Nikonos
Nikonos V black/orange (also available in all green)
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Type | 35 mm underwater viewfinder camera |
| Lens | |
| Lens mount | interchangeable Nikonos mount |
| Focusing | |
| Focus | manual preset |
| Exposure/Metering | |
| Exposure | TTL automatic exposure & manual |
| Flash | |
| Flash | accessory shoe & contacts in base |
| Shutter | |
| Frame rate | manual wind on |
| General | |
| Dimensions | 146 × 99 × 75 mm (W×H×D) |
Nikonos Calypso is the name of a series of 35mm format cameras specifically designed for underwater photography launched by Nikon in 1963. The early Nikonos cameras were improvements of the Calypso camera, which was an original design by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Belgian engineer Jean de Wouters . It was produced in France by La Spirotechnique (currently Aqua Lung) until the design was acquired by Nikon to become the Nikonos. The Nikonos system was immensely popular with both amateur and professional underwater photographers. Its compact design, ease of use, and excellent optical quality set the standard for several decades of underwater imaging. Nikon ceased development and manufacture of new Nikonos cameras in 2001, but the camera remains popular, and there is a large and active secondary market.
The initial Nikonos line consisted of three models that were improved versions of the Cousteau's Calypso (1961):
A second viewfinder line was Nikon's complete re-design and included a through-the-lens (TTL) light meter with automatic exposure:
The various models all had rugged construction, simple controls, and were waterproof to 160 ft (50 m). The camera is made waterproof by a simple system of o-rings at all the crucial joints. Each new generation brought various improvements such as light metering, flash circuitry, and improved shutter and film advance design.
The two most common Nikonos lenses are the UW 28mm (for underwater use only) and the W 35mm (which is amphibious) with the UW 28mm being considered the better lens (Jim Church's Essential Guide. It might be helpful to point out that because water and air have significantly different refraction indexes, the slightly wide 35mm lens is equivalent to a standard ~50mm lens under water.)
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Wikipedia