Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Primoplan 75mm f/1.9 II

The Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Primoplan 75mm f/1.9 II is a M-mount lens for Leica rangefinder cameras. Leica price index ↗

Reference maintained by Thomas Boots

Focal Length: 75mm

Aperture: 𝑓/1.9

Release Year (from): 2021

Diameter: 60 mm

Length: 85 mm

Minimum Focus Distance: 0.75m

Elements in Groups: 5/4

Aperture Blades: 15

Mount: M

Material Weight: Metal, 360g

Colors: Black

Meyer-Optik Görlitz Primoplan 75mm f/1.9 II

The Primoplan 75mm f/1.9 II is a modern revival of one of Meyer-Optik Görlitz's most storied portrait optics, a lens whose name dates back to the 1930s. The original Primoplan 75mm f/1.9 was developed by German designer Paul Schäfter for Meyer-Optik Görlitz and was last produced in 1950s East Germany before the design fell out of the catalogue [1]. The current f/1.9 II is not a literal copy of that lens but a reformulated version that keeps the relatively simple core layout while adding modern glass and coatings, a recurring approach across the reborn Meyer line [2]. It is built around a compact five-element, four-group design and uses a high blade count that helps keep out-of-focus highlights rounded [2].

In handling, the lens is a fully manual optic with no electronic or mechanical communication to the camera. The M-mount version is a "dumb" fitting with no rangefinder coupling, so focusing relies on the camera's live view or focus aids rather than the rangefinder patch; both focus and the de-clicked aperture are set by hand [2]. Reviewers describe the barrel as small and solidly machined, with smooth focus and aperture rings, though the closeness and similar knurling of the two control rings can make them easy to confuse [2]. It focuses to 0.75 m, and on mirrorless bodies the viewfinder or screen compensates for the chosen aperture, while on SLR-style use the lens is focused wide open before the aperture is stopped down [2].

The f/1.9 II was offered across a range of fittings, including Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, M42, Sony E, Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds and Leica M, so the same optical unit appears in many mount-specific variants [3]. The relaunched lens uses Schott and OHARA optical glass and modern coatings, and an earlier development announcement positioned the new generation as an advancement of the discontinued 1950s lens [1]. Buyers should note the company's turbulent recent corporate history when researching provenance: the brand passed through insolvency under its previous owner before being relaunched by OPC Optics [4].

Optical qualities

Rendering The Primoplan 75mm f/1.9 II is valued as a character lens rather than a clinically corrected one. Wide open it produces a visible glow around bright subjects shot against darker backgrounds, with moderate contrast and an apparent softness that suits portraiture; contrast and perceived sharpness increase noticeably by f/2.8, and the glow largely clears [2]. The corners and edges remain soft even stopped down [2].

Bokeh and transitions The lens is associated with the "soap bubble" rendering of the Meyer family, but in practice the bubble effect is restrained: wide open with a close subject the out-of-focus highlights take on a gently bubbly form that stays fairly uniform across the frame, with only mild cat's-eye shaping toward the edges when subject and background are more distant [2]. Stopping down to around f/2.8 smooths the bokeh and keeps highlight shapes circular. Reviewers single out the transition from sharp to blurred areas as the lens's most distinctive trait, a fine progression that the manufacturer itself promotes as a key selling point [2].

Aberrations Some color fringing can appear in out-of-focus highlights, and the lens shows mild flare with colored ghosting in strong light; vignetting at full aperture is reported as relatively modest [2].

History

Development and Launch The Primoplan name carries significant heritage for Meyer-Optik Görlitz. The original 75mm f/1.9 was created in the 1930s by Paul Schäfter and remained in production into the 1950s in East Germany before being discontinued [1]. The modern f/1.9 II was developed as a deliberate revival, retaining the optical character of the original while moving to a new formulation, improved glass types and contemporary coatings [1]. It reached the market as part of the broader relaunch of the Meyer line and was made available for pre-order from late 2020 [3].

Production Evolution Meyer-Optik Görlitz as a modern entity has a complicated lineage. The brand was revived by net SE in 2014, with handmade prototypes from 2015 and serial production from 2016 [1]. After that operation collapsed, the brand was relaunched by OPC Optics following insolvency, and it is the OPC-era company that brought the production f/1.9 II to market [4]. Early development announcements for a "P75 II" described ambitions such as a much shorter minimum focusing distance and medium-format coverage [1]; the shipping lens that LeicaLensList records focuses to 0.75 m, so those earlier promotional figures should not be read as final specifications.

Collector Notes Because the same optical design was sold in many mounts, identification depends on confirming the specific fitting; the Leica M version is a non-coupled mount intended for live-view focusing rather than rangefinder use, which is important to verify before purchase [2][3]. Given the brand's history of ownership changes and an earlier controversy in which a different Meyer product was found to be a rebadged lens, buyers tracing provenance or warranty support should confirm which corporate era a given example comes from [4]. The 52 mm filter thread is a useful checkpoint for matching caps, filters and hoods.