Unlike many camera lens lines, Leica’s lenses are group into categories under well known trademarked names. Mention the word Noctilux, and a Leica shooter will immediately know that you’re referring to a f/1 lens that’s geared towards shooting in low-light environments.

Photographer Thorsten Overgaard has been working on a definitions page that explains the origins of the various terms — the explanations go beyond what the terms refer to, and include why they were given those names.
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Here’s an interesting piece of photographic and optical trivia: did you know that the word “lens” came from the Latin name of the lentil plant? The scientific name of the lentil we most commonly eat is Lens culinaris. It was named after the legume because double-convex lenses look just like lentils!

Image credit: Photograph by Justinc