Names of cameras in other contexts

Someonenameddavid · Sep 20, 2011

Most of us would recognize the fact that Olympus was the Greek mountain where the mythical Greek Gods dwelt: a few (sad) people would recognize that Nikon was a Russian archbishop who reformed the Orthodox church in Russia during the 1600s.... How many of you know that Miranda was a Shakespearian character, or that Minolta marketed a range of APS cameras called Vectis, which was the Ancient Roman name for the Isle of Wight (That's off the South coast of England for those elsewhere)... Can any of you come up with other camera names that mean something else... Other languages even....

David

ntenny · Sep 20, 2011

I'm not sure: is the origin of Canon as a goddess's name fairly well known? (The Japanese name is, I think, normally rendered as Kannon; she's probably better known to the West in her Chinese version as Kuan Yin.)

Nikon was also a fairly prominent graffiti artist in Budapest a few years ago; no idea if the name comes from the camera (probably not from the archbishop).

-NT

MattKing · Sep 20, 2011

Well, Retina clearly has an important roll in sight.

And Medalist is an award winner.

And a Cine Kodak Special is, well, special .

All from a company whose very name is a purely made up word.

zsas · Sep 20, 2011

Mt Fuji

tomalophicon · Sep 20, 2011

Walker Titan is one I suppose.
Using a Canon Rebel made you feel sooooo baaad!!!

benjiboy · Sep 21, 2011

ntenny said:
I'm not sure: is the origin of Canon as a goddess's name fairly well known? (The Japanese name is, I think, normally rendered as Kannon; she's probably better known to the West in her Chinese version as Kuan Yin.)

Nikon was also a fairly prominent graffiti artist in Budapest a few years ago; no idea if the name comes from the camera (probably not from the archbishop).

-NT

The name was originally Kwanon the Buddhist goddess of enlightenment, and Nikon is a contraction of Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha , Japan Optical Industries Corporation in English.

Vaughn · Sep 21, 2011

Diana Camera -- probably not after Princess Di...

Steve Smith · Sep 21, 2011

Someonenameddavid said:
or that Minolta marketed a range of APS cameras called Vectis, which was the Ancient Roman name for the Isle of Wight

I knew that!

Our local bus company has Vectis in its name although I don't think it was running chariot based public transport when the Romans were in occupation..

Steve.

Francis in VT · Sep 21, 2011

EOS I was told is the Greek goddess of dawn.

guitstik · Sep 21, 2011

Francis in VT said:
EOS I was told is the Greek goddess of dawn.

Dish washing detergent has a patron?

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Sep 21, 2011

Nikon is Japanese Intelligence Agencies name from ww2.

CGW · Sep 21, 2011

Mustafa Umut Sarac said:
Nikon is Japanese Intelligence Agencies name from ww2.

Guess again, please:

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/index.htm

CGW · Sep 21, 2011

Kyocera Samurai

Fujipet

Canon ELPH

AgX · Sep 27, 2011

Penelope from Aaton

Penelope was the wife of Odysseus and her fidelity when seperated all those years from her husband has been described.

AgX · Sep 27, 2011

Agfa Karat

Agfa Billy

Indra (a german box camera and a name from Hindu mythology)

Jeff L · Sep 27, 2011

IKON = image (Greek "eikon)

AgX · Sep 27, 2011

Swinger from Polaroid

2F/2F · Sep 27, 2011

Ma-Mamiya!

AgX · Sep 27, 2011

Sport by GOMZ

(though this may not count as it is seemingly linked to its function)

AgX · Sep 27, 2011

Centurion from Olympus

Mercury from ERAC

Mercury from Universal

Narziss from KMZ

Vega from Arsenal

Rabbit from Tougodo

Adler from Asahi (Adler means eagle in German)

Kreis from Takahashi (Kreis means circle in German)

Lyra from Fuji Kōgaku

there are a lot of those names at early japenese cameras so I better stop...

SimonD · Sep 27, 2011

Not sure which came first, Fuji's Nexia APS film and cameras or the Daewoo version of the GM Astra car.

jakyamuni · Sep 27, 2011

I've heard that Bronica was a Japanese adaptation of the term "Brownie," referring to the film size (120 film being "brownie film"); incidentally, Brownie cameras were named after characters popularized by Palmer Cox in the late 19th-early 20th century.

michaelbsc · Sep 28, 2011

The "M" sync setting is for GE's Mazda base bulbs (not related to the Japanese car company). Obviously the "X" setting was for xenon.

Mazda was an ancient Persian name for God that means light. How GE found that as a product brand name is anybody's guess.

AgX · Sep 29, 2011

michaelbsc said:
The "M" sync setting is for GE's Mazda base bulbs.

I doubt this.

M seems to stand for medium response time
F for fast response
FP for focal plane (-shutter usability)

This all seems to be about light emittance characteristics.

Steve Smith · Sep 29, 2011

michaelbsc said:
Mazda was an ancient Persian name for God that means light. How GE found that as a product brand name is anybody's guess.

Light bulbs?

http://www.adclassix.com/images/18mazdalightbulbs.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1186/803237902_fd12d5c863.jpg

EDIT: I see your point now. How, not why!

Steve.

Names of cameras in other contexts

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