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Nikon is the camera and optics brand name adopted from "Nikko," an abbreviation of its original company name, Nippon Kogaku. NIKKOR is the brand for its photographic lenses, derived by adding an "R" to the "Nikko" abbreviation, a common practice for lens naming at the time. The company was founded in 1917 as Nippon Kogaku, produced its first lens under the NIKKOR name in 1932, and began selling its own cameras under the Nikon name in 1946.
Origin of the Brands
Nippon Kogaku: The company's original name, founded in 1917, was Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha (Japan Optical Industries Co., Ltd.).
Nikko: In 1946, the company released its first compact camera and named it "Nikon". This name was created by adding the letter "n" to "Nikko" (the Romanized abbreviation of Nippon Kogaku) to give it a more masculine feel and to align with its camera products.
NIKKOR: Before the camera division was established, Nippon Kogaku started producing lenses in 1932. They added the letter "R" to the existing "Nikko" abbreviation, a common practice in naming photographic lenses during that era, to create the NIKKOR brand for their lenses.
The Evolution of the Brands
Early Lens Production: The first NIKKOR lens was an Aero-Nikkor for aerial photography, released in 1933.
Company Renaming: The company formally changed its name to Nikon Corporation in 1988.
Brand Separation: While the company eventually became Nikon Corporation, the NIKKOR brand name for lenses continued, creating two distinct brands for the company's product lines.

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