When it made up the term “S.L.R.,” the technology terminology industry was not operating at its peak creative powers.

An S.L.R. is one of those big, black, professional-style cameras. They do things that make pocket cameras look like pretenders: they can blur the background, take lower-light shots without a flash and shoot with no shutter lag (the delay after you press the shutter button). And thanks to enormous light sensors and lenses, the photos just look fantastic.

But ouch — that name. Even if you know what S.L.R. stands for (“single-lens reflex”), you have no idea what it means. “Single lens” is misleading, because the whole point of these cameras is that you can attach dozens of different lenses. And to most people, “reflex” refers only to wincing when they see the price.

Kidding aside, historically, there was a point to the term “single-lens reflex” (yes, I use Wikipedia, too). It describes the mirrors and prisms inside that bend the light from the lens to your eye.