TOKYO -- Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce that production figures for our Nikkor SLR interchangeable lenses surpassed the 40 million mark this month.

Forty-eight years have passed since Nikon introduced the first Nikkor lens with F mount, together with our first SLR camera, the Nikon F, in 1959. Nikon views the 40 million figure as symbolic of the love and enthusiasm shared by photography enthusiasts - professionals and amateurs alike - for Nikkor lenses, and a testimony to their extraordinary performance and reliability.

Nikon first introduced the Nikkor brand of photo lenses in 1932. At that time, Nikkor lenses were attached not only to Nikon cameras, such as the Nikon I introduced in 1948, but also to Leica cameras, and later to Contax cameras. In 1959, the F mount, a 44mm large-diameter bayonet mount, was first employed for the Nikon F. Since then, Nikon has maintained the same format for almost half a century, offering unrivaled compatibility with each new Nikon camera up to the latest digital SLR D40X. Along the way, advanced new technologies have been incorporated, such as improved aperture and autofocus control, and information exchange with the camera body.

As of July, Nikkor has a lineup of 57 lenses (including three Teleconverters and two Auto Extension Rings) including DX Nikkors for exclusive use with Nikon digital SLRs, plus fisheyes, ultra-wideangles, telephotos, zooms and micros.

Each lens incorporates a variety of original Nikon technologies. Nano Crystal Coating, for example, which originated with the development of Nikon Step-and-Repeat semiconductor manufacturing devices, considerably reduces ghosts and flare with its anti-reflective coating effect; ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements effectively minimize chromatic aberration for superior sharpness and color correction; and aspherical lenses virtually eliminate coma and other types of lens aberration.

This lineup is further strengthened by AF-S Nikkors that feature our Silent Wave Motor (SWM), enabling fast, quiet autofocus operation, and VR Nikkors that offer diverse functions such as blur-correction for more comfortable shooting.

Nikkor lenses are produced with exceptional continuity, from design and development, to the melting of glass materials and production, with each lens undergoing rigorous tests and inspections. It's the reason we're able to provide Nikkor lenses with such confidence. And we're committed to raising the level our technologies even further, and tightening our uncompromising quality controls, in order to meet and surpass your standards and expectations.