Ultra Micro Nikkor Grand History

Introduction

Before I start to talk about the Ultra-Micro-Nikkor details, I want you to show the history of lenses.
If I put the picture of those lenses in order, it is meaningless. The important is the background of the history.
We can find something visible by exploring the background in development of lenses.

Let's find out the Buried History

The information about the Ultra-Micro-Nikkor lenses is very limited.
If you have any information, data, or books about those lenses, please let me know.
After starting this website at the end of October 2001, I had some information which were unknown data until now offered from readers.
Also, The Nikon Corp. picks up my website, so I can see the less known engineer's pride and spirit and so on.
However, there is more data which I can not find in the past history.
It is not late even from now.
But it is almost deadline.
If you are the engineer to develop those lenses, please contact me. If you have any glass sample or blueprint, please let me know.
I'll update my website when I receive any related information.

Nikon F and Ultra-Micro-Nikkor 55mm F2, Summer Field Light

The Beginning

I think the most readers of this website are interested in camera and Nikkor lenses.
Moreover, I guess the readers have some antique cameras, because they are interested in Leica or Zeiss also.
Range finder Nikon is attention getting camera because of antique, historic, or for speculative operation in goods.
Well, how the people think is free, so the people till want to those range finder cameras are very good.
The Nikkor lenses for range finder camera are very expensive which are like an antique now.

Dawn of a Micro Photograph System

The appearance of the Micro Nikkor 5cm F3.5 was in October, 1956.
It was designed for 35mm micro film system. This lens's designer was Mr. Zenji Wakimoto. He was called the expert of a lens design.
Although 1950s was the time which was using the microfilm camera imported from the United States, it had a serious problem for resolution to read the Japanese characters.
As we know, Japanese "Kanji" characters are more complicated than alphabet.
It is easily understandable the Japanese lens needs more resolution than alphabet lens.

But, what is micro film system?
Micro film system was used to save the documents. Before the personal computer was come out, printing processing was analog method.
When the company saved the document, it was bulky if it was still paper.
Therefore, all documents were taken a picture and saved in the small photograph.
Of course, to save into the micro film, each company orders that to professional people.
And that size was not only one size also there were many formats such as postcard size, small window opened, and so on.

For all problems, the Nippon Kogaku made the lenses which ware called Micro Nikkor 5cm F3.5 to demand the high resolution to produces the microfilm photography in Japan.
Although other camera company named MACRO for macro lenses, this is the reason only Nikon named macro lens "MICRO".

The Requirement Exceeded the Limit

In the early 1960s in Tokyo, Outemachi.
Japanese electric-appliance makers and famous printing presses had the inquiry to Nippon Kogaku the Micro Nikkor.
Nippon Kogaku didn't understand why they call about this lens at this time.
Many companies needed the high resolution lens which can make the circuit photograph (photograph mask) to make a silicone transistor circuits.
The normal lens which was commonly used at many printing presses had not enough resolution to make those circuit photographs.
Later, Nippon Kogaku understood their requirement, so they began to tackle the high resolution lens only for photograph mask manufactures.
The requirement of specifications was the high resolution exceeding the limit of a conventional optical lens.

Accomplished Extreme High Resolution Lens: 105mm F2.8

August 1962.
It was hot and very humid day in Japan.
Mr. Kenichi Horie succeeded in single-handed Pacific Ocean sailing crossing by small yacht. He was the first person in the world.
It was greatly reported to the Japanese newspaper. Many shopping malls had exhibition about his adventure. I took some pictures with the Mr. Kenichi Horie's yacht "MERMAID"at this exhibition. I build a plastic model of "MERMAID" also.

Anyway, development of this high resolution lens was so difficult, because no one has ever made.
The challenge to the unprecedented success.
The passion to high resolution lens. Examination and the selection of optical glass material. The glass dissolution required the artisan skill. It required special precision for lens polish. Final step, create the lens curved surface, was not able to do by machine.
Hand to hand, Nippon Kogaku technicians did ceaseless quest for extreme well made. Is this craftsman work or a superhuman feat?
The optical performance was measured with the precision measuring machine (this was also developed this time).
Engineer continued the delicate adjustment. Finally the accepted certificate was signed with ink. It was stored the heavy wooden box of varnish coating with velvet interior.
The development of extreme high resolution lens 105mm F2.8 was completed.
The extreme high resolution lens was named Ultra-Micro-Nikkor. It was very hot and humid day in Japan.

It was Tokyo Olympic game in 1964 that the word "Ultra" got used to Japanese people.
By the gymnastics, super difficulty play was called "Ultra C". Onto the TV news, broadcaster called and called again to Japanese athletes gold medal with "Ultra".
The TV program called "Ultra Q" broadcasted too. Those days, many kids watched the TV Program "Ultra Man".
The sense of the engineer, who named Ultra-Micro-Nikkor, was wonderful.
Difficulties in a development this lens ware unknown from the related reference from Nikon.
It was not appeared.
I highly recommend to Nikon Corp. to leave this development story.
If Ultra-Micro-Nikkor did not exist, it is not too much to say we can not see those days computer development.

Ultra-Micro-Nikkor 50mm F1.8h, Lives in a Forest

Dr. Oana and Nippon Kogaku

In Japan, there is a scientist who led Nippon Kougaku by the specifications of requirement beyond other company's lens specifications.
His name is Doctor Jun Oana.
Dr. Oana was a science professor of University of Tokyo. If you are familiar with darkroom development, you know Dr. Oana's name even if you don't know who he is, He is the person who invent the Oana style magnifying glass.
It is earlier to explain to call; he is the first doctor of the "Asahi Camera", Japanese shutterbug magazine. This is more familiar.

Dr. Oana demanded the lens which has over 1,000 lines/mm resolution as for the super-micro photographs to Nippon Kougaku.
So Nippon Kougaku tries to make the super high resolution lens, which is based on the 40X object lens (may be the APO PLAN base) of a microscope.
The Nippon Kougaku developed this lens as standard magnification is 1/25X under e-line monochromatic lighting (wavelength 546.1 milli-micron).
This lens was the first lens which has multi coating.
Even they are working an active part as the basis of industry; engineer and industrial machine's name can not be popular.
Under such circumstances, the time is coming to introduce those lenses.

Lady Chatterley's Lover

November, 1964.
Even Tokyo Olympic game was over, many people were still in the dream.
Finally, a legendary high-end lens, Ultra-Micro-Nikkor development of 29.5mm F1.2 lens was successfully done.
The MONSTER LENS which has 1,260 lines/mm resolution was appeared.
This lens has nine elements in six groups. Distortion is -1.3%. It weighs only 800g.
Dr. Oana did the reduction copy of all the English novel pages into a small postage stamp size using this lens. It is not several pages. It has 330 pages in the text. This was stored for 12.5mm square.
Furthermore, he enlarge from this small size pictures to the original size by using the same lens. Dr.Oana enjoyed this lens well.

The book he try to make it small was "Lady Chatterley's Lover".
He has the humor sense, because if he choose Shakespeare, the story is not exciting.
He made this minimum and reads under a microscope.
This is the great hobby isn't it?

Fluorite Legend, Ultra-Micro-Nikkor 29.5mm F1.2

This lens is well known to the lens enthusiast by using fluorite.
Since it is that time, it is considered not using an artificial fluorite but using natural fluorite. Which means to make this lens was very difficult, because of to find natural fluorite. I have no idea Nippon Kogaku collect then all over the world or not.
Today, the manufacture technology of making artificial fluorite is established.
However, can you imagine how it was difficult to find the all natural, not artificial fluorite?

The Day When the Lens Was Awarded

According to the record, Ultra-Micro-Nikkor 29.5mm F1.2 was elected as the major 1964 ten new product prize of Nikkan-Kogyo-Shinbun (Nikkan Industrial newspaper) selection.
Moreover, the Minister of Science and Technology Agency is awarded to this lens's development person in April, 1965.
I'm so glad to hear about that happy news, because as I told before, in the most case, the engineer's life ends in obscurity.
I also want to say "It's very good! I understand your great work." to the person who did dissolved glass, ground the lens, finished the highest accuracy, did product inspection, and other all related people.

The designer, Zenji Wakimoto has obtained Medal with Purple Ribbon (the person who left big work to invention, improvement, and creation the scientific object) from Emperor in spring of 1983.
I sincerely feel sorry to hear about the loss of Mr. Wakimoto in the fifth of October 1996.

Timeline of the Ultra-Micro Nikkor

From the company history "The History of the Nikon Seventy-Five Years, And the Collection of Data", I focus on to the Ultra-Micro-Nikkor lenses.
Of course, this book doesn't have all products. It seems that the most popular product is listed.
It makes sense to check for the age whether the lens was named "Ultra-Micro-Nikkor" and appearing into the world. In addition, this book can not be re-issued. So to find this book was so hard.
Even I found some typo, I just copy and paste , because I want to show you the originals.
For example, you will be surprised if you find "300mm F1.4" lens won't you.
However, this is not typo. This is not miss spell.
This is the truth. This lens was really exist in our world.

Ultra-Micro-Nikkor Making History (Source : Nikon 75 years, 1993) 1962 105mm F2.8 1964 29.5mm F1.2 1965 28mm F1.8 55mm F2 125mm F2.8 135mm F4 1967 28mm F1.8h 55mm F2h 1969 30mm F1.2h 50mm F1.8e 300mm F1.4g 50mm F1.8h 225mm F1.0g 1970 165mm F4

Nikkor Lens in the Wooden Box

As you know, usually, the all factory used lens is sold with the paper box.
Of course the rear cap doesn't come with this lens. If it has it, it's like a just temporary plastic.
However, Ultra-Micro-Nikkor is sold in the wooden box. Rear cap is solid metal shaved, very well made cap.
If you want to buy the Ultra-micro Nikkor lens, I highly recommend to buy with this wooded box. The inside of box has cloth tension of red velvet color. Again, you never saw this royal splendor.

Scenery and Light of Japan, Ojizoh-San in Spring Sunshine

If we see this lens in Japan, it looks so great.
The extreme high resolution lens, Ultra-Micro-Nikkor, is Japan made.
This picture was taken with "Ojizoh-San" in the spring sunlight.
The Ojizoh-San is a guardian deity of children. He has a very strong stone body. He is always wearing a red bib.
Nikon F2 Titan camera is not wearing a red bib and she is wearing the Ultra-Micro-Nikkor 28mm F1.8 early model.
This lens has power which cures people's tired heart.

Ultra-Micro-Nikkor 28mm F1.8 early model