[Klaus]

https://cameracreativ.de/aktuelles/retro...ckstarter/

 

So essentially the same company

[JJ_SO]

Haha, I suspected something like this because of the invasion of 50 mm lenses. 

 

If you can't read German and want to understand the essence, there's DeepL.com to translate it (without links):

 

One might think that in the meantime all antique photo brands have arrived in the 21st century (among others Meyer Optik Görlitz, Oprema, Busch Rathenow, Ihagee), but apparently there are still some open gaps. New addition this month is the "A. Schacht Travegon", a 50mm standard lens with F2.5, which is supposed to revive the (not really famous) brand "Schacht Kreuznach" from the fifties.


 

The lens itself is nothing special as a purely manual standard optics in itself; anyone who is looking for something like this can stock up on any camera exchange (this would also be cheaper in any case, since the otherwise unremarkable lens should be much more than 1.000, - Euro after the end of the campaign). However, the project is still interesting because behind this and half a dozen other similar campaigns there are always the same people behind it, most of whom are in the beautiful city of Koblenz.


 
We start with a look into the trademark register:

 

• Meyer Optik Görlitz - registered with Semi Verwaltung GmbH
  
  
• Biotar - Semi Verwaltung GmbH
  
  
• Ihagee - Semi Verwaltung GmbH
  
  
• Lydith - Semi Verwaltung GmbH
  
  
• C. P. Goerz - Semi Verwaltung GmbH
  
  
• Primagon - Semi Verwaltung GmbH
  
  
• Emil Busch Rathenow - net SE
  
  
• Flektogon - net SE
  
  

<div> 
Only a small excerpt, the complete list can be obtained by filling in the field for the name of the owner or applicant in the DPMA search (screenshot of Semi Verwaltung GmbH here). While the brand collection of Semi Verwaltung GmbH comes across as sorted (all antique optics), net SE is not quite as meticulous: brands for paper products and bags are also to be found here (1,2). A closer look also reveals that both companies have the same legal representative, a law firm in Aachen.

 

<div>The commercial register informs about both companies: The joint location is currently Moselstraße 50 in Koblenz. The managing director of Semi Verwaltung GmbH is Mrs. Regina Immes, at net SE, Dr. Stefan Immes acts as managing director. Related? Married? Just a coincidence? At least, the name is not so common.

 
Another striking feature is the actual campaigns: Even if the originator of the campaign varies (Emil Busch Rathenow Inc., Meyer Optik USA, Oprema), there is a common denominator; in each case there is always a certain Katja Lauterbach named as responsible:

 
Remark of JoJu: Here come some textboxes, see full article

 
The joint location is also remarkable: Atlanta, Georgia. The city must be a sort of Southern Wetzlar if it is home to a number of leading companies in the optical industry. A sample shows that an Emil Busch Rathenow Inc. is actually registered in Atlanta (screenshot). Representative: Katja Lauterbach, Managing Director: the well-known Regina Immes. There are also corresponding entries for the other candidates as Oprema Optik Jena Inc. and Meyer Optik USA Inc., each with the same business address and the same management personnel. One wonders how people manage to do all this (complementing the hint that a corporation under American law only corresponds to a German corporation at first glance. In particular, the regulations concerning the share capital and corporate bodies of a public limited company do not exist in the USA, or only to a lesser extent; the establishment and maintenance of a company are therefore considerably cheaper and less costly than in this case.

 
Back to the beginning, the shaft lens. The location is a different one; instead of the new world we find the worthy and traditional Bad Kreuznach. But some things stay the same:

 
Remark of JoJu: This textbook here is in English already

 
Incidentally, the Bad Kreuznach Commercial Register does not know any company Schacht, nor has a corresponding trademark been registered so far. However, there is an A. Schacht Optics Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia. Who would be in charge of the business? Answer: See above.

 
Conclusion: None of this is forbidden, but as they say in the south-west, it leaves a taste in the mouth. In rural Bavaria there would also be more solid formulations.

 
Klaus, feel free to delete this post, if it's a violation against copyright - I was not sure.
</div>
</div>

[Rover]

So it's a big scam and money grab by the same (unscrupulous) people. We suspected as much.

[Ayoh]

Great investigative work by the authors.

What I am more surprised about is that anyone would buy any of these obviously garbage kick starter scam lenses in the first place. Just get yourself a $20 lens from ebay if you want the "vintage effect". I guess the world is never short of gullible people 

 

 

Haha, I suspected something like this because of the invasion of 50 mm lenses. 

 

If you can't read German and want to understand the essence, there's DeepL.com to translate it (without links):

 

One might think that in the meantime all antique photo brands have arrived in the 21st century (among others Meyer Optik Görlitz, Oprema, Busch Rathenow, Ihagee), but apparently there are still some open gaps. New addition this month is the "A. Schacht Travegon", a 50mm standard lens with F2.5, which is supposed to revive the (not really famous) brand "Schacht Kreuznach" from the fifties.


 

The lens itself is nothing special as a purely manual standard optics in itself; anyone who is looking for something like this can stock up on any camera exchange (this would also be cheaper in any case, since the otherwise unremarkable lens should be much more than 1.000, - Euro after the end of the campaign). However, the project is still interesting because behind this and half a dozen other similar campaigns there are always the same people behind it, most of whom are in the beautiful city of Koblenz.


<div> 
We start with a look into the trademark register:

 

• Meyer Optik Görlitz - registered with Semi Verwaltung GmbH
  
  
• Biotar - Semi Verwaltung GmbH
  
  
• Ihagee - Semi Verwaltung GmbH
  
  
• Lydith - Semi Verwaltung GmbH
  
  
• C. P. Goerz - Semi Verwaltung GmbH
  
  
• Primagon - Semi Verwaltung GmbH
  
  
• Emil Busch Rathenow - net SE
  
  
• Flektogon - net SE
  
  

<div> 
Only a small excerpt, the complete list can be obtained by filling in the field for the name of the owner or applicant in the DPMA search (screenshot of Semi Verwaltung GmbH here). While the brand collection of Semi Verwaltung GmbH comes across as sorted (all antique optics), net SE is not quite as meticulous: brands for paper products and bags are also to be found here (1,2). A closer look also reveals that both companies have the same legal representative, a law firm in Aachen.

 

<div>The commercial register informs about both companies: The joint location is currently Moselstraße 50 in Koblenz. The managing director of Semi Verwaltung GmbH is Mrs. Regina Immes, at net SE, Dr. Stefan Immes acts as managing director. Related? Married? Just a coincidence? At least, the name is not so common.

 
Another striking feature is the actual campaigns: Even if the originator of the campaign varies (Emil Busch Rathenow Inc., Meyer Optik USA, Oprema), there is a common denominator; in each case there is always a certain Katja Lauterbach named as responsible:

 
Remark of JoJu: Here come some textboxes, see full article

 
The joint location is also remarkable: Atlanta, Georgia. The city must be a sort of Southern Wetzlar if it is home to a number of leading companies in the optical industry. A sample shows that an Emil Busch Rathenow Inc. is actually registered in Atlanta (screenshot). Representative: Katja Lauterbach, Managing Director: the well-known Regina Immes. There are also corresponding entries for the other candidates as Oprema Optik Jena Inc. and Meyer Optik USA Inc., each with the same business address and the same management personnel. One wonders how people manage to do all this (complementing the hint that a corporation under American law only corresponds to a German corporation at first glance. In particular, the regulations concerning the share capital and corporate bodies of a public limited company do not exist in the USA, or only to a lesser extent; the establishment and maintenance of a company are therefore considerably cheaper and less costly than in this case.

 
Back to the beginning, the shaft lens. The location is a different one; instead of the new world we find the worthy and traditional Bad Kreuznach. But some things stay the same:

 
Remark of JoJu: This textbook here is in English already

 
Incidentally, the Bad Kreuznach Commercial Register does not know any company Schacht, nor has a corresponding trademark been registered so far. However, there is an A. Schacht Optics Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia. Who would be in charge of the business? Answer: See above.

 
Conclusion: None of this is forbidden, but as they say in the south-west, it leaves a taste in the mouth. In rural Bavaria there would also be more solid formulations.

 
Klaus, feel free to delete this post, if it's a violation against copyright - I was not sure.
</div>
</div>
 

</div>

 

[Klaus]

I think these lenses are part of the hipster movement where vintage cameras and lenses are accessories rather than tools really.

[Brightcolours]

The hipster movement buys retro looking MFT and Fuji X models already...

[JJ_SO]

Sony owners are adapting whatever looks like an old lens. I think, this replica wave they only can surf because there's this strong prejudice that if something s really old it has to be really good. Sometimes true, but in terms of lenses I haven 't seen much superiority of old vs high class new.

 

Edit: Oh and about Fuji: Now there's an adapter which lets you AF Canon lenses on Fuji bodies. https://www.fujirumors.com/fringer-canon...eased-299/

 

Tempted?  ^_^

[obican]

Sony owners are adapting whatever looks like an old lens. I think, this replica wave they only can surf because there's this strong prejudice that if something s really old it has to be really good. Sometimes true, but in terms of lenses I haven 't seen much superiority of old vs high class new.

 

Edit: Oh and about Fuji: Now there's an adapter which lets you AF Canon lenses on Fuji bodies. https://www.fujirumors.com/fringer-canon...eased-299/

 

Tempted?  ^_^

 

I'm more tempted by a black X-Pro2 with a silver 27/2.8 in front. Really hard to shake that image out of my mind these days.

[JJ_SO]

Just between us: I don't get what people like in X-Pro2. In my perception everything on this camera is yelling "limited purpose or handling".

[Mistral75]

Second setback for the net SE galaxy (C. P. Goerz, Emil Busch A.-G. Rathenau, Ihagee, Meyer Optik Görlitz, Oprema Jena Biotar and more) after that of the Ihagee Elbaflex: the Schacht Travegon project just failed on Kickstarter.


They gathered pledges amounting to $32,782 (versus a goal set at $60,000) from 58 backers who ordered 51 lenses.


Since it was an ‘all or nothing’ project, the funding is unsuccessful and it is over.