Voigtlander & Sohn AG was founded in 1756 by Johann Christoph Voigtlander in Vienna. The company began by making scientific instruments such as compasses and quadrants. His son continued the business and added optical glasses, spectacles and opera glasses. The grandson of the founder, Peter Wilhelm Friedrich Voigtlander collaborated with Petzval to design the first mathematically computed lens in 1840. Needing a camera to pair with this incredible lens, Voigtlander created the first all-metal camera that was also the first to incorporate rack & pinion focusing.
The brand continued to evolve throughout the 20th century – changing ownership several times. The most notable changes would be the purchase of Voigtlander by Zeiss in 1956 and the involvement with Rollei in the 1970s. In 1997, the mark was purchased by Ringfoto GmbH. Current Voigtlander products are the well-regarded Bessa line of rangefinders that are actually produced by Cosina.
Voigtlander cameras in my collection
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