John Bragg
Well-known
Why to this day do Nikkor lenses bolt on the camera opposite to other manufacturers and also why do they focus opposite to the rest ? No biggie, just curious as to the history.
Beemermark
Veteran
The mount was designed by a left handed Nikon engineer.
wes loder
Photographer/Historian
The first Nikons followed the Contax mount which also mounts left to right, or counter-clockwise as viewed from the front. The Tenax II also mounts and focuses in the same direction. Must have been a Zeiss Ikon thing that Nikon followed.
Kai-san
Filmwaster
All old Nikkor lenses can be used on the newest Nikon cameras. If Nikon were to change the mount, there would a lot of disappointed Nikon users. So it's too late now.
Brian Atherton
Well-known
It isn't a "quirk". It's the right way of doing it, like driving on the left. 
Filter Factor
Established
To a right-handed photographer, the Nikon lenses mount and dismount quite naturally. Hold the camera with the left hand and use the left middle finger to depress the mounting button. Use the right hand to remove the lens.
Doing the same with any other manufacturer's system involves using the left thumb to press the mounting button, which is awkward and involves a less-secure grip on the camera.
Doing the same with any other manufacturer's system involves using the left thumb to press the mounting button, which is awkward and involves a less-secure grip on the camera.
Huss
Veteran
It's only backwards if you are north of the equator.
jim_jm
Well-known
The Nikon RF mount also twisted counterclockwise (while facing the camera) and was based on the Contax RF mount from the 1930's. The Nikon F-mount was introduced in 1959, so it pre-dates most other SLR bayonet mounts (except Exakta). The other SLR companies all got it backwards.
View Range
Well-known
In the beginning there was Zeiss and Leitz. You can't inherit both clockwise and counter-clockwise DNA. Canon had already picked Leica DNA. I guess the natural choice for Nikon was to then pick Contax DNA.
Darthfeeble
But you can call me Steve
The real question is how long does it take to get used to it?
Pál_K
Cameras. I has it.
The case for Curta calculators also opens clockwise, closes counterclockwise.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curta
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curta
Attachments
I never gave a second thought to focus directions with any camera, until I read on the internet that it is vitally important!
Huss
Veteran
Complaining about focus direction is funny for TLR users.
John Bragg
Well-known
It doesn't bother me in the least, and I soon adapt when changing between Nikon and Olympus. The only anomaly is when I use a Vivitar lens (of which I have a few) on a Nikon body. Worth the effort though as the Vivitar 135mm f2.8 espescially, is a lot of bang for the buck.
Peter Jennings
Well-known
LTMs screwed on clockwise as that's how screws work (righty-tighty, lefty-loosey), so I would assume that's why the Ms mount (and focus) the same way. Why Zeiss chose a reverse thread for their focus mechanism is an interesting question.
Consider yourself lucky... for many of us that work from muscle memory, it is hard to get used to. For me, Leica focuses the right way!
css9450
Veteran
Pentax are the same as Nikon, aren't they? Someone will correct me if I am wrong.
Pentax K focus direction same as Nikon, yep.
madNbad
Well-known
The 45 GN 2.8 Nikkor, not the 45 2.8 P, focus throw is left to right because it uses a cam to focus instead of a helical. When it was designed in the mid 1960's the engineers needed to link the focus throw with closing the aperture. Nikon has one lens that matches the same direction as Leica.
Sierra Club
Established
As if there are no worse things to worry about like the weird fly-by-wire feel of the AF-S nikkors or even better - lack of hard infinity stop