Lens names: How the heck do they come up with these things?

Theo Sulphate

Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2014
Messages
6,489
Location
Gig Harbor
Format
Multi Format
Meyer-Optik Görlitz made a 135/2.8 Orestor that I've been trying to find in Exakta mount at swap meets. It's a beauty:

http://www.wrotniak.net/photo/exakta/lenses.html

(scroll down to the telephoto lenses)

I have no idea what Orestor means.
 

Alan Johnson

Subscriber
Joined
Nov 16, 2004
Messages
3,272

removed account4

Subscriber
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Messages
29,832
Format
Hybrid
i have been using a movantica f2
i stopped using it cause all my exposures
kept coming out kind of $h¡††Y ...
 

markjwyatt

Subscriber
Joined
Apr 26, 2018
Messages
2,417
Location
Southern California
Format
Multi Format

Schnellarbeiter = schnell arbeiter = fast worker (literal German), no? I suspect you know that AgX.

Sonnar= Sonn(-e) + ar
sonne =sun (literal German)
-ar -> personalizes (usually) a verb

so Sonnar = maybe sun catcher or light catcher, light painter , or something?
 

Arklatexian

Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
1,777
Location
Shreveport,
Format
Multi Format
I wonder if my idea that some manufacturers, with earlier (and maybe some current) lenses ended the lens name with a reference to what the lens formula was. i.e. -AR. Examples: Zeiss-Tessar, Elmar-E. Leitz Tessar, Ektar-Eastman Kodak Tessar, Xenar- Schneider Tessar. Made sense to me........Regards!
 

AgX

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2007
Messages
29,973
Location
Germany
Format
Multi Format
Schnellarbeiter = schnell arbeiter = fast worker (literal German), no? I suspect you know that AgX.
Yes, indeed.
When I first read that name I thought of a joke designation. But it turned out to be the original name...
Those were the times when lenses where still working for us.
 

JensH

Member
Joined
May 30, 2017
Messages
505
Location
Schaumburg, Germany
Format
Multi Format

Yes, a Tessar is made of four (greek: "tessares") elements (in three groups).
And Xenar/Xenon have "xenos" meaning strange or different in their name.

Best
Jens
 

Sirius Glass

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
50,359
Location
Southern California
Format
Multi Format
If we still had the auto search you would see that this has been covered in details with a collection of many references and explanations.
 

dmr

Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2005
Messages
868
Format
35mm
For a long time I wondered what significance the name Takumar had. They say (the ubiquitous "they") that one member of the founding Asahi family was named Takuma.
 

RalphLambrecht

Subscriber
Joined
Sep 19, 2003
Messages
14,649
Location
K,Germany
Format
Medium Format
summilux sound like a sum of lux or lots of light to me.
 

AgX

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2007
Messages
29,973
Location
Germany
Format
Multi Format
Yes, obviously the Summilux needs a great lot of light, whereas as the Noctilux can cope with the night...
 

dmr

Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2005
Messages
868
Format
35mm
I've read that Tessar comes from a Greek word which I do not know

For some reason, I always associate Tessar with the given name Tess or Tessa (as in the informal variant of Theresa/Teresa/Terese). I associate Planar with plane, as in flat. Likewise the various Summi/Summa lenses as implying the ultimate, the pinnacle, the best.
 
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…