| Copyright (c) 2009 Kentaro Konika The Nikon | | | | especially for astronauts on NASA space missions |
| brand is famous across the world. Synonymous | | | | to use. The design was robust and easily usable |
| with quality and durability Nikon has carved out a | | | | by astronauts whilst they wore their restrictive |
| large market for themselves, competing with the | | | | space suits. It also functioned in zero gravity |
| likes of Canon for the top-spot in the camera | | | | environments and was resistant to solar rays |
| world. The Nikon company started out small but | | | | which posed a problem to camera technology in |
| has grown into one of the most successful | | | | space previously. As a result of the success of |
| commercial camera manufacturers in the world. | | | | this camera Nikon continued to design more |
| The company started from humble beginnings | | | | cameras for NASA. The success of Nikon up to |
| shortly after the end of World War II, launching | | | | this time is evident, but it has continued through |
| the Nikon I in 1948. With this as their starting | | | | the 1990s to the present day. During the '90s |
| point Nikon continued to build on their success, | | | | Nikon produced more top quality SLRs that |
| quickly introducing a second camera to the | | | | served to retain Nikon's place at the top of |
| market, the Nikon M, one year later in 1949. | | | | commercial camera equipment standings. In 1992 |
| During the 1950s the brand continued to grow | | | | Nikon released the NIKONOS RS, the world's first |
| with the NP 1957 being released as a rival to beat | | | | autofocus SLR camera usable under water. This |
| the industry leading Leica 35mm from Germany. | | | | was a big step for underwater camera use, |
| The Nikon camera quickly came to be thought of | | | | enabling photos to be taken more easily than |
| as one of the top choices amongst camera | | | | ever in sub-aqua conditions. Nikon went on to |
| technology at the time. Since these early years | | | | team up with Fuji Films producing the E2 and E2S |
| Nikon has grown into a powerhouse of the | | | | digital still cameras in 1995. In 1997 Nikon then |
| camera world. Numerous technological | | | | introduced their first digital camera called the |
| improvements have kept Nikon cameras at the | | | | CoolPix 100. As of then Nikon has kept itself at |
| top end of the camera market. The launch of the | | | | the top of the digital camera world with a |
| Nikon F SLR in 1959 was a landmark in the | | | | constant stream of new releases improving digital |
| company's history setting an industry standard for | | | | camera technology year on year. The CoolPix |
| SLR design. As a result it quickly became the tool | | | | S50C and P4 are both excellent compacts, |
| of choice for a variety of professional | | | | particularly the P4 which is a high quality 8MP |
| photographers, taking precedence over the | | | | product with a large view-screen on the back. |
| German Leica cameras that reigned before it. By | | | | The S50C is a 7.2 MP camera boasting a huge 3 |
| 1980 Nikon had proven themselves to be one of | | | | inch view-screen making taking great photos |
| the best but continued to make improvements | | | | easier than ever. |
| including the release of the F3 which was designed | | | | |