An optical engineer, Barnack was actually appointed in 1911 for working on other products but he dedicated his free time to developing a portable camera, his lifelong dream.
The success inspired Leitz to turn to other optical solutions and in 1907, the Ernest Leitz – Wetzlar factory began the produc tion operations for binoculars and i t was not until 1913 that the factory began working on prototypes of portable camera s under Oskar Barnack. Over the years, the co mpany continued the production of microscopes and by 1900, their annual manufacturing capacity rose to 4,000 microscopes and the number of employees at the factory grew to over 400. Thanks to the success of the microscope business, Leitz expanded the company to North America when Leitz opened up a branch in New York in 1892. Success of microscope business and transition to other products Not long after, he modified and included his name in the title of the company in 1869, and t his is when the Earnest Leitz – Optische Institut – Wetzlar Company came into being, but the end product remain ed the same.
The company b egan to thrive under his direction and after the death of Frederic Belthle, Leitz assumed full leadership of Optics Institute. The duo diligently manage d the microscope manufacturing business until the year 1 864, when Earnest Leitz started working for the company. Unfortunately in 1855, Carl Kellner, the founder of the company, suffered a premature death and the fate of the company was left hanging in the hands of her widow and an apprentice, Friedrich Belthle, who was previously employed by the owner to assist in the business.
Source: Leica Earnest Leitz started working at Optisches Institut