Trioplan f2.9/50 Kickstarter Campaign Surges Past $650,000, 1000 Supporters

Just 24 Hours Remain in Meyer-Optik Görlitz’s Historic Fundraiser

Atlanta, GA – May 18, 2016 – With just 24 hours remaining in Meyer-Optik Görlitz’s historic Kickstarter to fund the Trioplan f2.9/50, the lens has surpassed more than 1000 backers and more than $650,000 pledged to the campaign. The numbers represent 13x Meyer-Optik’s original funding goal for the versatile soap bubble bokeh lens.

The first Trioplan lens was released 100 years ago in Görlitz, Germany. Meyer-Optik stopped producing the lenses in the 1970s when it was observed into Zeiss. Now under the guidance of Net SE, the triumphant return of Meyer-Optik and its famous Trioplan lenses are assured.

“It has been a great month for people who love the Trioplan’s soap bubble bokeh and art lenses in general,” said Dr. Stefan Immes, CEO and creative director of the project. “The Meyer-Optik team is thrilled to see the photography community’s response, and we take our backers’ trust seriously. We are proud to restore the Meyer-Optik brand and its artistic lenses to the market.”

After last year’s successful Trioplan f2.8/100 Kickstarter and its return to the market earlier this year, the Trioplan f2.9/50 is the second and most technologically innovative member of the family. The Trioplan f2.9/50 is more than just a historic lens design, blending new design, modern materials, and handmade in Germany with precision processes.

The Trioplan f2.9/50 features a new built-in front focusing lens that provides a macro capability of 1:4 and reduces the minimum focusing distance to 0,28 m from the original 0,8m. Since the Kickstarter launched, the new Trioplan f2.9/50 front focusing element has been featured on PetaPixel, Photography Blog, and Fuji Rumors.

As part of the Kickstarter campaign, Meyer-Optik announced it will develop a prototype lens, the third member of the Trioplan. Backers of the Triple Play bundle will get early access to a prototype of the new lens, and become a Meyer-Optik tester provided that they sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). 

The ultra compact Trioplan 50 Kickstarter ends tomorrow May 19 at noon Central European Time. Meyer-Optik expects the lens will retail for $1,299 once Kickstarter fulfillment is completed next winter. Kickstarter backers are purchasing the Trioplan f2.9/50 at an extraordinary low price, approximately half the retail price of the lens.

The Trioplan f2.9/50 lens is now available with mounts for:

• Canon EF
• Nikon F 
• Sony-E 
• FujiX 
• Leica L
• Leica M (rangefinder not supported/focusing via live view)
• Micro-Four-Thirds 
• M42 
• Pentax K

The new Trioplan 50 is compatible with full format cameras and APSC (mirrorless) cameras. Here are some more tech specs at a glance: 

• Optical Construction: Classical Cooke Triplet, 3 lenses in 3 groups
• Aperture: 1:2,9 to 1:22
• Focal length: 50mm
• Minimum Focusing Distance:  0,25 m using the front focusing mechanism (ß‘=-0,245 / 1:4)
• Filter: 35,5mm
• Clip-On Diameter: 39mm
• Size:  Ø 62 mm, length 39 mm
• Weight: 200g
• Number of Aperture Blades: 12, AR-coated
• Lenses: Anti Reflex Coating/ Supplier: Schott Glas
• Format: 24 mm x 36 mm (Compatible with Full format and APSC Cameras)
• Angle: 21°
• Image Ratio: up to 1:4 using the front focusing element

Geoff Livingston

geoff@tenacity5.com

(703) 859-0089

A brand with a proud tradition and reputation for exceptional products, Meyer-Optik-Görlitz started manufacturing innovative, high-quality lenses in Germany in 1896.  In 2014, net SE revived the traditional spirit of the lenses once known throughout the world and started developing new lenses under the Meyer-Optik-Görlitz brand in Germany. Manufacturing handmade lenses started in 2015 with first generation prototypes.  Serial production began in early 2016.

In May 2015, net SE created a new subsidiary, Meyer-Optik USA Inc. headquartered in Atlanta, GA. Meyer-Optik USA is online at http://www.meyer-optik-goerlitz.com and on Facebook and Twitter.  net SE (http://www.netag.de) is a publicly listed company (NETK) founded in 1997.

Tags: