1958

[Ian Grant]

Focusing on a single year or single innovation doesn't help much in understanding how change unfolded. Among the key innovations was marketing--something the Japanese and mostly American agencies had to puzzle out quickly in the late 50s-early 60s. Nikon arguably overshadowed and helped the SLR competition with its huge aspirational cachet, thanks to growing popularity among pro shooters--something Pentax and Minolta just didn't have. The watershed metaphor is a bit misleading.

We are talking about generalities and the OP chose the year 1958 in the title. It just happens that 1958 is the year the first modern Japanese SLR's were introduced, Nikon were a few years behind their competitors with the release of their first SLR in 1959 and you're probably over estimating their importance, not all professionals used Nikons quite a number used other makes including Pentax, and others never used 35mm at all.

1958 was the year that Japanese camera manufacturers began to export en-mass to Europe and North America with models that appealed to the market. It's not one company in particular but a deluge of models from a growing number of Japanese manufacturers from 1958 onwards.

If we wanted to be more accurate it would probably be better to say that the period between 1958-61 is the time when the modern SLR matured, particularly with the first Japanese camera to have TTL metering the Pentax Spotmatic.

Ian

 

[CGW]

We are talking about generalities and the OP chose the year 1958 in the title. It just happens that 1958 is the year the first modern Japanese SLR's were introduced, Nikon were a few years behind their competitors with the release of their first SLR in 1959 and you're probably over estimating their importance, not all professionals used Nikons quite a number used other makes including Pentax, and others never used 35mm at all.

1958 was the year that Japanese camera manufacturers began to export en-mass to Europe and North America with models that appealed to the market. It's not one company in particular but a deluge of models from a growing number of Japanese manufacturers from 1958 onwards.

If we wanted to be more accurate it would probably be better to say that the period between 1958-61 is the time when the modern SLR matured, particularly with the first Japanese camera to have TTL metering the Pentax Spotmatic.

Ian

Nikon's F was a 35mm system camera with lenses and accessories suited to almost any imaginable professional use--that's what sold them. Pentax and Minolta didn't come close in the late 50s/early-mid 60s.

 

[Ian Grant]

Nikon's F was a 35mm system camera with lenses and accessories suited to almost any imaginable professional use--that's what sold them. Pentax and Minolta didn't come close in the late 50s/early-mid 60s.

That's a subjective view in hindsight but remember that Nikon and Canon were the last of the major Japanese manufacturers (of the era) to release an SLR (both in 1959) and that was probably an advantage although Canon made a poorer start. Pentax were the first company to sell 1 million SLR's due to the success of the Spotmatics. Also remember market share differed across the world.

The first SLR system I came across was about 1964 and I can assure you that Spotmatic system was very comprehensive. In the UK Pentax had an advertising campaign based around many well known professional photographers well worn but still fully functional Pentax Spotmatics, and they preferred them to Nikons.

Ian

 

[CGW]

That's a subjective view in hindsight but remember that Nikon and Canon were the last of the major Japanese manufacturers (of the era) to release an SLR (both in 1959) and that was probably an advantage although Canon made a poorer start. Pentax were the first company to sell 1 million SLR's due to the success of the Spotmatics. Also remember market share differed across the world.

The first SLR system I came across was about 1964 and I can assure you that Spotmatic system was very comprehensive. In the UK Pentax had an advertising campaign based around many well known professional photographers well worn but still fully functional Pentax Spotmatics, and they preferred them to Nikons.

Ian

Innovators don't always become--or remain--market leaders, I guess. Pentax 35mm didn't really crack the 1960s PJ or professional market in N. America.

Now, Sony seems to be upending the digital market with MILC/EVIL cameras that make Nikon/Canon DSLRs look antiquated. Change never rests.

 

[benjiboy]

I was in the military in 1958 and too busy trying to stay alive to take any notice of what was happening in the cameras world.