60 million lenses are a lot of lenses although they did not start producing lenses in 1959. Perhaps they began counting in 1959!
Nippon Kogaku dates back to around 1918 when they began to manufacture lenses for other uses. During the Second World War the Japanese government imposed on them the manufacture of optics for military purposes. After the war Nikon reorganized and began the production of rangefinder cameras and lenses, most of which were sold to American soldiers and the local market.
Many legendary lenses have been in production over the years and those lenses have been in use by professionals and photojournalists all over the world. Two of the lenses that come to mind are the 50mm f1.4 and the 105mm f2.5 that have been produced to be used with their rangefinder models and SLR cameras.
Just as a historical note, it was David Douglas Duncan in the fifties who introduced Nikkor lenses to Life. During his visit to Japan, on his way to document the Korean war, a young Japanese photographer by the name of June Mikki introduced him to some Nikkor lenses. He bought the lenses to fit his Leica and shot with them the war in Korea. Some of those shots made it to the front cover of Life and it was not till Duncan revealed the lenses were Japanese made that Life editors learned about them.
There are many interesting stories about Nikkor lenses, like the use of those lenses to shoot the last roll of Kodachrome or the famous "Afghan Girl" portrait by Steve McCurry with the legendary 105mm f2.5 Nikkor.
Congratulations Nikon and keep them coming.
William Rodriguez
Miami, Florida.
