How Nikkor lenses are made

To celebrate 80 years of Nikkor lenses, Nikon has released a special movie detailing the manufacturing process.

In 1933, 80 years ago, the very first Nikkor lens hit the Japanese market. Called the Aero-Nikkor, it was designed for aerial photography, and the brand name became Nikon's designation for its higher-end lenses.

It wasn't until 1959 that Nikon introduced its first SLR — and with it, the first SLR interchangeable lenses, most notably the F-mount, which continues to remain in production to this day.

Although Nikkor-branded lenses are now used in most of Nikon's cameras — including the Coolpix compacts — the company continues to make its high-end interchangeable lenses, and the process, as revealed by the anniversary video below, is a meticulous one, with many of the steps performed by hand.

Via Limor Fried