Fri Mar 15, 2019 5:12 pm
In 2017 their was not real prospect of a new MFT Cine Camera, Bolex Digital folded, Oanasonic released the EVA1 with E mount, and the remaining MFT Cameras were at end of life. Since the MFT cine market was Ryan’s bread and butter, the only remaining MFT Camera was the GH5, which are mostly used with native auto lenses. So the MFT Cine lens market was dying at that point. Ryan was also going a different direction in 2017, changing to another business. His partner in Shanghai, who coordinated Veydra lens manufacturing, may have reached an agreement with Ryan, to stop making lenses, due to poor sales at the time.
This was when I decided to sell my Veydra set, while I could still get my money out of them.
Who knew in 2017, BM would launch a very successful new MFT Cinema Camera until NAB 2018, then it was too little, too late to save Veydra. Given the price point of the camera, most new shooters (who are a lens makers market) wanted less expensive lenses, so Meike may have gone into partnership to front a new line of less expensive Veydra lenses, under the Meike name, with the lenses still being made at Zhang Optics, as Meike did not have an optical manufacturing setup.
This may all be a marketing strategy, Ryan may have not been willing to release the Veydra name, nor wanted to reduce the value of his lens line up by suddenly selling them for half price to meet the new market demand. Releasing the MFT Cine lenses under a new name, meets the demand for lower cost/price product, allowing for increased sales at the new lower price. The current price is an intro price, I would expect to see a price increase as they get going, like Veydra’s went from $900 at release to $1200 when they folded.
I do not see Meike “steaming” any proprietary or lens designs, not were they involved in the break in. Ryan’s former partner who helped design the Veydra line, as was part owner, may have just approached Meike to do the marketing and selling, replacing what Ryan did in the US. Who knows, Ryan may still be involved in the background, or if not, legal litigation for Ryan to claim against his former partner, Zhang and Meike may just cost too much $ and/or effort for Ryan, to make it worth while.
In any case, now we know the Meike’s are not a low quality knock off, but are in fact the same lens design and manufacturing as the Veydra, so we can buy them knowing we are getting a good value. If you want a set of good Mini Primes, now is the time to get them, while the price is low. Also the Meike lenses may cut in well with the SLR Microprimes, and the Meikes fill in the longer focal length gaps, so between the two, you have 12, 18, and 25mm, with perhaps a 35mm in the works next. Any case, this gives Meike a high end lens in their offerings.
Cheers
Denny Smith
SHA Productions