Christmas 2004, Nikon Kenkyukai Tokyo, Meeting Report

Christmas Meeting at JCII Camera Museum, Tokyo

Meeting Room of JCII Camera Museum, Tokyo

Christmas Meeting

Season of Christmas.
The Tokyo meeting was held in JCII Camera Museum near Ginza, Tokyo.
The theme of the meeting was the special research of Nikon F by Akihiko Suzuki-san.
And then, big event of the meeting was the Nikon I Show by Tad Sato-san.
Peter Coeln-san joined the Tokyo meeting from Vienna to enjoy the big Nikon event.
Here we go! Mr. Nikon F, Suzuki-san !

Nikon F parts full set

Top cover of Nikon F 6400460

Top cover of Nikon F 6401367

Reserch of the Nikon F mirror housing box

We verified that ealy type of Nikon F has two springs in the mirror housing box.
And then, latter type of Nikon F has one spring.

A mirror housing box was removed from the Nikon F

Left and center are two springs, right is one spring

Early No. 6400460 and No. 6401367 have two springs

Assembly of Nikon F with god's hand

Just number No. 6408000 of Nikon F

Special Reserch of Nikon I

Tad Sato-san brought his super collection to brighten the Christmas meeting.
He is a famous worldwide as Nippon Kogaku collector.
He showed us three Nikon I cameras from his seven Nikon I cameras.
All are very good condition and beautiful Nikon I cameras.

Simple Beautiful Nikon I

The first production of Nikon I No. 60924 !!!!!!

Very good working Nikon I No. 609299 !!!

Red dot shutter release of Nikon I No. 609331 !!!

Size of MIOJ mark is different at manufactured time

Peter Coeln-san and Akihiko Suzuki-san

The most beautiful camera is Nikon I in history

Nikkor 5cm F2 No. 70811 !!!

The first production model has meter engraving

W-Nikkor 2.5cm F4

This month's special is W-Nikkor 2.5cm F4.
It is a high performance, beautiful, valuable lens.
And then, it is an extremely compact wide angle lens.
The W-Nikkor 2.5cm F4 has unique diaphram and focussing mechanisms.
The focussing is controlled by the wheel on the rangefider Nikon camera.
Please enjoy beautiful lenses.

W-Nikkor 2.5cm F4 No. 403329

W-Nikkor 2.5cm F4 No. 404527

W-Nikkor 2.5cm F4 No. 404157

Nikon I and W-Nikkor 2.5cm F4 and 2.5cm finder

Leica thread of W-Nikkor 2.5cm F4 No. 502769

The first production of COM-Nikkor 37mm F1.4 No. 800001

Nice Shot by the Nikon I !!

A special meeting continued.
We loaded the film into Nikon I, and took a picture by the Nikon I !!
Takashima-san who had been using Nikon camera over 50 years loaded the film into the Nikon I.
The Nikon I camera is very good working condition.
We enjoyed the comfortable sound of shutter release.

Super Ultra Rare Nikon Variframe Finder

Tad Sato-san showed us a very unusual collection for the special meeting at Christmas.
A special collection was a Nikon Variframe finder.
The finder has the rotating frame like the turret.
You can see the several focal length frames such as 3.5cm, 8.5cm, 10.5cm and 13.5cm.
This finder is a prototype not marketed.
A beautiful scenery was seen in the Nikon Variframe finder of the phantom.

Front of the prototype Nikon Variframe finder

Rear of the prototype Nikon Variframe finder

Special shape of Nikon Variframe finder

Nikon Kenkyukai Tokyo Meeting in Ginza Christmas

We held the "Bonenkai party" (Year end party) at a restaurant in Ginza.
Of course, it was a party for Christmas.
The Nikon Kenkyukai always enjoying dinner in Ginza at every year end.
We drank champagne, and told a lot of stories of the Nikon camera life.

Someone had bought a Nikon lens in Ginza before the party started.
It was a Nikkor 5cm F2 lens, and the unusual dome cap was attached. Good job!
We took the photos by the Nikon I in dining room.
A professional news cameraman, Ryu Koakimoto-san loaded the film into the Nikon I, and he took the photos.
We were impressed by his vivid Nikon rangefinder camera operation.