Nikon rangefinder lenses

Nikon began the production of cameras with a line of Nikon rangefinder models. The first one was the Nikon I launched just after World War II. On this camera, Nikon copied the Contax rangefinder mount designed before the war by Zeiss Ikon and introduced with the Contax I.

However, was it intended or was it a pure mistake, the rangefinder coupling of their lens mount was slightly different. The result is that the wide angle lenses, because of their wider depth of focus, can interchange between the two types of bodies, but the standard and tele lenses cannot.

Nikon used that same mount on all their rangefinder bodies until the Nikon SP, and on the recent reeditions Nikon S3 2000 and Nikon SP 2005.

Quite surprisingly, the new Voigtländer company, owned by Cosina, also launched a new rangefinder body in 2002 using the Nikon RF mount, called the Bessa R2S.

Nikon

The original lenses for the Nikon rangefinder models.

Nikon also made some of these lenses for the original Contax mount. They are marked with a C on the barrel, that has nothing to see with the red C on the front ring of the coated lenses.

Other lenses

Komura

Made by Sankyo Koki.

• 35/2.8 W-Komura, black with wide chrome stripes, N on lens barrel
• 80/1.8 Komura, black with wide chrome stripes, finder, N on lens barrel
• 135/3.5 Komura, black, chrome nose and mount

Soligor

• 135/3.5, black and chrome

Tanaka

• W Tanar 35/2.8, black and chrome, finder marked Tanack 35mm

Taylor & Hobson

A Taylor, Taylor & Hobson Cooke Amotal Anastigmat 2in f/2 was sold mounted on a Nikon S body at Christies 8/6/1995, it is unknown if it was original.

Voigtländer

The range of lenses launched together with the Voigtländer Bessa R2S.

Zunow

Teikoku Kogaku, better known as Zunow, made some lenses in Nikon RF mount. Some had spectacular characteristics, and all are very rare.

• 50/1.1, all chrome