Camera Manufacturers Who Make Their Own Glass i.e. Lenses (Page 2): Years ago (when I had a Fujica ST801 - that'd be around the mid to late 70's) Fujinon made a big thing about making...

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

Years ago (when I had a Fujica ST801 - that'd be around the mid to late 70's) Fujinon made a big thing about making their own glass.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

dcampbell52 wrote:

All of Nikon's upper end (non-entry level) lenses are designed and manufactured by Nikon. Most of their others are too. Nikon has designed and produce (what many call) the best lens manufacturing software available and many other camera manufacturers (and industries) use it to make lenses for their own products. I sure Canon and several others make their own lenses and many use the Nikon software for design and control of the milling/grinding machines.

You might want to check this out.
http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/education/infobank/lenses/fluorite_aspherical_and_ud_lenses.do

https://books.google.com/books?id=lScHAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA4&lpg=PA4&dq=canon+develop+first+aspherical+lens&source=bl&ots=vYCUBDEscd&sig=ttTM1eChjA0fum_oXb5yZa7tv68&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj9h5jRpc_WAhUH5SYKHc9yCHcQ6AEIVTAG#v=onepage&q=canon%20develop%20first%20aspherical%20lens&f=false

Pegasus Loc: Texas Gulf Coast

LFingar wrote:

Canon and Nikon make lenses for much more then cameras. They are also heavily into industrial, medical, and scientific optical equipment, not to mention binoculars. I have a 30 yr old pair of Nikon 10x50 binoculars that are still excellent and a brand new Canon 12x36 stabilized pair that are absolutely awesome. Stabilization really changes the game with binoculars.

That is absolutely correct. Beyond the areas listed above, Nikon is also heavily into sports optics, such as spotting scopes, riflescopes, laser rangefinders and others such things. In the riflescope arena, they have a reputation for lens clarity and especially light transmission. More recently, they have introduced ED glass in mid-range price riflescopes. They also supply their new Super ED glass to other high end scope manufacturers.

I have several Nikon riflescopes (Monarch series) and my match rifle would have a Nikon if they produced one that had the necessary magnification I need (Nikon stops at 32X), but my March-X has the Nikon ED glass in it, so even though it's not a Nikon riflescope, it has some Nikon (Nikkor) components.

wj cody Loc: springfield illinois

making their own glass?
what does this mean?
if you are speaking, literally, of sand to glass, then only 2 come to mind. that would be minolta, with their imari glass company, and ernst leitz. everyone else, canon, nikon, pentax, and i mean every one else purchased blanks from schneider or schact, and fashion their lenses from there.
hope this eliminates confusion.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

wj cody wrote:

making their own glass?
what does this mean?
if you are speaking, literally, of sand to glass, then only 2 come to mind. that would be minolta, with their imari glass company, and ernst leitz. everyone else, canon, nikon, pentax, and i mean every one else purchased blanks from schneider or schact, and fashion their lenses from there.
hope this eliminates confusion.

Can you verify that rather bold statement? With reliable sources. The available evidence from 'real media' tends to indicate a different view of reality, one with a little less distortion and aberration!

So, in my mind your comment adds to the circle of confusion, obfuscates the discussion, certainly adds no clarity.

Could you either verify and support your comments or at least offer further explanation. Thank you.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Peterff wrote:

Can you verify that rather bold statement? With reliable sources. The available evidence from 'real media' tends to indicate a different view of reality, one with a little less distortion and aberration!

So, in my mind your comment adds to the circle of confusion, obfuscates the discussion, certainly adds no clarity.

Could you either verify and support your comments or at least offer further explanation. Thank you.

I'm waiting too!
Odds are it is f*ke news, or maybe it was true 50 years ago!!! LoL
SS

Pegasus Loc: Texas Gulf Coast

SharpShooter wrote:

I'm waiting too!
Odds are it is f*ke news, or maybe it was true 50 years ago!!! LoL
SS

It's fake news.

wj cody Loc: springfield illinois

Pegasus wrote:

It's fake news.

look up minolta and imari glass company on the web. also look up schneider and schacht on the web and see which camera companies they supply.
have a nice day. oh, and invest in some good reference books - that might be of actual assistance to all of you.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

wj cody wrote:

making their own glass?
what does this mean?
if you are speaking, literally, of sand to glass, then only 2 come to mind. that would be minolta, with their imari glass company, and ernst leitz. everyone else, canon, nikon, pentax, and i mean every one else purchased blanks from schneider or schact, and fashion their lenses from there.
hope this eliminates confusion.

I thought Nikon has always made their own glass.

wj cody Loc: springfield illinois

Architect1776 wrote:

I thought Nikon has always made their own glass.

nope - they make their own lenses. big difference.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

wj cody wrote:

nope - they make their own lenses. big difference.

According to this they do. It is a company wholly owned by Nikon therefore is Nikon.
Is all this a lie or are you confused. Canon I believe purchases it's glass from other sources and could possibly do so from the Nikon subsidiary as well. Canon does make it's own fluorite crystals and has done so since the beginning in the early 70's I believe and developed aspherical lenses as well before others figured it out but actual glass I believe still Nikon makes and it is some of the best in the world.
But the websites below could all be lies as I got this from the internet.

https://nikonrumors.com/2013/01/26/the-wholly-owned-subsidiary-hikari-glass-is-where-nikon-glass-is-made.aspx/

https://petapixel.com/2013/01/10/a-glimpse-into-how-nikon-produces-the-optical-glass-used-in-its-lenses/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4BOLIa_3lw

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

wj cody wrote:

making their own glass?
what does this mean?
if you are speaking, literally, of sand to glass, then only 2 come to mind. that would be minolta, with their imari glass company, and ernst leitz. everyone else, canon, nikon, pentax, and i mean every one else purchased blanks from schneider or schact, and fashion their lenses from there.
hope this eliminates confusion.

Actually, you are incorrect. Nikon makes their own glass from sand and other ingredients. They do NOT do blanks from others. In fact, Nikon also makes glass and lenses for microscopes, telescopes, rifle and spotting scopes in addition to camera lenses.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4BOLIa_3lw

Most of their glass is manufactured to their specifications by Hikari Glass
http://www.diyphotography.net/nikons-new-philosophy-nikkor-video-shows-make-optical-glass/

Also see: http://nikonrumors.com/2013/01/26/the-wholly-owned-subsidiary-hikari-glass-is-where-nikon-glass-is-made.aspx/

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/1327336

They also make the software that many of the other camera/optical companies (including NASA) use to design and test lens glass.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

Architect1776 wrote:

According to this they do. It is a company wholly ... (show quote)

sorry, we both came up with much the same info at the same time.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

dcampbell52 wrote:

Actually, you are incorrect. Nikon makes their ow... (show quote)

Exactly. I learned this when selling cameras at Tempe Camera repair and Nikon has a Nikon Specialist course for sales people that I took. Very informative.

Pegasus Loc: Texas Gulf Coast

wj cody wrote:

nope - they make their own lenses. big difference.

Nope, they make their own glass. And Minolta is defunct. Double fake news.