Belly up time, deposits gone
https://petapixel.com/2018/10/17/if...ik-gorlitz-on-kickstarter-your-money-is-gone/
https://petapixel.com/2018/10/17/if...ik-gorlitz-on-kickstarter-your-money-is-gone/
Meyer Optik KickStarter goes KABOOM
- Thread starter CameraQuest
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- Replies 16
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drewbarb
picnic like it's 1999
It's not just Meyer Optik. C.P. Goerz, Ihagee, Emil Busch, Oprema Jena, and Schacht are all gone, and more than one crowdfunded project won't be delivering or returning pledges since Net SE's sinking.
More here: https://www.dpreview.com/news/99631...t-backers-wont-get-their-lenses-or-money-back
More here: https://www.dpreview.com/news/99631...t-backers-wont-get-their-lenses-or-money-back
tunalegs
Pretended Artist
I'm far more suspicious of "companies" running kickstarters than I am of amateurs. I can understand an amateur or independent craftsman needing to secure backing through kickstarter. But a company? Puts up red flags for me. I've backed a lot of independent projects, and never once had one fail to deliver (although a couple ended up underwhelming, but at least I got something).
Brian Legge
Veteran
Some companies use Kickstarter as a marketing tool. That part doesn't set off too many red flags for me.
The messy part is when people start thinking of Kickstarter as a marketplace rather then gifting seed money to someone. It's always a gamble. I tend to only put money in that I'm comfortable losing. Lens prices are well above that threshold. I'd rather pay a premium later if they come to market, knowing that I'm guaranteed to get something for the money.
Sorry to all those who lost out here. :/ That's a tough one.
The messy part is when people start thinking of Kickstarter as a marketplace rather then gifting seed money to someone. It's always a gamble. I tend to only put money in that I'm comfortable losing. Lens prices are well above that threshold. I'd rather pay a premium later if they come to market, knowing that I'm guaranteed to get something for the money.
Sorry to all those who lost out here. :/ That's a tough one.
farlymac
PF McFarland
The biggest problem with this is the fact they bought up all those company names. Now all of them will be forever tainted with the stench of this scandal, likely never to be brought back again.
PF
PF
Huss
Veteran
I was naive enough to back the Reflex 35mm SLR kickstarter, and that one too seems like a scam now..
https://www.kickstarter.com/project...ringing-back-the-analogue-slr-camera/comments
It seems like Kickstarter is a good place for dishonest types to hype bogus projects to raise some cash and then disappear. The Kickstarter forum unfortunately gives an aura of legitimacy to these projects.
https://www.kickstarter.com/project...ringing-back-the-analogue-slr-camera/comments
It seems like Kickstarter is a good place for dishonest types to hype bogus projects to raise some cash and then disappear. The Kickstarter forum unfortunately gives an aura of legitimacy to these projects.
Contarama
Well-known
In the meantime the folks who own Kickstarter are kicking it back at ranch. Wish I would have thought of that.
al1966
Feed Your Head
I feel sorry for those that have lost money, but I hope the company is investigated as it looked like they were launching one after another while they still had not delivered on previous orders.
Steve M.
Veteran
It looks like it was basically a ponzi scheme. Maybe it didn't start out that way, but defaulted into it? You could almost say the same about Tesla and Elon Musk......a car company that makes cars which get rave reviews, has investors pouring money into it, but has yet to make anything even vaguely resembling a profit. Very strange.
I have no idea why people get involved in kickstarter projects. There are soooooo many great cameras and lenses already out there in the used market that it does not make sense on any level to me. There are plenty of very good repair people to keep those golden oldie cameras and lenses working too.
I have no idea why people get involved in kickstarter projects. There are soooooo many great cameras and lenses already out there in the used market that it does not make sense on any level to me. There are plenty of very good repair people to keep those golden oldie cameras and lenses working too.
analogish
Established
Dr.Immes, the founder of Meyer-Görlitz, had a heavy road accident. It is currently unclear if and when he can return back to work. Dr.Jüchser, the liquidator of Meyer-Görlitz SE, is trying to continue the business.
https://www.kickstarter.com/project...r-team-returns-legendary-biotar/posts/2256858
https://www.kickstarter.com/project...r-team-returns-legendary-biotar/posts/2256858
DanskDynamit
Well-known
nothing to do with a ponzi scheme, its about time we call things as they are: a "kickstarter scheme"
alan davus
Well-known
Or "kickstarter scam".
ForestCap
Well-known
It was funny and sad that back then Contax people looked down upon CONTAX people.
The Reflex KS has shown a lot of drawings and blue prints of not so important parts of the camera but there was not a single image showing how the shutter look like or what kind of shutter it will be equipped with. I guess it is quite difficult to find someone making shutters for a small batch of mechanical camera these days, which is seemingly easy to be ignored by backers but the fatal part of the project. Well let's hope it delivers.
I've backed a few projects and most of them delivered quality products, so I'm quite happy with KS. But none of them are within the field of photographic equipment.
David Hughes
David Hughes
Archiver
Veteran
I have a project to launch on Kickstarter. It's a way to turn any digital camera into a film camera, using a module called the F-Sensor. Simply by attaching an unobtrusive box to the back of any digital camera, you can load a roll of film and have the best of both worlds: all the bells and whistles of digital and romance of film. Who's in???
Archlich
Well-known
Old news but that's quite a well timed accident.
farlymac
PF McFarland
For "Contax people", I think there wasn't a nostalgia factor for them to follow. It was a whole new system, incorporating another brand's lens mount, and sharing some internals.
Me, I don't care. I own both.
Which brings to mind what is really driving a lot of these Kickstarter projects, and that is reviving some company name for an initial surge of interest in the campaign, hoping it will generate even more interest in those who've never known much about the original company, but don't want to miss out on a trend.
PF
