| Nikon Camera Heritage Confused about how the various Nikon cameras evolved? Here you'll find a simplified diagram of recent models grew from different technology bases. |
Updated 8/15/07 |
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I'm often asked about which Nikon camera is the successor to a certain model, or which cameras are considered consumer or professional. Or even which new camera was derived from which older model. There's no easy answer to any of these questions, as Nikon has used parts and designs from multiple models for new ones. However, there are some basic lineages that can be discerned. In the chart that appears below, black bodies are "professional" 35mm cameras, blue bodies are "consumer" 35mm cameras, dark green bodies are "professional" digital SLRs, and light green bodies are "consumer" digital SLRs. The "professional" and "consumer" labels are used loosely here, but I believe reflect the major intentions of the camera producer. Black lines indicate direct replacements or direct design relationships, while gray lines are less direct relationships (e.g., "uses parts from," "inherits design ideas from," etc.). As you'll see, these relationships get quite complex. I've left off some minor variants of a single model (e.g., N90 versus N90s) to keep the chart simple and clear. Note: Outside the US, the Nikon film body names all start with F, not N. Also, the earlier models have a slightly different numbering scheme (e.g., F-801 instead of N8008).
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