Restoring a NIKONOS from Under the Sea

In 1978, a suitcase made of aluminum washed ashore at a beach in New Caledonia islands, east of Australia. It was one of the items remaining from a shipwreck, which sank in high waters four years prior in 1974. In the suitcase was a set of 35mm NIKONOS II*1 that belonged to the owner of the vessel*2. After going through a minor cleaning, the camera was back in shape for shooting. It was an event that once again proved the robustness of optical products made by Nikon.

*1: Fortunately, he survived and the NIKONOS camera was returned to him.
*2: NIKONOS was first introduced in 1963. Offering superb performance in airtightness, corrosion-resistance, pressure-resistance, and cold-temperature resistance, the camera was suited for a wide range of applications including underwater photography at a depth of 50 meters, weatherproof features to enable shooting in storms, tough environmental features for use in punishing locations such as dry desert regions, and disinfection of the camera for medical use. Because of its all-round abilities, the camera was nicknamed The All-Weather Camera.