Founder Joseph Schneider
History
1913 founded in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, as a mechanical shop for optical lenses, Jos. Schneider Optische Werke GmbH is today a worldwide market leader in high-quality lenses and precision engineering.
1913
Foundation of the „Optische Anstalt Jos. Schneider & Co.“ company in Bad Kreuznach
Registration of the brands SYMMAR, COMPONAR and ISCONAR
Manufacture of the first cinema projection lenses
Production of the first four-lens, trinomial, unsymmetrical anastigmatic lens XENAR
Company logo
Calculation of the first wide-angle lens for large format photogrphy leading to the development of ANGULON 1:6.8 in 1930
„Optische Anstalt Jos. Schneider & Co.“ was renamed „Jos. Schneider & Co., Optische Werke, Kreuznach"
Issue of the first patent for the high aperture XENON
"real" telephoto lenses complete the manufacturing program
Engraving of the 500,000th lens ( XENAR 1:2,9/10,5 cm ). A short four years later saw the manufacture of the one millionth lens for „Jos. Schneider & Co., Optische Werke, Kreuznach"
Joseph Schneider, honorary citizen of the city Bad Kreuznach, passes away at the age of 78
Laying of the foundation stone for a new factory at „Ringstraße 132” in Bad Kreuznach ( completed 1939 )
Construction and polishing
Polishing check and final inspection
Exhibition stand at photokina
Design of the first interchangeable lenses with automatic diaphragm for the SLR EXAKTA-Varex offered five years later with a photometer with automatic tracking system
First deployment of computers to calculate lenses
Cinema projection lens Tele-Xenar
Start of the development process for zoom-lenses. Two years later the VARIOGON 2,8/10-40 ( 13 lenses in nine groups) for 8mm film format is already in serial production.
Training
Production employee
Formation of "Feinwerktechnik GmbH" for the development and production of electrohydraulic servovalves
Launch of the first zoom-lens with fixed back focus for 35 mm cameras: VARIOGON 1:4,0/80-240
Lunar Orbiter IV photographs lunar surface with Xenotar 2.8/80 mm
The tenmillionth lens is manufactured: COLOR TV-VARIOGON 2,1/18-200 ( already multicoated )
Formation of SCA, „Schneider Corporation of America” ( today Schneider Optics )
1976
Technology Oscar
Cinema projection lens
Cross-section of Variogon Super-8 lens
Product range extension through the launch of the new CINELUX high-class cinema and AV projection lenses
Set up for the manufacture and distribution of ophthalmic lenses made of silicate and optical plastic
Takeover and integration of the business operations of “B+W Filterfabrik, Joh. Weber KG, Wiesbaden”, renowned worldwide for over four decades
Cine-Xenone film projection lens
Lens check
Lens coating
Mechanics check
Final inspection
Production of KÄSEMANN polarization elements made of glass and optical plastic
Phase-out of the development and manufacture of TV-lenses
APO-Tele-Xenar HM 12/800
CPN APO 45 90
Development and production start-up of a new extreme wide-angle lens SUPER-ANGULON generation for large format photography
Super Angulon XL 5,6/38
“Thin Films”, cleanroom
standard 10
15Restructure of the manufacturing technology "Dünne Schichten" (thin-layer technology) under clean room conditions, category 10
MRC coating
Formation of the subsidiary PENTACON GmbH Foto- und Feinwerktechnik, Dresden
The company name became „Jos. Schneider Optische Werke GmbH“
Start-up of the aspheric lens production with state-of-the-art manufacturing and testing machines
SUPER-CINELUX wins Technology Oscar
Acquisition of „Century Precision Optics“ in the USA Formation of the subsidiary Praktika (UK) LTD., England
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awards the Technical Achievement Award for cinema projection lenses from the SUPER-CINELUX series to five employees of „Jos. Schneider Optische Werke GmbH“
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awards the Technical Achievement Award for cinema projection lenses from the CINELUX PREMIÈRE series to four employees of „Jos. Schneider Optische Werke GmbH“
2005
Xenoplan 2.8/50 mm Compact C-Mount on board the Space Shuttle
Assembly in cleanroom
3D measurement
Formation of the subsidiary Schneider Bando LTD., South-Korea
Formation of the subsidiary Schneider Asia Pacific LTD., Hongkong
Set-up of the branch base Schneider Optical Technologies (SHENZHEN) Co. Ltd.
The „ISCO Gruppe Göttingen“, integrated in August 2008, trades under the name Schneider Kreuznach Isco Division GmbH & Co. KG
UltraLED by SCHNEIDER KREUZNACH wins Rhineland-Palatinate Innovation Award
Tilt/Shift lens
XS -PRO Digital Filter
MPTV lens
Xenon-Emerald
Servo-hydraulics valve
2012
DSLR Video lens
Schneider Optics, the American subsidiary of Schneider-Kreuznach, received the Technology and Engineering Emmy Award 2012 for IRND (Infrared Neutral Density)-Filter-Technology for digital HD (High Definition)-cameras.
Schneider-Kreuznach celebrates its 100th anniversary.
ISK Optics merges with parent company Jos. Schneider Optische Werke