Nikon Amusing Lenses

After discussions with management, Tsukamoto was given permission to proceed with the project, after the scope had been expanded to include a set of four basic lens types (fisheye, soft focus, macro, and telephoto) with a retail price target of ¥5,000 and sufficient optical performance to support prints at up to 2L size, 127×178 mm (5×7 in).

[5] Rather than marketing the lenses strictly by focal length and aperture, they were given "endearing" nicknames, such as "Fish" (Gyogyotto 20), "Fluffy and Soft" (Fuwatto Soft), and "Dodo" (Dodotto 400), and a sticker set was included to allow the owner to decorate the metal lens barrels; the packaging featured an illustration of a cartoon ostrich.

By threading the same 3e/2g assembly into the front of the barrel, the maximum reproduction ratio is extended to 1⁄1.4×, which Nikon called the "even closer" configuration, or Sarani Gugutto Macro (さらにぐぐっとマクロ).

[1] The cemented doublet (2e/1g) meniscus lens used in the Fuwatto Soft configuration with the concave side facing the object is similar to the configuration of an unhooded Vestan lens, which achieves its soft focus effect through uncontrolled spherical aberration.

The patent suggests two potential soft focus configurations can be achieved with the 2e/1g doublet, with either the convex or concave side facing the object.

[9]: Figs.8, 9  It is possible to thread the cemented doublet, with its concave side facing the object, into the front of the focusing barrel but again, this is not a documented configuration.