▁is ▁a ▁German ▁manufact urer ▁of ▁phot ographic ▁equipment , ▁opt ics , ▁video ▁surve ill ance ▁equipment , ▁and ▁personal ▁electron ics . ▁ ▁F ounded ▁in ▁Stuttgart ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁as ▁A . I . C . ▁Phot ote chn ik ▁GmbH ▁by ▁Al lied ▁Im pe x ▁Corporation ▁( USA ), ▁the ▁company ▁changed ▁its ▁official ▁name ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁to ▁match ▁the ▁brand ▁name ▁used ▁on ▁its ▁optical ▁products . ▁▁ ▁Most ▁commonly ▁encountered ▁products ▁were ▁manufact ured ▁in ▁Japan ▁( to ▁quite ▁a ▁reasonable ▁standard - many ▁by ▁Tok ina ) ▁under ▁the ▁Sol ig or ▁brand , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Mir anda , ▁( which ▁was ▁acquired ▁by ▁Al lied ▁Im pe x ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s .) ▁The ▁company ▁also ▁seems ▁to ▁have ▁had ▁an ▁association ▁with ▁Viv itar , ▁( the ▁T 4 ▁inter change able ▁mount , ▁for ▁instance ). ▁ ▁The ▁company ▁is ▁currently ▁located ▁in ▁Le inf el den - E chter d ingen , ▁just ▁outside ▁Stuttgart , ▁in ▁Baden - W ür ttemberg . ▁ ▁T 4 ▁inter change able ▁mount ▁ ▁Most ▁fam ously ▁associated ▁with ▁Sol ig or , ▁designed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁( app ar ently ▁by ▁Tok ina ), ▁the ▁T 4 ▁mount ▁was ▁intended ▁to ▁comp ete ▁with ▁Tam ron ' s ▁T - thread , ▁and ▁the ▁later ▁Ada pt - A - M atic ▁mount s . ▁The