Mamiya "Sekor" lenses

[Wayne Fox]

Well, it appears my original message got lost in the big LuLa Forum Crash of '09.  sorry if someone answered and I didn't see it.  

My very first "camera" of any significance was a Mamiya-Sekor SLR and through the years I see some Mamiya equipment uses the Mamiya Sekor moniker while most just use the Mamiya name.  I've never found what part "sekor" plays in all of this.

Noticed that most of the lenses for the PhaseOneAFD/MamiyaAFD3 cameras are listed as "AF", but the 28mm and the 75-150mm zoom are listed as "Sekor AF".

I'm assuming the "sekor" designation has some significance regarding the lens design, or why bother putting it there. Not that important,  just curious as to what meaning it might have.

[wolfnowl]

Google is your friend: http://herron.50megs.com/history.htm

Mike

[Wayne Fox]

Google is your friend: http://herron.50megs.com/history.htm

Mike

Spent some time with google before asking the question and saw that site... and still not completely clear.  What I can make of it is the Sekor name originated when one mamiya factory began making lenses, and the 28mm and 75-150 mm were the first lenses designed by the new Mamiya Digital Imaging company founded in 2006.  I guess that's all there is to it?  Meaning it is strictly sentimental and has no bearing on the lens quality or design?  I guess it just seems like it should be more important to merit the special label ... like a zeiss lens for a camera system.

[wolfnowl]

Here's the answer as I understand it:

"Immediately following WWII, Mamiya faced many production problems. Shutters and lenses were in short supply. Manufacturers began to make their own to meet demand. Unable to buy a sufficient supply of shutters and lenses from Chiyoda, their former supplier, Mamiya purchased a factory in Setagaya (Tokyo) to manufacture shutters and lenses for themselves.

It was this Mamiya Setagaya factory (later called Setagaya Koki) that originated the Sekor lens name. For a short time, Mamiya also bought lenses from Olympus Optical. "

Mike.

[JeffKohn]

I always just figured it was a marketing designation for the more expensive (and supposedly better) lenses, kind of like Canon's 'L' designation.

[Wayne Fox]

It was this Mamiya Setagaya factory (later called Setagaya Koki) that originated the Sekor lens name. For a short time, Mamiya also bought lenses from Olympus Optical. "

Mike.

yeah, saw that.  So why aren't all of the lenses "sekor" ... not just the two designed after the 2006 reorganization.

I always just figured it was a marketing designation for the more expensive (and supposedly better) lenses, kind of like Canon's 'L' designation.

I guess that's my questions ... Canon's L lenses aren't just marketing hype but specifically designed for higher quality.  Several companies do this.  But is the Sekor moniker just marketing hype or is there some substance to the designation.  Is the design of the 75-150 better than the 55-110 or the 110-220?

[JeffKohn]

Canon's L lenses aren't just marketing hype but specifically designed for higher quality.

I would say that's debatable. There are L lenses of questionable quality, and non-L lenses with surprisingly good quality. There's nothing special about L lenses compared to any other manufacturer's top of the line lenses. Relatively speaking, you get what you pay for.

I have to give Canon credit though, they've been extremely successful in marketing the L designation. It amazes me how many people think Canon's lenses are better than Nikon's, because Nikon doesn't have an L designation. (I'm not saying you believe that, but there are Canon loyalists who do).

[JDG]

yeah, saw that.  So why aren't all of the lenses "sekor" ... not just the two designed after the 2006 reorganization.



I guess that's my questions ... Canon's L lenses aren't just marketing hype but specifically designed for higher quality.  Several companies do this.  But is the Sekor moniker just marketing hype or is there some substance to the designation.  Is the design of the 75-150 better than the 55-110 or the 110-220?

There are 6 Sekor D lenses right now: 28mm, 45mm, 80mm, 120macro, 150mm, 75-150mm.  They all came out in the past couple years, and in my experience are much much better than the older Mamiya lenses.  The 150 especially.

[Wayne Fox]

There are 6 Sekor D lenses right now: 28mm, 45mm, 80mm, 120macro, 150mm, 75-150mm.  They all came out in the past couple years, and in my experience are much much better than the older Mamiya lenses.  The 150 especially.

Interesting.  I didn't realize the 75-150 was in that group. This seems to make more sense ... basically the lenses that have been designed since the 2006 change seem to be given the Sekor moniker and are perhaps better because of newer engineering and technology.

  I have the other two zooms, and both appear to be very sharp (maybe I got lucky).  This gave me the full range from 55 to 210, although after having the camera for a couple of months I realize I'm between 75-150 95% of the time, and have to switch the two more than I would like.  I wish now I would have researched it better ... I probably would have gone for the 45mm (I did buy the 28), and the 75-150 instead.

Oh well ... happy with the images I'm getting right now.