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History of microscopy

How it all began
Carl Zeiss sells his first compound microscope. © ZEISS Archives
ZEISS Archives

ZEISS has been producing high-precision microscopes since the middle of the 19th century. From 1857 onwards, the simple models were followed by compound microscopes. Thanks to the work of scientist Ernst Abbe, microscopes have been based on theoretical calculations since 1872. This enabled the production of large numbers of microscopes to the same exceptional quality. In addition to scientific applications, the microscopes came to be used for routine tasks in clinics, for checking materials, and for educational purposes. The development of microscopes kept advancing, resulting in new models with new technologies, such as the renowned Axiomat in 1973 and the LSM laser scanning microscope, a microscope system with object scanning by means of an oscillating laser and electronic image processing.

Milestones

  • Simple microscope with doublet and triplet optics.

    1847

    Simple microscope with doublet and triplet optics. Production of simple microscopes begins.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Carl Zeiss sells his first compound microscope.

    1857

    Carl Zeiss sells his first compound microscope.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • High-performance microphotographic system from Roderich Zeiss (1850–1919).

    1887

    High-performance microphotographic system from Roderich Zeiss (1850–1919).
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Greenough stereomicroscope.

    1897

    Greenough stereomicroscope.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Metallographic system based on Martens design.

    1899

    Metallographic system based on Martens design.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Invention of the ultramicroscope by Henry Siedentopf and Richard A. Zsigmondy.

    1903

    Invention of the ultramicroscope by Henry Siedentopf and Richard A. Zsigmondy.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Ultraviolet microscope by August Köhler and Moritz von Rohr.

    1904

    Ultraviolet microscope by August Köhler and Moritz von Rohr.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Test setup for fluorescence microscopy by August Köhler and Henry Siedentopf.

    1908

    Test setup for fluorescence microscopy by August Köhler and Henry Siedentopf.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • L-stand

    1933

    The famous L-stand becomes standard for microscope design.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Phase-contrast microscope based on Zernike’s original design

    1936

    First prototype of a phase-contrast microscope based on Zernike’s original design; he wins the Nobel Prize in 1953.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Device for microcinematography:

    1943

    Device for microcinematography: Under the direction of Kurt Michel, the first film on cell division is produced in a "micro" laboratory with the aid of a phase-contrast microscope.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • "Standard" microscope

    1950

    The "Standard" microscope becomes one of the most successful models in the history of Carl Zeiss.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Photomicroscope with integrated camera and automatic exposure control

    1955

    Launch of an all-new photomicroscope with integrated camera and automatic exposure control.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Axiomat

    1973

    Axiomat, a microscope with unparalleled stability and image quality
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Laser scanning microscope

    1982

    The laser scanning microscope, a microscope system with object scanning through an oscillating laser beam and electronic image processing
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • ZEISS unveils the a new generation of microscopes – the “pyramids”.

    1986

    ZEISS unveils a new generation of microscopes – the “pyramids”: the design includes special features of the Axioplan, Axiophot, and Axiotron: ICS (Infinity Color Corrected System) and SI (System Integration).
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • The ApoTome imaging process allows high-quality, economical optical sections to be produced by means of biological samples marked by fluorescence

    2003

    The ApoTome imaging process allows high-quality, economical optical sections to be produced by means of biological samples marked by fluorescence In the same year it won the R&D 100 Award
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • LSM 5 LIVE

    2005

    The LSM 5 LIVE, a light microscope, with which living cells can be examined 20 times faster and in a particularly gentle manner, enters series production in Jena and receives the R&D Award for its performance in real-time research.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

Microscope optics

  • Illumination apparatus with focusable condenser: Ernst Abbe

    1869

    Illumination apparatus with focusable condenser: Ernst Abbe
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Ernst Abbe’s research results allow microscope optics to be produced on the basis of mathematical calculations for the first time.

    1872

    Ernst Abbe’s research results allow microscope optics to be produced on the basis of mathematical calculations for the first time.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Microscopes featuring homogeneous immersion

    1877

    Microscopes with homogeneous immersion, calculated by Abbe according to ideas by J.W. Stephenson.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • First apochromatic microscope lens

    1886

    First apochromatic microscope lens, a color-corrected objective lens for three wavelengths based on the calculations of Ernst Abbe. The foundation for this achievement was in part the concerted attempts by Abbe and Schott to improve optical glass.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Illumination device with separate control of the luminous field and condenser aperture:

    1893

    Illumination device with separate control of the luminous field and condenser aperture: August Köhler (1866–1948)
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Pancratic condenser

    1936

    The Pancratic condenser made for an ideal way of combining a microscope with the whole illumination device for the first time.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Plan-apochromats and plan-achromats

    1938

    Plan-apochromats and plan-achromats with a flat image field for photomicrography based on calculations by Hans Boegehold (1876–1965).
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Neofluar

    1952

    Neofluar: new optics for making microscopes.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Ultrafluar

    1959

    Ultrafluar: Carl Zeiss manufactures lens system for ultraviolet light and visible light – a major step forwards in micro-spectral photometry
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • Differential interference contrast device

    1965

    Differential interference contrast (DIC) device according to Georges Nomarski.
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives

  • PlasDIC by ZEISS

    1999

    PlasDIC by ZEISS allows the use of plastic dishes for microscopic examinations to apply the differential interference contrast
    Photo: © ZEISS Archives