RogerC
Newbie
Nikon - and How the West Was Won
Nikon - and How the West Was Won
Here is a little bit of elaboration on the role of Nikon in the post WW II Japanese photographic. This comes out of the book Tokyo On a Five Day Pass by Horace Bristol. In it the author describes how he and David Douglas Duncan made the switch from German to Japanese equipment, including (obviously) Nikon but also Canon. Quoting from Bristol : "The tests were far from routine, for it was discovered that the Canon, whose popularity with the GI's in Japan had started the acceptance of Japanese cameras in America on the basis of precision products, were manufacturing lenses that were not only the equal of anything developed in either Germany or Japan for the 35mm camera, but in at least one instance, excelling the best produced anywhere! This lens is the f 2 Serenar 85mm medium telephoto, which I consider the most beautiful piece of optical equipment I've ever used.". Further on, when discussing the gear used for the photographs in the book he said: "For lenses, I used......., the f 1.8 Serenar 50mm
(which is free from the flare which spoils the Nikkon (sic) for use wide open)...".
Bristol used LTM bodies, 2 each Leica and Canon, without little comment at all on the bodies which he resolves by stating: "Throughout the pages of this book there has been considerable mention made of the specific lenses used, but little said about the cameras with which the pictures were taken. This is not an oversight; it is merely another tribute to the Japanese photographic and optical industry, for I consider their lenses so superior that emphasis has been placed on them, rather than the camera body.". Thus, from this perspective from one who was there when all this was happening, both Nikon and Canon had major roles in the emergence of the Japanese photographic industry as a dominant world force.
Nikon - and How the West Was Won
Here is a little bit of elaboration on the role of Nikon in the post WW II Japanese photographic. This comes out of the book Tokyo On a Five Day Pass by Horace Bristol. In it the author describes how he and David Douglas Duncan made the switch from German to Japanese equipment, including (obviously) Nikon but also Canon. Quoting from Bristol : "The tests were far from routine, for it was discovered that the Canon, whose popularity with the GI's in Japan had started the acceptance of Japanese cameras in America on the basis of precision products, were manufacturing lenses that were not only the equal of anything developed in either Germany or Japan for the 35mm camera, but in at least one instance, excelling the best produced anywhere! This lens is the f 2 Serenar 85mm medium telephoto, which I consider the most beautiful piece of optical equipment I've ever used.". Further on, when discussing the gear used for the photographs in the book he said: "For lenses, I used......., the f 1.8 Serenar 50mm
(which is free from the flare which spoils the Nikkon (sic) for use wide open)...".
Bristol used LTM bodies, 2 each Leica and Canon, without little comment at all on the bodies which he resolves by stating: "Throughout the pages of this book there has been considerable mention made of the specific lenses used, but little said about the cameras with which the pictures were taken. This is not an oversight; it is merely another tribute to the Japanese photographic and optical industry, for I consider their lenses so superior that emphasis has been placed on them, rather than the camera body.". Thus, from this perspective from one who was there when all this was happening, both Nikon and Canon had major roles in the emergence of the Japanese photographic industry as a dominant world force.