A Look at Nikon Filters
This article is reprinted by permission of the Nikon Historical Society. Originally printed in the Nikon Journal, issue NHS-62, December 31, 1998, published
by RJR Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 3213, Munster, Indiana 46321 U.S.A. The text was updated in November 1999; again, in March 2000, following the Nikon
Historical Society Convention (NHS CON 7), held March 3 through 5 in Rotterdam, Holland; and again in October 2007.
This photo shows chrome filters and a case on the left and the newer, black filters and case on the right. Although the filters in the foreground have the
Nikkor name, identical filters can be found with the Nikon name.
Not much has been written about Nikon filters. They have been an important part of the Nikon system, but they have been neglected in Nikon literature. Before
the digital revolution, the were an important aspect of photography for improving the image, but they continue to be important in protecting the front lens element.
The older Nikon 500mm f8 telephoto mirror lens requires a 39mm filter to be placed at the rear of the lens for correct light transmission to the film plane. The lens
won't work correctly without a filter. Nearly every photographer owns at least one filter, and older Nikon filters have become very collectable, especially those from
the rangefinder era and those with chrome rims for the early single lens reflex (SLR) Nikon F, made during the early 1960's. This discussion is aimed at Nikon filters
manufactured from the early 1960's through today. Hopefully, this article will elicit more accurate information on Nikon filters from those who know.
THE RIM
Until around 1967, Nikon filters were chrome-plated brass. The inscription on the chrome rim of the earliest filters was in red letters, and later, they were
in black. The 1967 date was provided by a Nikon enthusiast who read this page and said he was in Tokyo in 1967, purchasing Nikon filters. He went to several
camera stores, and each one carried "new stock" filters that were black, and "old stock" filters that were chrome. Until the old stock ran out, filter buyers had
a choice of chrome or black filters.
A war correspondent in the Korean War felt that the enemy was shooting at his chrome Nikon, so he took his camera back to the Nikon factory to have it
painted black. Photojournalists embraced the black body, as did many amateurs, and that may have been one reason Nikon began to change from chrome to
black surfaces on their equipment. As Nikon changed to lenses with more black surfaces, black filters matched them better than chrome filters. The underlying
filter rim remained brass. Changing from plating to painting may have reduced the manufacturing cost of the filters. Today, most Nikon equipment is black.
The brass in Nikon filters is precision-milled to lightly clasp the glass, not grip it tightly. As a result, the glass is a bit loose in the filter ring, preventing
extreme temperatures from causing the change in rim dimension to distort the glass. The small clearance between the glass and the rim allows the metal to expand
and contract without altering the flatness of the glass itself. More than one inexperienced camera shop clerk has thought that filters with loose glass are defective!
THE GLASS
True to Nikon optical engineering, the glass in its filters is extremely well designed and manufactured. The surfaces are very flat, and they are parallel, except,
of course, in special applications such as close-up lenses. How Nikon does this is, of course, a secret. In addition, the glass is coated, just as lens elements are,
to make the light act correctly as it passes through. To what extent the glass is treated with rare earths during the melt is not known. However, it is believed that
Nikon makes all the glass for its filters. Also unknown is if Nikon has experimented with ED (extra-low dispersion) or Noct-type (low light) glass in its filters. One
Nikon lens, the 500mm f8 catadioptric mirror lens, actually requires a filter to be installed to work properly. If a filter is not on the lens, the light will not travel in the
exact path to the film plane.
THE MYSTIQUE
The sharp difference between the beautiful chrome filters and their more recent, painted cousins, has made the earlier ones very collectable. It is not known
how many filters of each diameter Nikon made in chrome, but they are very difficult to find, even though it is probable that several million in the 52mm size alone,
were made.
THE PLASTIC FILTER CASE
Plastic cases from the early 1960's, for 52mm filters, are about 10mm larger in diameter than the filter themselves. They have the "Nippon Kogaku" logo which
was eliminated from Nikon products around 1967, the same year that filter rims were changed from chrome to black. Later cases do not have the "Nippon Kogaku"
logo and are smaller in diameter, making it more difficult to lift the filter out of the case. The best method of removing the filter from a modern case is to tip it and
dump the filter into the other hand. Theoretically, the larger diameter of the older cases makes it easier to lift the filter from the case using one's fingers, but they
would have to be small fingers. The older-style "Nippon Kogaku" plastic filter cases are now very collectable and rarely seen.
THE NOMENCLATURE
One of the biggest mysteries of Nikon filters (and there are many) is what the difference is between filters labeled "Nikon" and those with "Nikkor" on them.
One theory is that the "Nikkor" brand was made solely for EPOI (Eherenreich Photo Optical, Inc.), which was purchased by Nikon in the early 1970's. Another
theory is that Nikon filters were manufactured in the U.S. with aluminum rims and the name "Nikon U.S." on them.
Between 1960 and 1979 the excellent German photographic manufacturer, Zeiss, brought an injunction against Nikon that prevented the sale in Germany of any
camera equipment with the "Nikon" name. Zeiss brought the suit before the German courts because the name "Nikon" was too much like the Zeiss "Ikon" name.
In a major 1960 European photographic show, Nikon was forced to remove every item that bore the "Nikon" name, effectively forcing Nikon from the show.
Similar injunction attempts in other European countries failed in the courts.
In response to the German court decision, Nikon named all products to be sold in Germany "Nikkor." These "Nikkor" items have become very collectable. One
theory as to why identical filters are found with "Nikon" and "Nikkor" names is that those with "Nikkor" were manufactured to satisfy the German mandate.
MORE MYSTIQUE
Perhaps the gurus at Nikon delight in listening to the world-wide suspicions and theories that try to fill the vacuum of information on Nikon products. Perhaps
much of this lore has been lost to time. For certain, the language gap plays a strong role in our lack of information. Oh, but were there a computer program so
intelligent that it could scan Japanese literature and immediately translate it into accurate, readable English!
This is a photo of a Nikon dealer item that displays 52mm filters. In this case, about half of the filters have chrome rims. The others are black-rimmed.
Copyright, Dave Barth, All Rights Reserved.
"Nikon" and "Nikkor" are registered trademarks of The Nikon Camera Company, Tokyo, Japan.
Thanks to Nikon Historical Society president, Bob Rotoloni, for permission to use this article which appeared in the Journal of the Nikon Historical
Society, issue 62, dated December 31, 1998. The NHS website is www.nikonhs.org.