting an open innovation method of product development, which includes the acquisition of U.S-based light source manufacturer Cymer. In 2017, Nikon announced that it would cut nearly 1,000 jobs mainly in the lithography systems business and halt its development of next-generation equipment.
Legal disputes
In February 2019, Nikon, ASML and Carl Zeiss AG, a leading supplier to ASML, have entered into a definitive settlement and cross-license agreement relating to multiple disputes over patents for lithography equipment that had been underway since 2001 and agreed to drop all the world-wide lawsuits regarding the issue.
By the latest settlement, ASML and Zeiss paid approximately $170 million to Nikon. The two companies had paid a total of $87 million to Nikon in 2004 for similar legal dispute.
Market position and products
As of February 2018, Nikon held 10.3 percent revenue share in the semiconductor lithography market while the share of ASML was over 80 percent.
As of 2019, Nikon develops and sells the following lithography-related equipment:
*Cutting-edge flat panel display lithography equipment (The FX series)
*i-line steppers
*Krypton fluoride laser, KrF steppers
*Argon fluoride laser, ArF steppers
*ArF immersion steppers
*Inspection and alignment equipment
Other products
Nikon also manufactures eyeglasses, sunglasses, and glasses frames, under the brands Nikon, Niji, Nobili-Ti, Presio, and Velociti VTI. Other Nikon's products include ophthalmology, ophthalmic equipment, loupes, monoculars, binoculars, binocular telescopes, 3D printer, metal 3D printers, material processing equipment,
regenerative medicine
Regenerative medicine deals with the "process of replacing, engineering or regenerating human or animal cells, tissues or organs to restore or establish normal function". This field holds the promise of engineering damaged tissues and organs by st ...
Contract manufacturing organization, contract manufacturing, cell sorting equipment, and cell culture observation systems.
Nikon no longer manufactures its own image sensors as it outsources the manufacturing to
Sony
, commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...
.
Since 2019, Sendai Nikon, a Nikon group company, manufactures Lidar sensors for Velodyne LiDAR, Velodyne as part of a partnership between the two companies.
Sponsorship
Awards and exhibitions
In Japan, Nikon runs the Nikon Salon exhibition spaces, the Nikkor Club for amateur photographers (to whom it distributes the series of Nikon Salon books), the Nikon Small World, Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition and the Nikon Small World, Nikon Small World in Motion Competition, and arranges the Ina Nobuo Award, Miki Jun Award and Miki Jun Inspiration Awards.
Others
As of November 19, 2013, Nikon is the "Official Camera" of Walt Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort.
Nikon is the official co-sponsor of Galatasaray S.K. (football team), Galatasaray SK Football Team.
In 2014 Nikon sponsored the Copa Sadia do Brasil 2014 and the AFC Champions League.
The company sponsors the Nikon-Walkley Press Photographer of the Year award, as well as the Nikon Photography Prizes, which are administered by the Walkley Foundation in Australia.
Cultural references
* Singer Paul Simon referenced Nikon Cameras in his 1973 in music, 1973 song "Kodachrome (song), Kodachrome."
* Dexter Morgan, main character of the Showtime series ''Dexter (TV series), Dexter'', can be seen using a Nikon camera throughout the show.
* In the movie ''Hackers (film), Hackers'', the character "Lord Nikon" got his alias because of his photographic memory.
* In the lyrics to the The Oak Ridge Boys, Oak Ridge Boys song "American Made (song), American Made", a reference to Nikon Cameras is made ( "I got a Nikon camera, a Sony color TV").
* In the movie The French Connection (film), ''The French Connection'', the drug dealer gives his girlfriend a Nikon F camera.
* In the film "The Most Beautiful" by Akira Kurosawa, the "East Asian Optical Company" scenes were filmed at the Nippon Kogaku factory in Totsuka, Yokohama, Japan.
* In the TV show ''Veronica Mars'', Veronica, the main character, uses a Nikon Coolpix 8800 throughout season one, and a Nikon DSLR in all other seasons.
Awards and recognition
Nikon was ranked 134th among India's most trusted brands according to the Brand Trust Report 2012, a study conducted by Trust Research Advisory. In the Brand Trust Report 2013, Nikon was ranked 28th among India's most trusted brands and subsequently, according to the Brand Trust Report 2014, Nikon was ranked 178th among India's most trusted brands.
Nikon school
Nikon branches around the world runs photography courses behind the brand Nikon School. The official website of Nikon School offers online photography course since 2016.
See also
*Digital single-lens reflex camera
*Full-frame digital SLR
*History of the single-lens reflex camera
*Lenses for SLR and DSLR cameras
*Nikon Instruments
*
Nikkor
Nikkor is the brand of lenses produced by Nikon Corporation, including camera lenses for the Nikon F-mount.
Nikko parent company brand, from which the Nikkor brand evolved.
The ''Nikkor'' brand was introduced in 1932, a Westernised rendering of ...
*
Nikon F
The Nikon F camera, introduced in April 1959, was Nikon's first SLR camera. It was one of the most advanced cameras of its day. Although many of the concepts had already been introduced elsewhere, it was revolutionary in that it was the firs ...
*Nikon Coolpix series
*Nikon Museum
*Nikon F-mount
*Nikon S-mount
*Perspective control lens
*Single-lens reflex camera
*Canon Inc
Notes and references
External links
*
{{Authority control
Nikon,
Optics manufacturing companies
Photography companies of Japan
Defense companies of Japan
Electronics companies of Japan
Equipment semiconductor companies
Electronics companies established in 1917
Technology companies established in 1917
Japanese brands
Lens manufacturers
Mitsubishi companies
Multinational companies headquartered in Japan
Companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange
Japanese companies established in 1917
1940s initial public offerings