Fisheye-Nikkor 8mm and the HAL-9000........or not.

[RonVol]

Here's an interesting story and a reminder to check all the facts before assuming that something is as per 'the description'.

The story starts with the movie '2001: A Space Odyssey' along with a Fisheye-Nikkor 8mm f/8 lens.
If you've seen the movie, then you'll no doubt remember the all-seeing eye that was meant to represent part of the interface to the spacecraft's main computer 'HAL-9000'.
Watch this short video I've recently put together where you'll learn the full story - https://youtu.be/1hsv6YtNXus

It all seemed like a nice way of linking a 'not so well known' Nikkor lens to a 'very well known' movie.
Until I was contacted by someone who had originally seen the prop sold at Christies back in 2010. He suggested to take a good look at the panel shown in the movie and compare it to the panel sold at Christies (and is now owned by Peter Jackson).
So I took several screen grabs from the movie and laid 2 images side-by-side, see below.
As you can see; there are very obvious differences between the two interface panels. Note the size and position of the speaker grills and also note how the original has at least 18 horizontal perforated rows and the one in Peter Jackson's collection only has 12.

[Erik Lund]

Ups that was an expensive mistake,,,

[Bjørn Rørslett]

He got the Fisheye, though ....

The serial number (88621) is in the middle of the somewhat limited production run. Less than 1400 units were produced, making the 8/8 belong among the rarer Nikkors, albeit not in the top scarcity league with < 100 to 200 units.

I *knew* the R60 (Red) filter in the internal filter turret might be useful !!

[MFloyd]

Are the production dates of the lens matching with the shooting of the movie i.e. starting on December 29th, 1965, presented on April 2, 1968 ?

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Yes, starting July 1962, ending April 1965 (presumably the 7.5mm f/5.6 Fisheye-Nikkor replaced it when inventory was emptied).

[Roland Vink]

The 8mm f/8 fisheye was made from 1962 - 1965, it was replaced by the 7.5mm fisheye in 1966, so the dates match, the lens would have been around for shooting the movie.

As for the face plate, maybe more than one was made for the movie?

[MFloyd]

It's quite possible re faceplate, because there were several "eyes" in the spaceship, and not only one.  One has to review the movie and make the inventory .....

[Akira]

Ron, thanks for sharing this amazing story!

Dave (David Paterson here) said that he had worked for a company that made the prop of "Monolith", the big black plate used in the movie "2001".  So, I wonder if he knows something about HAL?

I didn't know that HAL was the initials of "Heuristically programmed algorithm".  I've heard that Kubrik created the name HAL using the next letters of I, B and M in the alphabet.

[RonVol]

It's quite possible re faceplate, because there were several "eyes" in the spaceship, and not only one.  One has to review the movie and make the inventory .....

I've watched the entire movie to check this and all of the panels appear to be the same, if not the same single item just used on multiple sets. To save money, this would make more sense.

I found an image where someone has compiled all of the locations.

[RonVol]

Ron, thanks for sharing this amazing story!

Dave (David Paterson here) said that he had worked for a company that made the prop of "Monolith", the big black plate used in the movie "2001".  So, I wonder if he knows something about HAL?

I didn't know that HAL was the initials of "Heuristically programmed algorithm".  I've heard that Kubrik created the name HAL using the next letters of I, B and M in the alphabet.

Hi Akira, thanks for the positive feedback 

Kubrick confirmed that the IBM thing was just a coincidence. In fact, he goes on to say that, as IBM helped a great deal in the making of the movie, he was embarrassed when he found out about the link and said that if he'd have known this beforehand he would have changed the letters used.

[MFloyd]

OK Ron, you've made the entire review, so my guess - different base plates - proves to be wrong. Just two weeks, the movie was on TV, so I watched again for, maybe, the 30th time.... Thank you for sharing this 😎

[Akira]

Hi Akira, thanks for the positive feedback 

Kubrick confirmed that the IBM thing was just a coincidence. In fact, he goes on to say that, as IBM helped a great deal in the making of the movie, he was embarrassed when he found out about the link and said that if he'd have known this beforehand he would have changed the letters used.

Ron, thanks for the correction!

I'm not familiar with the history of the computer technology.  But if the "Heuristically programmed algorithm" could have been similar to today's AI computing, Kubrick should have proved his insight into the future again...

[pluton]

I saw 2001 many, many times, but I never noticed that the Nikon 8/8 lens I.D. lettering was left in place, and can be seen when the movie shows the HAL eye from a side view.
The shots depicting HAL's point of view were apparently done with the lens shown below, though it may have had had a relay lens fitted to create the classic fisheye circular image within the 65mm film frame, which had an image height of about 23mm.

[Erik Lund]

What a story! Thanks for sharing Ron Et Al

[RonVol]

What a story! Thanks for sharing Ron Et Al

Thanks for the positive feedback Erik