Nikon Lens & Body Brochure 2006

It's a long weekend, but I don't feel like writing too much so it's time for another retroscan entry. This time it's the back few pages of a 2006 Nikon system booklet. A lot's changed since then, that's for sure.

Click for full-size

This was back in the days when Nikon didn't have stabilized super-teles, and only 7 DX lenses were available. Also of note is that only 19 of the 40 lenses there were AF-S; this was before the D40 came out, so all digital bodies at this point still had the built-in focus motor. Since then Nikon has been pumping out the AF-S replacements at a pretty rapid rate. The mighty 14-24 was still over the horizon at this point as well.

At this stage in the game, Nikon's lineup consisted of aging bodies, especially at the pro level with the D2 series. The D200 represented the first of a new generation, with the D80 and D40 soon to follow. The D2's had to duke it out for almost another year until the landmark D3 was launched. Many people seem to forget that Nikon lacked a full-frame body until 2007, so in 2006 it was all DX. That's right, Canon (sort of) had a monopoly on 35mm digital for 6 years and Nikon didn't go out of business...or get anywhere close to it. Think about that next time you read a forum post where someone claims X company will go bankrupt because they don't have product Y.

...and part of their flash lineup. Nothing too exciting, but they're all a few generations old by now.

That's it folks, check back later for more. Speaking of Nikon, reviews for the D50 and D70 (not s) are in the pipeline.