Clockwise... did anyone ask why? :)

[Zang]

Hi there,

I doubt we'll find the answer, but why Nikon decided on a different lens mounting and focusing direction? Thoughts?

Cheers,
Zang

[Ian Watson]

Everybody else did it wrong 

[Ian Watson]

Zeiss introduced the Contax rangefinder cameras in the 1930s to compete with Leica. Their bayonet mount was more advanced than Leica's thread mount and worked in the same direction as Nikon now uses. Indeed, Nikon apparently copied it fairly closely for their foray into rangefinder cameras. Having started doing it one way, there was no reason for Nikon to change.

Of course, this only changes the question to why Contax used that direction....

[David H. Hartman]

Of course, this only changes the question to why Contax used that direction....

So why did Leica choose the wrong direction?

Dave

[Erik Lund]

Leica had right hand thread mount so makes sense to tighten when mounting

[David H. Hartman]

I seem to remember that Nikon made rangefinder lenses for Contax before making there own rangefinder cameras. Nikon adopted the Contax standards in order to be compatible. Nikon had no choice. Nikon followed the Contax standard when they made their own rangefinder cameras and lenses for them.

I owned a Pentax 6x7 system and the focusing for it used the same direction as Nikon. Hasselblad is reverse to Nikon.

Dave

[Akira]

Everybody else did it wrong 

Except for Pentax.   

[Akira]

I seem to remember that Nikon made rangefinder lenses for Contax before making there own rangefinder cameras. Nikon adopted the Contax standards in order to be compatible. Nikon had no choice. Nikon followed the Contax standard when they made their own rangefinder cameras and lenses for them.

But strangely, Nikon chose the standard focal length of 51.6mm for their standard lens instead of 52.4mm of the Contax standard, which makes the Nikon S mount lenses slightly incompatible with the Contax rangefinder bodies.

[Kenneth Rich]

I never owned a Nikon rangefinder, but did own two Contax bodies and one lens before owning the to me hugely disappointing contemporary G 1, and despite owning a first edition CONTAX WAY, which I read cover to cover, never realized the two lens systems were not identical.  Thank you, today I have learned something completely new.

[Anthony]

Modern Nikons enable the focussing ring to be reversed. But nothing can be done about the illogical lens mount.

[Roland Vink]

I like the way the lens mounts on Nikon cameras. Using other systems feels backward to me. Even Pentax lenses mount the opposite way from Nikon, even though the aperture and focus rings turn the same way (I think I got that right).

[Zang]

Some interesting history lesson in here, thanks everyone

@Roland, I do not have preference and either way works for me except an FTZ with a Manfrotto quick release plate will not come off my Nikon Z5

[Erik Lund]

If you choose to have the stop down button and aperture leaver mechanism on the right hand side of the camera body, to activate the stop down preview with right hand, and you have a downward direction of the aperture leaver, for setting the aperture value chosen with your left hand rotating the aperture ring, you end up with rotating counter clock wise to mount the lens.
The short throw makes it possible for fast lenses, since the clearance cut out for the leaver at he rear of the lens, does not intrude, vignette, into the corner of the image frame. 
Now with E-type lenses this is no longer needed, since they don't have the leaver.