New company behind Meyer Optik confirms Nocturnus lens was a Chinese clone and a “shameful indictment”
As you know Meyer Optik has been acquired by OPC Optics. And today they honestly disclosed this:
We became aware that internally the Somnium was actually a modified Russian lens and the Nocturnus was a modified Chinese lens.
As a consequence those lines have been removed from the portfolio. They write:
“That is an absolute no go. As a German manufacturer using the ‘Made in Germany’ quality seal, this is a shameful indictment. These lenses may be perfectly good in their own right, but their production methods and marketing goes against all our principles,” states Heinze. “With us, nothing of this nature will occur”
I like the fact the new owners are honest about this!
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Press text:
Successful start to the year for Meyer Optik Görlitz
• Previous portfolio fully analyzed
• Plans for product refinements and new developments
• Collaborations with partners in Germany secured
• Launch of new website
• Sale of acquired lens stock
Bad Kreuznach – 27 February 2019 – Following the takeover by OPC Optics, Meyer Optik is taking its first steps back into the public eye by launching a completely new website. It has been a while since the press release in December 2018 announcing the takeover of the brand, but this time has been used intensively to analyze the existing products, identify improvements and carefully plan and implement the company’s next steps. MirrorlessRumors
“Once all the information about the portfolio, the technical designs etc. had been handed over to us, we realized relatively quickly that we would need to invest considerable time and effort to establish a professional infrastructure. Meyer Optik is now benefiting from the combined experience I have gained during my many years working in the optics industry and the various positions I have held in large companies in this field,” explains Timo Heinze, Managing Director of OPC Optics. “It’s fair to say that the previous organization and processes shocked us on occasions. A range of new systems was absolutely necessary to establish a professional standard of production. Seamless documentation and control is essential, be it in development, for external and internal communication or for production planning, for example.”
New range of lenses has been streamlined
After analyzing the portfolio of products most recently sold and advertised by the previous supplier, a decision was made to discontinue the Somnium and Nocturnus ranges for the time being. In line with comments in the past on various online platforms, forums etc., the current Meyer Optik staff also soon became aware that internally the Somnium was actually a modified Russian lens and the Nocturnus was a modified Chinese lens.
“That is an absolute no go. As a German manufacturer using the ‘Made in Germany’ quality seal, this is a shameful indictment. These lenses may be perfectly good in their own right, but their production methods and marketing goes against all our principles,” states Heinze. “With us, nothing of this nature will occur. At the same time, we are not ruling out launching lenses with similar characteristics in the future. But if we did decide to do so, they would, of course, be our own designs and produced by us, in order to genuinely earn the ‘Made in Germany’ label.”
Meyer Optik is currently placing significant emphasis on the refinement and optimization of existing products and the development of additional product ranges. As a result, some of the most recently available lenses will just be improved slightly, whilst other models will have a more radical overhaul.“We have had in-depth discussions with our partners and with photographers, and we have collated all the customer feedback about each individual lens in order to carry out the most comprehensive and meaningful analysis possible. We have gained valuable insights in all areas, starting with the lens design, through to the mechanics, the assembly and the most important link in the chain, the photographer, all of which are now being incorporated into the ongoing developments. We have also identified some opportunities for optimizing the lenses used previously. We expect the new models to offer improved image performance, better mechanical quality, a more comfortable feel and to be more user-friendly. Of course, while making these changes, the unique character of each individual lens will still be retained,” explains Heinze.The current expectation is that the first new versions of previous lenses, such as the Trioplan 100, will be ready to be introduced from summer 2019. Details of new products, which are being developed at the same time, are expected to be released in the second half of 2019.Long-term collaborations with partner companies in Germany
At the beginning of the year, successful talks were held with German companies working in the fields of optical and mechanical lens design, as well as precision engineering, and long-term collaborations were agreed. By doing this, OPC Optics can draw on years of experience in the areas of design and mechanical production, consolidating its own expertise in all aspects of high-precision glass lens manufacturing. This has paved the way for the production of high-quality Meyer Optik products, manufactured entirely in Germany.New website now available
For anyone interested, the new website is now available at www.meyer-optik-goerlitz.com. In future, customers will be able to buy Meyer lenses via the website. There is also extensive information about the history of Meyer and current manufacturing processes. Information on additional topics, such as the Meyer philosophy, will follow shortly. The website will also soon be available in English. In addition to news and useful information about photography, there will also be opportunities for customer interaction. Amongst other things, visitors will be able to comment on the product portfolio.A sale of stock from the takeover
As part of the takeover of the brand, OPC Optics also acquired the previous manufacturer’s stock of finished goods. These lenses have been checked by OPC and will be for sale at greatly reduced prices, for as long as stocks last. OPC Optics will, of course, honor guarantees and warranties for 2 years from the date of purchase. Any subsequent production of these lens designs or their components is not envisaged in the current development plan.
