Nikon or Nikkor

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Blacktop

Senior Member
What is the correct terminology for lenses made by Nikon? Is it Nikkor for all lenses or just the older ones?
I could have Googled this by the time I typed it out, but I'm an engaging people person.:cheerful:
 
R

RocketCowboy

Senior Member
You're engaged? Does your wife know?

I believe all lenses are Nikkor, as a brand name owned by Nikon. I could be wrong though.


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Don Kuykendall_RIP

RIP :(
here is what I could find (nothing official though but it sounds plausible)

Nikkor is the standard designation for Nikon's lens lines. The first 'Nikon' lenses were the Series E lenses, which were a lower-end consumer line frome the late 70's and 80's. The only lenses that don't say Nikkor are the consumer grade lenses. Most point and shoot lenses say Nikon. The marketplace has blurred that distinction. The generally accepted keyword phrase is 'Nikon Lens'. With most searches you will search for Nikon Lens and Nikkor won't even show till you get to the individual listing for the lens,

Also found this which might explain it further. Again This is all just what I read that individuals were saying but to me it had the ring of truth

Ikon is a trademark owned by Zeiss, so Nikon were wary of infringing which is why they sell their lenses under the Nikkor brand. Then Ikon disappeared for many years, and now it's back again as a camera body rather than a range of lenses.
 
BackdoorArts

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
Don Kuykendall said:
here is what I could find (nothing official though but it sounds plausible)

Nikkor is the standard designation for Nikon's lens lines. The first 'Nikon' lenses were the Series E lenses, which were a lower-end consumer line frome the late 70's and 80's. The only lenses that don't say Nikkor are the consumer grade lenses. Most point and shoot lenses say Nikon. The marketplace has blurred that distinction. The generally accepted keyword phrase is 'Nikon Lens'. With most searches you will search for Nikon Lens and Nikkor won't even show till you get to the individual listing for the lens,

Also found this which might explain it further. Again This is all just what I read that individuals were saying but to me it had the ring of truth

Ikon is a trademark owned by Zeiss, so Nikon were wary of infringing which is why they sell their lenses under the Nikkor brand. Then Ikon disappeared for many years, and now it's back again as a camera body rather than a range of lenses.
Click to expand...

Just to tack onto this from memory (specific details may be slightly off, but the gist is there), Nikkor (which produces lenses) is a worldwide brand while Nikon (which produces bodies and accessories) is regionalized. The difference being that a Nikkor lens bought anywhere in the world by anyone from anywhere else in the world will come with the same warranty as if you bought it from the shop down the street, whereas if you live in the US then you need to buy a Nikon from a dealer authorized by Nikon USA to sell equipment there in order to have a functional warranty. This is why you'll find gray market bodies but never gray market lenses.
 
B

Blacktop

Senior Member
All my lenses have a Nikon designation, plus a Nikkor AF or AF-S.

So if I was asked "what lens is on your D7100 right now" I would say a Nikon 28-105mm AF-Nikkor 1:3.5-4.5D. :)
 
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hrstrat57

Senior Member
All my lenses say Nikkor....tho most as you can see are D lenses.

(my 2 DX kit lenses say Nikkor too)

(can't find my 70-300 AF VR at the moment but you have one of those @Blacktop)

So I say Nikkor...you say tomato.
 
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