Industrial lenses and cameras for machine vision, robotics, surveillance and traffic engineering – since 1894.
Kowa Optimed Deutschland GmbH
Düsseldorf · Tokyo · Torrance, CA · Bangkok · Singapore · AhmedabadNew on Amplifa
About Kowa Lenses
Kowa Optimed Deutschland GmbH, based in Düsseldorf, is the German branch of Kowa Company Limited, a Japanese manufacturer of optical products founded in 1894. The division produces in Japan high-quality industrial lenses and cameras for machine vision: multi-megapixel C-mount lenses, large-format F-mount lenses, telecentric and S-mount lenses as well as rugged, waterproof, SWIR and high-resolution variants. From 2024, a new range of industrial GigE cameras with global shutter, IP67 housings and vibration-resistant design complements the portfolio. The lenses are designed for harsh industrial environments – continuous operation, high temperatures and vibration. In addition to catalogue products, Kowa offers Customized Developments: from mechanical adaptations and cementing of internal glass elements to adapted coatings and completely new lens solutions built to customer specification. The Düsseldorf branch (Kowa Europe GmbH, founded 1986) is responsible for sales, consulting with the Lens Calculator, a rental service, optical design consultation and its own repair workshop with original parts and rigorous testing. Applications range from defect detection and surface inspection to shape and dimension analysis and real-time monitoring in CNC machine tools.
- Site
- Düsseldorf
- Processes
- Lens rental service (try before you buy), Service & repairs (Düsseldorf workshop), Customized developments / optical design, Lens Calculator, Consulting & appointment booking, Technical documentation (MTF, distortion, relative illumination), Video tutorials
- Materials
- Industrial lenses, Ruggedized & Waterproof Lenses, SWIR lenses, Industrial GigE cameras
- Certificates
- Repair with original parts, Rigorous testing after repair, Technical documentation (MTF, distortion), ISO 9001
- Founded
- 1894
- Industries
- Machine Vision, Robotics, CCTV/Security, Traffic Control/ITS, Broadcast, Automotive
- 01
Optical design & consulting
- 02
Lens selection (Lens Calculator)
- 03
Production in Japan (lenses & cameras)
- 04
Sales & support (Düsseldorf & worldwide)
- 05
Rental service (try before you buy)
- 06
Service & repair (Düsseldorf workshop)
Technologies & Processes
Industrial lenses
C-mount, F-mount, telecentric and S-mount lenses for machine vision, including defect detection, surface inspection and dimension analysis.
Ruggedized & Waterproof Lenses
Rugged, waterproof lenses (e.g. LM-JCM series) for harsh use with vibration, dust and moisture, including rotary wiper for CNC machines.
SWIR lenses
Lenses for imaging in the short-wave infrared range, e.g. for smoke penetration and spectral analyses.
Industrial GigE cameras
KC series with CMOS global shutter sensors (1.3–24 MP), IP67 housings and GigE Vision interface for inspection, measurement and robot vision.
Locations
Düsseldorf
DESales, consulting, rental service, repair workshop (Kowa Optimed Deutschland GmbH)
- Repair workshop with state-of-the-art equipment
Tokyo
JPKowa Optronics Co., Ltd. – headquarters of the optics division, production
Torrance, CA
USUSA sales office (Kowa Optimed, Inc.)
Bangkok
THKowa-Emori (Thailand) Co. Ltd. – sales
Singapore
SGKowa Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. – sales
Ahmedabad
INKowa India Pvt. Ltd. – sales
Industries
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
All repairs in Düsseldorf are carried out with original Kowa parts and undergo strict testing. Technical documentation such as MTF, distortion and relative illumination is provided for exact parameters.
| Evidence | Düsseldorf |
|---|---|
| Repair with original parts | |
| Rigorous testing after repair | |
| Technical documentation (MTF, distortion) | |
| ISO 9001 |
History
- 1894
Founded as a private business (cotton fabric wholesale) 'Hattori Kanesaburo Wholesale Store'
- 1946
Kowa Koki founded in Gamagori, Aichi; production of eyeglass lenses and opera glasses
- 1952
First Japanese spotting scope (TS-1, TS-2)
- 1953
CinemaScope projection lens (anamorphic)
- 1955
Kowa Optical Corporation founded in New York
- 1968
Sales launch of surveillance lenses
- 1980
Kowa Optimed, Inc. founded in Los Angeles
- 1981
Market leader with over 80% of zoom lenses for video cameras produced in Japan
- 1986
Kowa Europe GmbH founded in Düsseldorf
- 1989
Silicon Valley office in San Jose; start of CCTV lens production
- 1991
Introduction of security and FA lenses
- 2005
First participation at the Vision trade fair in Stuttgart
- 2023
Expansion into France (Sales Manager Sliman Bella)
- 2024
Introduction of a new range of industrial cameras