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The present first prototype
It was in 1996 when the pigeonholing of materials having been sleeping for a long time in the shelves of the archives started.
In the next year, 1997, a few pieces of cameras which seemed to be prototypes in the early days were found from one of corrugated cardboard boxes.
A camera body no better than a cast-off shell in a box.
At the moment when the serial no. of that was read "No. 6091", its historical value became definite.
This serial number was, according to the record, given to the first prototype of "Nikon Camera" (later it was called "Nikon I").
It was one of twenty prototypes (No. 6091~60920) made in 1947.
It is said in "Akarui Anbako (="Bright Camera Obscura")" by ARAKAWA, Tatsuhiko appeared serially in "Camera Mainichi" magazine (republished by Asahi Sonorama) that it was rescued by ARAKAWA just before it was collected as waste material when the prototyping was finished and was handed over to FUKETA, Masahiko (former vice president, member of the board), the development leader of "Nikon Camera".
But, according to FUKETA, it was not true, and it has long been lost. According to the memo tagged to the discovered first prototype, it was transferred from the Designing Department to the Material Storage of the Production Engineering Department, and has been stored there, but with the extinction of the Production Engineering Dept. due to the reorganization, people who knew its existence became few, and passed out of their memory as time passed......
It was 50 years after its birth that the memorable first prototype that has been lost saw the light of day again.
The rediscovered first prototype was specially exhibited at "The Exhibition commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Nikon Camera" in "Nikon Forum '98" held in Tokyo in the next year, 1998 and it attracted much attention.
The condition of the first prototype now is outer covering (housing) alone, and only sprocket, A-R lever and focusing gear remain and all other parts were lost, therefore the function of a camera is totally lost, beyond recognition of its past appearance.
At the time of completion, however, it was once used for magazine advertisement and we can find some differences from the production model of "Nikon Camera".
The first prototype of that time
The prototype used for advertisement
("Koga Monthly" magazine 1948-01)
The production model of "Nikon Camera"
They are ;
For Nippon Kogaku K.K. (present Nikon Corporation) immediately after the war, the camera manufacture was a new business.
Since making it successful will be leading to the survival of the company, the cooperation system was set up by the entire company.
And "Camera Committee" which had the character of the project team of today was organized and was entitled to proceed the production planning.
However, the development of the small-size camera was full of troubles and the plan did not proceed as scheduled, it was indeed hard times for them.
"For the designing department as well as production spot, everything was new and they were suffering from troubles and problems.
It was, as it were, 'to think while running'.
In retrospect, we were doing just the opposite of "Make haste slowly".
FUKETA, Masahiko (former managing director), the development leader of "Nikon Camera" at that time looked back upon that time.
From the existing first prototype having the outer housing alone, we are able to know how it was modified and improved, and how the development staff members made their effort.
It was the results of efforts of people who knew the value of the history that the first prototype survived miraculously this way.
| 1945-09 | Consumers' Goods Production Subcommittee proposed the production of a camera |
|---|---|
| 10 | Camera was decided as the item to be produced next at the meeting of the board of directors |
| 11 | Camera and Projector Committee started the investigation of production items of the camera Designing Department started the study of body construction Research Department (reorganized) started the study of fundamental technology |
| 1946-04 | Camera and Projector Committee decided the production of 'universal type small-size camera' 'Camera Committee' was established and the production planning was proceeded by it "Prototype Order 6FT" issued |
| 06 | "Production Order 6FB" issued |
| 07 | On the Anniversary of the founding (07-25) mock-ups of small-size camera were exhibited inside the company |
| 08 | The schedule of completion of the new product "Small-size Camera" was fixed at the end of 1947-02, the finish of prototyping at the end of 1946-12 |
| 09 | Drawing for prototype finished |
| 1947-03 | Official announcement of the trademark "NIKON" |
| 10 | Advertising of "Nikon Camera" started |
| 11 | Two prototypes completed |
| 1948-02 | Prototyping finished "Nikon Camera" released |
