Photographica Pages

An online guide to collectable cameras and related stuff

250/4 Nikkor for Rangefinder

Nippon Kogaku introduced the 250/4 and their reflex housing concurrently in January 1951. This should come as no surprise, as the lens is useless without the housing, and the housing really serves no use without a short mount lens. And what better lens to start with than the 250.

The first version of the lens has a manual diaphragm, the second version, introduced in 1956, has a preset diaphragm. Although the manual diaphragm was available for five years, only about 600 were built. The second version was a bit more successful, with 1700 sold through 1963. This would be helped in part by the popularity of the Nikon F, it's lack of a 200mm lens until 1961 and the N-F tube, allowing it's use on the F.

Both lenses used a 68mm shade that doubled as a filter holder, and reversed with a cap on the end for storage. The shades for the two lenses are different, the later shade being longer. Most of the manual lenses have a chrome tripod socket, on others it's black. The manual lens weighed in at 40 ounces, it's successor lost a little weight, tipping the scales at36.5 ounces. Both versions carried the same price tag, $224.50

Serial numbers for the manual lens run from 271800 through 272400. The preset numbers are divided into two batches, the first from 272400 up to 2737xx, then pick up at 277400 and run to 2776xx.

The 250/4 Nikkor preset version mounted on a Reflex Housing 2 on a S4.

The early 250/4 Nikkor with manual diaphragm and it's shade.

The 250 preset and manual.