
The Voigtländer name is one of the oldest in optics and photography. It all began back in 1756 when Johann Christoph Voigtländer established a business in the Austrian capital Vienna, to make precision instruments such as compasses and sundials.
The son of a carpenter, Johann Christoph was born in the eastern German city of Leipzig in 1732. His engineering skills earned him recognition from Austria’s Empress Maria Therese, enabling him to operate under royal decree and hence largely without any competition.