Specials

Picture taken with a Nikon Coolpix 2000 mounted on a Nikon AP-5 Automatic Level

Nikon AP-5 Automatic Level

Apart from the cameras en lenses mentioned in other chapters on this web site Nikon Instruments Inc. (a division of Nikon Corporation) produced and still produces a variety of photographic equipment for scientists, researchers and technicians. Although the Nikon AP-5 Automatic Level isn't made for photographic use the picture above shows the high standard of the Nikon optics used in these instruments. The Nikon AP-5 is an automatic level with an viewing angle of 1°30' which equals a telelens with a focal length of 1700 mm.!! It can be focused down to 75 cm. and is extremely sharp.

To see more pictures made with a Coolpix camera in combination with the Nikon AP-5 see here.

Nikon Multiphot

Nikon Multiphot system

The first special photographic aids were the so called Multiphot series, a bellows based camera with different film backs (from 4 x 5 inch, 120/220, down to 35 mm.).; the Microflex series, which in fact is a series of microscope attachments to accommodate various cameras: 35 mm. SLR- , FX-cameras and even 16 mm. movie cameras. Finally: within the Eclipse microscope series, a few simplified digital rangefinder cameras (based on various Coolpix models), but with high resolutions (up to 12 Mp) and high shutter speeds (up to 1/12,000 sec.) can be ordered.

Nikon Corporations has separate divisions and factories (e.g. Nikon Instruments) where these equipment has been developed and produced. Most of these equipment is marketed via other channels than ordinary Nikon representations and/or regular camera dealers. So don´t ask your local dealer; he probably doesn´t even know the existence of this gear.

Nikon Multiphot

This system of cameras was introduced in the early 1960´s. The cameras look like enlargers, some with bellows, using Macro-Nikkors, like the 2.8/19 mm., 4.5/35 mm., 4.5/65 mm and 6.3/120 mm.

some incredibly sharp Macro-Nikkors

Nikon Microflex

The Microflex system is an attachment and (inter)connection system for making pictures through microscopes etc. Various Nikon FX-cameras can be attached to this system.

Nikon Eclipse

The Nikon Eclipse series is a series of high performance microscopes for which several cameras and lenses were produced. Accessory cameras are the Nikon DS (digital sight)-series: small digital cameras for monochrome or color pictures with resolutions from 2 - 12 Mp. As additional accessories within this system the special Nikon CFI Plan Achromat Series and CFI Plan Fluor Series designed for photomicrography are available. Many special optics with a great variety of magnification and resolution power can be attached. Many lenses are corrected to render limited or very wide ranges of colors - from beyond ultra-violet to (beyond) infrared. As some of these lenses have a thread mount similar to EL-Nikkor enlargement lenses they can be used on ´normal´ Nikon SLR cameras. Of course they are fixfocus lenses with limited possibilities. In you run into one of these lenses it is interesting to see their performance.

For special clients special instruments and photographic equipment were and can be made. From a simple half-frame Nikon FM (for Norwegian police force), via complex camera systems (for NASA or ESA space agencies), nuclear spectroscopy (atomic reactors), surgical research (schools of medicine) and - of course - the world famous Nikon steppers (for the chip industry). The latter renowned for its top class optics. Within the scope of this web site a comprehensive review would be going too far. If you are interested pay a visit to the main web site of Nikon Corporation.