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Author Topic: The names of European lenses  (Read 4793 times)

David Sutton

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The names of European lenses
« on: April 08, 2009, 04:25:27 am »

What I would like to know is what makes the names of European cameras and lenses so attractive? There is a post somewhere here asking about the Schneider PC Superanglon 28/2.8. The what???  Whatever it is, I WANT one. NOW! With a name like that, it must be just the bees knees. I just looked up their web site. They have a Apo-Tele-Xenar Compact for heavens sake. Oh where did I put my credit card? And a Cine-Digitar Anamorphic 1.33 M lens. Does that mean you can change it into a collection of digital films? I don't care. Where can I buy one?
And don't let's talk about Zeiss. A Vario-Sonnar T*DT or a Distagon T 3.5/18 or, wait for it, a C Biogon T*2.8/35 ZM. Uh, if I had one of those I'd be a real professional. Maybe I should just get a third job to pay for this stuff.
It reminds me of Italian cars. Fiat didn't produce a 1.6 lt. No, they produced the Fiat 131 Supermirafiori 1600TC. You could sit in cars like these and soak in the lovely design and the Italian words on the dials. But if you actually drove one, you found the off-centre steering wheel so distracting that you didn't notice you were doing well over 200 km/hr and if it didn't burst into flames then the gearbox shattered leaving cogs and oil for half a mile behind you, and after a walk to a phone box to ring your girl friend, there was the long tow home behind her 1300 Corolla. And did I learn? No. Three more Italian cars (count them: three) before buying boring Japanese vehicles  which started every day and left cash in my pocket at the end of the year.
I may be losing my marbles but I wonder if Canon or Nikon can't humour me a little. Japanese manufacturers used to be  able to sort of do the naming thing. I think from memory  my first “serious” camera was something like a Pentaprism TTL Reflex Spotmatic II. Now I have a 40D. Not even a 40D Super. Or a Super Digitar 40D Biomorphic (series III) Hyperpixel.
Don't get me wrong, I'm happy enough with the camera. It's just that little bit missing.
Sorry about the rant,
David
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dalethorn

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The names of European lenses
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2009, 08:01:39 am »

European mfr's have/had a long reputation of appealing to intellect to sell their ideas and products. American mfr's have relied on sex for so long that they've gotten hopelessly lazy and incompetent. See those "SX" and "LX" designations on cars and other items? That's subliminal sex. Don't take my word for it - look it up. The last American I recall appealing to intellect was Henry Kloss in the early 1970's. Then Henry went from significance with great breakthrough products to making little radios ... truly sad. HP went from "Rolls Royce of computers" to worst quality of the major mfr's. If Nikon were an American company, they'd have been in the dumper long ago.
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David Sutton

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The names of European lenses
« Reply #2 on: April 08, 2009, 10:34:09 pm »

Quote from: dalethorn
European mfr's have/had a long reputation of appealing to intellect to sell their ideas and products. American mfr's have relied on sex for so long that they've gotten hopelessly lazy and incompetent. See those "SX" and "LX" designations on cars and other items? That's subliminal sex.
Which no doubt explains the competitive advantage Fedex have over UPS, the popularity of the Essex motor car, and the strange birthrate in Sussex.
BTW, I never knew the "K" in KLH was for Henry Kloss. I still have a pair of KLH3 speakers, and they still work fine, though the computer part went to God years ago.
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mike.online

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The names of European lenses
« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2009, 01:01:02 am »

Quote from: Taquin
What I would like to know is what makes the names of European cameras and lenses so attractive? There is a post somewhere here asking about the Schneider PC Superanglon 28/2.8. The what???  Whatever it is, I WANT one. NOW! With a name like that, it must be just the bees knees....They have a Apo-Tele-Xenar Compact for heavens sake. Oh where did I put my credit card?

...... Fiat didn't produce a 1.6 lt. No, they produced the Fiat 131 Supermirafiori 1600TC.....

....Now I have a 40D. Not even a 40D Super. Or a Super Digitar 40D Biomorphic (series III) Hyperpixel.
Sorry about the rant,
David


I quite enjoyed that, Thanks!

BernardLanguillier

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The names of European lenses
« Reply #4 on: April 09, 2009, 01:09:20 am »

Quote from: Taquin
Which no doubt explains the ... strange birthrate in Sussex.

Japan is apparently considering renaming it self Japex.

Cheers,
Bernard

Rob C

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The names of European lenses
« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2009, 01:27:02 pm »

Quote from: BernardLanguillier
Japan is apparently considering renaming it self Japex.

Cheers,
Bernard


Japex Inc would sound better; even more confusing, too.

Rob C

Rob C

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The names of European lenses
« Reply #6 on: April 16, 2009, 03:47:33 pm »

[quote name='Taquin' date='Apr 8 2009, 08:25
It reminds me of Italian cars. Fiat didn't produce a 1.6 lt. No, they produced the Fiat 131 Supermirafiori 1600TC. You could sit in cars like these and soak in the lovely design and the Italian words on the dials. But if you actually drove one, you found the off-centre steering wheel so distracting that you didn't notice you were doing well over 200 km/hr and if it didn't burst into flames then the gearbox shattered leaving cogs and oil for half a mile behind you, and after a walk to a phone box to ring your girl friend, there was the long tow home behind her 1300 Corolla. And did I learn? No. Three more Italian cars (count them: three) before buying boring Japanese vehicles  which started every day and left cash in my pocket at the end of the year.
Sorry about the rant,
David
[/quote]


Taquin

It all made sense, though:1600TC meant 1600cc capacity and TC was twin carbs; but who outwith Europe understood ccs and the obvious references those codes made? Even Europe has lost the plot now,  BMW has been guilty too...

Looking on it in a different way - the Fiat X1/9 gave you the impression of owning a small Ferrari (even if a bicycle could be faster up to 35mph) and you could at least savour and survive the experience of owning a mid-engined machine; the Alfas kept much of Italy in gainful spare-parts employment as, of course, did Fiat and if you once bought into the Fiat network you were obviously going to purchase from them more than once, even if only because nobody else would do a trade-in with you. But you mustn´t overlook the greatest safety-feature of all: should it rain, hail, snow or even offer the slightest soupçon of moisture, the cunning, hidden, electrical device from Magneti Marelli became the world-leading anti-starting device formulated by any intelligent man and kept you safely in your garage.

And what does Japex Inc have to offer that competes with this? Imitation this and imitation that; all body and no soul, the music of the laboratory. I know of what I speak: only once I abadoned perfection did I become interesting to myself. You can do this too, if you really really feel the need. It actually pays off and you feel quite good about spending more waking hours in self-pursuit. Just like taking up photography, one might add, but at no added cost!

What a wonderful catalyst the Italian car.

Ciao

Rob C
« Last Edit: April 16, 2009, 03:52:07 pm by Rob C »
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David Sutton

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The names of European lenses
« Reply #7 on: April 17, 2009, 06:20:13 pm »

Quote from: Rob C
Taquin

It all made sense, though:1600TC meant 1600cc capacity and TC was twin carbs; but who outwith Europe understood ccs and the obvious references those codes made? Even Europe has lost the plot now,  BMW has been guilty too...

Looking on it in a different way - the Fiat X1/9 gave you the impression of owning a small Ferrari (even if a bicycle could be faster up to 35mph) and you could at least savour and survive the experience of owning a mid-engined machine; the Alfas kept much of Italy in gainful spare-parts employment as, of course, did Fiat and if you once bought into the Fiat network you were obviously going to purchase from them more than once, even if only because nobody else would do a trade-in with you. But you mustn´t overlook the greatest safety-feature of all: should it rain, hail, snow or even offer the slightest soupçon of moisture, the cunning, hidden, electrical device from Magneti Marelli became the world-leading anti-starting device formulated by any intelligent man and kept you safely in your garage.

And what does Japex Inc have to offer that competes with this? Imitation this and imitation that; all body and no soul, the music of the laboratory. I know of what I speak: only once I abadoned perfection did I become interesting to myself. You can do this too, if you really really feel the need. It actually pays off and you feel quite good about spending more waking hours in self-pursuit. Just like taking up photography, one might add, but at no added cost!

What a wonderful catalyst the Italian car.

Ciao

Rob C
Rob, an even better catalyst was my first car, the venerable Wolseley 4/44. I'm sure it must have been made from war surplus. Carrying just the bumper bars was really a two man job. 0 to 60 was about 30 seconds. It had a reported top speed of 73mph. This was a lie: if you went over 58mph the cast iron mounts on the generator or any other attached item broke. Entire iron ore mines were swallowed in their construction. Thus Italian cars were a small revelation, though indeed any car from that period was really a hobby. The real revelation was my first Japanese car: no oil on the garage floor, no weekends gone repairing it, no stripping down of the engine every few years. Who cares that it was basically just another appliance. A fridge on wheels. Yes, there is life outside of motoring! Perhaps there is also a life outside of photography? One day I might investigate.  
David
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Ben Rubinstein

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The names of European lenses
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2009, 09:59:04 am »

No passion, no soul. Is there any other explanation as to why anyone would buy a Leica?
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Rob C

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The names of European lenses
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2009, 11:02:26 am »

Quote from: pom
No passion, no soul. Is there any other explanation as to why anyone would buy a Leica?



Ooooh you devil´s advocate, you!

Rob C

dalethorn

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The names of European lenses
« Reply #10 on: April 22, 2009, 11:39:26 am »

Quote from: pom
No passion, no soul. Is there any other explanation as to why anyone would buy a Leica?

I subscribed to Leica Fotografie when I first bought the M4-2. To some people, it could be just another magazine, but to many Leica owners, it was something special. If you weren't a participant, it wouldn't make sense to you.
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Ben Rubinstein

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The names of European lenses
« Reply #11 on: April 22, 2009, 02:18:20 pm »

My comment was that Leica had the passion and soul. Not much else right enough  
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