Elcan Optics

Few companies can boast of a long and respectable tradition. Even less are those that have earned the epithet of humanity over their existence. Although ELCAN stands for Ernst Leitz Canada, their roots older more than 160 years, came as many others from the Old Continent, precisely from Wetzlar in Germany. The Leitz is a well-known maker of high-quality optical glass for cameras, binoculars and other instruments. Ernest Leitz established a worldwide esteemed company in the mid-19th century, and during the Nazi regime, the inheritors of the Leitz family have saved hundreds of Leitz`s Jewish employees transferring them to US or Canada. These dangerous rescue operations were later known as the Leica Freedom Train.

After the WW II, the Leitz family decided to migrate to North America, causing that Ernst Leitz Canada plant started with business in Midland, Ontario, Canada in 1954. Since then that Canadian optics and electronics company was heavily involved in manufacturing for the US Defense Department and today, it’s owned by American defense contractor Raytheon. As for the European branches, during 1986, they changed its name to Leica (Leitz Camera), due to the fame of the Leica trade-name.

The basic model which gained the popularity to the Company was 3.4X28 power C79 optical sight from the Elcan line of digitally enhanced scopes widely used on the military weapons such as Canadian Diemaco C7, CZ-805 BREN and FN families of firearms. Being the world's largest manufacturer of military electronic rifle scopes, Elcan also designed the world's first fully electronic rifle sighting system for sportsmen, dubbed Digital Hunter and military grade product line called Specter. However, both varieties are entirely suitable for all kinds of tactical users and are battle-tested as well in almost all branches of the United States military and other NATO armies.