Nikon is a manufacturer of cameras from Japan. Today they make digital cameras, but Nikon has a long analog history.
In 1917, the Nippon Kōgaku Tōkyō K.K. was founded in Japan. In 1948, Nikon's first camera was introduced. Later, the company was renamed Nikon Corporation. The name is derived from Nippon Kōgaku (日本光学) and Zeiss's Ikon brand.
The beginning of the model history of the Japanese company is the Nikon I. The development of the rangefinder camera began in 1946 and was introduced to the public in Japan in 1948. It was not until the beginning of the 1950s that the cameras became better known abroad. Nippon Kogaku was especially known for the high quality of its lenses.
However, the basis for the great dominance in the world of photography was laid by the Nikon F SLR camera in 1959. Due to the great success, the focus was set on SLR cameras from then on. Even today, the developments from that time can be found in modern digital cameras.
Especially in the 90s, besides the professional SLR cameras, a bunch of compact cameras for the APS and 35mm format were built. At the beginning of the 2000s, the focus was gradually shifted from Nikon to digital photography.
