Meyer Optik Görlitz 75mm f/1.9 lens with triplet design, prized for circular bokeh and vintage aesthetic achieved through minimal aberration correction.
The Primoplan is based on a modified triplet design with four lenses in three groups. The maximum aperture is f/1.9, the smallest f/22. The focusing range extends from 1 meter to infinity with a filter thread of 58mm. The lens weighs 420 grams and measures 65mm in length. It was originally available for Exakta mount, later also for M42 screw mount and other mounts. The optical design dates back to the pre-war era and was hardly changed until production ceased.
Hugo Meyer developed the first Primoplan in 1936 for his company based in Dresden. After World War II, production resumed in Görlitz in 1946, initially under Soviet administration. In 1991, series production ended after over 55 years. Between 2015 and 2018, the revived company Meyer Optik Görlitz attempted a relaunch, which was discontinued after a few hundred units. In total, an estimated 100,000 units of the original were produced.
Today, the Primoplan is mainly used in independent productions that appreciate its vintage look. Cinematographers use it for portrait sequences and close-ups, where the circular bokeh isolates faces from the background. At wide apertures, the lens exhibits noticeable chromatic aberrations and a soft rendering, which becomes noticeably sharper from f/4 onwards. The focus ring requires precise work, as the depth of field changes very gradually. Modern adapters allow its use on digital cameras, with the crop factor influencing the effective focal length.
The Primoplan differs from modern 75mm lenses due to its significantly less corrected aberrations. While current lenses like the Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4 strive for technical perfection, the Primoplan deliberately creates "imperfections" as a stylistic device. The Meyer Trioplan 100mm f/2.8 is considered a modern alternative with a similar bokeh character, pursuing the same optical philosophy. However, for productions with the highest sharpness demands, the Primoplan remains unsuitable – here, apochromatically corrected systems from Zeiss, Leica, or Canon dominate.
Ich setze das Primoplan gezielt für emotionale Nahaufnahmen ein, wo die weiche Zeichnung bei f/1.9 und das charakteristische Bokeh die Stimmung unterstützen. Der graduelle Fokusfall erfordert präzise Schärfeziehung, belohnt aber mit einer organischen Bildsprache, die moderne Objektive nicht erreichen. Ab f/4 wird es brauchbar scharf für Detailaufnahmen, verliert aber seinen besonderen Charakter.
Das Primoplan hilft mir, Figuren visuell zu isolieren und intime Momente zu schaffen - die Seifenblasen-Unschärfe wirkt träumerisch und nostalgisch. Bei Rückblenden oder emotionalen Höhepunkten verstärkt die weiche Zeichnung die gewünschte Atmosphäre. Für moderne, cleane Looks ist es ungeeignet, aber für Period Pieces oder kunstvolle Arthouse-Produktionen unschlagbar.
Vintage-Objektive wie das Primoplan kosten als gut erhaltene Exemplare zwischen 800-2000 Euro, deutlich weniger als moderne Cine-Optiken. Der Adapter-Aufwand ist minimal, aber die längeren Einstellzeiten durch manuellen Fokus können Drehtage verlängern. Für Nischenprojekte mit kleinem Budget bietet es einen unverwechselbaren Look, der teure Post-Production-Effekte erspart.
1. Zu welchem Department gehört „Primoplan 75"?
2. Wie viele verschiedene Fachperspektiven bietet dieser Eintrag?
The Lexikon is part of the Filmfarm ecosystem — alongside budgeting (FilmBalance), an industry magazine (FilmCircus) and crew networking (FilmCall, CrewMesh). One shared vocabulary for the whole production.