DAY 222

HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY

The Nikon F

F STANDS FOR “FAST AND FLEXIBLE”

In 1959, building on the success of the German Exakta, the Contax, and the Leica Single-Lens Reflex cameras that emerged in the ’40s and ’50s, Japan-based Nikon started a revolution with the Nikon F.

The new Nikon dramatically improved upon the standards of the leading brands, working faster and weighing less. However, the biggest difference was that Nikon produced a variety of interchangeable lenses and accessories for the F so that it was a camera body that could be adapted in any number of ways. The cameras had Nikon’s now-signature “F” bayonet mount and were compatible with many different lenses; later viewfinders included a light meter, and there was an optional motor drive that advanced film automatically.

The camera quickly eclipsed the popularity of the German products that had dominated the market. Its technical advantages and a reputation for being durable and reliable soon caused many of the professional photojournalists (who had long favored the Leica) to switch.

In 1971, the company introduced the Nikon F2 series and has continued to release more advanced products, most recently the Nikon F6 in 2004. In 1999, Nikon entered the digital SLR market with the introduction of the D1. But even the D1 and other digital models still use the original F mount that was introduced in 1959.¹ —DJG