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Products History (Corporate / Cameras / Movie and Digital Imaging Equipment and Others)


Corporate Film Cameras Movie and Digital Imaging Equipment and Others
1910s •Two of Japan's leading optical manufacturers merge to form a comprehensive, fully integrated optical company known as Nippon Kogaku K.K. (1917)
•Acquisition of Fujii Lens Seisakusho (1917)
•Completion of Ohi Plant (1918)
•Research on manufacture of optical glass initiated (1918)
   
1920s •Eight German technicians invited to provide technical guidance (1921)    
1930s •Completion of new Ohi Plant (1933) •Decided the name of camera lenses as "NIKKOR" (1932)  
1940s •Following end of W.W.II, production shifted to civilian optical products (1945)
•Stock exchange listings gained on both Tokyo and Osaka exchanges (1949)
•Decided the name of small-sized cameras as "NIKON" (1946)
•Nikon Camera (Nikon I) (1948)
•Nikon M (1949)
 
1950s •Nikkor Club formed to promote popular photography culture (1952)
•First service center opened (1953); development of nationwide network begins
•First U.S. subsidiary, Nikon Optical Co., established (1953)
•The New York Times announced the superior quality of Nikon cameras and Nikkor lenses to the world (1950)
•Nikon S (1951)
•Nikon S2 (1954)
•Nikon SP (1957)
•Sky-image Recording Camera(1957 )
•Nikon S3 (1958)
•Nikon S4 (1959)
•Nikon F (Nikon's first SLR camera) (1959)
 
1960s •Nikon AG established in Switzerland (1961)
•Management buy-in with Sakura Electronic Industries, Ltd. (now Tochigi Nikon Corporation) (1963)
•Factory operations commence at Yokohama site (now Yokohama Plant) (1967)
•Photo gallery Ginza Nikon Salon opened (1968)
•K.K.Tachibana Seisakusho (now Mito Nikon Corporation) established (1968)
•Nikon Europe N.V. (now Nikon Europe B.V.) established in the Netherlands (1968)
•NIKKOREX 35 (1960)
•Nikon S3M (1960)
•Fisheye Camera (1960)
•NIKKOREX 35/2 (NIKKOREX 35II)(1962)
•Nikon F Photomic (1962)
•NIKKOREX F (1962)
•NIKKOREX Zoom 35 (1963)
•NIKONOS (1963)
•Nikon Auto 35 (1964)
•Nikomat FT [Nikkormat FT]*1(1965)
•Nikomat FS [Nikkormat FS]*1(1965)
•Nikon F Photomic T (1965)
•Nikon F Photomic TN (1967)
•Nikomat FTN [Nikkormat FTN]*1(1967)
•NIKONOS II (1968)
•Nikon Photomic FTN (1968)
•NIKKOREX 8 (8mm cinecamera) (1961)
•Nikon Zoom 8 (8mm cinecamera) (1962)
•NIKKOREX 8F (8mm cinecamera) (1963)
•Nikon SUPER ZOOM 8 (8mm cinecamera) (1966)
•Nikon 8x SUPER ZOOM (8mm cinecamera) (1969)
1970s •Nikon House opened in New York (1970)
•Factory operations commence at Sagamihara site (now Sagamihara Plant) (1971)
•Shinjuku Nikon Salon opened (1971)
•Sendai Nikon Corporation established (1971)
•Nikon Vertriebs GmbH (now Nikon GmbH) established in West Germany (now Germany) (1971)
•Nikon Optical Shop Co., Ltd. established (1973)
•Osaka Nikon Salon opened (1974)
•Aiko Lens K.K. (now Aichi Nikon Co., Ltd.) established (1974)
•Nikon Live Galerie opened in Zurich, Switzerland (1976)
•Nikko Engineering K.K. (now Nikon Engineering Co., Ltd.) established (1978)
•Nikon Canada Inc. established in Canada (1978)
•Nikon U.K. Ltd. established in U.K. (1979)
•Nasu Optical K.K. (now Nasu Nikon Co., Ltd.) established (1979)
•Nikomat FTN with Type A screen (1971)
•Nikon F2 (1971)
•Nikon F2 Photomic (1971)
•Nikon Photomic FTN loaded on APOLLO 15 (1971)
•Nikomat EL [Nikkormat EL]*1(1972)
•Nikon F2 Photomic S (1973)
•Nikomat FT2 [Nikkormat FT2]*1(1975)
•NIKONOS III (1975)
•Nikomat ELW [Nikkormat ELW]*1(1976)
•Nikon F2 Photomic SB (1976)
•Shift of SLR lens type to AI (Automatic maximum aperture Indexing) system (1977)
•Nikon F2 Photomic A (1977)
•Nikomat FT3 [Nikkormat FT3]*1(1977)
•Nikon FM (1977)
•Nikon EL2 (1977)
•Nikon F2 Photomic AS (1977)
•Nikon FE (1978)
•Nikon F2 Titanium model (Limited edition) (1979)
•Nikon R10 SUPER ZOOM (8mm cinecamera) (1973)
•Nikon R8 SUPER ZOOM (8mm cinecamera) (1973)
1980 •Acquired Kurobane Kogaku K.K. (now Kurobane Nikon Co., Ltd.) •Nikon EM
•Nikon F3
•NIKONOS IV-A
 
1981 •Nikon Inc. established in the United States
•Zao Nikon Co., Ltd. established
   
1982 •Nikon Precision Inc. established in the United States •Nikon F3 High-eyepoint
•Nikon FM2
•Nikon FG
•Nikon F3T
•Nikon Color Video camera S-100
•Portable Video Recorder SV-100 (VHS)
•Video Tuner ST-100
•Portable Video Recorder SV-200 (VHS-C)
1983   •Nikon FE2
•Nikon L35AF
•Nikon F3AF
•Nikon L35AD
•Nikon FA
 
1984 •Completion of Kumagaya Plant (Operations initiated in 1985) •Nikon New FM2
•Nikon FG-20
•Nikon L135AF
•NIKONOS V
•Nikon FA Gold (Limited edition)
•Nikon 35mm Film Direct Telephoto Transmitter NT-1000
•Developed 7x Zoom Lens for High Definition TV Camera
1985 •Cascading CI activities, terminated in March 1989
•First representative office in China opened in Beijing
•Nikon F-301 [N2000]*2
•Nikon L35AF2 [One-Touch]*2
•Nikon L35AD2 [One-Touch]*2
 
1986 •Nikon Hong Kong Ltd. established in Hong Kong
•Nikon Systems Inc. established
•Nikon France S.A. established in France
•Nikon F-501 [N2020]*2
•Nikon L35TWAF [Tele-Touch]*2
•Nikon L35TWAD [Tele-Touch]*2
•Nikon L35AWAF [Action-Touch]*2
•Nikon L35AWAD [Action-Touch]*2
•TV Nikkor Lens S15x9
•Nikon Monitor Printer NW-100
•Nikon Action 8 Video (only for export)
1987 •Nikon Tec Corporation established
•Nikon Sales-Promotion Co., Ltd. established
•Nikon AF3 / AD3 [One-Touch]*2
•Nikon RF / RD [Fun-Touch]*2
•Nikon L35AWAD (Orange) (Limited edition)
•Nikon F-401 / F-401 QD [N4004/N4004 QD]*2
•Nikon TW2 / TW2D [Tele-Touch Deluxe]*2
•Nikon High Resolution Monochrome CCTV Camera HR-900W
•Developed Nikon Color Printer
1988 •Nikon Photo Products Inc. established
•Changed company name to Nikon Corporation
•Nikon Precision Europe GmbH established in West Germany (now Germany)
•Nikon Optical Canada Inc. established in Canada
•Nikon F-801 [N8008]*2
•Nikon TW ZOOM [Zoom-Touch 500]*2
•Nikon RF2 / RD2 [One-Touch 100]*2
•Nikon F4 / F4S
•Nikon 35mm Color Film Scanner/Direct Telephoto Transmitter NT-2000
•Nikon 35mm Film Scanner LS-3500
•TV Nikkor Lens S13x9 / S15x8.5
•Nikon Still Video Camera QV-1000C
•Nikon Still Video Transmitter QV-1010T
1989 •VISUCOMLAND (electronic imaging equipment showroom) opened •Nikon F-401S / F-401S QD [N4004S/N4004S QD]*2
•Nikon TW20 QD [Tele-Touch 300]*2
 
1990 •Nikon Precision Korea Ltd. established in Korea
•Sagami Optical Co., Ltd. established (dissolved in 2002)
•Nikon (Thailand) Co.,Ltd. established in Thailand
•Nikon F-601 [N6006]*2 / F-601 QD [N6006 QD]*2 / F-601M [N6000]*2
•Nikon TW ZOOM 35-70 QD [Zoom-Touch 400]*2
•Nikon Full Color Printer CP-3000
•High Definition Cameras HQ-1500CI / 1500CF
•HD Frame Store Memory FS-1500 / 1500V
•TV Nikkor Lens S19x8
1991 •Completion of Mito Plant
•Nikon Kft. established in Hungary
•Nikon F-801S [N8008S]*2
•Nikon TW ZOOM 35-80 QD [Zoom-Touch 500S]*2
•Nikon F4E
•Nikon F-401X/F-401XQD [N5005]*2
•Nikon W35 / W35 QD [One-Touch 200]*2
•TV Nikkor Lens S9x5.5
•35mm Film Direct Color Telephoto Transmitter NT-3000
•Nikon 35mm Film Scanner LS-3510AF
1992 •Nikon Instech Co., Ltd. established
•Nikon Geotecs Co., Ltd. started operations
•Nikon Optical Co., Ltd. (dissolved in 1999, transferring its business to Nikon Eyewear Co., Ltd. and Nikon-Essilor Co., Ltd.) started operations
•Service center opened in Kuangchou, China
•Nikon TW Zoom105 WORLD TIME [Zoom-Touch 800 / Zoom-Touch 800 WORLD TIME]*2
•NIKONOS RS
•Nikon AW35 / AW35 QD [Sport-Touch]*2
•Nikon F90 / F90s /F90D[N90]*2
 
1993 •Nikon Technologies, Inc. established
•Nikon Life Co., Ltd. established
•Nikon Logistics Corporation established
•Nikon Instruments S.p.A. established in Italy
•Nikon AF600 / AF600 QD [Lite-Touch/Lite-Touch QD]*2
•Nikon Zoom 100 / 100 QD [Zoom-Touch 470/470 QD]*2
•Nikon AF200 [Fun-Touch 2]*2
•Nikon EF100 [Nice-Touch 2]*2
•Nikon AF600 QD Colored Version
•Nikon 35Ti QD
•Nikon New FM2/T
•Nikon 35mm Film Scanner COOLSCAN
•High Definition Still Color Camera HQ-1600
•Nikon Full Color Printer CP-5000A
•LCD 8mm Video Camera Nikon LCD Trim
1994 •Nikon s.r.o. established in Czech •Nikon F3 Limited model
•Nikon Zoom 300 / 300 QD [Lite-Touch Zoom/Zoom QD]*2
•Nikon F50 [N50]*2
•Nikon Zoom700VR / 700VR QD [Zoom-Touch 105VR QD]*2
•Nikon 28Ti QD
•Nikon F90X / F90XD / F90XS [N90S]*2
•Nikon F70 [N70]*2
•Nikon Full Color Printer COOLPRINT
•LCD 8mm Video Camera Nikon LCD Trim VS-GH2
•High Definition Still Color Camera HQ-1600SF/SE for Macintosh
•Flatbed Scanner SCANTOUCH
•Nikon Image Layout Software PhotoLeaf
•TV-Nikkor S15x8.5III
•TV-Nikkor S9x5.5II
1995 •Nikon Singapore Pte Ltd established in Singapore
•Nikon Precision Taiwan Ltd. established in Taiwan
•Nikon Svenska AB esatablished in Sweden
•Nikon Zoom500 / 500 QD [Lite-Touch Zoom 105 / 105 QD]*2
•Nikon Zoom310/310 QD [Lite-Touch Zoom 70]*2
•Nikon FM10
•Nikon Digital Still Cameras E2/E2S
•TV-Nikkor S20x8
•LCD 8mm Video Camera Nikon LCD Trim VS-GH3
•Hi-Definition Video Camera System HQ-130C
•Nikon Multi-format Film Scanner LS-4500AF
•Nikon 35mm Desktop Film Scanner SUPER COOLSCAN
•Nikon 35mm Film Scanner COOLSCAN II
•Nikon Full Color Printer COOLPRINT II
1996 •Nikon Research Corporation of America established in the U.S.
•Beijing Nikon Ophthalmic Products Co., Ltd. established in China
•MN Optical Corporation, a joint venture with Hitachi Maxell, Ltd., established (dissolved in 1999)
•Nikon Nuvis mini i / mini
•Nuvis 75i / 75
•Nuvis 125i / 125
•Nikon F5
•Nikon PRONEA 600i [PRONEA 6i]*2
•LCD 8mm Video Camera Nikon LCD Trim VS-GH4
•Nikon Flatbed Scanners SCANTOUCH 110 / 210
•Nikon Digital Still Cameras E2N / E2NS
1997 •Guang Dong Nikon Camera Co., Ltd. established in China •Nikon FE10
•Nikon F50D Panoramic and Metallic Model
•Nikon Nuvis 110i
•Nikon Nuvis 160i
•Nikon PC Card-Type Digital Camera COOLPIX 100
•Nikon Personal Imaging Assistant COOLPIX 300
1998 •Nikon Optical U.K. Ltd. established in U.K. •Nikon F5 Model of the 50th Anniversary Model of Nikon cameras (Limited edition)
•Nikon F60 [N60]*2
•Nikon Zoom 400 / 400 QD [Lite-Touch Zoom 80 / 80 QD]*2
•Nikon Zoom600 / 600 QD [Lite-Touch Zoom 110 / 110 QD]*2
•Nikon PRONEA S
•Nikon Nuvis S
•Nikon F100
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 900
•Nikon 35mm/IX240 Film Scanner SUPER COOLSCAN 2000
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX600
•Nikon Professional Digital Cameras E3 / E3S
•Nikon Full Color Printer NP-100
•Nikon 35mm/IX240 Film Scanner COOLSCAN lll
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 910
1999 •Nanjing Nikon Jiangnan Optical Instrument Co., Ltd. established in China
•In-house company system introduced
•Surveying instruments operations became an independent company
•Hang Zhou Nikon Camera Co., Ltd. established in China
•Nikon Nuvis 200
•Nikon Nuvis 300
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 950
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 700
•Nikon Full Color Printer NP-200
•Nikon Professional Digital SLR Camera D1
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 800
2000 •Nikon-Essilor Co., Ltd., a joint venture with Essilor International S.A. of France, started operations
•Nikon Eyewear Co., Ltd. started operations (dissolved in 2002)
•Vision Nikon 21, a new vision statement, enacted
•Nikon Precision Singapore Pte Ltd established in Singapore
•Nikon Tsubasa Inc. established
•Nikon Instruments Inc. and Nikon Eyewear Inc. established in the U.S.
•Nikon Holdings Europe B.V. established in the Netherlands
•Nikon Nuvis S2000
•Nikon F80 / F80D / F80S [N80 / N80 QD]*2
•Nikon S3 Year 2000 Limited Edition
•Nikon Nuvis V
•Nikon Lite-Touch Zoom120ED / 120ED QD
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 990
•Image Transmission Software TransImage IT-500 Ver. 2
•Image Filing Software PC-Archive 1.2
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 880
2001 •Nikon (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. established in Malaysia
•Binoculars and Telescopes business became an independent company and established Nikon Vision Co., Ltd.
•Introduction of the Executive Officer System
•Introduction of a Stock Option Program
•Nikon U [F65]*3 [N65]*2
•Nikon FM3A
•Nikon Lite-Touch Zoom 140ED /140ED QD
•Nikon 35mm/IX240 Film Scanner SUPER COOLSCAN 4000 ED
•Nikon 35mm/IX240 Film Scanner COOLSCAN IV ED
•Nikon Digital Camera D1X
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 995
•Nikon Film Scanner SUPER COOLSCAN 8000 ED
•Nikon Digital Camera D1H
•Digital Photo Network Software TransImage IT-500 Ver.3
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 775
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 885
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 5000
2002 •Nikon Instruments Europe B.V. established in the Netherlands
•Nikon Imaging (China) Co., Ltd. established in China
•Dong Guan Nikon Surveying Instruments Co., Ltd established in China
•Nikon Precision Shanghai Co., Ltd. established in China
•Nikon Us[F55]*3 [N55]*2
•Nikon S3 Black body (Limited edition)
•Nikon Lite-Touch Zoom 70Ws/70Ws QD
•Nikon Lite-Touch Zoom 130ED/130ED QD
•Nikon Lite-Touch Zoom 110s QD
•b. Nikon !!
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 2500
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 5700
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 4500
•Nikon Digital Camera D100
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 2000
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 4300
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 3500
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 4300 Black (Limited edition)
2003 •All Nikon Plants achieved Zero Emission
•Completion of Ohi West Building
•A New Brand Symbol for the Nikon Group
•Nikon-Trimble Co., Ltd. a joint venture with Trimble Navigation Ltd. of the U.S., established
•Nikon Instruments (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. established in China
•Nikon Polska Sp.z o.o. established in Poland
•Nikon Lite-Touch Zoom 150ED QD
•Nikon U2 [F75]*3 [N75]*2
•Nikon Lite-Touch Zoom 100W QD
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 3100
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 2100
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX SQ
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 5400
•Nikon Digital Camera D2H
•Nikon 35mm/IX240 Film Scanner SUPER COOLSCAN 5000 ED / 9000 ED / COOLSCAN V ED
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 3700
2004   •Nikon F6 •Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 2200
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 3200
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 8700
•Nikon Digital Camera Nikon D70
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 4200
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 5200
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 4100
•Digital Photo Storage Viewer COOLWALKER MSV-01
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 8400
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 8800
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 4800
2005 •Nikon Instruments Korea Co., Ltd. established in Korea
•Nikon Imaging(China) Sales Co., Ltd. established inChina
•Established Nikon Yokohama Logistics Center, a new base that brings together all of Nikon's Japan warehouses for imaging products
•Completed Company-wide integration of ISO 14001 certification
•Nikon SP (Limited Edition) •Nikon Digital Camera D2x
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 4600
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 5600
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 5900
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 7900
•Nikon Digital Camera D2Hs
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX 7600
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX S1
•Nikon Digital Camera D70s
•Nikon Digital Camera D50
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX S2
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX P1
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX P2
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX S3
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX S4
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX L1
•Nikon Digital Camera D200
2006 •Nikon Instech Co., Ltd. mergered with Kogaku Co., Ltd. and Okuma Shokai Co., Ltd.
•Established Nikon Imaging Korea Co., Ltd. in Korea
•Nikon AUSTRALIA PTY LTD established in Australia
  •Nikon Digital SLR Camera D2Xs/D80/D40
•Nikon Digital Cameras COOLPIX S5 / S6 / P3 / P4 / L3 / L2 / S8 / S7 / S7c / S10 / L5 / L6
•Image Editing Software Capture NX
•Image Authentication Software
•Remote Control Software Camera Control Pro
2007 •Nikon Life Co., Ltd., Nikon Logistics Corporation and Nikon Technologies, Inc., consolidated subsidiaries, merged to form Nikon Business Service Co., Ltd.
•Established Tochigi Nikon Precision Co., Ltd.
•Nikon International Trading (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. established in China
•"Our Aspirations -Meeting needs. Exceeding expectations.", a new vision statement, enacted
•Nikon India Private Limited established in India

•Nikon Digital SLR Camera D40X
•Nikon Digital Camera COOLPIX P5000 / S500 / S50 / S50c / S200 / L12 / L11
*1
Product names mainly used in Germany.
*2
Product names mainly used in the United States.
*3
Product name used overseas except the United Staes.
  • Years during which products launched in Japan. Some of the products mentioned above are marketed solely in Japan.



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