The brochures for various Nikon products are preserved in the Nikon historical archives. Unfortunately, not every single brochure is preserved in the archives; however, in this article we would like to introduce four early Nikon camera brochures for the Nikon I and the Nikon M. For convenience, we will call them brochures A, B, C and D.
Nikon I Brochures
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Since Nikon cameras were originally exported, the brochures were first produced in English. Since the brochures bear no reference numbers, it is impossible to accurately determine the year in which they were produced.
Brochure A is probably the earliest of the four, since the model shown in the photograph is a prototype. The simple finish (an A4 single sheet printed on both sides in black and white) lends it the air of a prototype brochure, while the pre-war NIKKO logo with kanji at the top of the front page strikes a vaguely discordant note in an English brochure.
Since brochure B required a corporate logo that was suitable for overseas, the logo was changed to include the words "NIPPON KOGAKU TOKYO" in roman script, but retained the same outline design. This brochure was the first to feature this new logo. In terms of content, brochure B features two newly added lenses that did not appear in brochure A: a standard interchangeable 50mm f/1.8 lens and a telephoto 85mm f/2 lens. In addition, the lineup of interchangeable lenses shown on the back page has been increased from five models to seven. However, the text "five lenses being available," on the front page does not reflect the reality of the lineup at the time, while the 50mm f/1.8 lens was a prototype that never entered commercial production.
Nikon M Brochures
The text on the front page of brochure C talks of "six lenses being available." However, the error from brochure B is perpetuated on the back page of brochure C, where it is stated that there are seven lenses in the interchangeable-lens lineup. Brochure C also corrects the picture width described in brochure B (from 32 mm to 34) and the number of exposures that can be shot (from 40 to 36). These corrections have been made using a rubber stamp. Essentially, the specifications have been amended to those of the Nikon M. This clearly indicates that the brochure was produced in a hurry for the release of the Nikon M in October 1949. (Although the brochure required only two corrections, these specification changes took a heavy toll in terms of product design and production.) This brochure thus appears to have been a provisional brochure for the Nikon M.
The authoritative brochure for the Nikon M is brochure D. This looks like a real brochure—the thoughtful double fold design includes the Nikon logo, it is properly laid out, and it makes use of color. A proper title "THE FINEST 35mm CAMERA" has replaced the words "Precision Miniature Camera." The removal of the 50mm f/3.5 lens and the 50mm f/1.8 lens had reduced the interchangeable-lens lineup to five models.
Brochures A and B both touted the picture size of 24 mm x 32 mm as the camera's main strength, followed by its ability to shoot 40 exposures. However, despite the fact that Nikon set the most store by these features, within two short years it was forced to change these very specifications. The reasons appear to have been that the company was attempting to forcibly impose its own ideas on the market in general, ignoring the de facto standard of 24 mm x 36 mm, which had been set by Leica. Nevertheless, the company's attempt to increase the number of exposures that could be shot—from 36 to 40—was probably received sympathetically in a Japan, which had been defeated in the war and lacked resources.
Brochure D also differs from the earlier brochures in that it elevates compactness and ease of use to first and second place, respectively, in its list of the camera's main strengths. However, it was the feature that appeared at the bottom of this list—reliability—that would win most acclaim in the marketplace.