Why are Nikon's lenses called Nikkor?
Bob Neuman
a well-known manufacturer of stainless steel developing equipment,
and they hollered when Nikon was about to introduce "Nikor" lenses,
thus "Nikkor" lenses.
Hope this helps.
FishFotoJr
militray optics in Japan, and the gear was called the Nikorex, later some
bodies that were manufactured with the name Nikkorex on them. Nikkorex
lenses were called Nikkors, as were the military optics. The name of
Nikon had also been (still is I belive in business and legaly) Nippon
Kogaku, not Nikon.
I think Nikkor makes more sense than Olympus lenses being Zuiko(sp)
lenses, eh?
Hope this helps y'all
Steven E. Frischling
Freelance News Photographer
NYPD Working Press #0067
Too young to be respected; Too old to not be taken seriously; INVINCIBLE!;
Fear was just a word in the dictionary; Life was a right, not a gift;
Death was only a concept; STRENGTH!--Nikon F4s ad 1992
Ben Figgis
I am just curious as to why the brand name of Nikon lenses is Nikkor.
Anyone know?
Ben.
------------------------------------------------------------
Ben Figgis
Post-Grad, Mechanical Engineering, RMIT, Melbourne, Australia
e-mail: s950...@minyos.xx.rmit.edu.au
phone: +61 3 9660 2176
fax: +61 3 9660 3844
------------------------------------------------------------
F. Xia
> Hello all.
>
> I am just curious as to why the brand name of Nikon lenses is Nikkor.
> Anyone know?
>
called Rokkor, Konica lenses were called Hex-
something-or-other, Olympus lenses were called
Zuiko, &c., &c. The manufacturers who really
raised this to an art form actually have
different names for each lens rather than one
name for the whole line. Or probably it's more
accurate to say that the immitators were half-
hearted and lazy and did not bother to create
new sets of dozens of individual names and
stopped at giving their lens lines different
names from their camera lines. Some are so lazy
as to have the same name for both. Must sound
like an abomination to traditionalists.
Regards, Fei
Stan Yoder
as being too close for comfort. Hence also the use of "Nippon Kogaku"
(of which 'Nikon' is a contraction) on early bodies and lenses. This
matter was eventually settled, I guess, and "Nikon" became the common
logo, 'tho 'Nikkor' seems to have stuck for the lenses.
Can someone else be more precise about this?
John Fryatt
>The way I heard this was Nikon started out as Nippon Kogaku ("Japan
>Camera") ......
According to a book I have, the word 'kogaku' means 'optical', so
Nippon Kogaku is Japan Optical.
Regards, John
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
John Fryatt Compuserve: 100013,710
London, UK Internet : j...@dircon.co.uk
joe b.
<sy...@andrew.cmu.edu> writes
The way I heard this was Nikon started out as Nippon Kogaku ("Japan
Camera") and decided later to call itself Nikon. There was some
objection in Europe to the name sounding like "Ikon" as in Zeiss Ikon
and some Nikon F bodies were produced with the name Nikkor on the front
instead of Nikon (for sale in Germany perhaps), although that problem
must have been ironed out pretty soon as they have been calling
themselves Nikon for a while now. I've got an old metal lens cap that
says Nikkor on it instead of Nikon, I don't know if this is particularly
unusual, but its the only one I've seen.
joe b.
FishFotoJr
body-case for a Nikon F that has Nikkor on it not Nikon.
Paal Jensen
>Probably the same reason why Minolta lenses were
>called Rokkor, Konica lenses were called Hex-
>something-or-other, Olympus lenses were called
>Zuiko, &c., &c. The manufacturers who really
>raised this to an art form actually have
>different names for each lens rather than one
>name for the whole line. Or probably it's more
>accurate to say that the immitators were half-
>hearted and lazy and did not bother to create
>new sets of dozens of individual names and
>stopped at giving their lens lines different
>names from their camera lines. Some are so lazy
>as to have the same name for both. Must sound
>like an abomination to traditionalists.
The old Pentax screw-mount lenses were called Takumar
after a Japanese painter called Takuma who was a
friend of the president of Asahi Optical (Pentax).
The Nikon name is probably derived from Zeiss Ikon.
The Pentax name is a hybrid between Pentacon and Contax.
Asahi started to use the Pentax trademark in the late
fifties. Funny enough, Nippon Kokagu (Nikon) had a
prototype in the mid fourties called Bentax and one
called Pentax. As we all know, they never used those names.
Paal
Paul Wilson
>The Nikon name is probably derived from Zeiss Ikon.
>The Pentax name is a hybrid between Pentacon and Contax.
>Asahi started to use the Pentax trademark in the late
>fifties. Funny enough, Nippon Kokagu (Nikon) had a
>prototype in the mid fourties called Bentax and one
>called Pentax. As we all know, they never used those names.
According to everything I've ever read on the subject, the Nikon name was
derived from NIppon KOkagu. Nothing I've ever read has said it was derived
from Zeiss Ikon. The Canon name is similarly derived from their Japanese
name, which is Hansa Kwanon I believe.
Paul Wilson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"On a cycle the frame is gone. You're completely in the
scene, not just watching if anymore, and the sense of
presence is overwhelming."
- Robert M. Pirsig
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Disclaimer: Opinions are mine only, not those of D+B Software.
joe b.
<j...@dircon.co.uk> writes
>"joe b." <j...@azurite.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>The way I heard this was Nikon started out as Nippon Kogaku ("Japan
>
>According to a book I have, the word 'kogaku' means 'optical', so
>Nippon Kogaku is Japan Optical.
>
Yes. That's what I get for trying to do it from memory!
joe b.
FishFotoJr
government owned and produced optics and lenses for other companies, later
producing lenses for Canon bodies. The first cameras by Nikon were
sometime around 1937-38.
The name Nikon comes from NIppon KOgaku(N).
Hope this helps y'all
Takuji Tanaka
: The Canon name is similarly derived from their Japanese
Hansa is a trade mark of a major agent of Canon (Seiki Kogaku) in 30's.
So the second camera of Seiki Kogaku was called Hansa Canon.
Only camera called Kwannon is the first camera of Seiki Kogaku, I think.
Kwannon was named after a name of Buddism God who is the Messiah of Buddism.
TANAKA Takuji
Takuji Tanaka
: It comes from when Nikon and Canon were the same company producing
: militray optics in Japan, and the gear was called the Nikorex, later some
I think they have not been the same company since their begining. Yes,
Nippon Kogaku made range finders for battleships. Nippon Kogaku was founded
for that by the navy, I believe.
(Nippon Kogaku sold no camera before the World War II, but produced
some camera lenses for other companies, including Canon. )
TANAKA Takuji
Takuji Tanaka
: Hello all.
: I am just curious as to why the brand name of Nikon lenses is Nikkor.
: Anyone know?
: Ben.
As other posts say, Nikon comes from Nippon Kogaku (Japan Optical). And
it is quite obvious that they wanted to take after Zeiss Ikon's good
reputation. (BTW, they changed their company name from Nippon Kogaku
to Nikon about a decade ago. )
At the begining, Nikkor lens was made for other camera companies including
Seiki Kogaku (meaning Precision Machine Optical Research Institute, it's
Canon now.). The name took after some German lenses which has suffix
-er/-or, i.e.Sumitar(?) of Leitz, I believe. (The same reason as naming
Nikon.)
Of course they won't admit that they mimicked other companies' products
names, but it is so obvious. Before and just after the World War II, a
lot of camera makers were established in Japan like Asahi Kogaku (Pentax's
company), Nippon Camera (they produced Nicca (Nikka? I forget) and later
marged with Yashica), Yashica, Minolta and so on. Their products name are
all mimic of German camera makers. Even Canon, which name came from Kwannon
(a name of Buddism god.), made lenses named Selenar. They all want to take
after good reputation of German makers! Only maker they did not use
German-mimic name is Olympus. Their Zuiko lens means fresh light (Zui=fresh
Ko=light).
I can understand them because when their products were under
10 yen (30's), Leica outfit was over 100 yen. (Salary for a graduate
was around 1 or 2 yen at that time. 100 yen was enough to get a LARGE
house in Tokyo. And this was the reason why they produced copy cameras of
Leica and Contax. Also, the Imperial Army and Navy wanted to have cameras
which were made in Japan, from security reasons.)
Origin of other names of Japanese makers, which I know, are:
Rokkor (Minolta's lens system before AF)
From Rokko Mountains. Their factory was (and probably 'is')
located at the foot of them (North West of Osaka City where Minolta's
Headquarters is. )
Konica
Named after its founder Konishi Rokubei. Before they changed
their company name, the company was called Konishiroku Photo
Film. Then their cameras are KONIshiroku CAmera.
Hexanon
The same reason as Konica. The founder's given name (Rokubei) means
Sixth Boy(or Man, Son). Prefix hex- means six.
Minolta
Their president said in a interview "he(the founder) imaged 'ripe rice
fields' on Minolta (Minoru =ripen or bear fruits, Ta =rice fields)"
Fujica
From Mt.Fuji which is the highest mountain in Japan, (and probably
one of the most beautiful mountain of the world, I think.). Their
factory and research institute were built at the foot of Mt Fuji
when they began to try making photo films in Japan.
I left all my books about photos and cameras in Japan when I came in
here. So all above information comes out from my memory. Maybe there are
some mistakes. I hope they will help you.
TANAKA Takuji
F. Xia
> Nikon and Canon were only one company for about 15 years or so. they were
> government owned and produced optics and lenses for other companies, later
> producing lenses for Canon bodies. The first cameras by Nikon were
> sometime around 1937-38.
>
> The name Nikon comes from NIppon KOgaku(N).
>
I think this company mytholigy has gone far
enough without anybody providing any sources
to back up what they had to claim. So, here
permit me to chip in with a possible source
of some kind.
Apparently, there is something called the
Nikon Historical Society which has a web
site at:
I have not visited this site because I am
not interested in this kind of thing
personally. So if you find this is not a
real site or something like that blaim my
stale source which is
Issue No.21 Oct 1995 The Grays of
Westminster Gazette.
I suppose I've covered the whole of my ass.
BTW the same issue of said gazette contains
a front design drawing of something called
"Nikoflex" which is, by the look of it, a
TLR(!) with an 8cm 2.8 "View-Nikkor" and an
8cm 3.5 "Nikkor QC" taking lens for a 6x6
format. This is claimed never to have seen
the light of production.
Just as well. Otherwise we'd be seeing flak
from other, erm, German directions too now.
Regards, Fei
FishFotoJr
"Nikon, as we know it today, started as an optical company almost a
century ago. The Japan Optical Compnay (English for Nippon Kogaku, K.K.)
was formed on July 5, 1917 by the merger of three small opitcal firms, the
oldest one dating back to the 1880's. They started with just 200
employees and with German technicians eho became part of the company by
invitation in 1919 (but arrived in 1921). It's importantto understandthat
they only produced optics for other camera manufactures and no camera
bodies of their own at the start. They began to manufacture microscopes,
transits, surveying equiptent, optical measuring devices (they are still
the leader in todays market of these devices) and telescopes. The early
optics they produced paralleled those of Leitz and Zeiss, companies that
also started an optical firms.
Because of the libe of optical products there were manufacturing, they
became extremely well known in the scientific and industrial communties
but not by general consumers. By the thirties, they were manufacturing a
series of photographic lenses from 50mm to 700mm, mostlyfor plate
backcameras. With these lenses came a new name for their optics "NIKKOR"
which was derived from "NIKKO" which was used on their early microscopes.
In the summer of 1937, they completed the design of 50f4.5, 50f3.5 and
50f2 lense as original equiptment on the famous Hansa Canon introduced
that same year. Nippon Kogaku actually manufactured all of Canon's lenses
for there rangefinders up until 1947. These lenses first incorporated the
Canon bayonet mount and were later switched to the Leica srew mount. All
prewar and early post war Canons came with NIKKOR lenses. With World War
Two, Nikon was selected by the governmant to be the largest supplier of
optical ordnance and grew to 23,000 employees and 19 factories. All that
they produced during this period is sought after by today's collectors
and is rare to find.
The end of the war saw the company reorganized under the occpational
forces for civilian prodution. they were left with only 1,400 employees
andone factory. They wentback to optical production, but their ledgendary
status was limited to Japan, as the world had yet to hear of their
products. Sometime in 1945-46 they decided to produce a camera body with
their own interchangable lenses and coupled rangefinders. The Twin Lens
Reflex (TLR) and a 35mm design were considered, but the TLR was soon
dropped. On April 15, 1946 a production order was issued for twenty
experimental "miniature cameras". Sometime after that the name "NIKON"
first appeared on a body, short for NIppon KOgaku. The first rangefinder
came out in 1948."
-B. "Moose" Peterson; Nikon Systems Handbook.
Moose is a leading authority on Nikon bodies cameras and gear, and the
Nikon Systems handbook, is dubbed the "Nikon Bible" by many news, nature
and other photographers.
So I guess this counts as documented fact on where Nikkor comes from, eh?
Takuji Tanaka
: Here is why Nikon lenses are called Nikkor
: Because of the libe of optical products there were manufacturing, they
: became extremely well known in the scientific and industrial communties
: but not by general consumers. By the thirties, they were manufacturing a
: series of photographic lenses from 50mm to 700mm, mostlyfor plate
: backcameras. With these lenses came a new name for their optics "NIKKOR"
: which was derived from "NIKKO" which was used on their early microscopes.
OK, Nikkor might come from Nikko. But where did "r" come from? I have
to insist it came from names of German lenses, i.e, Zeiss Tessar. I
bet it was a received wisdom for Japanese at that time that good lenses
should have the name terminated with "r".
: The end of the war saw the company reorganized under the occpational
: forces for civilian prodution. they were left with only 1,400 employees
: andone factory. They wentback to optical production, but their ledgendary
: status was limited to Japan, as the world had yet to hear of their
: products. Sometime in 1945-46 they decided to produce a camera body with
: their own interchangable lenses and coupled rangefinders. The Twin Lens
: Reflex (TLR) and a 35mm design were considered, but the TLR was soon
: dropped. On April 15, 1946 a production order was issued for twenty
: experimental "miniature cameras". Sometime after that the name "NIKON"
: first appeared on a body, short for NIppon KOgaku. The first rangefinder
: came out in 1948."
: -B. "Moose" Peterson; Nikon Systems Handbook.
: Moose is a leading authority on Nikon bodies cameras and gear, and the
: Nikon Systems handbook, is dubbed the "Nikon Bible" by many news, nature
: and other photographers.
Well, well, it looks good arguments. However, Moose's source is Nikon
themselves, right? As I wrote in my posting, they won't admit they
mimicked Zeiss Ikon. He wrote "Sometimes after that the name "NIKON" first
appeared on a body, SHORT FOR NIPPON KOGAKU". Uh-oh, Nikon is short for
Nippon Kogaku, no way! In Japanese way, short for Nippon Kogaku should
be "Nikko", never "Nikon". Again, where did the last "n" come from? It's
English, or German way to abbreviate something?
In conclusion, my story tells UN-official history.
Mr. Moose's story tells Nikon's official history. There are always heads and
tails for everything. I, as a Japanese, would like to believe their official
words like you Nikon-enthusiasts, but unfortunately can't because my mother
tongue is Japanese.
(This is my last post on this subject. I won't argue this any more. )
TANAKA Takuji
PS Moose's article says nothing about Canon-Nikon merged company at the
wartime. Could you post something to prove that? I cannot believe
that.
FishFotoJr
the end of "Nikko" to make it "Nikkor" because it sounded more polished
and more "western" so they could enter the Western market and compete with
Leica and Contax.
Joseph I. Tsatskin
> The old Pentax screw-mount lenses were called Takumar
> after a Japanese painter called Takuma who was a
> friend of the president of Asahi Optical (Pentax).
> The Nikon name is probably derived from Zeiss Ikon.
> The Pentax name is a hybrid between Pentacon and Contax.
Actually, Pentax name is derrived from PENTAprism refleX.
> Asahi started to use the Pentax trademark in the late
> fifties. Funny enough, Nippon Kokagu (Nikon) had a
> prototype in the mid fourties called Bentax and one
> called Pentax. As we all know, they never used those names.
>
> Paal
--
//-----------------------------------------------------------
// Joseph I. Tsatskin jts...@primenet.com
//-----------------------------------------------------------
Phearless Photog
: . . . . With these lenses came a new name for their optics "NIKKOR"
: : which was derived from "NIKKO" which was used on their early microscopes.
: OK, Nikkor might come from Nikko. But where did "r" come from? I have
: to insist it came from names of German lenses, i.e, Zeiss Tessar.
For what it's worth, I agree with Mr. Tanaka, and also believe that his
concise contribution in response # 5 of this thread is sufficient to
satisfy the curiosity of any photographer carrying any of the brand names.
Surely it's not necessary to beat this Nikon name thing around any more.