LOMO (Leningrad, Russia)

The Leningrad Optical Mechanical Association (LOMO) was originally founded in 1914 in Petrograd (now Saint Petersburg, Russia) as Russian Joint Optical and Mechanical factory to produce lenses and cameras. The company manufactured its first microscope in 1934. The designation Leningrad Optical Mechanical Association (LOMO) was originally assigned to the company in 1962. Among their brands, ‘Biolam’ refers to biological microscopes, and ‘’Polam’ to polarising microscopes.

Meopta (Czech Republic)

Meopta traces its roots back to the year 1933 when Optikotechna company was established in Prerov, initially producing lenses and condensers. By 1936, Optikotechna established new facilities to accommodate the rapid expansion of its operation but was forced to surrender control of its production to the German army during the Word War II. After the war, the remaining company was renamed Meopta, an acronym for “Mechanická optická výroba” (mechanical optical manufacturing). Apart from military deliveries, the company became one of the world's major manufacturers of cinema projectors between 1947 and 1970. In 1971, production was again refocused primarily on military products until it was abruptly ended in 1989 (at which time the sale of military products, which represented about 75% of Meopta´s business, was reduced to zero). In 1991, Meopta completed its first step toward privatization when it was established as a joint stock company.

* Instrument kindly donated by Dave Levell (Pembrokeshire, Wales) in May 2023

Nikon (Tokyo, Japan)

Nikon was established in 1917 when three Japanese optical manufacturers merged to form a company known as Nippon Kogaku KK ('Japan Optics'), producing precision optical glass. Nikon headquarters at the time was within Tokyo Keiki at 120 Haramachi, Koishikawa-ku, Tokyo (Hakusan 4 chome, Bunkyo-ku today). In 1925, Nikon expanded to produce the first microscope with a revolving nosepiece and interchangeable objectives (the Joico microscope). The trademark JOICO was from the initials of Japan Optical Industry Co., a translation of Nippon Kogaku K. K., the company's name at the time. In 1945, with the end of World War II, production shifts to cameras, microscopes, binoculars, surveying instruments, measuring instruments and ophthalmic lenses. In 1946, the Nikon brand name was adopted for small-sized cameras.

* Instrument kindly donated by Dave Levell (Pembrokeshire, Wales) in May 2023

Olympus (Japan)

Olympus was founded in Japan, in 1919, by Takeshi Yamashita and Shintaro Terada. The name of the company at that time was Takachiho Seisakusho. The trademark Olympus was registered in 1921. In 1942, the company was renamed Takachiho Optical Co. Ltd. After the World War II, in 1949, the company became Olympus Optical Co. Ltd. In 2003, they were again renamed to Olympus Corporation.

* Instrument kindly donated by Dave Levell (Pembrokeshire, Wales) in May 2023

Wild (Heerbrugg, Switzerland)

Wild had its origins in 1921, when three Swiss men (Heinrich Wild, Jacob Schmidheiny, and Robert Helbling) founded the company Heinrich Wild, Werkstätte für Feinmechanik und Optik in Heerbrugg. The first major product was the Theodolite Wild T2. In the early 1930s, Wild left the company and moved to Zurich. His old firm became Wild Heerbrugg in 1937. In 1987, the company merged with the optical firm Ernst Leitz GmbH of Wetzlar and was renamed Wild-Leitz AG in 1989. In 1990, the company became part of the Leica holding company. From 1996, Leica was divided gradually again into smaller units. Leica Camera AG was developed in 1996, Leica Geosystems AG in 1997, and Leica Microsystems AG in 1998.

* Instrument kindly donated by Dave Levell (Pembrokeshire, Wales) in May 2023