Nikonos V

Nikonos V Film Camera

Nikonos Calypso is the name of a series of 35mm format cameras specifically designed for underwater photography launched by Nikon in 1963. The early Nikonos cameras were improvements of the Calypso camera, which was an original design by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Belgian engineer Jean de Wouters. It was produced in France by La Spirotechnique (currently Aqua Lung) until the design was acquired byNikon to become the Nikonos. The Nikonos system was immensely popular with both amateur and professional underwater photographers. Its compact design, ease of use, and excellent optical quality set the standard for several decades of underwater imaging. Nikon ceased development and manufacture of new Nikonos cameras in 2001, but the camera remains popular, and there is a large and active secondary market.

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Nikonos IVa

Lenses

The Nikonos is often referred to as a rangefinder camera, but in truth it is a scale focus camera as there is no rangefinder. The viewfinder is used purely to compose the shot, and to display exposure information. Focus is set with an outsized dial mounted on the left side of the lens barrel (as seen from the operator's point of view), and the aperture is set with a dial mounted on the right. For many beginners, this meant some confusion over estimating distances underwater, since refraction makes objects appear 25% closer than they actually are. Strangely, Nikon's approach was to assume that the user did not make the correction, so the distance markers on the lens are offset to compensate for it. Thankfully the Nikonos wide-angle lenses have ample depth of field, so these discrepancies are often not a noticeable problem.

The "Workhorse of the War"

Because of its waterproof housing, lens options, and toughness, the Nikonos was an important tool for photographers working in the steaming jungles, flooded rice paddies, and rain-lashed battlefields of the Vietnam War. The wire services loaded their Nikonos cameras with Tri-X, Ektacolor-X or High-Speed Ektachrome.

For my part,

I started underwater photography with a Nikonos IVa, strobe, 28 & 35mm lenses. I later aquired a Nik V, Close-up kit, macro tubes and 2 SB-101 strobes. I still have the Nik V & lens and close-up kit.

Wikipedia