March 2025, Nikon Kenkyukai 2

March 2025, Nikon Kenkyukai 2

S Mount Nikkor Lenses

These are S-mount Nikkor lenses from the era of Nikon's rangefinder cameras. At first glance, they look like a normal range of lenses. In fact, it is a collection of lenses with special serial numbers. Please look carefully at the serial numbers.

Special Serial Number

Colon Nikkor

If you look closely, you will notice that there is a colon ":" at the end of the serial number. The meaning of this colon can be found in Robert Rotoloni's classic book "The Complete Nikon Rangefinder System". This large book is 528 pages long and contains many photographs. It is a luxurious, heavy hardcover book.

W-NIKKOR · C 3.5cm F3.5

NIKKOR-H · C 5cm F2

The Meaning of Colon

The following explanation is found in Rotoloni's book. I have quoted it here.

Sources at the factory and amongst Japanese collectors have stated that the colon (:) following a serial number denotes a duplicate. However, for years we have tried to find 2 lenses with the same number and one with the colon. Finally this was proven in early 2003 when these 2 lenses came together in the same collection! One is chrome, the other aluminum! It is the chrome lens that has the colon. A wonderful pair of lenses. (Katsuharu Takashima/Japan)

The Complete Nikon Rangefinder System
Robert Rotoloni
Page 263

This page shows a photo of two NIKKOR-S 5cm F1.4 lenses lined up. Their serial numbers are No. 358103: and No. 358103. Both of these lenses are from the collection of Katsuharu Takashima of the Nikon Kenkyukai Tokyo. It is an extremely rare collection of lenses with the same serial number.

NIKKOR-S · C 5cm F1.4

NIKKOR-Q · C 13.5cm F3.5

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Shortcuts

Chapter 0      Top Page
Chapter 1      Zunow and Nikkor
Chapter 2      Colon Nikkor Lenses
Chapter 3      My Nikon Z Camera Today
Chapter 4      Historical Binoculars

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