Ultra Micro Nikkor Technology

Endless Evolution - From Micro to Super Micro photography

As I wrote briefly in the chapter Grand History, the Nippon Kougaku's purpose to make the Ultra-Micro-Nikkor 105mm F2.8 was making the evaporation mask for frequency transistors.
Once Nippon Kougaku finished this project, they developed more detailed photomask manufactures that is super micro photographs. A line width of those days was 1 - 3 micrometers.
I want to summarize the technology of Ultra-Micro-Nikkor briefly.

Aperture and Resolution of Lens

What is the common knowledge for shutterbugs? Yes, we know the answer.
If we stop down the aperture, the image will become sharp. This is the standard.
Therefore, we might think when we can make the high resolution lens even we sacrifice aperture.
However, it is not accepted at this lens requirement.
If you stop down the high resolution lens aperture, the resolution will be significantly reduced.
In addition, the high resolution lens needs to be fast aperture.

As you can see the following lens equation, the only few lens of excellent less optical aberration can make the photographic subject with the wavelength of L mm.
The Fe means available F (aperture) number of the lens.
The resolution of center of the lens can be defined by using following equation.

Resolution = 1 / 1.22 L Fe (lines/mm)

If object is at infinity, Fe and F are agree, however if object is at close range and the case of M-power magnification, it becomes the following formula.

Fe = F (1+M)

The Relationship between Wavelength of Light and Resolving Power (lines/mm)

As I described previous chapter, we can calculate the availability of F (aperture) number.
You probably understand when we need the high resolution, we need the fast lens.
In addition, if the lens has same F number, the lens gets more resolution when the wavelength of light is shorter.

Note: The following numbers in column show resolution (lines/mm)

It is not only an advantage although we can see shorter wavelength can make high resolution.
The high resolution film development by using color chemical processing had a fault which shorter wavelength was grainy.
The shorter wavelength blurs the images.

Therefore, the engineer thought it was possible to use photo resist (photosensitive resin).
At the Nikon catalog, you can see the two versions of Ultra-Micro-Nikkor.
One of them is for g-lines, and another is for e-lines.
So you have to understand the difference of those issues when you see the Ultra-Micro-Nikkor catalog.

Varieties

The following list are made in year 1971 which Nippon Kogaku defines clearly e-line and g-line.
For a personal hobby, I recommend to own the Ultra-Micro-Nikkor for e-line, because of the color develop chemical.
If you want to use those lenses for your SLR camera, I recommend e-line series.

Resolving Power of Ultra-Micro-Nikkor for e-line

Super High End Lens Ultra-Micro-Nikkor

Ultra-Micro-Nikkor lens has the characteristic near an ideal lens. It is not necessary to know the numerical characteristic. Ultra-Micro-Nikkor was once a famous super star, great renown is important, However those survided old lens needs something fun to live.
Ultra-Micro-Nikkor worked very hard in the industry. We have to say "much appreciated" to those lenses.
As we know, Japanese samurai sword was made to kill somebody. However, in those days, the role does not exist now. It just exist as an art. We can feel the Japanese splits from those swords.

Also, Ultra-Micro-Nikkor can say the same thing.
No one sets this lens to old printing machine again. It is better to use this lens in the Japanese four seasons.
This lens may have a healing power.

The real thing live beyond the years of life on the earth.
This picture as shown is Ultra-Micro-Nikkor 55mm F2. Even it has over 500 lines/mm resolution, the overview is so cute.
The picture was taken at the rice-producing region in early summer.
The Ultra-Micro-Nikkor lens multi coat comes out the grove of the village shrire in Japan.