Nikon Nikonos II (1968–1975)
The Nikonos II is the second version of Nikon's amphibious 35mm camera. It is fully mechanical, a scale-focusing viewfinder camera that needs no batteries for any function, and it was designed for depths up to 50 meters. It descended from the French Calypso camera, originally designed by La Spirotechnique, which Nippon Kogaku took over and refined. The Nikonos I, II, and III are all modified versions of that Calypso design. The II looked and measured much like the original Nikonos, but added a fold-out film rewind crank and an improved film pressure plate.
The camera was built for gloved hands. Controls are large and straightforward, the shutter speed dial gained an additional rewind setting, and the rewind knob has a lever to make winding easier. There is no rangefinder. You estimate distance and set it on the lens barrel, with a depth-of-field scale to help you judge how much error you can tolerate. The standard lens is a 35mm f/2.5 W-Nikkor. The shutter is a vertical-travel focal-plane type with speeds from 1/30 to 1/60. It syncs with electronic flash up to 1/60 second, and with flashbulbs at all speeds via the FP contact on the baseplate. There's no built-in light meter and no battery compartment at all. Exposure is fully manual, which is one reason these cameras have a reputation for rugged reliability. Camera Traders noted that a well-kept example still delivers accurate shutter speeds decades on. Simple, mechanical and waterproof to 50 meters, it was a favorite among divers and all-weather shooters long after production ended.
Sources disagree slightly on the end of the production run - some say 1975, others 1976 - but the II was made from 1968 onward and was succeeded by the Nikonos III in 1975. A version branded as the Calypso/Nikkor II was sold in Europe. It was released with a price tag of around $300 in 1968.
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