The original Nikonos underwater camera from 1963, pioneering waterproof photography with quality W-Nikkor 35mm lens.
The Nikon Nikonos I is the original underwater camera from 1963, based on the earlier Calypso camera designed by Jean de Wouters and Jacques-Yves Cousteau. It was the first camera in what would become the legendary Nikonos line of waterproof cameras, capable of shooting underwater without an external housing.
The included W-Nikkor 35mm f/2.5 lens is a wide-angle optic designed for underwater use, where the refractive index of water changes the effective field of view. The camera body is sealed against water intrusion using O-rings throughout the construction, allowing use at depths suitable for recreational diving while also being weather-proof for harsh surface conditions.
Build quality is robust with a metal body designed to withstand the pressures of underwater use and the general rigours of marine environments. The controls are deliberately large and simple to operate with gloved hands or while wearing diving equipment, and the entire camera can be field-stripped for O-ring inspection and maintenance.
The original Nikonos holds significant historical and collector value as the camera that opened underwater photography to a broad audience. Before the Nikonos, underwater photography required complex, expensive housings. The Nikonos made it accessible, launching a product line that remained in production for nearly four decades.