Nikon's BR-1 ring, an adapter to allow using the 135mm f4 Nikkor in barrel mount on a Nikon F

 The BR-1 ring was the first of a number of different adapters sold by Nikon to aid in closeup photography. One might suspect the BR stands for “Bellows Ring.” There was also a BR2, BR3 and later a BR4.

Three versions of the BR1 ring for the Nikon F

When Nikon introduced the Nikon F in July 1959, they included a new bellows designed specifically for their new reflex camera: the Bellows, model two. However, there was a problem. The already released Nikkor for Macro work—the 135mm f4 Nikkor-Q in barrel mount—was designed for use with the S-mount Bellows, model one. This, in turn, mounted on the Nikon reflex housing. The BR-1 rung solved two problems. It changed the mount from the S bayonet to the F bayonet  and it corrected the distance from the S mount to the new bellows to give the user infinity focus with the bellows two collapsed on the Nikon F.

    However, when Nikon introduced the Photomic finder, a new problem arose. It was impossible to mount a Nikon F with the Photomic finder in place on the bellows due to the overhang of the Photomic finder. A user would have to take off the finder, mount the camera, then put the finder back on. Nikon solved this problem by extending the bellows back mount by a few millimeters to allow for the Photomic finder to clear. It then shortened the BR-1 ring to compensate for the change.

    The three BR-1 rings shown here illustrate some of the many changes that a simple adapter could go through to reflect both focus and mounting requirements and identification.

    The BR-1 ring to the left is an original. In 1959, ‘Nikon’ still was a name primarily limited to identifying the company’s camera. “Nippon Kogaku,” part of the company’s name, was the preferred mark for all other products. This ring sports the company mark, the prism-lens combo that appeared universally all the way into the mid-1960s. Nowhere does it say Nikon, but it does sport the “gothic F” that would soon appear on all products for the new reflex camera.
   

Note the pin guiding groove on the lens mount

 

 

This ring differs in other less obvious ways. Instead of a black paint coating, it is anodized and shows a slight purple sheen in bright light. It is also a millimeter smaller in diameter than the later rings—a pattern seen in other adapter rings such as the NF tubes. It also has the machine-ground groove to guide the locking pin when mounting on the camera—a feature Nikon soon stopped using.
    The second ring is black-painted and slightly thicker. The NK logo is gone, replaced by ‘Nikon,’ all part of the change in labeling in the early -to-mid Sixties. It is still the same depth as the original. It came in the grey box shown. The price tag is from Classic Camera, once one of Allentown, Pennsylvania’s premier stores and long gone.

    The last ring is the one that came with the 135mm Nikkor when I bought it. It is the shorter version and would go with the deeper Bellows model two or any other later Nikon bellows. and would allow infinity focus and mounting of a Nikon F with a Photomic series finder. It is labelled ‘Nikkor’ instead of Nikon. This was part of a trend to label all lens accessories with the word Nikkor. This included filters and other attachments. This made it simpler for marketing in all countries, including in Germany where the word Nikon was then not allowed.
    Note that even all these changes, the gothic F is always there.