You all probably dont give a shit but does anybody know a way to get back into an instagram account..? I stupidly lost my login password. I would love any help you can offer me.
What wasn't mentioned were the mid level Nikons, the FM/ FE 1977-1982 and the groundbreaking FM2/FM2n 1983-2001 later released as the FM3n, 2001-2006 FE2 1983-1986. These later F's boasted top shutter speeds of 1/4000 of a second and flash sync speeds of 1/250 unheard of in the 80's. To top it off, they were made under Nikon's low tolerance build system used for the F3, in particular the FM2/ FM2n. This fully mechanical camera body can operated at temperatures between -40C to +50C without any modification. Though the FE2 was available for 3or 4 years, the FM2n was available for almost 20 years. Nikon sold millions of these cameras in particular the FM2. Many pros used them as their secondary or even primary bodies as they were pretty well and still are indestructible. The high sync speeds helped pro balance flash and available light much better. read more on the FM2 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_FM2 The first Digital Camera was a standard Nikon f3 NASA conversion with the help of KODAK, the Hawkeye 2 nikonrumors.com/2014/04/16/the-kodak-hawkeye-ii-nikon-f3-was-one-of-the-first-electronic-stills-cameras-used-by-nasa-in-space.aspx/ The 1999 Nikon D1 was the first digital camera released by a sole manufacturer Nikon! it changed the world of photography.
Yeah, I have owned two FE’s and one FE2. These were fantastic workhorses, durable, with a perfect handling: everything on the right place, no feature bloat. The FE/FE2 were the best analog cameras ever, imho.
A Note on the Nikonos - it wasn't actually their original design, it was originally designed by Jaqcues Cousteau and manufactured by a Company named Atomos. It was named the 'Calypso' and then later sold to Nikon to be sold as the Nikonos.
I've been a Nikon fan since the late '50s - early '60s when I was in high school and somehow was able to contact someone in Japan who would send a Nikon F directly to me in Detroit. Thank you for the research and presentation. I liked it so much I watched it twice.
I really don't know about this 'channel', but it appears to me neither of the two presenters is into photography, and they feel uncomfortable discussing events and personalities from the 30s and 40s.
Small point-Contax rangefinders camera DID have focal plane shutters-they were metal vertical running shutters, instead of cloth horizontal shutters like Leica and early Nikon rangefinder. The Contax shutter pretty much looked like a window blind, with many stacked blades making up the metal vertical running focal plane shutter. prone to jamming and failure, which is why Nikon avoided it :)
Nice history video. From a business perspective the camera business is largely a hobby and nostalgic business for both nikon and canon. They make all of their profits in commercial lenses for semiconductor fabrication, copiers, medical devices, etc.
Great video! Even though I'm a Nikon user now, I would never have gotten into photography if Canon didn't make the AE-1 and push it so hard in 1976. Begged my parents for one, and after using my pinhole camera for years, finally had a "real" camera!
That Contax rangefinder looks awesome! The rangefinder base-length is so much longer than anything available today (the distance between the two windows), even on $10000 Leicas. The longer the range finder base-length the more accurate the focusing.
What is wrong with 24x32mm? It is closer in ratio to a standard 8x10, would have used some 12% less film. You would get like 40 exposures vs 36. Didn't they process things themselves back then? Would be very easy to adept everything into the slightly smaller film.
I'm quite surprised that the D3 barely even got a mention, because at least in my opinion, it was Nikon's most significant camera since the F. It was the first real "photojournalist" camera with a full-frame sensor, and it took Canon another five years to come up with one of their own. I still remember the flood of articles and posts as many prominent photographers and even some news organizations switched from Canon to Nikon specifically because of it, and the shock of seeing a sea of big black lenses (instead of white ones) on the sidelines at the Olympics a year later.
I believe that more so a significant camera is the Nikon F3, with a production time of around 20 years, outselling all other Nikon camera models. Its production time span enclosed the era of the F4, and I believe the F5
Nikon D3, full frame 12,1 Mpx : 2007 Canon 1Ds, full frame 11,1 Mpx : 2002 Canon 1Ds Mark III, full frame 21,1 Mpx : 2007 Why some nikonist lie so often ?
Madraf Tintagel The 1DS MkIII was a studio camera. What made the D3 special was its high-ISO performance, 6400 without boost (the 1DS3 only went up to 3200 WITH boost) and the fact that it had the framerate and buffer to support high-speed continuous shooting for sports. I never said Canon didn't have great FF bodies before Nikon did, but the D3 was the first FF body that could be a main camera for photojournalism and sports photography, and that's a big deal.
When it comes to the DSLR sales, I have an interesting thought. These cameras are really designed to last a long time, they are built tough and even the like D2x from 2005 can still produce really beautiful images in 2016 and I think some people don't really see the need to upgrade unless there is a specific feature that they wanted or needed. Nikon has a lot of very interesting history. I really didn't know some of this stuff. Thanks for this awesome podcast! Can't wait to see more.
I agree.I am looking to replace my Nikon D90.I have had it since the day it came out.I am more interested in a mirrorless system now and looking at the Fuji X system but rather than buy the XPro2 or XT2 I will be buying either the Xpro1 Xe2 or if the price really does drop the XT1.All three offer brilliant image quality and will fit my purpose.I can then put the saved cash towards some decent fast lenses and I know whichever camera I use it will still produce excellent images for the next 5, even 10 years.People get so wrapped up in having the latest technology but comparing images from these different cameras blindly and you will be hard pressed to tell which image came from the new cameras as long as you use good lenses and you know you will not be enlarging the photos up to the size of a billboard.
Try to go out in winter when is minus 15 degrees and work for couple of hours and then go for coffee to the coffee shop where is 20 degrees and we will see if DSLR are designed to last long time.
At 6:16 Tony had it backwards. ‘Nikko’ was the original Japanese name, an initialism for Nihon Kogaku (Japan Optics) as shown in the kanji logo. They added ‘R’ later for some reason.
You should do a video on Olympus or Rollei. Olympus in specific has interesting history, having the same lens mount since the OM-1. They followed behind Canon and Nikon in the 1970's, but had many shining moments when it came to lenses in the 1980's. Maybe not the largest lens range, but very very high quality optics. They had no "consumer" lenses, only amazing, sharp lenses. Also, the lenses and bodies overall may not have had all the super niche features, but had the lightest and most efficient lenses and bodies.
Back in those days, what I like from Nikon is ability to see aperture number on the lens from camera's viewfinder. Not the most important thing, but it's nice to have.
It would be great to get history of Zeiss and Voigtländer, since they are a lot older than either Canon or Nikon. Voigtländer, in fact, is the oldest name in photography, and one of the oldest in optics itself.
The recent news is that Nikon is developing a new line of full frame mirrorless cameras to upgrade from their one inch sensor models. Seems like more and more manufacturers are leaning more towards mirrorless as opposed to DSLR's.
I think Nikon's format change from 24x32 in their first cameras to 24x36 in all models thereafter was based on the mindset that 35mm had to be 24x36 derived market expectations for Leica format, and had nothing to do with Kodak or Douglas MacArthur. Too bad, as the 24x32mm format is a much more practical use of the film. Also, while true that Nikon lens mounts were very close to, but not exactly like, the Contax mount, the difference was well recognized at the time. Nikon sold a number of its rangefinder lenses in mounts designed to exactly fit the Contax [and the Leica for that matter], now fairly rare collectibles.
I found your presentation both informative and entertaining. However, when you were reviewing the impact certain camera models made on the market you omitted to mention the Nikon D-100. I owned a D-100 not too long after the camera hit the stores and one of my main reasons for choosing Nikon was because I already owned a Nikon F-5 with lenses. Therefore, it made good sense to continue investing in the brand. The D-100 was indeed a superb camera and although it wasn't cheap it still was priced within a more affordable bracket for more people to purchase more comfortably. BTW, although I now shoot with a Fujifilm digital I still own Nikon film cameras and still find their performance fantastic! I also have owned Canon cameras and again, I can thoroughly recommend their products as well! I currently use a Canon DSLR on occasion.
why can't I upload photo's to Facebook from my 2016 Canon SLR? Why can't my photo's all sync wireless to my computer? Why isn't there a 'smartphone' like lightroom available for cameras?
Leica did do the R series of SLR's... mNikon also did popularize the magazine back. 250 shots on a "single roll". Also I believe Nikon was the first to produce a 80-200mm f/2.8 and a superwide zoom.
Tony & Chelsea .. there are several inaccuracies regarding the motor drive speeds you mentioned for both Nikon & Canon . The 9, 10, 13, or 14 fps were only possible with very special Nikon and Canon models (eg; the Nikon High Speed). These camera used a fixed, semi transparent mirror (pellicle mirror). The Nikon version used a whopping 30 volt battery packs, and a limited production drive, and they had some limitations, and were very limited in production. Nikon made about 500 Nikon F2 HS. The 'regular' Canon F1N or Nikon F2 had motor drives that delivered between 4 to 6 fps, depending on batteries used.
at 26:58 you mentioned how one comes out with something, then the other one comes out and one ups them..back and forth... when you add Sony's cameras into the mix, i think it becomes clear (and i have a 7200, a 6d, and a sony rx10-ii)... the sony is so far ahead of the other two... on the sales floor where i work, for example, the only cameras that do over 11 fps and 4k video.. sony and the nikon d500.. and we have been told that Sony makes the "computers" for Nikon? thoughts....
My first Canon point & shoot came with two manuals one for the camera and one for the software totaling over 500 pages. When I moved a few years ago I found my original Nikon F2 manual it totaled 12 pages. I miss my F2 but I don't miss hauling it around with the must have 80-200 lens.
Thanks Chelsea and Tony for taking us down this nostalgic memory lane. My first camera was a Yeshica Electro 35 and then I graduated to a Nikon FE. I still love Nikon. Who can forget the the Nikon photomic in which you can detach the hood and look down on the screen like a medium format. After a long lay off from film photography (Nikon FE), I got back first into the digital world thru D90 then D700 and then D800E. I then became a traitor and embraced mirrorless with the Sony A7 series. Which is quirky and temperamental in many ways. Would I not love a Nikon equivalent - built tough that you can drop on a concrete floor and it will still work. And use those great Nikkor lenses - e.g. 105mm defocus! Great video. Chelsea, you look great! Tony, your style is understated, easy, very watchable KP, Sydney, Oz
My father was a camera retailer in the 60s-80s. He had a number of Camera Departments in various discount stores up and down the east coast. They were the boom years for SLR photography. He was literally selling thousands of Minolta, Nikon, and Canon cameras, with a few Yeshica and others thrown in. I think you did not mention at all the distribution channels of these manufactures. Nikon was distributed exclusively and consistently in those days by Erenrich Photo. Their exclusive channel along with marketing the Nikon as the professional choice was sheer genius. Amateurs who were willing to spend the $100 difference and schlep the extra weight on their necks, were happy because after all, it was the choice of the pros. Canon had a less consistent and more difficult distribution channel. For years they were handled by Bell and Howell who split their loyalties with the amateur home movie market. Not until Canon separated itself from B&H was it able to truly move into the American market as a major player. I suspect until that time, Minolta was probably outselling Canon although they were priced compatible.
This was a nostalgic walk down Nikon lane. Growing up a family friend was Nikon representative, then a camera shop owner, then a Fujica representative. My Christmas gift at 15 was a Fujica STX with std lens. At about 22, it was stolen so I purchased a Nikon FG body only with insurance money. Being in college i had to wait a year to save up for nikkor series e lens. I enter Nikon world. I enjoyed photography classes in high school and college. I added a few used manual focus lenses, a used Nikon FM2 body and SB20 in the early days of ebay. Liked the FM2, but really liked ttl which allowed for quick flash on FG. Picked up used Nikon N8008 with auto focus. I added a N70. Digital was out, but I passed on d100 and purchased new F100 with 28-200 tamron and an SB28. Sure, we (& everyone else) had a kodak digital p&s with long telephoto and shutter lag. But for sports film was king or the Canon mini dv camcorder. After many years, my F100 is stolen from car between soccer games. I cover a few football games with the FM2, 300 mm manual focus lens and some 800 speed film. I am late to SLR digital in 2012 but add a new Nikon D7000 with two lens kit 18-105, 55-300. Wow, I was impressed with iso capability capturing Friday Night lights stills and video. I picked up a used D100 that introduced kids to SLR photography. Both my son and daughter received a used d60 and used d80 retrospectively. Both seem dated to them compared to my D7000. I recently added a used mint D7200. The D7000 bodies are under $300 used, I might want to pick up a couple of bodies for my son and daughter before grandkids come along ... F mount of course, so they do not need lenses.
Nice to hear the history behind my favorite camera brand. My first was the FE with Nikkor 50/1.8. At the time, the Hasselblad 500 C/M with A12 and Planar 80/2.8 had the same price. Sadly, I choosed the Nikon, mostly because they had a built-in exposure meter.. I’ve regretted it many times.. Now I have the F100 and D500..
Thanks for the video. I knew very little about Nikon's pre-WWII history. What you didn't emphasize enough was how much Nikon OWNED the 1960's. Growing up during that era, especially the last half, Nikon cameras were seen probably 90% of the time whenever a photographer would be shown onscreen or in a movie. Sure, Pentax was big as well, but Nikon ruled. The Canon F1 was a great camera, no doubt, but I don't really recall seeing them that much in the 1970's, as the Nikon F2 ruled that decade for pros. Quite true about the Canon AE-1, it was a gamechanger and pulled Canon ahead in the consumer market and Nikon has never caught up. One other historical camera you should have mentioned is the Nikon FA, the first camera with any form of Matrix metering. Now, almost all cameras use some form of matrix metering (although called different names).
Not a peep about the F4...one of the most powerful, best selling and longest running pro film body of all time; fastest autofocus, fastest motor drive, the first Nikon to be multiple (6?) microcomputer. Everyone who was anyone used an F4. It was also the last pro body to be controlled by buttons, switches and knobs which many pros preferred. Thanks Tony for the interesting video. (but I would have rather heard about more Nikons than Canons)
Hi Just to mention that you missed to mentionned two important Nikon cameras of the 70ths. The Nikkormat & the first Nikon electronic camera that I still own with my F2, the Nikkormat EL regards
Great show!!! Thank you, Chelsea and Tony! I've been watching and learning from you guys for two years and I really appreciate all the enthusiasm and dedication you put into your work. The combination of your humor and knowledge and the way you both present it is perfect. I now own Stunning Digital Photography, Lightroom 5 Book, Photoshop Essentials, Photography Buying Guide and the Beginning Photography Videos. For anyone who has not purchased them, They are a must have and the cost is minimal. Thank you for giving so much for so little.
Isn't it strange though, camera geeks tend to agree on how important good glass is. While at the same time most people are using the lenses on their smartphones to take pictures. These things don't necessarily contradict but it does make you wonder. Enjoyed the video a lot. Great work guys!
That's an interesting take, the influence of culture. I wonder what connection there is with that and with the apparent falloff in the interest in history. It's barely taught in many schools anymore. Everything today is "in the moment" then discarded as "worthless" because it's "old". Like your characterization of the role of photos in our cultural memories. It would be fascinating to contemplate where all this is leading us culturally. And photography, as it was practiced historically, is maybe analogous to the canary in the coalmine? Dunno. Fascinating. Thanks for bringing it up!
Hi Tony & Chelsea. Have you done a review or could you do a review of cloud-based photo storage solutions that photographers can use to a) distribute a full set of photos to selected friends/clients and b) as an online backup/safety net. Square Space seems great for displaying a portfolio but that doesn’t interest me as much as doing the above.
Had the Nikon A1000 in black for Xmas, along with my Samsung S10e and my new Pedco ultrapod II mini tripod, I'm more than happy I can take some great pics. I traded in my Canon and Olympus cameras that were sat in a drawer
I went to Northrup.org on the wayback machine and oh my goodness you have a ton of anonymous admirers! I love the comments about how cute you are posted in the middle of the night. It really is fascinating though, seeing your old website with all your photos and professional articles.
History of Fujifilm next please, one of the oldest camera and optics manufacture still relevant today and has a strange relationship with Kodak and other companies.I agree that phone can now replace the use of P&S or other types of camera for normal people who just want a usuable photo. The average people only need to take picture of their kids, some pictures of the place they went to as evident and to remember it, or maybe just to share something with someone else and take notes. They no need bokeh, crazy cool portraits, lighting control, speedlight and studio lights, fast shutter speeds, RAW files, interchangeable lens, versatility, manual control, ruggedness (depends), crazy low light control, crazy high dynamic range (hdr probably fine for them), extremely high megapixel count, best in class lens that professional requires and what camera manufacturers supply. Camera phone would probably never catch up (you cant beat physics and science), but it can make proper camera not a necessity anymore for the average person.
With all the convenient ways to take photos nowadays, DSLRs are becoming a specialized tool for those who want better quality images; not to mention the ability to be able to tell the difference. It's like quartz watches will never replace mechanical watches.
Giang Vu To me, dslr and interchangeable lens camera are not that much on better image quality, but the better bokeh that can be achieve, versatility to use filters (nd, circular polarizing, grad nd), ability to use, sync and control flashes, and most importantly, RAW files and Manual control. It is not that much of quartz and mechanical watches, rather pre-made food vs cooking food yourself. To tell the truth, I do prefer pre-made food somethings, like how average people prefer using their phone, for convenience.
No mention of the Nikon FE or FM from the late seventies. I bought the FE and lens and MD-11 motor drive for around $750 my senior yr of HS in ‘79. My two best friends bought a Nikon and the Canon AE1. The Canon guy is a pro in Chicago to this day. Great memories. We shot a lot for the school yrbook and school sports. The Nikon EM mentioned, I don’t remember that at all.
I am a Nikon user. I recently purchased a Nikon S2 in great working and physical condition. Came with the 50mm lens. He added a Contax 50mm lens. He sent me a link that I thought described how to adapt it to a Nikon. All I learned is that it is .33mm off. You made a comment about this but stated that this would only affect a telephoto lens. I have not tried to mount it. Do you think it will work on my camera? The Contax lens looks like it belongs in a Jewelry Box. Thanks in advance for any advice on this matter.
This one is more entertaining than Canons history. I think it's because of all the side notes to what is happening at the other brand at the same time. Thank you, great vid.
This is very interesting. I've been a Nikon fan since I chose the Nikon FM as my first 35mm film SLR back in 1980. In the late 1970's I became interested in photography and settled on 35mm as my format of choice. Then I studied all the test reports and reviews of the 35mm SLR's available at the time and the result of my investigation along with my brother in law had a Nikkormat FT2 which I was impressed with; I ended up buying my Nikon FM with Nikkor AI 50mm f/1.8 lens and never regretted my choice. I since picked up a Nikon Ftn Photomic basically because I always wanted one, and it's stature as an iconic camera. Both may not have all the 'bells and whistles' of modern digital cameras but for a pure photographic experience just can't beat the feel and satisfaction of using 'vintage' film SLR's.
great series ... my confusion is over the mount and flange distance, opening etc. I had not had a slr. Was the mount used the same as now, F mount? Was it so the existing lenses and new DX lenses as they were develped could be used? I can only imagine that there is no tecnical reason for mount and lens compatibility to exist. A DX system from scratch could have been designed smaller opening, flange distance and lenes to some degree (not a much as mirrorless) which would make view angles, possible bokeh and depth of field similar to FX but at cost of 2 really seperate systems.
"I don't know what makes Germans great engineers". Whole Germany is smaller in size than the State of Texas alone. Small countries (incl. Swiss etc.) have limited natural resources and therefore invest heavily and rely on their human capital. 1. In Germany the education is for free (!), so it depends on your mind and interest rather than on your money if you want to have a career in engineering. 2. Companies like Leica see their workers not just as numbers in an assembly line but see them as a valuable asset. All large German enterprises (Bosch, Benz, Siemens) set up their own pension funds and health insurances for their workers. 3. Smaller companies and countries need to work/cooperate on a long term base rather than to insult their partners for a short term profit. 4. Smaller countries and companies do not like to stand in the spotlight but rather prefer to stay in the backroom and work on and improve their product/s. In international politics and business there is something called 'diplomacy', seemingly forgotten in today's political landscape. 5. A President of large country should not promote 'my (x) country first' but actually should learn how to think, work and manage as a president of a small country. Health insurance for everyone e.g. should be a basic human right and not a luxury. Germany's Social Security started in 1889 (!) I enjoyed your podcast tremendously, keep up your work!
This is the weirdest commet I ever read. 1. Germany hasn't only a few great engineers way back. Lathe, airbreaks for trains, phones, fountain pens, aircrafts, tanks, automobiles, stean engines, computer, photography, television, synthetic fiber - nothing off 90 % alle inventions nobody want miss today wasn't German inventions. 2. German companies like Leica didn't see workers as number? Gerhard, your name is German, but you are living in Dreamland? Leica produced SLRs soon in Portugal as Leica noted that they can't catch up with Nikon or Canon. 3. Germany is the leader to built walls against innovations in camera design. In the 60s and 70s as Pentax, Nikon, Canon, Yashica, Minolta produced more and more SLRs with built-in exposure-meter and interchangeable lenses German "inventors" settled on leaf-shutter cams with only a fes options of intrerchangeable lenses the frist Leica SLR that hasn't had exposuere metering trough the lens as e.g. Pentax had. Zeiss Ikon cams were built like ever lasting tanks and 10 years after the Nikon F. As result in the mid of the 70s almost all German camera manufactures were dead or struggling. Picture this: in the 70s and 80s the free educated German workees bought a cheap GDR Pentacon or a high-end Nikon or Canon and watched how they were ditched, coal mines closed, factories outsourced to the Balkans, East Europe and elsewhere. And so far as I remember, as the the digital age sunrised and digital cams became the future in a developing country named Germany consumers stuck to film cameras and using scanners until one of your German paragons realized: Oops, we missed the new age.
A fairly interesting video but some Very important models were omitted. Not mentioned were the FM/FM2, FE/FE2, and the FA (with advanced multi-pattern metering) Also the F801/F801S which, along with the F4 convinced many pros to take autofocus seriously.
For a moment I was ready to go through the roof when the the statistics about Canon vs Nikon vs iPhone appeared (you know, because it seemed like comparing apples to oranges); thankfully it was eventually pointed out that someone searching for iPhone is not necessarily a photographer, whereas most people looking for Nikon/Canon most likely are interested in photography. But yes, smartphones are definitely a game changer here. They also put the Leica brand back on the map, b/c they are lending their name for the camera in Huawei's latest "P9" model. I still would love to see a smartphone that shoots raw, though. Although, this would require substantially more storage capacity on a smartphone. So maybe that's never going to happen.
"a smartphone that shoots raw" i don't see the use, smartphone are for taking snapshots, they are kiiling the P&S cameras, but even a P&S is leagues above an i-phone, MP counts are not everything, a 16MP camera phone produces way way worse results than a first gen under 1MP - 15 years old DSLR. so get a grip and stop comparing a bow & arrows i-phone camera, with larger sensor automatic rifles and bazookas
Thank you. Very interesting, but one omission (in my opinion): the Canon T90. It changed everything in terms of design and ergonomics, AND it was more versatile and more fun to use than anything that came before it. Also, it was so well made that mine works as good as the day I bought it. For my money, it was the best slr ever made. It could also be on display in an art museum. A thing of sheer beauty.
Your segment on the Canon AE-1 completely ignored the Nikon FE and FE2. While the AE-1 may have been a more popular consumer camera, the FE and FE2 and their various permutations were IMO a much higher quality camera and were picked up and used by many professionals as a secondary camera next to their F-series pro cameras.
Hi Tony, I just want to make a request. As one of your geeky videos, can you compare the an APS-C camera with a speed booster to a full frame camera. Considering DoF in relation to the faster aperture and also the impact on noise. Thanks
The thing with the format of the frames being 24x32mm isn't a uncommon thing at the time for Japanese cameras. I own a Minolta-35 that was a competitor to the Nikon shown and it uses the same format. Minolta changed the format on this series to 24x34mm in 1953 and only with the last few cameras of this model to 26x36mm. It was done so to fit more frames onto a roll of film; the counter of these cameras doesn't stop at 36 but goes up to 40, but it never really took of because the standard of 24x36mm had been too established to be overthrown by the benefit of having more frames per roll of film.
Bought my first Nikon last year, and while I have had the chance to use a few Canons I cant say I have much experience with them. However, whenever I've meet another photographer who has used Canon for years, they always tell me that I have the camera they would prefer, or that Nikon is much better overall. While I've generally held them with similar regard, I notice many Canon owners see Nikon as a higher quality tool.
is Nikon going the Canon way with the new EED lens versions ? i mean, as i have heard ( through the reviews for 24-70 mm vr and the new 105 f1.4 macro ), these EED lens focus very fast. Could this change from GED to EED shift the balance towards future Nikon lenses ??
Fascinating history..Nikon did it right by going all out with the creation of the F. I got me an Ftn Photomic four months ago with Nikon/Nippon Kogaku 50mm/F1.4 lens (pre-AI) and I'm a happy camper..every time I use it I feel like I'm using a piece of history. Not to take anything away from Canon..the F1 is a gem too and they sold gazillions of the AE1.
Would it make sense at this point for Nikon and Canon to merge? Work together to stay competitive against all the other camera companies? They may have to get very creative in their thinking as technology is changing so fast.
Good observation. Hopefully they won't just sit and wait for the mirrorless to pass as a fad....missing the boat like Kodak seems to have done. Kodak were ahead of the game with digital but then backed off right when they should of stayed on track.
The big 2 seem to have let too much time go by now. People dropping them to go to the Sony system. I don't see those people switching back to the big 2. I shot Nikon for 10 years but gave up waiting for them to get back in the race. When they recently came out with yet more large bulky cameras that are basically the same as before, with slight improvements.....I realized it would be years (if ever) they would see the way the market is now going.
Well its more likely that Canon takes over Nikon. As Nikon is owned by Mitsubishi, its more likely that Mitsu could sell its subsidiary to the larger company. But what is in it for Canon. There are no clear competitive advantages or technological gains by either buying each other. As consumers we are better off with them competing. Makes them bring (slowly I would say) advances and keeps pricing in check.
I feel that there is a growing market that they could get into quite easily and are not taking advantage of it. In the world of FPV racing, there are 2 types of cameras used; the action camera which is for recording your onboard video, and the boardcams which are what you actually use to pilot. Sony have gotten into both of these, and whilst they are failing terribly with the action cameras (mainly because of their form factor, and that's saying a lot because GoPro is as aerodynamic as a brick!!), they are leading the way with the boardcams, which is basically a lens that outputs a video signal to a video transmitter, and no software involved (apart from the firmware which is much easier for them to get around than anything they have on a compact camera). The main thing about boardcams is that you need a low TVL count if you are going for speed (in racing drones you're in the 80mph range, and racing wings exceed the 100mph mark), as the higher the TVL count, the higher the latency... so to get a good usable image to fly with out of a low TVL count, you need good optics, and I think this is something Nikon could get into. If they wanted to get into action cams, they could easily strike up a deal with DJI which is selling units faster than they can produce them almost, and make good lightweight aerial footage cameras with good optics for aerial photography, without having to resort to 500+ size hexacopters to lift a DSLR. I know that if Nikon started making boardcams, I would buy them!!
I started with Nikon in 1967 with an F with the 50mm/f1.4 that I bought while in the Philippines. Still have the lens. I was stringing for local newspapers in Atlanta, so when the camera got stolen, I picked up a used 1961 F with a prism finder and a Nikkormat Ft from Wings Camera so I could continue working. When the F2's came out, I traded 2 Leica IIIC's and a chunka change for 2 F2 bodies and one MD1 motor drive. I still have the '61 F plus a collection of other Nikons--20 something total--that still see regular use. My only DSLR is a D90 that sees little use, but a D810 is in my future.Nikons have been very good for me in the last 49 years, both in the studio for 32 years and in the field. My medium format cameras have earned their keep, but having to choose between an F2 with a motor drive or a Hasselblad, the Nikon would win. It can be a camera, a paperweight, a tool or a weapon, if needed. LOL!!And yes, I AM a Nikon-a-holic!Excellent video and quite informative! Thanks for sharing!
BTW, 35mm film is called 35mm because that is the width of the film - originally "invented" for mid-size movie cameras. The 35mm has nothing to do with the in-camera picture frame size. Oskar Barnack at Leitz built the Leica (Lei [tz] ca [mera]) around it and increased the frame from 22mmx14mm (or so, IIRC) to 36mmx24mm - if you have 1930s National Geographic issues, you can find the Leica advertised as "double frame" because of the increased frame size relative to movie format. In the movie camera the film ran vertically, in the Leica horizontally.
Advice for Nikon: Leap ahead in a direction Canon has not envisaged and make your leap profound and game-changing. Suggestions: 1) Offer free or fairly priced unlimited cloud storage for all photos taken. Produce a cardless DSLR that uploads all images automatically anytime there is an Internet connection. Create a quality digital app called “Nikon Photo Stream” to download/view/edit etc. Ensure easy integration with Lightroom. Beat all cloud photo storage competitors in price, quality and service. 2) Improve professional lens range through business-to-business deals, cobranding etc. 3) Add tilt touch screens to all newly produced cameras. 4) Add software theft protection similar to Apple’s “find my phone” that makes any camera that is stolen unusable. 5) Don’t give up on the consumer market - there is plenty of game-changing ideas you could try - work on an electronic contact lens that records everything the eye sees. Create 3D 360 degrees recording and playback capability. Get into the smartphone camera market or create a new market segment in wearables. Basically, don’t give up. Get ahead =)
Just came across this video; thanks for doing it. You asked about the names: Nikko in Japan and Nikkor in America (if I recall correctly). I don't know either but Nissan auto branding might be illustrative. Nissan was the name in Japan and when they decided to move into the American market it changed to Datsun (such as the wonderful Datsun Z240). I have read that they did so to protect the Nissan name if Datsun failed in the USA. Maybe applicable to Nikon as well.
I love you two! Keep going! *MORE HISTORY VIDS!!!* These have been quite interesting (I've seen all of them now). It's great to see Chelsea's lovely face and hear her sweet voice. You two are a great couple! I love Tony's technical knowledge too!
It would be nice if you could do a series of these on the other manufacturers as well such as Pentax and Fuji, Minolta and others who have contributed to imaging...although I guess that's like saying you have to go back to summer school - ;-)
📷 You can get one of our favorite Nikon cameras on Amazon: help.tc/d810 📷
You forgot Nikon's current rifle scopes, spotting scopes, & binoculars etc. Their action series is great in low light
Really informative! Thank you for making this video!
You all probably dont give a shit but does anybody know a way to get back into an instagram account..?
I stupidly lost my login password. I would love any help you can offer me.
@Cole Kasen instablaster =)
What wasn't mentioned were the mid level Nikons, the FM/ FE 1977-1982 and the groundbreaking FM2/FM2n 1983-2001 later released as the FM3n, 2001-2006 FE2 1983-1986. These later F's boasted top shutter speeds of 1/4000 of a second and flash sync speeds of 1/250 unheard of in the 80's. To top it off, they were made under Nikon's low tolerance build system used for the F3, in particular the FM2/ FM2n. This fully mechanical camera body can operated at temperatures between -40C to +50C without any modification. Though the FE2 was available for 3or 4 years, the FM2n was available for almost 20 years. Nikon sold millions of these cameras in particular the FM2. Many pros used them as their secondary or even primary bodies as they were pretty well and still are indestructible. The high sync speeds helped pro balance flash and available light much better.
read more on the FM2
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_FM2
The first Digital Camera was a standard Nikon f3 NASA conversion with the help of KODAK,
the Hawkeye 2
nikonrumors.com/2014/04/16/the-kodak-hawkeye-ii-nikon-f3-was-one-of-the-first-electronic-stills-cameras-used-by-nasa-in-space.aspx/
The 1999 Nikon D1 was the first digital camera released by a sole manufacturer Nikon! it changed the world of photography.
Yeah, I have owned two FE’s and one FE2. These were fantastic workhorses, durable, with a perfect handling: everything on the right place, no feature bloat. The FE/FE2 were the best analog cameras ever, imho.
these history lessons are extremely interesting, thanks guys.
A Note on the Nikonos - it wasn't actually their original design, it was originally designed by Jaqcues Cousteau and manufactured by a Company named Atomos. It was named the 'Calypso' and then later sold to Nikon to be sold as the Nikonos.
I've been a Nikon fan since the late '50s - early '60s when I was in high school and somehow was able to contact someone in Japan who would send a Nikon F directly to me in Detroit.
Thank you for the research and presentation. I liked it so much I watched it twice.
This is a really great series, congratulations guys!
Jordan @ TCSTV
Thanks, Jordan!
We love you, too
Fnatastic! Very well researched!!!! Congratulations and thanks!!!
That was super awkward to watch. It was like you two had just had a fight or something.
I was going to ask what was wrong with chelsea! Im glad I'm not the only one lol
if they did in fact have a fight, meisha tate would've DESTROYED tony.
I really don't know about this 'channel', but it appears to me neither of the two presenters is into photography, and they feel uncomfortable discussing events and personalities from the 30s and 40s.
They’ve since made up 🥰
Very awkward lol
Small point-Contax rangefinders camera DID have focal plane shutters-they were metal vertical running shutters, instead of cloth horizontal shutters like Leica and early Nikon rangefinder. The Contax shutter pretty much looked like a window blind, with many stacked blades making up the metal vertical running focal plane shutter. prone to jamming and failure, which is why Nikon avoided it :)
Nice history video. From a business perspective the camera business is largely a hobby and nostalgic business for both nikon and canon. They make all of their profits in commercial lenses for semiconductor fabrication, copiers, medical devices, etc.
+John Schnorr check their financial statements; their earnings are mostly from imaging.
Great video! Even though I'm a Nikon user now, I would never have gotten into photography if Canon didn't make the AE-1 and push it so hard in 1976. Begged my parents for one, and after using my pinhole camera for years, finally had a "real" camera!
That Contax rangefinder looks awesome! The rangefinder base-length is so much longer than anything available today (the distance between the two windows), even on $10000 Leicas. The longer the range finder base-length the more accurate the focusing.
That may be why it was so highly regarded by professional photojournalists through the 1950s.
@11:30 The choice for the 24x32mm framesize may have to do with optical capabilities of their lenses?
What is wrong with 24x32mm? It is closer in ratio to a standard 8x10, would have used some 12% less film. You would get like 40 exposures vs 36. Didn't they process things themselves back then? Would be very easy to adept everything into the slightly smaller film.
Great video!! I love these history videos!! keep em coming pls!:)
I'm quite surprised that the D3 barely even got a mention, because at least in my opinion, it was Nikon's most significant camera since the F. It was the first real "photojournalist" camera with a full-frame sensor, and it took Canon another five years to come up with one of their own. I still remember the flood of articles and posts as many prominent photographers and even some news organizations switched from Canon to Nikon specifically because of it, and the shock of seeing a sea of big black lenses (instead of white ones) on the sidelines at the Olympics a year later.
... and the D3X
I believe that more so a significant camera is the Nikon F3, with a production time of around 20 years, outselling all other Nikon camera models.
Its production time span enclosed the era of the F4, and I believe the F5
Nikon D3, full frame 12,1 Mpx : 2007
Canon 1Ds, full frame 11,1 Mpx : 2002
Canon 1Ds Mark III, full frame 21,1 Mpx : 2007
Why some nikonist lie so often ?
Madraf Tintagel The 1DS MkIII was a studio camera. What made the D3 special was its high-ISO performance, 6400 without boost (the 1DS3 only went up to 3200 WITH boost) and the fact that it had the framerate and buffer to support high-speed continuous shooting for sports.
I never said Canon didn't have great FF bodies before Nikon did, but the D3 was the first FF body that could be a main camera for photojournalism and sports photography, and that's a big deal.
Max Archer No, it's only your point of view, not a big deal. Your opinion is not a fact.
Bye.
When it comes to the DSLR sales, I have an interesting thought. These cameras are really designed to last a long time, they are built tough and even the like D2x from 2005 can still produce really beautiful images in 2016 and I think some people don't really see the need to upgrade unless there is a specific feature that they wanted or needed.
Nikon has a lot of very interesting history. I really didn't know some of this stuff. Thanks for this awesome podcast! Can't wait to see more.
I agree.I am looking to replace my Nikon D90.I have had it since the day it came out.I am more interested in a mirrorless system now and looking at the Fuji X system but rather than buy the XPro2 or XT2 I will be buying either the Xpro1 Xe2 or if the price really does drop the XT1.All three offer brilliant image quality and will fit my purpose.I can then put the saved cash towards some decent fast lenses and I know whichever camera I use it will still produce excellent images for the next 5, even 10 years.People get so wrapped up in having the latest technology but comparing images from these different cameras blindly and you will be hard pressed to tell which image came from the new cameras as long as you use good lenses and you know you will not be enlarging the photos up to the size of a billboard.
You are on the right path...the XT-, Samsung, or Sony mirrorless camera's take superb images!
Try to go out in winter when is minus 15 degrees and work for couple of hours and then go for coffee to the coffee shop where is 20 degrees and we will see if DSLR are designed to last long time.
Loved my D1h and my D3s stunning cameras 📷❤️
At 6:16 Tony had it backwards. ‘Nikko’ was the original Japanese name, an initialism for Nihon Kogaku (Japan Optics) as shown in the kanji logo. They added ‘R’ later for some reason.
I'm surprised you guys didn't mention the d3. It was the first Nikon camera that changed the game in terms of low light photography.
No wonder why holding a Nikon body and lens feels like holding a war tool.
holding an F4e feels like carrying a tank
I like Tony's voice and talking, it helps me fall asleep. In a good way :)
You should do a video on Olympus or Rollei.
Olympus in specific has interesting history, having the same lens mount since the OM-1. They followed behind Canon and Nikon in the 1970's, but had many shining moments when it came to lenses in the 1980's. Maybe not the largest lens range, but very very high quality optics. They had no "consumer" lenses, only amazing, sharp lenses. Also, the lenses and bodies overall may not have had all the super niche features, but had the lightest and most efficient lenses and bodies.
Back in those days, what I like from Nikon is ability to see aperture number on the lens from camera's viewfinder. Not the most important thing, but it's nice to have.
It would be great to get history of Zeiss and Voigtländer, since they are a lot older than either Canon or Nikon. Voigtländer, in fact, is the oldest name in photography, and one of the oldest in optics itself.
Voigtländer made the first computed lens for photography, right? There is even a modern version made in E-mount.
what about the very successful Nikkormats??
The recent news is that Nikon is developing a new line of full frame mirrorless cameras to upgrade from their one inch sensor models. Seems like more and more manufacturers are leaning more towards mirrorless as opposed to DSLR's.
I think Nikon's format change from 24x32 in their first cameras to 24x36 in all models thereafter was based on the mindset that 35mm had to be 24x36 derived market expectations for Leica format, and had nothing to do with Kodak or Douglas MacArthur. Too bad, as the 24x32mm format is a much more practical use of the film. Also, while true that Nikon lens mounts were very close to, but not exactly like, the Contax mount, the difference was well recognized at the time. Nikon sold a number of its rangefinder lenses in mounts designed to exactly fit the Contax [and the Leica for that matter], now fairly rare collectibles.
Japan is an amazing nation. Thanks for this interesting episode.
I found your presentation both informative and entertaining. However, when you were reviewing the impact certain camera models made on the market you omitted to mention the Nikon D-100. I owned a D-100 not too long after the camera hit the stores and one of my main reasons for choosing Nikon was because I already owned a Nikon F-5 with lenses. Therefore, it made good sense to continue investing in the brand. The D-100 was indeed a superb camera and although it wasn't cheap it still was priced within a more affordable bracket for more people to purchase more comfortably. BTW, although I now shoot with a Fujifilm digital I still own Nikon film cameras and still find their performance fantastic! I also have owned Canon cameras and again, I can thoroughly recommend their products as well! I currently use a Canon DSLR on occasion.
why can't I upload photo's to Facebook from my 2016 Canon SLR? Why can't my photo's all sync wireless to my computer? Why isn't there a 'smartphone' like lightroom available for cameras?
Thank you guys. It was great. Maybe at the end you should also bring in Sony and Panasonic and show where the market is heading to...
Leica did do the R series of SLR's... mNikon also did popularize the magazine back. 250 shots on a "single roll". Also I believe Nikon was the first to produce a 80-200mm f/2.8 and a superwide zoom.
Tony & Chelsea .. there are several inaccuracies regarding the motor drive speeds you mentioned for both Nikon & Canon . The 9, 10, 13, or 14 fps were only possible with very special Nikon and Canon models (eg; the Nikon High Speed). These camera used a fixed, semi transparent mirror (pellicle mirror). The Nikon version used a whopping 30 volt battery packs, and a limited production drive, and they had some limitations, and were very limited in production. Nikon made about 500 Nikon F2 HS. The 'regular' Canon F1N or Nikon F2 had motor drives that delivered between 4 to 6 fps, depending on batteries used.
Found this video very interesting and I learnt a lot as well. Thank you for making such well researched content.
at 26:58 you mentioned how one comes out with something, then the other one comes out and one ups them..back and forth... when you add Sony's cameras into the mix, i think it becomes clear (and i have a 7200, a 6d, and a sony rx10-ii)... the sony is so far ahead of the other two... on the sales floor where i work, for example, the only cameras that do over 11 fps and 4k video.. sony and the nikon d500.. and we have been told that Sony makes the "computers" for Nikon? thoughts....
My first Canon point & shoot came with two manuals one for the camera and one for the software totaling over 500 pages. When I moved a few years ago I found my original Nikon F2 manual it totaled 12 pages. I miss my F2 but I don't miss hauling it around with the must have 80-200 lens.
Thanks Chelsea and Tony for taking us down this nostalgic memory lane. My first camera was a Yeshica Electro 35 and then I graduated to a Nikon FE. I still love Nikon. Who can forget the the Nikon photomic in which you can detach the hood and look down on the screen like a medium format. After a long lay off from film photography (Nikon FE), I got back first into the digital world thru D90 then D700 and then D800E. I then became a traitor and embraced mirrorless with the Sony A7 series. Which is quirky and temperamental in many ways. Would I not love a Nikon equivalent - built tough that you can drop on a concrete floor and it will still work. And use those great Nikkor lenses - e.g. 105mm defocus! Great video. Chelsea, you look great! Tony, your style is understated, easy, very watchable KP, Sydney, Oz
My father was a camera retailer in the 60s-80s. He had a number of Camera Departments in various discount stores up and down the east coast. They were the boom years for SLR photography. He was literally selling thousands of Minolta, Nikon, and Canon cameras, with a few Yeshica and others thrown in.
I think you did not mention at all the distribution channels of these manufactures. Nikon was distributed exclusively and consistently in those days by Erenrich Photo. Their exclusive channel along with marketing the Nikon as the professional choice was sheer genius. Amateurs who were willing to spend the $100 difference and schlep the extra weight on their necks, were happy because after all, it was the choice of the pros. Canon had a less consistent and more difficult distribution channel. For years they were handled by Bell and Howell who split their loyalties with the amateur home movie market. Not until Canon separated itself from B&H was it able to truly move into the American market as a major player. I suspect until that time, Minolta was probably outselling Canon although they were priced compatible.
This was a nostalgic walk down Nikon lane. Growing up a family friend was Nikon representative, then a camera shop owner, then a Fujica representative. My Christmas gift at 15 was a Fujica STX with std lens. At about 22, it was stolen so I purchased a Nikon FG body only with insurance money. Being in college i had to wait a year to save up for nikkor series e lens. I enter Nikon world. I enjoyed photography classes in high school and college. I added a few used manual focus lenses, a used Nikon FM2 body and SB20 in the early days of ebay. Liked the FM2, but really liked ttl which allowed for quick flash on FG. Picked up used Nikon N8008 with auto focus. I added a N70. Digital was out, but I passed on d100 and purchased new F100 with 28-200 tamron and an SB28. Sure, we (& everyone else) had a kodak digital p&s with long telephoto and shutter lag. But for sports film was king or the Canon mini dv camcorder. After many years, my F100 is stolen from car between soccer games. I cover a few football games with the FM2, 300 mm manual focus lens and some 800 speed film. I am late to SLR digital in 2012 but add a new Nikon D7000 with two lens kit 18-105, 55-300. Wow, I was impressed with iso capability capturing Friday Night lights stills and video. I picked up a used D100 that introduced kids to SLR photography. Both my son and daughter received a used d60 and used d80 retrospectively. Both seem dated to them compared to my D7000. I recently added a used mint D7200. The D7000 bodies are under $300 used, I might want to pick up a couple of bodies for my son and daughter before grandkids come along ... F mount of course, so they do not need lenses.
History of Olympus next please.
It has already fallen ;)
it was still a pretty influential company back in its day. i for one would watch that!
yes. I loved Olympus. still have a E510. had to move to Nikon but loved my Oly.
Nice to hear the history behind my favorite camera brand. My first was the FE with Nikkor 50/1.8. At the time, the Hasselblad 500 C/M with A12 and Planar 80/2.8 had the same price. Sadly, I choosed the Nikon, mostly because they had a built-in exposure meter.. I’ve regretted it many times.. Now I have the F100 and D500..
Great série Thx for it. Did you publish something for zeiss ? I looked for it but can t find...
The D3 and D700 should have been there.
They were groundbreaking cameras.
Thanks for the video. I knew very little about Nikon's pre-WWII history. What you didn't emphasize enough was how much Nikon OWNED the 1960's. Growing up during that era, especially the last half, Nikon cameras were seen probably 90% of the time whenever a photographer would be shown onscreen or in a movie. Sure, Pentax was big as well, but Nikon ruled. The Canon F1 was a great camera, no doubt, but I don't really recall seeing them that much in the 1970's, as the Nikon F2 ruled that decade for pros. Quite true about the Canon AE-1, it was a gamechanger and pulled Canon ahead in the consumer market and Nikon has never caught up. One other historical camera you should have mentioned is the Nikon FA, the first camera with any form of Matrix metering. Now, almost all cameras use some form of matrix metering (although called different names).
Not a peep about the F4...one of the most powerful, best selling and longest running pro film body of all time; fastest autofocus, fastest motor drive, the first Nikon to be multiple (6?) microcomputer. Everyone who was anyone used an F4. It was also the last pro body to be controlled by buttons, switches and knobs which many pros preferred. Thanks Tony for the interesting video. (but I would have rather heard about more Nikons than Canons)
Hi
Just to mention that you missed to mentionned two important Nikon cameras of the 70ths. The Nikkormat & the first Nikon electronic camera that I still own with my F2, the Nikkormat EL
regards
Great show!!! Thank you, Chelsea and Tony! I've been watching and learning from you guys for two years and I really appreciate all the enthusiasm and dedication you put into your work. The combination of your humor and knowledge and the way you both present it is perfect. I now own Stunning Digital Photography, Lightroom 5 Book, Photoshop Essentials, Photography Buying Guide and the Beginning Photography Videos. For anyone who has not purchased them, They are a must have and the cost is minimal. Thank you for giving so much for so little.
Thanks for a great video, though I am quite surprised you have not mentioned the Nikon F4 and F4s.
Wow that was a fun history lesson! Learned so much!!!
Isn't it strange though, camera geeks tend to agree on how important good glass is. While at the same time most people are using the lenses on their smartphones to take pictures. These things don't necessarily contradict but it does make you wonder.
Enjoyed the video a lot. Great work guys!
As the saying goes: The best camera is the one that's on you. People tend to carry a smartphone with them everywhere.
cant win motogp on a 50CC scooter.
Sagar, that's the problem. The scooters are winning because 99% of folks could give af about motogp
That's an interesting take, the influence of culture. I wonder what connection there is with that and with the apparent falloff in the interest in history. It's barely taught in many schools anymore. Everything today is "in the moment" then discarded as "worthless" because it's "old". Like your characterization of the role of photos in our cultural memories. It would be fascinating to contemplate where all this is leading us culturally. And photography, as it was practiced historically, is maybe analogous to the canary in the coalmine? Dunno. Fascinating. Thanks for bringing it up!
great history video.....thanks Tony and team
Interesting stuff Tony and Chelsea,I'm always fascinated by the history of technology!
Good work!
Hi Tony & Chelsea. Have you done a review or could you do a review of cloud-based photo storage solutions that photographers can use to a) distribute a full set of photos to selected friends/clients and b) as an online backup/safety net. Square Space seems great for displaying a portfolio but that doesn’t interest me as much as doing the above.
Keep coming out with these! would love to see history of Pentax, Leica, and also maybe one on the post WWII soviet knockoff rangefinders and lenses.
Had the Nikon A1000 in black for Xmas, along with my Samsung S10e and my new Pedco ultrapod II mini tripod, I'm more than happy I can take some great pics. I traded in my Canon and Olympus cameras that were sat in a drawer
I went to Northrup.org on the wayback machine and oh my goodness you have a ton of anonymous admirers! I love the comments about how cute you are posted in the middle of the night.
It really is fascinating though, seeing your old website with all your photos and professional articles.
History of Fujifilm next please, one of the oldest camera and optics manufacture still relevant today and has a strange relationship with Kodak and other companies.I agree that phone can now replace the use of P&S or other types of camera for normal people who just want a usuable photo. The average people only need to take picture of their kids, some pictures of the place they went to as evident and to remember it, or maybe just to share something with someone else and take notes. They no need bokeh, crazy cool portraits, lighting control, speedlight and studio lights, fast shutter speeds, RAW files, interchangeable lens, versatility, manual control, ruggedness (depends), crazy low light control, crazy high dynamic range (hdr probably fine for them), extremely high megapixel count, best in class lens that professional requires and what camera manufacturers supply. Camera phone would probably never catch up (you cant beat physics and science), but it can make proper camera not a necessity anymore for the average person.
With all the convenient ways to take photos nowadays, DSLRs are becoming a specialized tool for those who want better quality images; not to mention the ability to be able to tell the difference. It's like quartz watches will never replace mechanical watches.
Giang Vu
To me, dslr and interchangeable lens camera are not that much on better image quality, but the better bokeh that can be achieve, versatility to use filters (nd, circular polarizing, grad nd), ability to use, sync and control flashes, and most importantly, RAW files and Manual control. It is not that much of quartz and mechanical watches, rather pre-made food vs cooking food yourself.
To tell the truth, I do prefer pre-made food somethings, like how average people prefer using their phone, for convenience.
No mention of the Nikon FE or FM from the late seventies. I bought the FE and lens and MD-11 motor drive for around $750 my senior yr of HS in ‘79. My two best friends bought a Nikon and the Canon AE1. The Canon guy is a pro in Chicago to this day. Great memories. We shot a lot for the school yrbook and school sports. The Nikon EM mentioned, I don’t remember that at all.
I am a Nikon user. I recently purchased a Nikon S2 in great working and physical condition. Came with the 50mm lens. He added a Contax 50mm lens. He sent me a link that I thought described how to adapt it to a Nikon. All I learned is that it is .33mm off. You made a comment about this but stated that this would only affect a telephoto lens. I have not tried to mount it. Do you think it will work on my camera? The Contax lens looks like it belongs in a Jewelry Box. Thanks in advance for any advice on this matter.
i would love a history of zeiss... great video though
Guys, you forgot the Nikon FM (manual only) and FE (auto and manual) released about in 1977. I still use them, great machines.
You made me live again the moment I used for the first time the Nikon EF, the Super Cool ahaha scan 5000 and other stuff when I was a child. Great
Could you guys make a Pentax history video as well?
This one is more entertaining than Canons history. I think it's because of all the side notes to what is happening at the other brand at the same time.
Thank you, great vid.
This is very interesting. I've been a Nikon fan since I chose the Nikon FM as my first 35mm film SLR back in 1980. In the late 1970's I became interested in photography and settled on 35mm as my format of choice. Then I studied all the test reports and reviews of the 35mm SLR's available at the time and the result of my investigation along with my brother in law had a Nikkormat FT2 which I was impressed with; I ended up buying my Nikon FM with Nikkor AI 50mm f/1.8 lens and never regretted my choice. I since picked up a Nikon Ftn Photomic basically because I always wanted one, and it's stature as an iconic camera. Both may not have all the 'bells and whistles' of modern digital cameras but for a pure photographic experience just can't beat the feel and satisfaction of using 'vintage' film SLR's.
You image quality varies. Right this minute, it is excellent.
great series ... my confusion is over the mount and flange distance, opening etc. I had not had a slr. Was the mount used the same as now, F mount? Was it so the existing lenses and new DX lenses as they were develped could be used? I can only imagine that there is no tecnical reason for mount and lens compatibility to exist. A DX system from scratch could have been designed smaller opening, flange distance and lenes to some degree (not a much as mirrorless) which would make view angles, possible bokeh and depth of field similar to FX but at cost of 2 really seperate systems.
Great show guys. Really enjoyed it.
"I don't know what makes Germans great engineers".
Whole Germany is smaller in size than the State of Texas alone. Small countries (incl. Swiss etc.) have limited natural resources and therefore invest heavily and rely on their human capital.
1. In Germany the education is for free (!), so it depends on your mind and interest rather than on your money if you want to have a career in engineering.
2. Companies like Leica see their workers not just as numbers in an assembly line but see them as a valuable asset. All large German enterprises (Bosch, Benz, Siemens) set up their own pension funds and health insurances for their workers.
3. Smaller companies and countries need to work/cooperate on a long term base rather than to insult their partners for a short term profit.
4. Smaller countries and companies do not like to stand in the spotlight but rather prefer to stay in the backroom and work on and improve their product/s. In international politics and business there is something called 'diplomacy', seemingly forgotten in today's political landscape.
5. A President of large country should not promote 'my (x) country first' but actually should learn how to think, work and manage as a president of a small country. Health insurance for everyone e.g. should be a basic human right and not a luxury. Germany's Social Security started in 1889 (!)
I enjoyed your podcast tremendously, keep up your work!
Great explaination!
This is the weirdest commet I ever read.
1. Germany hasn't only a few great engineers way back. Lathe, airbreaks for trains, phones, fountain pens, aircrafts, tanks, automobiles, stean engines, computer, photography, television, synthetic fiber - nothing off 90 % alle inventions nobody want miss today wasn't German inventions.
2. German companies like Leica didn't see workers as number? Gerhard, your name is German, but you are living in Dreamland? Leica produced SLRs soon in Portugal as Leica noted that they can't catch up with Nikon or Canon.
3. Germany is the leader to built walls against innovations in camera design. In the 60s and 70s as Pentax, Nikon, Canon, Yashica, Minolta produced more and more SLRs with built-in exposure-meter and interchangeable lenses German "inventors" settled on leaf-shutter cams with only a fes options of intrerchangeable lenses the frist Leica SLR that hasn't had exposuere metering trough the lens as e.g. Pentax had. Zeiss Ikon cams were built like ever lasting tanks and 10 years after the Nikon F. As result in the mid of the 70s almost all German camera manufactures were dead or struggling.
Picture this: in the 70s and 80s the free educated German workees bought a cheap GDR Pentacon or a high-end Nikon or Canon and watched how they were ditched, coal mines closed, factories outsourced to the Balkans, East Europe and elsewhere.
And so far as I remember, as the the digital age sunrised and digital cams became the future in a developing country named Germany consumers stuck to film cameras and using scanners until one of your German paragons realized: Oops, we missed the new age.
This "Leica rangefinders need to to be adjusted every year" line is wildly innacurate. Never had a problem on any of my old film Leica's.
Hey what do you guys think about the nikkormat?
A fairly interesting video but some Very important models were omitted. Not mentioned were the FM/FM2, FE/FE2, and the FA (with advanced multi-pattern metering) Also the F801/F801S which, along with the F4 convinced many pros to take autofocus seriously.
The audience that this channel has does not care. Basically just re reading a Wikipedia "facts" page anyways.
For a moment I was ready to go through the roof when the the statistics about Canon vs Nikon vs iPhone appeared (you know, because it seemed like comparing apples to oranges); thankfully it was eventually pointed out that someone searching for iPhone is not necessarily a photographer, whereas most people looking for Nikon/Canon most likely are interested in photography. But yes, smartphones are definitely a game changer here.
They also put the Leica brand back on the map, b/c they are lending their name for the camera in Huawei's latest "P9" model.
I still would love to see a smartphone that shoots raw, though. Although, this would require substantially more storage capacity on a smartphone. So maybe that's never going to happen.
Heya, Tim. Lots of smartphones shoot raw. Lightroom Mobile can capture raw images directly from many smartphones.
wish granted :)
Tim Berghoff you talk about the word "photographer" and word "raw" did you meant photoshopper?
"a smartphone that shoots raw" i don't see the use, smartphone are for taking snapshots, they are kiiling the P&S cameras, but even a P&S is leagues above an i-phone, MP counts are not everything, a 16MP camera phone produces way way worse results than a first gen under 1MP - 15 years old DSLR. so get a grip and stop comparing a bow & arrows i-phone camera, with larger sensor automatic rifles and bazookas
The Nikon P900 is literally changing how I see the world, a game changing camera and Im a D7100 and D610 owner.
Thank you. Very interesting, but one omission (in my opinion): the Canon T90. It changed everything in terms of design and ergonomics, AND it was more versatile and more fun to use than anything that came before it. Also, it was so well made that mine works as good as the day I bought it. For my money, it was the best slr ever made. It could also be on display in an art museum. A thing of sheer beauty.
Your segment on the Canon AE-1 completely ignored the Nikon FE and FE2. While the AE-1 may have been a more popular consumer camera, the FE and FE2 and their various permutations were IMO a much higher quality camera and were picked up and used by many professionals as a secondary camera next to their F-series pro cameras.
The Nikon S was copied from the post-WW2 Contax IIa, your picture puts it against the Pre WW2 Conatx II. so it doesn't look as similar.
Hi Tony, I just want to make a request. As one of your geeky videos, can you compare the an APS-C camera with a speed booster to a full frame camera. Considering DoF in relation to the faster aperture and also the impact on noise. Thanks
Thanks so much for this informative history of Nikon! Keep it up! Thanks!
The thing with the format of the frames being 24x32mm isn't a uncommon thing at the time for Japanese cameras. I own a Minolta-35 that was a competitor to the Nikon shown and it uses the same format. Minolta changed the format on this series to 24x34mm in 1953 and only with the last few cameras of this model to 26x36mm. It was done so to fit more frames onto a roll of film; the counter of these cameras doesn't stop at 36 but goes up to 40, but it never really took of because the standard of 24x36mm had been too established to be overthrown by the benefit of having more frames per roll of film.
Bought my first Nikon last year, and while I have had the chance to use a few Canons I cant say I have much experience with them. However, whenever I've meet another photographer who has used Canon for years, they always tell me that I have the camera they would prefer, or that Nikon is much better overall. While I've generally held them with similar regard, I notice many Canon owners see Nikon as a higher quality tool.
is Nikon going the Canon way with the new EED lens versions ?
i mean, as i have heard ( through the reviews for 24-70 mm vr and the new 105 f1.4 macro ), these EED lens focus very fast.
Could this change from GED to EED shift the balance towards future Nikon lenses ??
Fascinating history..Nikon did it right by going all out with the creation of the F. I got me an Ftn Photomic four months ago with Nikon/Nippon Kogaku 50mm/F1.4 lens (pre-AI) and I'm a happy camper..every time I use it I feel like I'm using a piece of history. Not to take anything away from Canon..the F1 is a gem too and they sold gazillions of the AE1.
I especially enjoy these history podcasts!
Would it make sense at this point for Nikon and Canon to merge? Work together to stay competitive against all the other camera companies? They may have to get very creative in their thinking as technology is changing so fast.
I would LOVE that... merge together the best lenses with the best bodies... But, I'd miss the constant competition!
Good observation. Hopefully they won't just sit and wait for the mirrorless to pass as a fad....missing the boat like Kodak seems to have done. Kodak were ahead of the game with digital but then backed off right when they should of stayed on track.
The big 2 seem to have let too much time go by now. People dropping them to go to the Sony system. I don't see those people switching back to the big 2. I shot Nikon for 10 years but gave up waiting for them to get back in the race. When they recently came out with yet more large bulky cameras that are basically the same as before, with slight improvements.....I realized it would be years (if ever) they would see the way the market is now going.
Well its more likely that Canon takes over Nikon. As Nikon is owned by Mitsubishi, its more likely that Mitsu could sell its subsidiary to the larger company. But what is in it for Canon. There are no clear competitive advantages or technological gains by either buying each other. As consumers we are better off with them competing. Makes them bring (slowly I would say) advances and keeps pricing in check.
you must like monopolies.
I feel that there is a growing market that they could get into quite easily and are not taking advantage of it. In the world of FPV racing, there are 2 types of cameras used; the action camera which is for recording your onboard video, and the boardcams which are what you actually use to pilot. Sony have gotten into both of these, and whilst they are failing terribly with the action cameras (mainly because of their form factor, and that's saying a lot because GoPro is as aerodynamic as a brick!!), they are leading the way with the boardcams, which is basically a lens that outputs a video signal to a video transmitter, and no software involved (apart from the firmware which is much easier for them to get around than anything they have on a compact camera).
The main thing about boardcams is that you need a low TVL count if you are going for speed (in racing drones you're in the 80mph range, and racing wings exceed the 100mph mark), as the higher the TVL count, the higher the latency... so to get a good usable image to fly with out of a low TVL count, you need good optics, and I think this is something Nikon could get into.
If they wanted to get into action cams, they could easily strike up a deal with DJI which is selling units faster than they can produce them almost, and make good lightweight aerial footage cameras with good optics for aerial photography, without having to resort to 500+ size hexacopters to lift a DSLR.
I know that if Nikon started making boardcams, I would buy them!!
Very interesting, I really enjoy your history series. Thanks for putting this together.
Eleven years before(1948) the Exacta came with a Reflex system
When talking about the pro segment and the competition between Nikon and Canon, the F1 ist missing
I started with Nikon in 1967 with an F with the 50mm/f1.4 that I bought while in the Philippines. Still have the lens. I was stringing for local newspapers in Atlanta, so when the camera got stolen, I picked up a used 1961 F with a prism finder and a Nikkormat Ft from Wings Camera so I could continue working. When the F2's came out, I traded 2 Leica IIIC's and a chunka change for 2 F2 bodies and one MD1 motor drive. I still have the '61 F plus a collection of other Nikons--20 something total--that still see regular use. My only DSLR is a D90 that sees little use, but a D810 is in my future.Nikons have been very good for me in the last 49 years, both in the studio for 32 years and in the field. My medium format cameras have earned their keep, but having to choose between an F2 with a motor drive or a Hasselblad, the Nikon would win. It can be a camera, a paperweight, a tool or a weapon, if needed. LOL!!And yes, I AM a Nikon-a-holic!Excellent video and quite informative! Thanks for sharing!
Chells, how long have you been giving Timothy lessons he seems to learning a lot. Keep up the good work, chells, and boom operator.
"If something's in focus, your shot's going to be in focus"
Until the mirror falls out of alignment. It's happened to me with a few old SLR's. :(
BTW, 35mm film is called 35mm because that is the width of the film - originally "invented" for mid-size movie cameras. The 35mm has nothing to do with the in-camera picture frame size.
Oskar Barnack at Leitz built the Leica (Lei [tz] ca [mera]) around it and increased the frame from 22mmx14mm (or so, IIRC) to 36mmx24mm - if you have 1930s National Geographic issues, you can find the Leica advertised as "double frame" because of the increased frame size relative to movie format. In the movie camera the film ran vertically, in the Leica horizontally.
And half-frame 35s are the same 3:2 aspect ratio as the old 35mm movie cameras: 24mm x18mm.
Advice for Nikon: Leap ahead in a direction Canon has not envisaged and make your leap profound and game-changing. Suggestions: 1) Offer free or fairly priced unlimited cloud storage for all photos taken. Produce a cardless DSLR that uploads all images automatically anytime there is an Internet connection. Create a quality digital app called “Nikon Photo Stream” to download/view/edit etc. Ensure easy integration with Lightroom. Beat all cloud photo storage competitors in price, quality and service. 2) Improve professional lens range through business-to-business deals, cobranding etc. 3) Add tilt touch screens to all newly produced cameras. 4) Add software theft protection similar to Apple’s “find my phone” that makes any camera that is stolen unusable. 5) Don’t give up on the consumer market - there is plenty of game-changing ideas you could try - work on an electronic contact lens that records everything the eye sees. Create 3D 360 degrees recording and playback capability. Get into the smartphone camera market or create a new market segment in wearables. Basically, don’t give up. Get ahead =)
You're really interesting people because you talk about really interesting topics :) !
Just came across this video; thanks for doing it. You asked about the names: Nikko in Japan and Nikkor in America (if I recall correctly). I don't know either but Nissan auto branding might be illustrative. Nissan was the name in Japan and when they decided to move into the American market it changed to Datsun (such as the wonderful Datsun Z240). I have read that they did so to protect the Nissan name if Datsun failed in the USA. Maybe applicable to Nikon as well.
Bruce McKeown Interesting.
Great video guys! I really enjoyed it.
I love you two! Keep going! *MORE HISTORY VIDS!!!* These have been quite interesting (I've seen all of them now). It's great to see Chelsea's lovely face and hear her sweet voice. You two are a great couple! I love Tony's technical knowledge too!
It would be nice if you could do a series of these on the other manufacturers as well such as Pentax and Fuji, Minolta and others who have contributed to imaging...although I guess that's like saying you have to go back to summer school - ;-)
Very interesting guys!