Carl Zeiss (September 11, 1816 – December 3, 1888) was an optician commonly known for the company he founded, Zeiss. Zeiss himself also made a few contributions to lens manufacturing that have aided the modern production of lenses. Raised in Weimar, Germany, he became a notable lens maker in the 1840s when he created high quality lenses that were "wide open", or in other words, had a very large aperture range that allowed for very clear images. He did this in the city of Jena at a self opened workshop, where he started his lens making career. At first his lenses were only used in the production of microscopes but when cameras were invented, his company (Zeiss) began manufacturing high quality lenses for cameras. He died on December 3, 1888 in Jena Germany, the very place that he began his life of lenses.

Today, the company he founded produces some of the finest quality opticals available in the world. The Zeiss name is synonymous with quality and state of the art performance. From Nikon to NASA, Zeiss has been branded as a mark of quality craftmanship that is recognized by photographers and scientists the world over.

Carl Zeiss (September 11, 1816 – December 3, 1888)