Best lens name

[retinax]

Ok, I just found out there are Ica cameras with a lens called "Dominar", probably a triplet. That's a contender. Off the top of my head, I also like "Skoparex", and "Xenon" and "Flektogon" are also cool. "Hektor" is pretty funny, named after a dog as the lore goes. Meopta made an "Openar". Please add your favorites, maybe at some point, we can add a poll.

 

[largedrink]

I love the classic lens names, there's a comprehensive list in my 1950's Lens Manual and aDirectory book. A couple of my favourites are the Heligon from Rodenstock, Ultron from Voigtländer and also Color-Heliar and Apo-Lanthar also from Voigtländer. Such exotic names!

 

[bullterrier]

Holga sounds good!

 

[retinax]

I love the classic lens names, there's a comprehensive list in my 1950's Lens Manual and aDirectory book. A couple of my favourites are the Heligon from Rodenstock, Ultron from Voigtländer and also Color-Heliar and Apo-Lanthar also from Voigtländer. Such exotic names!

Yes, let's not do a poll by company, because it's clear that Voigtländer would win.

 

[jbielikowski]

Super-Q-Gigantar, easy.

 

[Ambro51]

ICA Dominar

 

[valdas]

Minitar sounds quite good, almost like Minotaur... and Helios because it brings more Greek mythology.

 

[Brian Atherton]

As an English speaker the Admiral GMC Automatik-Weitwinkel 21mm f4 lens always sounds pretty funny to my ears.

 

[santino]

„Biotar“ is a cool name.

 

[peterm1]

If I were going to name a lens it would definitely be something like "lookar". Or maybe if it were a tele lens a "closar". On the other hand if it were merely a long focal length lens and not a true tele lens, perhaps "longar" might be appropriate.

They say that puns are the worst form of wit. I think I have just accidentally proved that proposition. And for that I deserve a good slap.

https://tenor.com/view/slap-smack-wack-naked-gub-gif-8194361

While on the subject of 'Naked Gun" gags and names of high tech equipment I think that film invented the best name ever.........

https://www.liveleak.com/view?t=579_1456490418

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Russars are coming.

 

[valdas]

Russars are coming.

It is just missing “t” in the middle 🙂

 

[Dogman]

I think I'll call my lens "Pops".

 

[ChrisPlatt]

The camera I design will be called The Dogmatic.
I haven't come up with a name for the lens yet.

Chris

 

[SaveKodak]

I've always been partial to the Zeiss nomenclature.

Biogon, Distagon, Planar, Tessar, etc...

But I no longer have any Biogons or Distagons. Just a Xenotar, a Tele-Xenotar and Super Angulons. I do have a Planar on my Rollei though!

The Leica ones are the worst. All these guys running around camera stores looking a a blahblahlux. Thambar? ***...

Of course most recently some of the best B&W work I've seen in a while was made with a Holga and it's "OPTICAL LENS". What's in a name?

 

[Oren Grad]

When it comes to large format lenses, I'm more into Rodenstock than Schneider (though I own lenses from both). But somehow the name "Angulon" (or "Super Angulon" for the newer ones) seems nicely descriptive for a wide-angle design, while "Grandagon" strikes me as hokey.

Also: I'm old enough to remember when Asahi Optical changed from "Takumar" to "Pentax" and Minolta changed from "Rokkor" to "Minolta". I thought then that it was a mistake, and I still do. Kudos to Olympus for sticking with "Zuiko" to this day.

 

[dourbalistar]

If I were going to name a lens it would definitely be something like "lookar". Or maybe if it were a tele lens a "closar". On the other hand if it were merely a long focal length lens and not a true tele lens, perhaps "longar" might be appropriate.

Don't forget about "biggar" the macro lens, and "panoramar" the ultra-wide angle. 😀

 

[sreed2006]

Mutar by Rollei and Zeiss. They are accessory lenses that Mutate the image.

 

[aizan]

Why do lenses even have names? Isn’t the brand and the lens spec enough? Did they just have to spice it up for advertising, or was there some other reason?

Dagor
Switar
Componon
Amotal
Elmarit
Rapid Rectilinear
Plasmat

 

[ranger9]

Courtesy of Jason Schneider: Tomioka Tri-Lausar. An honest name for the mediocre triplet lens found on the Pigeon 35 camera.