I’ve been looking for a Nikkor-SC 5cm F1.5 for almost 20 years, after reading about it in Pop Photo. This is the type lens that David Douglas Duncan used in Korea for his book “This is War”. There were about 300 Nikkor SC 5cm F1.5’s made in Leica mount, maybe another 500 in Nikon S-Mount.
(Capt Ike Fenton by David Douglas Duncan, Nikkor 5cm F1.5 wide-open)
(Korea Display, Marine Museum, Nikkor-SC 5cm F1.5 wide-open)
(WW-II Invasion Display, Marine Museum, Nikkor-SC 5cm F1.5 at F4)A few years ago I was sent a 1943 Wartime Zeiss 5cm F1.5 Sonnar for repair. I repaired it, sent “proof shots” of how good it was, and ended up buying it.
(Korea Display 2, Marine Museum, Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm F1.5 Sonnar “T” wide-open)
(WW-II Invasion Display, Marine Museum, Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm F1.5 Sonnar “T” at F4)I’ve dug up some background information of the Nikkor, will be putting together an article on it.
I’m a Sonnar Fanatic… The Nikkor-SC 5cm F1.5 is a piece of history. It is the lens that first brought acclaim to the Japanese optics industry.
Brian, please show us the images, they are not shown. 🙂
It must be a permissions on the site- I’ve inquired about it with the admin!
The “Beauty shot” of the two lenses, and the Nikkor-SC 5cm F1.5 wide-open.
These are with the 1943 Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm F1.5 Sonnar “T”. I repaired this lens, including moving middle triplet back into place. It had been knocked out of position.
Two very beautiful lenses. Both are on my wish list, but they are really hard to get. While waiting I helped myself with a stunning sample of a Jupiter-3 R from 1957. 😉
I’ve heard of those…. Jason Howe hosts my DIY guides for shimming the J-3 for a Leica. Many are adjusted already, some require adjustment for a Leica.
http://aperturepriority.co.nz/50mm-jupiter-3-f1-5-information/
One with my 1950 KMZ J-3, wide-open. There is a history to this lens: the serial number stamped internally show it was made in April 1945. It was “misassembled” in Russia, the optics were the incorrect distance, and it could not be used. On the bright side, the glass is perfect… it had never been used.
Hopefully the viewing permissions have been corrected on the site I used.
http://www.leicaplace.com/f2/nikkor-sc-5cm-f1-5-lens-brought-attention-japanese-camera-industry-185/
I wrote an article on the lens, learned some things about it. Everyone should be able to see the images posted in the article, if not- please let me know.
Next article will be a comparison of two Jupiter-3’s with a modern C-Sonnar. Took all three out to Manassas battlefield for Memorial Day.
Pretty cool infos. Thanks for sharing.
I was surprised to learn that the Nikkor 5cm F1.5 AND the Simlar 5cm F1.5 were both designed in 1937. I also have the 5cm F1.5 Simlar, one of the first made- #74, came with a 4-digit Leotax D-IV putting it in the 1949~1950 range for manufacture. It is a Double-Gauss design, 7 elements in 4 groups, an original design. The other F1.5 lenses went to 7 elements in 6 groups. Another article.
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