The 55mm Micro-Nikkor family

[David H. Hartman]

I have Nikon manuals for both versions, and both state the lens is optimized for 1:10, even though the later one is tweaked to perform better at far distances (not sure how optimum ration can remain the same?)

Over the years I've found many errors in Nikon instruction manuals and charts, some rather laughable. There are some in the AF 70-180/4.5-5.6D ED manual that made no sense. I emailed Bjørn about them and he explained some metering anomalies with my Nikon F4s. Anyway I rather doubt that the 1:10 optimization didn't change at least some.

Dave Hartman

[JKoerner007]

Actually, Richard mis-labeled the second lens in his opening post.

That lens is not the "Nikkor-P f/3.5P" ... there is no such thing.

What Richard displayed as the second lens from the left is in fact the Micro-Nikkor Auto f3.5.

The Micro-Nikkor P Auto f/3.5 (slightly different from the P·C Auto) looks like this:

[JKoerner007]

I just received this mint copy of the -P Auto, displayed above.

The P·C Auto is virtually-identical, except that it has an extra "coating"; hence the C in its nomenclature.

Even without the box, the former will have "Micro-NIKKOR-P Auto" in its front lens element, while the latter has "Micro-NIKKOR-P·C Auto" in its front element ...

Edit: John Geerts provided a correction.

[John Geerts]

The C always stands for Multicoating and this term was used around 1974 when the new coatings were introduced.

The serial number range for the Compensating runs from  188 XXX  to 273 XXX  (1963-1968)

[JKoerner007]

Correction noted, John, thanks.

Either way, the lens second from the left in Richard's opening post ... is the Micro-Nikkor Auto f/3.5 (5th lens down on Roland's 55mm macro page) ... not the "Micro-Nikkor-P Auto f/3.5" ... which is the 8th/9th lenses down on Roland's page.

[Per Inge Oestmoen]

My reaction towards the 55/2.8 Micro is divided. If it is not impacted by the leaking lubrication issue, it is a very good performer. However, once one has to clean it to get rid of the pesky sticking aperture, chances are high this will happen again in my experience. I once had one of these that got cleaned three times before I came to the only possible conclusion and thus it ended its life as a door stopper.

Many years later, I picked up a pristine sample of the 55/2.8 during one of my many visits to Erik and Copenhagen. It showed no sign of oily aperture blades and has worked perfectly over the years I owned it.

It is established that the Micro-Nikkor 55mm 2.8 is prone to the oily aperture blades problem.

However, it seems probable that it would depend on the lubricant used. If common machine grease is used, it is going to separate and there will be oil leakage.

There are lubricants that have been developed with qualities suited to focusing helicoids and other mechanisms where it is imperative to eliminate the seeping out of oil from the lubricant over time. These lubricants have other qualities than the common machine grease used by unqualified repair shops where they use the same grease for gearbox cog wheels and everything else.

I assume the important factor here is to ensure that the correct type of lubricant is applied to the mechanism.

[longzoom]

The C always stands for Multicoating and this term was used around 1974 when the new coatings were introduced.

The serial number range for the Compensating runs from  188 XXX  to 273 XXX  (1963-1968)

  The C stands for all of elements are coated, but not for multicoating as we understand it now. Before C designation, only front and back, mostly, elements were coated, or even without any. MC were used much later.  LZ

[Akira]

  The C stands for all of elements are coated, but not for multicoating as we understand it now. Before C designation, only front and back, mostly, elements were coated, or even without any. MC were used much later.  LZ

LZ, I think John (Geerts) is right.  In Nikon terms, "C" stands for "multi"-coating.  "MC" for multi-coating is the term used in other manufacturers like Olympus.

So long as I'm aware, all elements of Nikkor lenses are coated, multi- or single-, from the rangefinder era.  The only uncoated surfaces of the elements are the surfaces to be glued with another element.

[Akira]

Interestingly, the rear element of my sample of the compensating aperture version had a few small bubbles inside.  Apparently the glass was so special and difficult to produce that a certain degree of imperfection was tolerated.

[longzoom]

LZ, I think John (Geerts) is right.  In Nikon terms, "C" stands for "multi"-coating.  "MC" for multi-coating is the term used in other manufacturers like Olympus.

So long as I'm aware, all elements of Nikkor lenses are coated, multi- or single-, from the rangefinder era.  The only uncoated surfaces of the elements are the surfaces to be glued with another element.

  No, he is not, as well as you. "C" is for single-coating of ALL elements, MC designation I used above for info only, Nikon has never used it, really. The very first Nikkors, RF or the rest, were not fully coated, front and rear elements only. "C" begun with ALL elements were coated, in single-coated incarnation only.  LZ

[pluton]

  No, he is not, as well as you. "C" is for single-coating of ALL elements, MC designation I used above for info only, Nikon has never used it, really. The very first Nikkors, RF or the rest, were not fully coated, front and rear elements only. "C" begun with ALL elements were coated, in single-coated incarnation only.  LZ

In the early 1970's, when multiple layer coating become widely available and was being phased into the Nikkor lens line, Nikon added the 'dot C' to indicate that the lens had received multi coating. 
Many rangefinder Nikkors from the 1950's also have a 'C' designation, which at that time obviously meant something other than 'multiple layer AR coating'.  Perhaps this 'Rangefinder lens C marking' is the source of some confusion?

[Akira]

In the early 1970's, when multiple layer coating become widely available and was being phased into the Nikkor lens line, Nikon added the 'dot C' to indicate that the lens had received multi coating. 
Many rangefinder Nikkors from the 1950's also have a 'C' designation, which at that time obviously meant something other than 'multiple layer AR coating'.  Perhaps this 'Rangefinder lens C marking' is the source of some confusion?

Ah, I forgot about the "C" designation on the RF Nikkors which was nothing to do with the "multi"-coating.

However, I've seen many RF Nikkors in renowned retailers in Tokyo and, so far as I remember, all elements were single-coated in blue or amber, unlike the notion by LZ.

The only lenses I've seen in which no elements were coated were the pre-war lenses like Leica, Contax or larger format lenses.

[Seapy]

A little squeak from one who is right out of his depth on a subject like this.

I have the Nikon book "Eyes of Nikon" published in March 1984, a "Comprehensive Guide to Nikkor and Nikon Series 'E' Lenses".  It states that the first "Nikon Integrated Coating, (NIC)" lens was the "Nikkor Auto 35mm f/1.4, to improve contrast and color rendition in 1971".

The only reference I can find to a 'C' lens is the "Nikkor Auto 15mm f/5.6 C" Introduced in 1973, no mention of NIC in the description.

[Roland Vink]

At the risk of repeating what has already been said about coatings (but hopefully putting it all together in one place so it makes sense ...)

The earliest Nikon lenses for Canon rangefinder cameras are uncoated: http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/RF_50/50_35.html

A few versions later we have the first suggestion of coatings, indicated by a red dot in the name: http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/RF_50/50_35_460xxx.html

In the next version the name ring is marked "NIKKOR-Q·C", where the red "C" indicates the lens surfaces are coated: http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/RF_50/50_35_570xxx.html

The red "C" designation was used on all subsequent rangefinder lenses until the mid-late 1950s. By that time the coating was standard across the lineup so the designation was dropped.

It is possible that very early coated rangefinder lenses were only coated on the front and rear lenses as suggested earlier. I have never seen one in person to verify this and it is difficult to assess from web pictures. However, I own a few Nikon rangefinder lenses from the mid 1950s, and they are clearly coated on all lens surfaces - all reflections from the front, rear and internal surfaces are colored.

The same is true for early F-mount lenses from 1959 through to the early 1970s. Early coatings are mostly pale pinkish or blue, but soon purple, amber and orange coatings appear. By the late 1960s the coatings are quite varied and the colors are deeper than before, which makes me wonder if they were already more than single-layer coated.

The Nikkor-N 35/1.4 and Nikkor-N 28/2 are the first Nikkors with multi-layer coatings on all lens surfaces. These lenses have deep red, blue and green coatings. The marketing department did not think to advertise the fact until a year later when the ".C" designation reappeared. This time it is white (not red as before) and indicates the lens has multi-layer coatings.

When the K (New Nikkor) lenses were introduced in 1974, multi-layer coating was standard, so the ".C" designation was once again dropped.

Multi-layer coatings were later known as "Nikon Integrated Coatings" (NIC), with some refinements through the 1980s. Around 2000 "Super Integrated Coatings" (SIC) first appeared. These coatings are generally a greenish-yellow-orange color and are supposed to be more effective across a wider range of the spectrum.

The latest advance is Nano Crystal Coating which from memory first appeared on the AF-S 300/2.8 VR in 2004. This coating is fragile so can only be used on selected internal surfaces.

[richardHaw]

the red C is just mimicking the red T found on Zeiss lenses.  a marketing thing 

i prefer Nikon's coatings, much tougher.