What does Takumar mean, literally?

bc_the_path · 03-01-2009, 07:09 AM

Is Takumar just a name or does it have a meaning in Japanese?
If it does not; does it remind something to Japanese people (other the lens itself, of course)?

georgweb · 03-01-2009, 07:38 AM

Wikipedia knows it all,

"Takumar is the name that Asahi Optical gave to its lenses, notably but not exclusively those for its own SLR cameras. Named after the Japanese craftsman Takuma Kajiwara (梶原啄磨 ,Kajiwara Takuma"

Best Georg (the other)

*8540tomg* · 03-01-2009, 07:43 AM

Takumar was name given by the President of Ashai Optical to the original series of lenses made for the 1952 Asahiflex. Takuma was evidently a Japanese painter and friend of the then President of the company.

Danilo Checchi notes this annecdote in his book Ashai Pentax and Pentax SLR 35mm Cameras 1952-1989. Hove Sussex, Hove Photo Books, 1990. page 91.

Cheers

Tom G

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*séamuis* · 03-01-2009, 07:48 AM

y'all beat me to it. yes the lenses are named after Takuma kajiwara.

Mike Cash · 03-01-2009, 12:15 PM

The Japanese have an unfathomable predisposition toward giving products names with English sounds that they either do not or can not pronounce.

In Japanese the name is タクマー, which transliterates to "Takumaa"; final voiced "r" sounds get replaced with an elongation of the preceding vowel sound with words like that.

*Tom S.* · 03-01-2009, 12:39 PM

Actually it really means: "you will buy many lenses".

bc_the_path · 03-01-2009, 12:45 PM

Thank you all friends!

blende8 · 03-01-2009, 12:59 PM

Literally it means:
"We are Borg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."

FotoPete · 03-01-2009, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by Tom S.

Actually it really means: "you will buy many lenses".

Haha that cracked me up

Its too bad they reverted the Takumar branding to scaled down double coated variants of their KA and KF cousins.

Stratman · 03-01-2009, 01:27 PM

Here is a pretty cool site I found whilst looking at the Wikipedia page.. Die Cast Pro - Pentax Lenses
And another... http://www.taunusreiter.de/Cameras/Pentax_main.html

*séamuis* · 03-01-2009, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by FotoPete

Haha that cracked me up Its too bad they reverted the Takumar branding to scaled down double coated variants of their KA and KF cousins.

one of the dumbest things Pentax has done IMO. maybe not financially (though who knows?) but certainly dumb none the less.

Mike Cash · 03-02-2009, 03:13 AM

Originally Posted by séamuis

one of the dumbest things Pentax has done IMO. maybe not financially (though who knows?) but certainly dumb none the less.

Right up there with the current "K-m". (Have you tried googling for the old film "KM" since the K-m came out?" Good luck!)

lithos · 03-02-2009, 03:18 AM

Funny, in Gamilaraay it means "RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTS, KEEP AWAY FROM NADS".