In 1852, Moritz Carl Hensoldt founded his company in the form of an optical workshop where he initially built terrestrial telescopes, astronomical instruments and microscopes.
In 1897, Hensoldt launched the first binocular featuring roof prisms – the reversal system comprised a right-angle prism and a penta prism with a roof edge. This was followed by further developments in the fields of binoculars and riflescopes. Examples of the many innovations launched:
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| Moritz Carl Hensoldt launches the world's first binocular with roof prisms – the Penta 7x29 model A- on the market |
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| 1902 The first riflescope with a prism reversal system is presented under the name "Solar"by M. Hensoldt & Söhne |
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| The first binocular named "Dialyt" is launched- a 6x26 which was sold worldwide with great success. Thus was the trademark "Dialyt" born. |
This trademark, under which Hensoldt binoculars were to attain world renown, still exists to this very day, as does the "Diavari" trademark which was introduced in 1954 for riflescopes with a variable power.
In 1922, M. Hensoldt & Söhne was a listed as a stock corporation and was renamed M. Hensoldt & Söhne Optische Werke AG. Since 1928, Hensoldt AG had been a member company of the Carl Zeiss Group and has produced the ZEISS binoculars and riflescopes since 1964.
The Hensoldt AG was renamed Carl Zeiss Sports Optics GmbH at October 1st, 2006 and is a leading company in the precision engineering and optical industry. Certified to DIN/ISO 9001, Carl Zeiss Sports Optics GmbH also produces optical systems for industrial use in addition to binoculars and riflescopes. Carl Zeiss Sports Optics GmbH is also of major importance as an employer and a training company in the Wetzlar region: it provides safe jobs for a workforce of over 450 and trains 40 apprentices in all fields of precision engineering and optics year after year. |