Nikon Nikkorex 35 camera
The Nikkorex 35 is a single lens reflex with a fixed prism finder, a fixed 50mm f2.5 lens, and a selenium light meter. It was introduced in 1960 as a lower cost
alternative to the Nikon F which came out in 1959. The shutter is a Citizen MVL diaphragm type with speeds 1 to 1/500 second and B. The filter thread diameter
is 40.5mm. The camera does not have an instant return mirror. It has a self-timer. Production ended in 1962.
Nikon Nikkorex 35-2 camera
The Nikon Nikkorex 35-2 is an upgraded version of the Nikkorex 35. The primary difference between the two cameras is that the 35-2 has a Seikosha SLV shutter
with the same characteristics as the Citizen MVL shutter used in the Nikkorex 35. The change in shutters was an attempt to solve problems with the leaf-type
shutters. This shutter was little better, and when the failure rate reached a certain threshold, Nikon resorted to replacing the leaf-shutter cameras that were still
under warranty with the excellent and very durable Nikkorex F. (See Nikon myths). The production
run of the Nikkorex 35-2 was from 1962 to 1964.
Nikon Nikkorex Zoom 35 camera - the world's first SLR zoom!
The Nikon Nikkorex Zoom 35 is reportedly the world's first production single lens reflex camera with a zoom lens. It was manufactured in 1963. The lens is a
fixed 43-86mm f3.5 two-touch zoom with a 52mm filter thread. The body is identical to that of the Nikkorex 35-2. It does not have an instant return mirror. It does
have a self-timer and a selenium light meter. The shutter, a Seikosha SLV diaphragm type, has speeds of 1 to 1/500 seconds and B. The Zoom 35 was
discontinued in 1965. The body was made by Mamiya, and the lens was manufactured by Nikon. This lens design was used to manufacture a removable
lens for the Nikon F.
Two lens variants for the Nikkorex Zoom 35?
These two examples of the Nikon Nikkorex Zoom 35 have different length lenses. Both cameras seem to work OK, but their lenses are of a different length.
It may be possible to see that both lenses are set to infinity. Both lenses focus smoothly over the entire focusing range. The serial number of the camera with
the longer lens is 276346, and the serial number for the camera with the shorter lens is 272265. This indicates that the camera with the longer lens was
manufactured after the one with the short lens, causing one to think that "longer is better." I have not found any information on this phenomenon.
Nikon Nikkorex Auto 35 camera
Some models of the Auto 35 have the "Nikon" label, but others have "Nikkorex" on them. This is the first Nikon to have shutter priority, automatic
exposure. It has a fixed, 48mm f2 lens. The filter threads are 40.5mm diameter. The aperture scale, f2 to f16, is visible in the viewfinder. The camera has a
manual exposure capability and a self-timer. It does not have an instant return mirror. The production run was from 1964 to 1967.
In summary, the Nikkorex cameras with leaf shutters were not durable. The shutter mechanism often failed, usually within the warranty period. Nikon switched
leaf shutter manufacturers in 1962, but even those shutters lacked durability. The only Nikkorex camera that was given a very satisfactory shutter is the Nikkorex F,
produced by Mamiya, with a vertical-travel, Copal focal plane shutter. This shutter is the first vertical-travel focal plane shutter used in Nikon cameras. Most
Nikkorex F shutters still work after more than 35 years of use. The Nikkorex F camera is the only Nikkorex with interchangeable lenses. It has the standard
Nikon F mount.
The Nikkorex F has an instant return mirror and a fixed prism. It does not have mirror lock-up, nor a built-in meter. There is a clip-on selenium meter, similar
to the three versions made for the Nikon F. Shutter speeds are 1 to 1/1000 second. Two models of the Nikkorex F were made. The first model has a film reminder
dial on the back, while the second model does not. The Nikkorex F was manufactured from 1962 to 1966.