Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Makro-Plasmat 105mm f/2.7

Meyer-Optik Görlitz Makro-Plasmat 105mm f/2.7

The Makro-Plasmat 105mm f/2.7 is an exceptionally rare Hugo Meyer portrait lens in an original, rangefinder-coupled Leica thread mount. Its six-element, five-group design sits in a heavy chrome-plated brass barrel with a fifteen-blade iris.

Optical qualities

Rendering

Paul Rudolph’s Makro-Plasmat construction uses six elements in five groups. The 105mm f/2.7 version combines strong subject separation with a gradual transition into blur, while stopping down increases definition and contrast. The fifteen-blade diaphragm maintains a rounded opening.

Handling

The coupled LTM barrel focuses to approximately 1.5 m according to dedicated lens references. Despite the name, “Makro” referred historically to the emerging small-format application rather than modern close-up magnification. Verified exterior dimensions and filter size remain unspecified.

History

Development and Launch

The Makro-Plasmat family was developed during the interwar period by Dr. Paul Rudolph for Hugo Meyer. The documented Leica M39 example is dated to the 1940s and retains uncoated optics in a heavy brass focusing mount.

Production Evolution

The same 105mm optical family appeared in several camera mounts. This profile is limited to the original coupled LTM execution and excludes later professional adaptations and the modern APO revival.

Special Editions/Variants

Coated and uncoated examples occur across the broader 105mm family. No separate optical generation is created here without mount-specific factory documentation.

Collector Notes

Original rangefinder coupling, the Leica screw mount and the heavy chrome-plated barrel are decisive identification points. Many surviving 105mm lenses were made for medium-format or later converted systems.