How the Glass is Made for Nikon DSLR Lenses

Photography Tips

Ever wonder how they make the glass lenses for cameras? Androids. No, just kidding. But there is such a high level of detail that goes into making each lens that you may think a robot would have made it. Producing optical lenses is a highly technical process. Even the smallest error can create significant flaws in the lens. This short and visually stunning video lets you see the machines and people behind the production of Nikon’s optical lenses:

Though the machines do a great deal of work in creating the lens, you may be surprised to see how much of a role the workers play in the production. There seems to be multiple inspections throughout the process of creating each lens to make sure that every one is good enough to continue. Though I understand that the machines are necessary, it’s nice to see that the whole system isn’t automated, and that each one is being carefully examined by several Nikon employees.

Nikon lens glass being produced