Meopta - optika, s.r.o. is a

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The Cz ...

based company that manufactures various products mainly in the field of

optics Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behaviour and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. Optics usually describes the behaviour of visible, ultravio ...

. The company was once well-known for its still and movie cameras, although it no longer manufactures such products.

History

Optikotechna company was founded in 1933 in

Přerov Přerov (; german: Prerau) is a city in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 41,000 inhabitants. It lies on the Bečva River. In the past it was a major crossroad in the heart of Moravia in the Czech Republic. The historic ce ...

Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...

. Originally established with the intention of producing a limited range of lenses and condensers, the company rapidly expanded the range of products to include enlargers, composite lenses, binoculars, riflescopes, cameras and slide projectors. After 1935, Meopta optika became a subsidiary of

Zbrojovka Brno Pre-war Československá zbrojovka, akc.spol. (or a.s.) (Czechoslovak Armory)and post-war Zbrojovka Brno, n.p.(Brno Armory) was a maker of small arms, light artillery, and motor vehicles in Brno, Czechoslovakia. It also made other products and ...

and a major supplier of military optics for the

Czechoslovak Army The Czechoslovak Army ( Czech and Slovak: Československá armáda) was the name of the armed forces of Czechoslovakia. It was established in 1918 following Czechoslovakia's declaration of independence from Austria-Hungary. History In the ...

. Company retained its focus on military production when it was seized by Germans during the

occupation of Czechoslovakia Occupation commonly refers to: * Occupation (human activity), or job, one's role in society, often a regular activity performed for payment * Occupation (protest), political demonstration by holding public or symbolic spaces *Military occupation, ...

as well as after WW2, when it was nationalized and renamed to Meopta – an acronym for MEchanická OPTická výrobA ("mechanical optical manufacturing"). In 1945 the company merged with

Bratislava Bratislava (, also ; ; german: Preßburg/Pressburg ; hu, Pozsony) is the capital and largest city of Slovakia. Officially, the population of the city is about 475,000; however, it is estimated to be more than 660,000 — approximately 140% of ...

subsidiary of C. P. Goerz. Apart from military deliveries, the company became one of the world's major manufacturers of cinema projectors between 1947 and 1970. The abrupt halt of military demand after the dissolution of

Warsaw pact The Warsaw Pact (WP) or Treaty of Warsaw, formally the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, was a collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland, between the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern Bloc socialist republi ...

forced the company to refocus mainly on civilian applications. The company was privatized in 1992. The majority owners became the members of the Rausnitz family who emigrated from Czechoslovakia to the United States in 1946. During WWII the Rausnitz brothers had been active soldiers of the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps and were decorated for their service. Meopta U.S.A., Inc. was founded by the same Czech-American family in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * ...

in 1960 under the name ''Tyrolit Company, Inc.'' At that time, its main business was selling grinding wheels in US and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world ...

. Tyrolit gradually changed its focus to manufacturing various optical products and in 2005 was renamed to Meopta U.S.A., Inc. In December 2009, the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued a decision to provide a subsidy from the OPEI for the Modernization of Meopta Research and Development project, so that the following year the development building could be reconstructed and research and development capacities were significantly expanded. In 2013, the company had 2,200 employees in Přerov and 150 in the USA. Meopta owner Paul Rausnitz received the Medal of Merit for the State in the field of business from the hands of the President of the Republic Miloš Zeman on October 28.

Cameras

TLR 6x6 * Flexette * Autoflex * Optiflex * Flexaret II * Flexaret III * Flexaret IV * Flexaret V * Flexaret Standart * Flexaret automat VI * Flexaret automat VII Folding 6x6 * Milona Interchangeable lens (viewfinder/rangefinder) 35mm * Opema I/II Fixed lens 35mm * Optineta * Etareta

Stereo Stereophonic sound, or more commonly stereo, is a method of sound reproduction that recreates a multi-directional, 3-dimensional audible perspective. This is usually achieved by using two independent audio channels through a configuration ...

35mm * Stereo 35 16mm Subminiature * Mikroma * Mikroma II * Mikroma Police * Mikroma II snake skin Large format 13x18 * Magnola

Movie Cameras

8 mm Cameras * OP 8 (1939) * Sonet 8 (1956) * Admira 8 D (1946–47) * Admira 8 IIa (1954) * Admira 8 F (1960–64) * Admira EL 8 (1960) - one and only camera having the Zoom lens * Admira 8 G1 (1966–68) * Admira 8 G2 (1966) * Admira 8 G0 (1968–73) * Admira 8 G1 Supra (1968–71) * Admira 8 G2 Supra (1968–71) * Admira 8 L1 Supra (1971) * Admira 8 L2 Supra (1971) :''Supra is an indication for Super 8.'' 9.5 mm Cameras * Admira Ledvinka (Pocket) (1934) 16 mm Cameras * Admira 16 (1937) * Admira 16 A1 el. (1963–68)

Movie Projectors

8 mm and 9.5 mm Projectors * Scolar (1934) * Sonet 8 (1938) * OP 8 (1936) * Optilux (1945–50) * Jubilar 9.5 (1945–50) * Atom (1940–45) * Meo 8 (1954–60) * AM 8 (1960–69) * Meocord (1966–67) * AM 8 Super (1967–70) * Meolux I (1969) * Meolux II (1972–77) * Meos (1978) * Meos Duo (1977–86) * KP 8-2 Super (1976–80) 16 mm Projectors * OP16 silent and sound (1938) * OP 16 (1951) * Opefon (1945) * Almo 16 (1936) * Pictureta (1936) * Meopton I (1945–50) * Meopton II (1945–50) * Meopton IIa (1966) * Club 16 (1962–63) * Meoclub 16 (1965) * Meoclub 16 Automatic (1968) * Meoclub 16 Automatic H (1970) * Meoclub 16 Standard (1974–78) * Meoclub 16 Electronic (1980–84) * Meoclub 16 AS 2 (1982–84) * Meoclub 16 Electronic 2 (1984) 35 mm Projectors * Eta 7 (1947) * Meopton III (1955–57) * Meopton IV (1959) - IV S with magnetic soundhead * UM 70/35 (1963–73) * MEO 5X series (1978-?)

Sport optics

Meopta is producing

Binoculars Binoculars or field glasses are two refracting telescopes mounted side-by-side and aligned to point in the same direction, allowing the viewer to use both eyes (binocular vision) when viewing distant objects. Most binoculars are sized to be held ...

Telescopic sight A telescopic sight, commonly called a scope informally, is an optical sighting device based on a refracting telescope. It is equipped with some form of a referencing pattern – known as a ''reticle'' – mounted in a focally appropriate po ...

Red dot sight A red dot sight is a common classification for a type of non- magnifying reflector (or reflex) sight for firearms, and other devices that require aiming, that gives the user a point of aim in the form of an illuminated red dot. A standard desi ...

s and

Monocular A monocular is a compact refracting telescope used to magnify images of distant objects, typically using an optical prism to ensure an erect image, instead of using relay lenses like most telescopic sights. The volume and weight of a mono ...

s on the field of sport optics and caters hunters, birdwatchers and sport shooters. In 2019 the production includes the following series of products: Binoculars: * Meostar B1 * MeoRange (available only in EU, with laser rangefinder integrated) * MeoPro HD * MeoSport * Optika HD Rifle Scopes * Steyr AUG factory optics * MeoTac * MeoStar R2 * Meostar R1 * MeoPro Optika 6 * MeoPro * ZD Reflex sights * MeoSight III * MeoRed

References

External links

* * * * {{Authority control Photography companies of the Czech Republic Companies of Czechoslovakia Lens manufacturers Cameras Czech brands Manufacturing companies established in 1933 1933 establishments in Czechoslovakia