I shot these pictures with this Nikkormat Ftn during the Occupy Ottawa protest encampment in the fall of 2011.
The company we all recognize as Nikon today was actually known as Nippon Kogaku, K.K., (or Japan Optical Co. in English) until 1988. Founded in 1917, it was primarily an optical lens producer until it started manufacturing its own cameras in the late 1940's. From the 1960's until the late 70's, it sold camera's under two brand names, Nikon and Nikkormat. Both used F-mount Nikkor lenses, but the Nikon name was reserved for the professional models, and Nikkormat was on the nameplate of the consumer-level body. It roughly competed with the likes of Asahi Pentax, Minolta et al, but at the higher end of that market segment. Despite being a consumer or enthusiast camera, it was a heavy, solidly built camera body, almost like the Nikon F itself, but with a fixed viewfinder and a more conventional hinged back.
