Nikon India, leader in imaging technology, has announced the milestone achievement of reaching 90 million production of NIKKOR lenses for Nikkon interchangeable lens cameras. This milestone has been reached at the end of October 2014, and is also accompanied by the equally momentous 50 million total production mark for NIKKOR lenses equipped with the Silent Wave Motor (SWM) technology, as per press release of Nikkon India. Nikkon had achieved the 85 million mark in January 2014, and with a short span of time, NIKKOR lenses have reached the 90 million figure.
In 1959, Nikon (then Nippon Kogaku K.K.) had released the Nikon F as well as its first NIKKOR lenses for Nikon SLR cameras, including the NIKKOR-S Auto 5cm f/2. Nikon’s advanced cameras with interchangeable lenses were first released in October 2011.
Nikon’s Silent Wave Motor (SWM) converts “traveling waves” into rotational energy to focus the optics, which in turn provides for exceptionally quiet autofocus photography. All NIKKOR lenses for D-SLR cameras released since 2004 have been equipped with the SWM. To date, a total of seventy two zoom lenses, fixed focal length (prime) lenses, and Micro lenses covering a broad range of focal lengths from ultra-wide-angle to super telephoto, equipped with the SWM have been released for FX- and DX-format digital SLR cameras.
Among the most recent products which adopted the SWM is the AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR, released in August 2014. This lens, compatible with Nikon FX-format digital SLR cameras, represents a new generation of high-performance super-telephoto lenses with its significantly lighter weight.
Nikon responded to the photographers’s requirements in September 2014 by adding the ultra-wide-angle AF-S NIKKOR 20mm f/1.8G ED to its lineup of fast, f/1.8 fixed focal length (prime) lenses for Nikon FX-format cameras. The lens also adopted Nikon’s Nano Crystal Coat lens coating which controls generation of flare and ghost, while its ED lens elements achieves superior rendering capability with little chromatic aberration. This lens is portable due to its compact size and light weight.
In June 2014, Nikon releases the 1 NIKKOR VR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 for its Nikon 1 and this super-telephoto zoom lens with a maximum focal length equivalent to 810mm is claimed to be the world’s smallest and lightest lens in its class. The current lineup of 1 NIKKOR lenses consists of twelve lenses with focal lengths ranging from 6.7mm to 300mm for coverage of a broad range of focal lengths, from ultra-wide-angle to super-telephoto. As per Nikkon, this lineup will be further expanded in the future.
