While Minox is struggling, the Leica company in nearby Wetzlar, and Rollei in Braunschweig, report business has been good over the past year.
It also offsets some of the high expense of doing business in Germany by carrying out pre-assembly and other work, such as small binocular manufacture, at its plant in Portugal. Leica's main lens work is kept in-house.
Leica spokesman Hans Guenther von Zydowitz told the AP company officals estimate last year's sales at about $60.6 million, but he declined to estimate profits.
One is a group of investors including Mr Bruno Frey, managing director of Leica Camera's German manufacturing operations.