LOMO History

LOMO stands for Leningradskoye Optiko Mechanichesckoye Obyedinenie (Lenigrad
Optical & Mechanical Enterprise). For more than 80 years LOMO has designed and
manufactured optical devices for various applications. Beginning with its foundation in
1914 LOMO was largest optical device manufacturer for Russian Army. Times have
changed and now LOMO works not only for military and space programs but also for
science and industry and for the consumer products market

In the last four to six years, LOMO has developed new lines of products, including
new families of biological, fluorescent, and polarizing microscopes, night vision
devices, consumer Maksutov telescopes, etc. Now LOMO employs military technology
for designing and manufacturing new generations of optical products.

LOMO is situated in the city of St. Petersburg -well-known Russian scientific and
cultural center, the most westernized in Russia. The staff of LOMO consists of highly
professional designers and workers with wide experience Ç 8,500 strong. The
company downsized from 34,000 within the last ten years as a result of changes in
production structure. All of these changes have given LOMO the advantage to be
competitive with other high-end optical manufacturers worldwide.


LOMO MILESTONES (NON-DEFENSE PRODUCTS)

1914 Company opens for business under the name Russian Optical and Mechanical
Company

1914 “ 1917  Company develops first optical devices for the Russian Army: stereo
tubes, panoramic sights, sights for field guns, etc.

1918 Company releases the first geodesic devices.

1930 Company produces the first Russian photo camera.

1933 Company introduces its first movie camera.

1934 Company produces its first stilloscope and microscope.

1936 Company develops its first special astronomical device allowing the observation
of movements of celestial objects in eclipse.

1937  Company produces equipment for the St. Petersburg Planetarium

1939  Company introduces its first student and biological microscopes. as well as its
first manual movie camera

1947 Company produces the first astrograph for the world renowned Pulkov
Observatory.

1948 Company develops the first photoheliograph employing a special optical
Maksutov scheme, which allows a decrease in the length of the device by half.

1950 LOMO introduces its first microscope for researching objects under UV light.

1951 LOMO develops its first interferometer for checking of rough surfaces.

1953 LOMO introduces its first microscope for precise measurements in nuclear
photo-emulsions.

1956 LOMO produces its first wide-screen-format movie projector and introduces its
first fluorescent microscope for chemical structure analysis.

1957 LOMO develops its first distance microscope for "hot" laboratories (radioactive
materials analysis).

LOMO's microscopes win a Grand Prize and a Gold Medal at the World's Fair in
Brussels.

1960 LOMO produces Europe's largest telescope, with a main mirror diameter of 2.6
meters (8.5 feet).

<P>Company develops its first infrared microscope for research with wave-lengths
less then 0.0000012 meters.
1963 LOMO introduces its first biological research inverted microscope for virusology
and oncology.</P><BR>

1966 LOMO introduces its first laser device for scientific research.

1968 LOMO develops its first contact fluorescent microscope for examining live
human tissue.

1972 LOMO introduces new unified families of biological and inverted microscopes.

1976  LOMO manufactures the world's largest telescope, with a main mirror diameter
of 6 meters (20 feet). Company develops the first laser device for surgery of
oncology-related illnesses.

1977 LOMO produces telescopes for research of astronomical objects using methods
of spectrography, spectrometry and photometry.

Company comes out with its first spectrophotometer controlled by a microcomputer.
LOMO introduces its first series of endoscopes.

1982 LOMO introduces a surgical ophthalmologic microscope with fiber-optical coaxial
lighting.<

1983  LOMO releases its unique photo camera, the "LOMO-compact."
Also, Company introduces the first laser device for thermonuclear synthesis.

1988 LOMO develops the laser automatic interferometer Ç optical mechanical
products allowing precise measurements of optical parameters with tolerances of
0.0000001 meter.

1993  LOMO introduces its first submergible endoscope.

1994  LOMO releases the infrared analyzer for determination of quality of grain.  
Company introduces its first consumer night vision scope.

1996  LOMO introduces the first consumer day/night vision scope.
Company develops its first hermetically sealed endoscope for medical research of
intestines and kidneys.

1997 LOMO introduces the series of safe-for-the-eye lasers for medicine
(ophthalmology and neurosurgery), measurement, and ship navigation systems.
LOMO America, Inc. is incorporated as an independent company Ç the exclusive
master-distributor for all LOMO products in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

1998  LOMO develops its first automated spectrophotometer with registration
system on multi-element photo adapter.

1999 LOMO introduces its new family of biological, fluorescent, and polarizing
microscopes.

LOMO develops its family of consumer Maksutov telescopes from 30 mm to 203 mm
in diameter.