Pete Askew
Admin
Inspired by Chris' 'blog' post, and the fact that I actually bought some 'new' photographic apparatus for the first time in ages - that's probably not true as I think I added a couple of items to the Nikon collection a shortish while back - I thought these might be interesting.
Paul at Commercial Cameras picked up some cameras from a collector a week or so back and amongst them was a seemingly unused set of lenses in Nikon fit from Meyer Optik Görlitz. If you are unfamiliar with the company they are one of the older optical manufacturers in Germany, founded in 1896. After the second world war they continued to manufacture lenses etc, but in the DDR - and this is where many people are more familiar with the name from. They were eventually absorbed into the Pentacon and Carl Zeiss (Jena) operations. However, post-reunification they re-emerged, albeit it briefly, as an independent manufacturer making modern versions of their classic designs, but didn't last long. They were rescued though and began making an interesting selection of classic lenses (the lenses below come from this period). Sadly the parent company went under and so manufacturing stopped. Last year another optical company in Germany bought the name and designs and have started re-manufacturing the lenses and so far have three on the market with more to come.
I bought a 'set' of five lenses from Paul. At the time these were purchased originally they produced the 58 mm Primoplan, but not the 75 mm. It seems they plan to make the 75 mm again though. The set comprises the 30 mm f1:3.5 Lydith, the 35 mm f1:2.8 Trioplan 35+, the 50 mm f1:2.9 Trioplan 50, the 58 mm f1:1.9 Primoplan 58 and the 100 mm f1:2.8 Trioplan 100. There is more information about them in the archive area of the Meyer Optik website (https://www.meyer-optik-goerlitz.com/en/).
The one thing that first strikes you about the lenses is the presentation. They come in a distinctive black and white box that contains a nice, black cardboard box with a sort of 'vellum' covering. Inside that (except for the 100 mm, that is in a leather wrap) is a piano black finished wooden box with lovely fittings containing the quite diminutive lenses, documents, pouch, certificates and, in some cases, test images. Here's an example.
And here is the set of lenses. As you can see they are quite small.
And here are some close-up shots of the charmingly named, Lydith.
I'll try and dig out a Nikon body and take an image or two with them over the coming days if I feel up to it
Paul at Commercial Cameras picked up some cameras from a collector a week or so back and amongst them was a seemingly unused set of lenses in Nikon fit from Meyer Optik Görlitz. If you are unfamiliar with the company they are one of the older optical manufacturers in Germany, founded in 1896. After the second world war they continued to manufacture lenses etc, but in the DDR - and this is where many people are more familiar with the name from. They were eventually absorbed into the Pentacon and Carl Zeiss (Jena) operations. However, post-reunification they re-emerged, albeit it briefly, as an independent manufacturer making modern versions of their classic designs, but didn't last long. They were rescued though and began making an interesting selection of classic lenses (the lenses below come from this period). Sadly the parent company went under and so manufacturing stopped. Last year another optical company in Germany bought the name and designs and have started re-manufacturing the lenses and so far have three on the market with more to come.
I bought a 'set' of five lenses from Paul. At the time these were purchased originally they produced the 58 mm Primoplan, but not the 75 mm. It seems they plan to make the 75 mm again though. The set comprises the 30 mm f1:3.5 Lydith, the 35 mm f1:2.8 Trioplan 35+, the 50 mm f1:2.9 Trioplan 50, the 58 mm f1:1.9 Primoplan 58 and the 100 mm f1:2.8 Trioplan 100. There is more information about them in the archive area of the Meyer Optik website (https://www.meyer-optik-goerlitz.com/en/).
The one thing that first strikes you about the lenses is the presentation. They come in a distinctive black and white box that contains a nice, black cardboard box with a sort of 'vellum' covering. Inside that (except for the 100 mm, that is in a leather wrap) is a piano black finished wooden box with lovely fittings containing the quite diminutive lenses, documents, pouch, certificates and, in some cases, test images. Here's an example.
And here is the set of lenses. As you can see they are quite small.
And here are some close-up shots of the charmingly named, Lydith.
I'll try and dig out a Nikon body and take an image or two with them over the coming days if I feel up to it
