Nikon's 1966 Documentary 'The Eye of Science' Shows Hand-Polished Lens Manufacturing
The 1966 film 'The Eye of Science' highlights Nikon's lens manufacturing during its time as Nippon Kogaku Kogyo, produced in partnership with Tokyo Cinema. According to Digital Camera Life, the documentary shows engineers breaking optical glass from super-heated crucibles using silica sand and other components. This glass was then reshaped, polished to micrometer accuracy, and fitted into lens barrels, where even slight imperfections could impact image quality. Additionally, the film showcases the assembly of the Nikon F and Nikon F Photomic T cameras, each comprising more than 1,000 parts. 'The Eye of Science' received the Encouragement Award at the 1967 Japan Industrial Film Contest. Photographers still cherish classic Nikon lenses for their sharpness and unique character.
Key facts
- 'The Eye of Science' was produced in 1966 by Nikon, then Nippon Kogaku Kogyo, with Tokyo Cinema
- The documentary won the 1967 Japan Industrial Film Contest Encouragement Award
- Nikon formed optical glass in super-heated crucibles using high-quality silica sand and over a dozen other materials
- Glass elements were polished and finished by hand to a precision of a couple of micrometers, or one-thousandth of a millimeter
- Nikon F and Nikon F Photomic T cameras each required over 1,000 parts
- Modern lens production relies on computers, digital simulations, and sophisticated glass-making and molding techniques
- Some glass elements are still shaped by hand today, though fewer all the time
- Cinematographers prize vintage Nikon lenses for sharpness and dynamic flare largely absent from modern designs
Entities
Institutions
- Nikon
- Nippon Kogaku Kogyo
- Tokyo Cinema
- Digital Camera Life
- Japan Industrial Film Contest
- PetaPixel
Locations
- Tokyo
- Japan