13 years of successful partnership to proceed

OBERKOCHEN/Germany, 15.04.2009. - Carl Zeiss today announced that its Camera Lens Division will extend their successful collaboration with Sony Corporation for a further 5 years. Taking full advantages of their competence both companies agreed to cooperate even closer in developing and commercializing new imaging devices in the future.

As early as 1996, the two global specialists in imaging technology discovered the high potential of a close collaboration. Now, this cooperation has been extended. “The excellent competence of Sony in electronics and sensor technology in combination with the best possible optics for film and video cameras – that is what this partnership stands for”, states Dr. Winfried Scherle, General Manager and Vice President, Carl Zeiss AG, Camera Lens Division. “Numerous outstanding devices are the product of this corporation and there are more to come.”

In 1996 the first Sony camcorder with Carl Zeiss lens was launched onto the market. Since then the cooperation has been expanded to compact digital cameras or camcorders to high end bridge cameras and interchangeable lenses for the Sony Alpha digital SLR camera system. The goal of this partnership is to achieve high quality products that meet the demands of the customers. Due to this, both companies agreed on a partnership allowing Sony to apply ZEISS branded lenses on an exclusive basis on selected digital cameras and camcorders. Far over 100 million devices have been sold within the 13 years of the successful Sony and ZEISS cooperation.

Shigeki Ishizuka, President, Digital Imaging Business Group, Sony Corporation and Dr. Winfried Scherle, General Manager and Vice President, Carl Zeiss AG, Camera Lens Division. Photo provided by Carl Zeiss AG