Camera and Equipment Manufacturers

Bell and Howell LLC is a U.S.-based services organization and a former manufacturer of cameras, lenses, and motion picture machinery, founded in […]

The origins of CanonThe origins of Canon date back to the founding of Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory in Japan in 1937 by Takeshi Mitarai, Goro Yoshida, Saburo Uchida and Takeo Maeda. During its early years, the company did not have any facilities to produce its own optical glass, and its first cameras incorporated Nikkor lenses from Nippon Kogaku K.K.   More date back to the founding of Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory in Japan in 1937 by Takeshi Mitarai, Goro […]

The FEDThe FEDThe FED factory in Kharkov, Ukraine was founded as a children’s commune, for children orphaned or displaced by the combined upheavals of the First World War, the Revolution and the subsequent civil war. It was founded in 1926, immediately after the death of Felix E. Dzerzhinsky (founder of the Soviet secret police, the Cheka (ЧК, for чрезвыча́йная коми́ссия or ’emergency commission’) and named in his honour. Dzerzhinsky had used the power of the secret police to bring about government action to help children. More factory in Kharkov, Ukraine was founded as a children’s commune, for children orphaned or displaced by the combined upheavals […]

FujifilmFujifilm Corporation is a Japanese company, which originally appeared as a film manufacturer and later expanded into camera production. Before 2006, the […]

Kodak or its full name  – The Eastman KodakKodak or its full name  – The Eastman Kodak Company is an American imaging company that began in the 19th century as an innovator of photography. Incorporated in New Jersey, the corporation was founded in 1888 by George Eastman in Rochester, New York, where its headquarters are still located today. More Company is an American imaging company that began in the 19th century as […]

Minolta has been known as a worldwide manufacturer of digital and film cameras, camera accessories, photocopiers, fax machines, laser printers, industrial radiometric […]

Nikon’s products include cameras, camera lenses, binoculars, microscopes, ophthalmic lenses, measurement instruments, rifle scopes, spotting scopes, and the steppers used in the […]

Olympus introduced its first camera in 1936, the Semi-Olympus I, fitted with the first Zuiko-branded lens. The first innovative camera series from […]

PanasonicPanasonic K. K. (was: Matsushita Electric Industrial) is a Japanese company that uses the brand name PanasonicPanasonic K. K. (was: Matsushita Electric Industrial) is a Japanese company that uses the brand name Panasonic for its electronic devices, including digital cameras and analogue cameras in the past. Panasonic also use the brand Lumix.  More for its electronic devices, including […]

Pentax is a brand name used primarily by Japanese multinational imaging and electronics company RicohThe Ricoh Company is a Japanese multinational imaging and electronics company. It was founded by the now-defunct commercial division of the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (Riken) known as the Riken Concern, on 6 February 1936 as Riken Sensitized Paper. Ricoh’s headquarters are located in Ricoh Building in Chūō, Tokyo. More for 35mm cameras, sport optics, and CCTV […]

Tom Purvis, a renowned artist, and Alfred C. Mayo founded PurmaTom Purvis, a renowned artist, and Alfred C. Mayo founded PurmaTom Purvis, a renowned artist, and Alfred C. Mayo founded Purma Cameras Ltd. in 1935. David Brock of Brock Fireworks gave financial help to launch the company in London. Their office was at Brock House, Langham St, London W1. (Tom Purvis is perhaps better known as a commercial artist who was responsible for many of the great LNER Railway posters of the 1930s.) More Cameras […]

The Ricoh Company is a Japanese multinational imaging and electronics company. It was founded by the now-defunct commercial division of the Institute […]

Robot is a German imaging company known originally for clockwork cameras, later producing surveillance (Traffipax) and bank security cameras. Originally created in […]

Rollei was a German manufacturer of optical instruments founded in 1920 by Paul Franke and Reinhold Heidecke in Lower Saxony and was […]

VoigtländerVoigtländer began in Vienna, Austria in 1756 by Johann Voigtländer as a manufacturer of scientific instruments. His son Johann expanded the business to include optics, and his son, Wilhelm Friedrich, helped design the first mathematically computed lens (an f3.7) in 1840, and then designed a camera to use it, an all-metal job with rack & pinion focusing at a time when most cameras were just wooden boxes. More began in Vienna, Austria in 1756 by Johann VoigtländerVoigtländer began in Vienna, Austria in 1756 by Johann Voigtländer as a manufacturer of scientific instruments. His son Johann expanded the business to include optics, and his son, Wilhelm Friedrich, helped design the first mathematically computed lens (an f3.7) in 1840, and then designed a camera to use it, an all-metal job with rack & pinion focusing at a time when most cameras were just wooden boxes. More as a manufacturer of scientific instruments. His son Johann expanded the business […]

Werra cameras were made in Eastern Germany, GDR, from 1954 to 1968 by Carl Zeiss Jena, at the Eisfeld factory. Werra comes from […]

Yashica was a Japanese manufacturer of cameras, originally active from 1949 until 2005 when its then-owner, Kyocera, ceased production.