Universe Kogaku (America), Inc. designs and manufactures precision optical lenses and lens assemblies for industrial, medical, electronic and high-tech systems. Its Oyster Bay operation combines more than 1,600 lenses in stock with custom design support that runs from concept and prototype through production, including plastic optics and barrels. The company is particularly distinctive for deep-UV imaging lenses optimized around 250 nm and application-specific optics for systems such as machine vision, surveillance and 3D laser scanning.
Photon Gear, IncFor two decades, Photon Gear has built high-precision custom optical systems, taking difficult designs from optical engineering through prototype and production lens assembly. Its small, flexible team pairs complex lens design with a specialized clean facility and multi-wavelength testing spanning deep UV to mid-IR. Led by optical experts Gary Blough and John Bowen, the Ontario, New York company is also registered for ITAR-controlled work.ONTARIO, NY
NavitarFor more than 50 years, Rochester-based Navitar has designed and manufactured optical imaging systems, lenses and integrated camera solutions for demanding industrial, scientific, defense and immersive-media applications. Its consultative engineering model carries projects from feasibility and custom optical design through precision assembly, testing and production, with Pixelink cameras and Special Optics joining Navitar’s modular lens systems under one integrated group. Navitar became part of AMETEK’s Ultra Precision Technologies Division in 2022 while continuing its established imaging and projection business.ROCHESTER, NY
Kowa American CorporationFounded in Japan in 1894, Kowa American Corporation brings Kowa’s precision optics to the Americas, making sporting optics and specialized lenses alongside ophthalmic diagnostic equipment. Its Torrance branch has served the American market since 1980, with custom PROMINAR fluorite crystal lenses handcrafted for high-performance sporting optics and configurable lens solutions for demanding applications such as machine vision and aerospace. Kowa American is part of privately owned Kowa Company Limited.NEW YORK, NY
Rayleigh Optical CorporationSince 1987, co-founders Vilma and David Anderson have operated Rayleigh Optical Corporation as a worldwide fabricator of large custom precision optics. The Hanover, Maryland, company specializes in spherical and aspherical components from 0.25 to 1.5 meters, with its mirrors and lenses used at premier astronomical sites including Pan-STARRS and the Dark Energy Survey Instrument. It also extends its shop and expertise to amateur telescope makers through its planned Center for Amateur Optics and Telescope Making.HALETHORPE, MD