Tokyo Meeting Program

Germanium Nikkor

Michio Akiyama, industrial Nikkor lens specialist, put the strange lens on the collection table.
It was a germanium Nikkor lens.
This special Nikkor 27mm F1.2 was developed for Nikon Thermal Vision LAIRD 3.
It is possible to take a picture of the image of the area of infrared rays with this lens.

Special Nikkor 27mm F1.2 for Nikon Thermal Vision LAIRD 3

Michio Akiyama explained the specification as follows.

The use detector of the camera is 410,000-pixel PtSi Schottky type ID CCD.
The detection wavelength is 5 micro meter from 3 micro meter.
The range of the observation temperature is 2000 degrees from the minus 20 degrees. Product in 1996.

Nikkor 45mm F1.2, 100mm F.12 and 27mm F1.2 Lenses

Very Vintage Nikkor 27mm F1.2 for Nikon Thermal Vision

Ryu's Press Lecture

Mr. Ryu Koakimoto, a professional photojournalist, introduced some interesting old newsreel and movie to us.
Koakimoto have talked about newsreel and movie of the world earthquake.

Ryu Koakimoto who explains movie concerning earthquake

The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton
Nikon Black Lenses and Canon White Lenses Show

Ryu Koakimoto and his Speed Graphic 4x5

Photojournalists in age of the Showa era in Japan

Ryu Koakimoto and his Speed Graphic 4x5 in 1957

Photojournalists in age of the Showa era in Japan (1954)
Only Hiroshi Nakayama of the Mainichi newspaper had electronic flash unit

Massive Air Shipment of SONY TR-63 Pocketable Radios (1957)

Please look at wonderful historical photograph.
This wonderful commercial photograph was taken by Ryu Koakimoto in 1957.
This photograph has the story.
Please browse website of the Sony History TIME CAPSULE vol.7.
Ryu Koakimoto, speed graphic press camera, flash gun, Haneda airport, nice people, a 1950s uniformed JAL stewardess, over 50 years have passed dreamlike.

Nikon Machine Tools

Akihiko Suzuki, Nikon F specialist, introduced Nikon machine tools to us.
Nikon thickness gauge, display unit for the thickness gauge, thin metallic plate for screen adjustment of Nikon F and Nikon centering microscope for milling machine are on the collection table.

Akihiko Suzuki who explains Nikon Machine tools

Nikon Thickness Gauge (instrument) 1/1000mm Available

Display of Nikon Thickness Gauge (You can see 9/100mm)

Thin Metallic Plate for Screen Adjustment of Nikon F

Nikon Centering Microscope for Milling Machine

Fujii Bros.'s VICTOR Monocular

Neko-san, old Nikon items specialist, introduced very beautiful vintage small optical gems to us. There were old monoculars in his hand.

Neko-san who explains Fujii Bros.'s VICTOR Monocular

Very Beautiful Vintage Small Optical Gems

Left: Orion Monocular, Right: Fujii Bros.'s VICTOR Monocular

Nice Nikko Orion Monocular

Very Cute Fujii Bros.'s VICTOR No.6 X6 Monocular

Research on Restoration of Big Binocular Telescope

Well, the program rushes into the further super-deep world.
I would like to introduce Shigeki Terada's report as follows.

Shoyu ... It is the very fundamental seasoning for Japanese and it is their major part of "taste of Mom's cooking".
Regionally, there are many variations of it's taste.
The taste of Kyushu region (southern part of Japan) is sweeter than usual one, suitable for the "Sashimi" of southern seafoods or pork cookings (Kyushu specialty).
Choko Shoyu K. K. is a major shoyu house of Nagasaki Pref. Kyushu.
Established by the name of "Nagasaki shoyu and miso brewery union" in 1941 at Nagasaki City.
This report is described about the binocular telescope they are keeping for about 70 years.

Shigeki Terada, Nikon Kenkyukai's Telescope/Binocular researcher, found a report about this binocular in a website.
This Japanese article described that very old big binoculars were at the Choko Shoyu factory.
Terada requested the lending of the binoculars to the Choko Shoyu headquarters.
Terada's purpose is a research of the old vintage binoculars and a complete full restoration.
Kindly they accepted this proposal, and they sent this precious specimen to Tokyo.
Terada took this to pieces completely, cleaned and repainted over 6 months.
Now, this is the rare chance of study of the dismantled historical big binocular telescope!

Shigeki Terada who begins explanation for members

Completely Dismantled Binocular Telescope

Nikko Made Fork Mounting (Re-painted)

After peel out its old paint, name plate is found.
This is "Enomoto kogaku seiki seisakusho" (Enomoto Optical Instruments Works) 15X4 10cm 70degree high view angle binocular telescope, product No.2011.
May be produced in 1939.
Enomoto Kogaku is established 1934, now merged with Fuji film (Fujinon).
But, strangely, the fork mount is made by Nikon, product No.3925.

Original Production Plate (Enomoto Kogaku)

Enomoto Plate and Nikko Mounting

Parts of the Objective Cell Unit

From the Left, Objective cell mounting ring screw, Eccentric ring, Objective lens in the eccentric objective cell, Pull-out type hood, Objective part dressed tube.

Parts of the Eyepiece Unit

Main tube, Pupil distance adjuster cover, 70deg. roof prism case, Pupil distance adjuster bearing ring, Rhomboid prism case, Eyepiece case, Eyepiece.

Eye Lens of Eyepiece and Diopter Adjusting Unit

Eye lens of eyepiece, Diopter adjusting ring, Rubber eyecup holder. Eyepiece type is 60deg. wide type invented by Mr. Kakuya Sunayama former Senior Manager of Optical design Div. of Nippon Kogaku.

Beautiful Roof Prism and Rhomboid Prism

Luxurious big 70deg. Roof prism and Rhomboid prism there are writing of product No. and L/R sign with pencil.

Now, Terada is explaining about his work

I want to put some comment about paint analysis for this.
Original paint color was IJA (The Imperial Japanese Army) gray same to the Nikko binocular telescope Mr. Hayashi brought today.
Which still remained on eyepiece case behind diopter adjusting ring.
And there are little residue of same colored fake leather painting (including cork powder) on main tube and prism cases.
But re-painted with spray gun carefully soon after it produced with IJA brownish-deep green color. This modification is recalled this binocular is applied not for on the vessel but for on the ground.

In WWII era, there were many antiaircraft gun base around Nagasaki city area.
This binocular may be set on such base.
Or, because shoyu and miso were controlled materials during the war, this binocular may guarded the factory of Choko Shoyu.
But, if it was, those base and factory was in the 2km area from Ground-Zero, The damage of A-bomb may have been unavoidable.
However, there are nothing about such damage on this. Is it miracle?
As a mark of respect this matter, this time, the color of re-painting was done by carefully adjusted color and gross of original IJA brownish-deep green color remained on the objective part dressed tube covered the outer hood.
After this restoration is over, re-introduction will be held on Nikon Kenkyukai again.
This binocular surely show us the super clear image same as that former days.

All Parts of the Big Nikko Binocular Telescope

Big Vintage Nikko that Revives in Great Britain

I would like to introduce Mr. Yukikazu Hayashi to you.
Yukikazu Hayashi, old big vintage binocular collector, lived in Britain long for his business.
When residing in Britain, he collected a lot of binoculars from the world.
He is enjoying the living with binoculars because he lives in Japan now.
Hayashi explains the following.

Yukikazu Hayashi and Nikon Kenkyukai

Yukikazu Hayashi who explains very old vintage binoculars

Carl Zeiss Jena D.R.P. Feldstecher Vergr.=12 C.1897

The feature is to be engraved the capital letter for the prism cover with a beautiful curve type with the product of several years after the prism binocular is manufactured (C.1893-4) by Carl Zeiss Jena.

Carl Zeiss Jena 6x24 TELEX C.1922

It seems one of the models that became the origin of present Porro prism type binoculars.

Carl Zeiss Jena 8x24 DELTURIS FOV:8.75�‹C.1925

Erfle eyepieces that Dr. Heinrich Erfle of Zeiss developed is adopted and wide angle view is obtained.

Hayashi shows us very famous Japanese painting 'Battle ship Mikasa'

Yukikazu Hayashi shows us very famous Japanese painting 'Battle ship Mikasa'.
Admiral Togo Heihachiro on the bridge of the Battleship Mikasa.
A measurement officer Cadet Lieutenant Hasegawa Kiyoshi has Barr & Stroud rangefinder!!

Barr & Stroud RANGEFINDER FT27 80cm C.1918

The rangefinder of Barr and Stroud was installed in the bridge in battleship Mikasa that had won Baltic Fleet by Battle of Tsushima (C.1905).
It repaired in Nikon afterwards, and it exists in an intimate relation with still Japan that exceeded 100 years in an optical technological field of Barr and Stroud (present Thales).
It is a same type installed with WWI also by the vessel of UK Royal Navy though the photograph is a product after ten-odd years.

Nikko 15x105 WWII binoculars (with 60 degree inclined eyepieces)

The product used for empire naval forces vessel to watch aircrafts under observation.
The crack enters around the right mount axis of the main casting body, and then it has separated.
It was fortunately succeeded in the restoration by the hand of Mr. Antony L. Kay, OptRep that has being worked on the repair of binoculars with over 50 years in the United Kingdom, and it finally revived.
Refer to the material of the Tokyo meeting for a technical analysis of the binoculars in October, 2010 when Mr. Shigeki Terada is doing the research report.

Big Nikko as Beautiful as Goddess

There is a sense of existence in stately dignified and oxidized silver.
It is likely to have concentrated on the technology that raised the performance until the detective device such as radar spread because it was thought that the performance of binoculars had greatly influenced the battle.

Yukikazu Hayashi who explains about big vintage Nikko

Mr. Antony L. Kay is a world famous repair engineer of vintage big binoculars.
The following gentlemen is Tony-san. I took this photograph in Britain.
Tony-san is not only a specialist of the binoculars repair but also a writer of the book on the technical research.
The two volumes are called 'Turbojet' by Antony L. Kay, published by Crowood Publications, being the early world-wide history of the turbojet. Volume 2 has a section on the Japanese history.
Other of his books are called 'German Jet Engine and Gas Turbine Development -1930/45', 'Junkers' and 'German Aircraft of the Second World War'.

Mr. Antony L. Kay and his very excellent work

Shigeki Terada who researches old vintage Nikko

Beautiful old Nikko restored by Mr. Tony Kay

Most Super Deep members in Japan

Super Deep Tokyo Meeting is Over

It started from the report of the Germanium Nikkor lens. Ryu Koakimoto and his Speed Graphic 4x5 way, Nikon machine tools, Fujii Bros.'s VICTOR Monocular, Terada and his Choko Shoyu big binocular story and Hayashi's big Nikko dream.

The super deep Tokyo meeting is over.
We were all satisfied with this program.

Ryu Koakimoto and his Speed Graphic on work

Super Deep Tokyo Meeting

Special thank you to;
Choko Shoyu K. K.
Mr. Antony L. Kay, Technical director of OptRep