Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/06/13
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Javier Perez wrote: > I was wunderin > How did Leitz come up with names for lenses originally. > It's clear enough that the name is almost always indicative of the > lens's max aperture but going beyond that. where does the summ and the > elma come from. Did leitz have a daughter named Elma? I can understand > Hektor but not much else. Who's Thambar, Thumper's little brother? > Any ideas? > See Ya > Javier Javier. The "Elmar" lens nave was derived from the "Elmax" lens which preceded it. Elmax meant Ernst Leitz Max (Berek) , Max Berek was the developer of this and most other early leitz lenses. The Elmax was later (about a Year) renamed to Elmar, because it sounded better. The "Hector" name, so it is rumored, was named after one of Max Bereks dogs. (In Germany about every second dog , larger than a poodle, is named Hector). "Rex", as in "Summarex", was also named after one of his dogs. (Every other large dog in Germany is called Rex). Lucky it wasn't named Fido. "Summarfido" just does not roll of the tong that easy. The Thambar, According to Mr.Rogliatty stems from the Greek word Meaning: "something that amazes" Hence the saying: " It cost so much, its Thambar" The Summar, came from an old symmetrical design around the turn the century. I think , the word itself comes from something like: "best" but I am not sure. I suppose "Noctilux" has something to do with "Night" and the not many "Luxes" you have available when its dark. The "Telyts" are all tele objectives . and not long focus lenses I don't know what Xenon stands for. You'll have to ask someone at Schneider Kreuznach, or simpler, ask Marc Small. Regards, Horst Schmidt