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History
Nikon’s story began in 1917, when three of Japan’s leading optical manufacturers merged to form a comprehensive, fully integrated optical company known as Nippon Kogaku K.K.
Nippon Kogaku K.K. began to produce ultra-small prism binoculars, and later expanded to microscopes, telescopes, surveying equipment, measuring devices, and camera lenses. In 1932, Nikkor was adopted as the brand name for camera lenses, and today Nikkor Optics remains synonymous with premiere quality. The Nikon name was first used in 1946 for the company’s small-sized cameras. Only a handful of these cameras made it to the United States, but they became the hottest new technology for camera professionals. A 1950 New York Times article touted the superiority of Nikon cameras and Nikkor lenses, and by the end of that decade, the first system-oriented SLR camera, the groundbreaking Nikon F, began its 15-year domination of the industry.
Between 1970 and the end of the 1980s, the company delivered innovative products across multiple product lines that included cameras, lenses and accessories, eyewear, measuring devices, telescopes, surveying instruments, stepper machines, and magneto-optical disk drive systems. During this time, the company introduced the first autofocus compact camera. In 1988, the corporate name was changed to Nikon Corporation.
The 1990s brought the introduction of the flagship F5 camera, the widest variety of lenses and speedlights ever available, and the award-winning Coolpix line of compact digital cameras. In 1999, Nikon introduced its first megapixel pro-quality digital SLR camera: the Nikon D1. This camera revolutionized the way sports, fashion, and journalism images were captured, and its aggressive price point served as a springboard to the entire digital imaging market.
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