New manual focus lenses from OPC Optics, Germany.........

[Henning Serger]

.........offered under their now owned Meyer Optik Görlitz brand.

OPC Optics is a manufacturer of highest precision lenses, based in Bad Kreuznach in Germany. Some of their founders worked for Schneider-Kreuznach before.
https://www.opc-optics.com/

They had bought the Meyer Optik Görlitz brand with all assets from the former owner Net SE group, which got in insolvency.
OPC Optics has in the meantime invested in a complete redesign of the Meyer Optik Görlitz lenses, with improvements in the optic and mechanical design as well as the lens coatings.
The first lens of the improved series is now available ( Trioplan 100 f2.8 II ). The others will follow in the next months:
https://www.meyer-optik-goerlitz.com/
All the parts and lenses are "Made in Germany", and all lenses are hand-assembled in Germany.

The prices are definitely on the higher side. If the production quality and QC is indeed on the level OPC is promising, then the prices are justified and the customers will get a lens which can be used for many decades.
We will see whether that is the case or not (I have not had one of the improved lenses in my hands yet).
The lenses will be available in lots of different mounts: Nikon F, Canon EF, Pentax K, M42, Leica M, Leica L, Fuji X, Sony E, MFT.
Wether one likes the special optical "character" and rendering of these lenses is a matter of taste. Each to his own.

What I personally find more interesting is that OPC has said several times that they are planning also to design completely new lenses. With no historic forerunners. I am curious to see......

Best regards,
Henning

 

[Mick Fagan]

Henning, this is a quite interesting development, more so if they pull it off.

The 100 f/2.8 certainly looks like it will be excellent, maybe even close to outstanding with the 15 bladed aperture.

As these lenses will be virtually a universal arrangement, in that they can be used on a very wide variety of camera manufacturers cameras. With their company name abbreviated to MOG and you add the universal to the start of the name in an abbreviated form. One might then call them, the "UNIMOG" of lens manufacturers, who can go where no other lens manufacturer is capable.

Great to hear this news, thanks for your efforts.

Mick.

 

[AgX]

For the history of this lens production see here:
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/a-new-range-of-german-made-lenses-for-35mm.117385/

 

[Ian Grant]

Was this he company involved in re-introducing the 58mm f2 and 75mm f1.5 Biotar ?

Ian

 

[Henning Serger]

Was this he company involved in re-introducing the 58mm f2 and 75mm f1.5 Biotar ?

Ian

Ian,
OPC Optics was so far not active in offering own branded lenses on the market. They were supplier of lenses = lens elements for other companies (including Net SE, the former owner of the Meyer Optik Görlitz brand). Now they own the Meyer Optik Görlitz brand, and will offer their own, complete lenses under that brand.
Maybe they have produced lens elements for the lenses you have mentioned. That maybe possible, but we don't know for sure.

Best regards,
Henning

 

[Henning Serger]

Hello Mick,

Henning, this is a quite interesting development, more so if they pull it off.
The 100 f/2.8 certainly looks like it will be excellent, maybe even close to outstanding with the 15 bladed aperture.

I have seen some very nice pictures made with the Trioplan. Of course you as a photographer have to know this lens very well to use its characteristics in an optimal way. So that it can emphasize the look and rendition you want.
And as a photographer you have of course to be careful with these "character lenses": There is this wonderful and precise German word "Effekthascherei" (claptrap / gallery play / razzle-dazzle, well, I don't know whether that are correct translations ), and as a photographer you have to be careful and should avoid the "Effekthascherei".
Whether "bubble bokeh" (with this Trioplan), "swirley bokeh" or "donut bokeh" (mirror lenses), it should definitely fit your subject. And that is not so easy......

As these lenses will be virtually a universal arrangement, in that they can be used on a very wide variety of camera manufacturers cameras. With their company name abbreviated to MOG and you add the universal to the start of the name in an abbreviated form. One might then call them, the "UNIMOG" of lens manufacturers, who can go where no other lens manufacturer is capable.

Ahh, UNIMOG, whenever I hear it, the small boy is revived in me........... It could be an endless talk from now on, as I've made my truck driver license at the German military...... I better stop here .

Best regards to Down Under,
Henning

 

[Ian Grant]

Ian,
OPC Optics was so far not active in offering own branded lenses on the market. They were supplier of lenses = lens elements for other companies (including Net SE, the former owner of the Meyer Optik Görlitz brand). Now they own the Meyer Optik Görlitz brand, and will offer their own, complete lenses under that brand.
Maybe they have produced lens elements for the lenses you have mentioned. That maybe possible, but we don't know for sure.

Best regards,
Henning

2018 - Some of the world’s most renowned lens designers have joined in this project under the leadership of Dr. Stefan Immes, who recently resurrected Meyer Optik, Goerlitz.

Seems to be the same company however taken over by OPC Optics after Dr. Stefan Immes was severely injured in a traffic accident. I remember there were plans to re-introduce the Trioplan after the two Biotars. The lens elements for the Biotars were to be from Kenko Tokina.

Ian

 

[Nodda Duma]

They look really nice. Their price point is high for what they are making, even at Germany’s manufacturing rates. They must not believe they can sell more than a few hundred of these.

 

[Henning Serger]

Seems to be the same company however taken over by OPC Optics ......
Ian

Ian, it is a bit more complicated:
The former owner of the Meyer Optik Görlitz brand - Net SE - was a holding company. Not a manufacturing company in the traditional sense. They have had partnerships with several manufacturing companies for the MOG lenses. OPC Optics was one of their partners / suppliers.

The situation now is that OPC Optics as a (and probably now the main) manufacturing company is owning the MOG brand and offering the products made by them under this brand. Of course suppliers are still involved, as always in production of complex products.
And not only the ownership has changed, but also the brand strategy (no more kickstarter projects, R&D completely from own capital, improved quality, new lenses planned).
Future will tell how this will work.....

Best regards,
Henning

 

[Henning Serger]

Hello Jason,

They look really nice. Their price point is high for what they are making, even at Germany’s manufacturing rates. They must not believe they can sell more than a few hundred of these.

yes, the price point is high.
If the mechanical quality and QC is as high as promised (I cannot jugde that as I have not tested their first new lens so far) I think concerning that parameter the price is acceptable.
Concerning the optical quality:
Well, in technical terms it is of course inferior to modern lens desgins. But that is not what this lens is intended for: You use it (only) when you are going for its specific characteristics and "flaws". That is its charme, that is the look some photographers want. A completely different look in certain special situations, for subjects this unique look works for.
It is of course a "niche in the niche" product. Very low volume production and hand assembling.

Will it work economically? Will they sell enough lenses to be profitable and generate the capital for new lens designs? An interesting question, and very difficult to assess. They have definitely bad luck with the introduction date during the most severe global economic crisis (Covid19) since WW II:
If you look at the CIPA numbers e.g. including lens sales, you see the collapse of sales caused by the current crisis.

Best regards,
Henning

 

[Nodda Duma]

Yep. All good points. Of course, I’m referring to the manufacturing cost and not the marketing/appeal opportunity or even the quality. It’s easy for me to know what’s in that design — optically and the necessary mechanicals including tolerances i.e. build quality which I would expect is near to what I work at in my day job. The cost of manufacture of the optics and opto-mechanics means they either priced for a run of a few hundred or they’re hoping to recuperate the cost of buying the brand in the first offering. Either or both approaches make sense, of course.

I agree with you: It will be interesting to see what they bring out after these... ie the new designs they mention.

 

[Ian Grant]

Will it work economically? Will they sell enough lenses to be profitable and generate the capital for new lens designs?

As I put in a PM these were the projects netSE were running and showed prototypes for:

58mm f2 Biotar
75mm f1.5 Biotar
100mm f2.8 Trioplan
35mm f2.8 Trioplan
58mm f1.9 and 75mm f1.9 Primoplan
35mm f8 C.P. Goerz Citograph (fixed focus)
50mm f2.8 C.P. Goerz Citograph
Emil Busch Glaukar f3.1
Ihagee Elaflex (SLR)

Those are all on Kickstarter, others include:

35mm f0.95 Nocturnus
95mmm f2.6 Trimagon

The amounts pledged for the Trioplan and Primoplan alone add to over $1 million, the Biotar over $500,000. My point here though is that's a lot of existing new (revived)lens designs that have already been prototyped.

Ian

 

[Henning Serger]

Hello Ian,

that is all right, but also all history now and has nothing to do anymore with the new start of OPC Optics with this brand "Meyer Optik Görlitz". They have clearly explained that they will run their business completely different, seriously and to the highest standards. We will see whether they can keep their promise in the long run. But so far in the short term they are doing......
I think they deserve at least a chance and a certain goodwill, and we should separate the problematic Net SE history completely from the new start by OPC Optics.

That is the lens road-map for the next months:
https://www.meyer-optik-goerlitz.com/de/objektive/

By the way, a fact which is generally completely overlooked today: Concerning 35mm format lenses we are currently living in the "best times ever" in photographic history. Because:
1. We have never had so much lens manufacturers offering lenses for that format.
2. The number of lenses on the market is higher than ever.
3. The number of speciality lenses is higher than ever.
4. And most important: The quality of lenses for the 35mm format is better than ever. We have now lenses we could only dream about in the last century.

Best regards,
Henning

 

[Ian Grant]

I think you partially missed my point Henning, I appreciate that the company has new ownership, however the lenses they are releasing the two Trioplans and the two Primoplans are in fact the same as the netSE early Kickstarter project, so designs OPC Optics inherit from buying what was left of the bankrupt company. Th sites I looked at earlier didn't mention the Lydith, but a quick Google search and that's another lens prototyped and a Kickstarter from netSE, they claim 90% were completed July 2018 and that some had shipped however elsewhere completion is said to be December 2018. The OPC Otik version looks different.

Many years ago I had an M42 Lydith and it was an excellent WA lens, I still have one for my Exactas but haven't used it.

There probably is a small market for some older more unique designs, whether it would be worth making a 58mm f1.9 Primoplan and llater a 58mm f2 Biotar is doubtful, the same with the 75mm f1.9 Priplan and the 75mm f1.5 Biotar. The Biotars are cult lenses which has driven the originals and Russian copies to ludicrous prices for the 75mm f1.5, and m42 58mm f2 Biotar.

At a camera fair 18 months ago a 58mm f2 Helios 44 was £50, the seller had a dozen or more, for £35 I bought a complete Praktina FX with a near mint CZJ 58mm f2 Biotar, at a later fair a Helios for £5.

Most people on this Forum would probably rather have an original lens at a reasonable price, however teh Lomo/Digital market are more likely to buy the sort of lenses OPC Otik are making we need niche companies to succeed, but price is an issue and look at the value for money you get with 7artisan lenses. £450 for a 75mm f1.25 Leica M fit is more attractive than the price of the 75mm f1.9 Primoplan.

Ian

 

[Henning Serger]

I think you partially missed my point Henning, I appreciate that the company has new ownership, however the lenses they are releasing the two Trioplans and the two Primoplans are in fact the same as the netSE early Kickstarter project, so designs OPC Optics inherit from buying what was left of the bankrupt company.
Ian

Well, not quite:
OPC Optics have explained that they have improved the lenses in certain optical and mechanical parameters. That is also the reason why the lenses have the version "II" signature in their names. And it is the reason why the lenses are released a significant time after OPC Optics had boughts the MOG rights and assets. This time was needed for the redesigns.

Concerning the original, former GDR made MOG lenses on the used market: I expect these new ones to have significantly better built quality and better QC. And better coatings. Well this is just my personal expectation at that price point. As said above, I cannot judge that now as I don't have a new lens tested yet.
And another advantage are the numerous different available mounts. E.g. for me as a Nikon user the used MOG lenses are worthless.

Best regards,
Henning

 

[Nodda Duma]

Ian,

The 7Artisan lenses are nice, if you get a good one. Fundamentally, the quality control — from glass properties consistency from their sources to fab tolerances to machining tolerances in the mechanics — is simply decades apart comparing Asian supplier vs Europe.

 

[Ian Grant]

Ian,

The 7Artisan lenses are nice, if you get a good one. Fundamentally, the quality control — from glass properties consistency from their sources to fab tolerances to machining tolerances in the mechanics — is simply decades apart comparing Asian supplier vs Europe.

The use of the term Asian is perhaps unfortunate, rather sweeping, could be construed as racist. After all the Japanese and their Chinese subsidiary plants make superb lenses, including for Carl Zeiss which is German, and have done for decades. I get your point though new start up companies in China without Japanese. German, etc QC.

We'll see how the reaction is when the new Meyer Optik get reviewed and tested. We all know Henning's completely right about the old DDR QC although in my experience it was more mechanical than optical, poor lubricants etc. I had a second hand Prakticamat early 1970's the first camera with TTL metering on sale in Europe (the Spotmatic was first but sold in Japan, then the US, before Europe). The camera was great meter fine (accurate) but the Pancolar lens was very inconsistent in how it stopped down.

Ian

 

[Nodda Duma]

Ian, be careful about who and what you call racist. It’s an overused and insulting term, and if you wouldn’t call me that to my face then don’t do it online. Since you understand the context, then there’s no need to even go there. You’re more intelligent than that.

European market, North American market, Asian market. These are terms used in the industry. You know this, or should, from what I guess of your background, and what QC is available out of those markets.

That doesn’t mean you’re racist. It means you understand the global market. Buy your glass from CDGM and you’ll have a tolerance variation on your optical properties that more established glass suppliers haven’t experienced in decades. Understanding *that* is what *you* call racist? I‘m sure you didn’t intend to go there, and an apology or retraction would be appreciated.

 

[Ian Grant]

What's interesting is a Japanese seller has 6 Meyer Optik reproduction 50mm f2.9 Triotars for sale on Ebay, and they look uncannily like the Angenue Angeniieux Z5 50mm f2.9 Levil 39mm mount lens.

I should add these are expensive, but also much more than the newer (and probably better) Trioplans Henning mentioned to start this thread.

Ian

 

[Angarian]

What I personally find more interesting is that OPC has said several times that they are planning also to design completely new lenses. With no historic forerunners. I am curious to see......

Thanks for that info. It's indeed very interesting.
I am wondering whether such new lenses will belong to the category of "character" lenses as well, or will be modern designs with optimal optical quality.