Author Topic: Useful Lenses for Close-Up Work: Nikkor-O (CRT) 55mm  (Read 21087 times)

Bjørn Rørslett

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Re: Useful Lenses for Close-Up Work: Nikkor-O (CRT) 55mm
« Reply #15 on: April 04, 2016, 19:52:39 »
Nix. The "O" is for "Octo", 8, and refer to the number of elements. It is also NOT a 'Micro-Nikkor', as correctly pointed out by Erik.

This practice of marking the lenses according to number of elements was used by Nikon for many decades, so nothing special with the Nikkor-O 55/1.2.

Nikon stopped this labelling somewhere in the late '70s. Perhaps the lens designs then became complex enough without the added Latin specifier, or people no longer cared, or they tried to save money on engraving, or what do I know.

Back to the Oscilloscope lens. I have been ruminating through my clippings files to find the photo of the first Oscilloscope lens I saw on a Nikon camera, but to no avail. I distinctly recall the article reported its effective aperture was not the marked f/1.2, but f/1.4, as (we know by now) f-numbers are always defined for infinity focus and this was 1:4.4. The outline of that lens was more similar to the first-generation Nikkors having scalloped rings and chrome barrel. What I did find, however, were several brochures showing the Oscilloscope rig as part of a Nikon F system. These were from around 1969 and obviously the intended lens had to be in direct F mount or mounted by using the BR-15 adapter.

My analysis based on the meagre data available is as follows: Initially, early '60s, there was an industrial lens design for capturing traces on CRT displays such as the then contemporary oscilloscopes. A fast lens was required due to the weak traces and its curvature of field had to be "negative" to compensate for the curvature of the CRT surface to give sharpness all over the frame. This first model was the Nikkor-O 55 mm f/1.2. I can only guess what kind of camera or measuring device these first models aimed at. Perhaps they figured as an optical component of a large device recording oscilloscope traces on cine film and the long 39 mm Leica thread and its locking nut was used to align the focus and then secure it for production runs? This model must have been replaced by a similar lens using F-mount and the outward appearance of a 'normal' (50mm) Nikkor of the time. Repair facilities still have similar-looking items used for calibration and testing, these typically lack focusing helicoid. It might be the latter model that had the designation 'Oscilloscope-Nikkor' and was referred to in the article clipping I still haven't found. I do recall it was published in a Swedish photomagazine in the late '60s, though.


Erik Lund

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Re: Useful Lenses for Close-Up Work: Nikkor-O (CRT) 55mm
« Reply #16 on: April 04, 2016, 19:58:28 »
No. of ElementsDesignator LetterOrigin of Designator
1U"Uns"
2B"Bini"
3T"Tres"
4Q"Quatour"
5P"Pente"
6H"Hex"
7S"Septem"
8O"Octo"
9N"Novem"
10D"Decem"
11UD"Uns" and "Decem"
For example, a lens with eight elements would be marked "Nikkor-O", and a lens with eleven elements "Nikkor-UD".
Erik Lund

simato73

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Re: Useful Lenses for Close-Up Work: Nikkor-O (CRT) 55mm
« Reply #17 on: April 04, 2016, 20:06:39 »
There's always room to be proven wrong (just to clear any possible misunderstanding, I am referring to me).

So the numbering comes from Latin not Greek...
Simone Tomasi

Akira

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Re: Useful Lenses for Close-Up Work: Nikkor-O (CRT) 55mm
« Reply #18 on: April 04, 2016, 22:50:08 »
Akira, I just remembered that I have actually seen that reference before that the O is actually for 8 elements! Like the ordinary F-Mount lenses -So the “O” (for oscilloscope) is wrong i believe.

Otherwise it would be an O-Nikkor!!! Noct-Nikkor, Fisheye-Nikkor,,, etc

BTW it has 13 aperture blades, not 12 ;)

Erik, apparently the 55/1.2 is one of the rare industrial Nikkor that shares the designation for the usual Nikkor lineups.

I realized that the Latin numbering couldn't distinguish between 4 (quattuor) and 5 (quinque) or 6 (sex) and 7 (septem).
"The eye is blind if the mind is absent." - Confucius

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simato73

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Re: Useful Lenses for Close-Up Work: Nikkor-O (CRT) 55mm
« Reply #19 on: April 04, 2016, 23:09:55 »
I realized that the Latin numbering couldn't distinguish between 4 (quattuor) and 5 (quinque) or 6 (sex) and 7 (septem).

Yes, these are the exceptions where they resort to Greek.
Simone Tomasi

Roland Vink

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Re: Useful Lenses for Close-Up Work: Nikkor-O (CRT) 55mm
« Reply #20 on: April 05, 2016, 00:45:16 »
BTW it has 13 aperture blades, not 12 ;)
Can you confirm that? I had 12 recorded in my database but happy to change it...

BTW, there are two series:
- the first with serial nos 720001 up to 7224xx, possibly higher.
- second with serial nos from 820001 up to at least 8214xx. This one is marked "M=1/5"

It's possible the number of aperture blades changed between the two versions.

As for the name, I agree that "Nikkor-O" refers to the number of elements, O = Octo = 8 elements (in 6 groups)
Among the industrial lenses it is unusual in not having a prefix on the name such as "CRT-Nikkor"; although it is known as the oscilloscope or CRT lens, it is not actually named as such!

Bjørn Rørslett

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Re: Useful Lenses for Close-Up Work: Nikkor-O (CRT) 55mm
« Reply #21 on: April 05, 2016, 01:00:05 »
I counted the blades of the aperture in my 55/1.2  Nikkor-O and arrived at 12 every time.

Sn. 720169.

Roland Vink

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Re: Useful Lenses for Close-Up Work: Nikkor-O (CRT) 55mm
« Reply #22 on: April 05, 2016, 01:05:53 »
Yours is quite early, so the first version has 12 blades at least... Anyone with an 82xxxx series lens?

Mikes

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Re: Useful Lenses for Close-Up Work: Nikkor-O (CRT) 55mm
« Reply #23 on: April 05, 2016, 01:15:22 »
Yes, mine is #820716.
Mike Selby - Sydney

Bjørn Rørslett

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Re: Useful Lenses for Close-Up Work: Nikkor-O (CRT) 55mm
« Reply #24 on: April 05, 2016, 01:19:23 »
So, how many blades?

Mikes

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Re: Useful Lenses for Close-Up Work: Nikkor-O (CRT) 55mm
« Reply #25 on: April 05, 2016, 02:00:03 »
12 blades.   It is marked "M=1/5", as described by Roland.
Mike Selby - Sydney

Akira

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Re: Useful Lenses for Close-Up Work: Nikkor-O (CRT) 55mm
« Reply #26 on: April 05, 2016, 05:45:51 »
FWIW, my sample (Nippon Kogaku, Ser. No. 721371) has 12 blades.
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Bill De Jager

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Re: Useful Lenses for Close-Up Work: Nikkor-O (CRT) 55mm
« Reply #27 on: April 05, 2016, 06:34:13 »
Nippon Kogaku, #722387, 12 blades, not marked.  I appreciate the information from Michael and Bjørn about how to use this lens properly and what to expect.  I just picked it up recently and haven't made use of it yet.

Roland Vink

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Re: Useful Lenses for Close-Up Work: Nikkor-O (CRT) 55mm
« Reply #28 on: April 05, 2016, 08:57:00 »
 Thanks everyone, glad to know my database is accurate. Maybe Eric needs counting lessons  :o

Bruno Schroder

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Re: Useful Lenses for Close-Up Work: Nikkor-O (CRT) 55mm
« Reply #29 on: April 05, 2016, 09:48:23 »
As the M39 mounting thread is quite long, even more so if the retaining ring is absent, it is important to make sure the mounting thread does not protrude too much in the F mount. If it goes too far, the diaphragm actuation lever will hit it and will shave the metal. Real life experience, harmless in the end but I had metal flakes flying around the shutter box for a whole session. Not something I'm willing to do too often.
Going deeper is interesting to get closer to the nominal magnification but is not possible on the F mount. A Nikon 1 or Sony E with a M39 adapter and some fiddling or a short helicoid easily allow it. 
Bruno Schröder

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