EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6
EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6

EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6

The Largest Lens in EL Nikkor
Huge but Beautiful
Photosynthetic Spectrum

EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6
Nikon Photoengraving Lens

The Largest Lens in EL Nikkor Lenses

Exhibition Corner for Large Lenses

When I say that my hobby is a camera, I was often asked, "What kind of photos do you take?" I ansered "I'm taking a picture of the LENS", they all said "What---? I don't understand!%&*#."
Big EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6 lens looks good in the deep autumn.

EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6 Photoengraving Lens

The Largest Lens in EL Nikkor
EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6

The Big Lens Came to My Home

The big lens came to my home in February 2005. I put an old Nikon F2 camera for size comparison. This lens is quite big.

The Big Lens Came to My Home

Furoshiki is Traditional Japanese Wrapping Cloth

I took the big EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6 lens and joined the Nikon Kenkyukaki Tokyo meeting in September 2006. Furoshiki cloth is useful when carrying large lenses.

EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6

Size Comparison

Specifications

EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6

Focal length :  360 mm
Max. aperture :  f/5.6
Min. aperture :  f/45
Lens construction :  6 elements in 4 groups
Standard magnification :  2X
Range of magnification ratio :  1X - 4X
Picture angle :  52°
Correction wavelength range :  380 nm - 700 nm
Vignetting :  0% at f/8
Distortion :  -0.024%
Image size :  500mm⌀
Subject size :  300x400mm (11x14in.)
Filter size :  d=120 mm p=1 mm
Rear mount :  d=130 mm p=1.5 mm
Front mount :  d=130 mm p=1.5 mm
Lens adapter plate o.d. :  d=165mm
Length :  119mm
Diameter :  143mm
Weight :  2,700 g
Actual weight :  2,582 g

Release date :  July 1972
Price :
  198,000 Japanese YEN (1973)
  231,000 Japanese YEN (1974)
  231,000 Japanese YEN (1976)
  231,000 Japanese YEN (1977)
  231,000 Japanese YEN (1980)
  265,700 Japanese YEN (1981)
  265,700 Japanese YEN (1982)
  265,700 Japanese YEN (1987)
  265,700 Japanese YEN (1988)
  265,700 Japanese YEN (1989)
  265,700 Japanese YEN (1991)

EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6 Lens Construction

Lens New in Box

The EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6 lens is stored in a very simple and luxurious box.

EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6 New in Box with Accessories

Compare size with EL Nikkor 63mm F3.5

EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6

Signed by Mr. Takeshi SAGAWA

This is the famous SAGAWA card. The card is signed by Mr. Tsuyoshi SAGAWA (1921-1999) , a chief inspector of Nippon Kogaku. I guess from the serial number of EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6 lens, the lens was manufactured in 1972 or 1973, so I think Sagawa-san was 51 or 52 years old at that time.

The Back Side of the Inspection Card

An Ornamental Lens

I want to take a picture with this big lens. It's a waste to use it on a mirrorless camera with a 35mm film format, which is extremely small even though it is full size. To take advantage of the large image circle, I would like to mount it on a super-large 11x14 inch camera. However, I don't have a super large camera. So, I decided to keep it as an ornamental lens for a while and live with her.

The lens was placed under the trees

Living with a Lens

Impressionist Light and Color
EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6

New Vintage Lens

The EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6 was marketed in July 1972. It is now a fine old and vintage classic lens half a century ago.

Prestigious Lens Style

The words in the 1970s old brochure are hot.

EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6

Like the 240mm and 300mm lenses, this lens is designed for magnifying color separation from large images (11x14 inch format). The design standard magnification is specified as expansion (2x), it is highspeed as F5.6, and chromatic aberration and distortion are particularly perfectly corrected. This lens provides you with the best performance as a magnifying color separation lens. The aperture has a 1/3 step scale without the click stop.

From the EL-NIKKOR brochure published in 1973
(8201-03 KJC 309-10/1)

The World Reflected in the Glass

The Lens is a Work of Art

Collector's Note

Serial No. 700032

I investigated the lens serial numbers of the EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6 listed in the EL Nikkor brochure Japanese version. In the 1973 brochure, a lens with serial number No. 700193 is published. In the 1978 brochure, a lens with serial number No. 700171 is published.

The English brochure (Code No. 8212-02 KEC 803-150 / 1) lists lens with serial number No. 700230. Similarly, in the English brochure (January 1985, Code No. 8C8-50-E01) lists lens with serial number No. 700267. In the information on the net, the image of the lens with serial number No. 700290 is introduced in the December 2017 post on the Nikon Gear site.

Nippon Kogaku Tokyo

LENS MADE IN JAPAN

Narrative Poetry

With a noble and dangerous lens you can get poetry and dreams.

Brilliant and Beautiful Lens

Grand Beautiful Lens

No. 700011

I would like to introduce to you the wonderful images received from Mr. Martin Moravcik of Slovakia. Of course, the special numbered lens is Martin-san's great collection.

EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6 No. 700011
Photo: Copyright (c) 2020, Martin Moravcik, All Rights Reserved.

Yes, this is EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6 No. 700011. Serial number 700011 is probably the first product on the market. There is no doubt that it is the earliest model manufactured in 1972.

Gorgeous Black Painted Lens Barrel
Photo: Copyright (c) 2020, Martin Moravcik, All Rights Reserved.

Beautiful Lens Coating
Photo: Copyright (c) 2020, Martin Moravcik, All Rights Reserved.

EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6 No. 700011
Photo: Copyright (c) 2020, Martin Moravcik, All Rights Reserved.

Heavy Rear Lens Element
Photo: Copyright (c) 2020, Martin Moravcik, All Rights Reserved.

EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6 No. 700011
Photo: Copyright (c) 2020, Martin Moravcik, All Rights Reserved.

Lens of the Imperial Battleship YAMATO

In the history of EL Nikkor lenses, EL Nikkor changed dramatically in 1979. According to the Nikon brochure, the EL Nikkor 50mm F2.8N appeared on June 21st, 1979. It became a newly designed lens and the material of the lens barrel was also renewed. Their exterior design has become simple and has a modern taste.

To give an overview, for 35mm to medium format lens added an N letter at the end, and the material of the lens barrel exterior was changed from metal to plastic. The aperture value of the lens is illuminated by the enlarger lamp. The large format lens has an A letter added to the end, and the lens barrel is made of light metal. These are like old heavyweight battleships migrating to modern Aegis ships.

The Last Heavy Metal Dreadnought Lens
EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6

The 1980s were the golden age of film cameras. Even so, only the EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6 was not renewed. She was quietly standing in her old clothes without making noise. This is the scene where old battleship Yamato is anchored at a base where many state-of-the-art Aegis ships are lined up.

Finally, the EL Nikkor 360mm F5.6 lens was discontinued after 1 July 1991.

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Copyright Michio Akiyama, Tokyo Japan 2020, 2024