Despite tough competition from Japanese rivals with deeper pockets for R&D – namely Sony and Fujifilm – Nikon remains a key player in the camera and lens market, adroitly moving into mirrorless while also serving a lot of legacy DSLR customers.
The company recently announced that as of April just gone, it had produced 120 million Nikkor lenses for Nikon interchangeable cameras – this covers both DSLR and mirrorless (to recap, Nikon offers Nikkor F lenses for DSLRs and Z lenses for mirrorless models).
![Some of Nikon's Z-series Nikkor lenses](https://amateurphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/04/Some-of-Nikons-Z-eries-Nikkor-lenses-.jpg?w=1000)
A brief history of Nikkor
Canon is well-known for being a storied company with a long history, but Nikon is a proper old trooper, too. The Nikkor trademark was first registered by Nippon Kogaku K.K. in 1932, before the company (wisely) changed its name to the much easier-to-remember Nikon.
After the war, Nikon was a pioneer in SLR technology and won many well-known fans, including Don McCullin – a Nikon F SLR stopped a bullet from a Khmer Rouge sniper in Cambodia in 1970, probably saving his life.
‘Beginning with the introduction of Aero-Nikkor aerial photographic lenses in 1933, Nikon is still one of the few manufacturers that crafts lenses starting from the production of optical glass,’ the company said.
![](https://amateurphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2016/06/mccullln.web3_.jpg?w=960)
‘Over the years, Nikkor has consistently integrated cutting-edge technologies into its lenses, including features like aperture control, autofocus, and vibration reduction (VR). The legacy continues with Z lenses, specifically designed for Nikon mirrorless cameras, boasting a new mount with the industry’s largest diameter. This innovation unlocks new possibilities in lens design, increasing its capabilities in optical performance.’
![NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct](https://amateurphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2019/10/Z7_Noct-scaled.jpg?w=1024)
Nikon further claims the wide variety of Nikkor Z lenses released in recent years further reveals how the company is pushing boundaries. ‘This includes the flagship NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct, which set records as the fastest lens in Nikon’s history with an aperture of f/0.95.’
By way of comparison, Canon announced a production milestone of 110 million EOS series cameras and 160 million interchangeable RF/EF lenses in April last year.
Further reading
Best Nikon Z-mount lenses
Best Nikon F mount lenses