PHOTONIS is the result of 3 separate companies that joined together in 2005. In 1937, PHOTONIS was founded in Brive-la-Gaillarde, in the South West of France. PHOTONIS was part of Philips for many years and became independent in 1998.

DEP B.V. (Delft Electronic Products) was founded in 1970. DEP developed and manufactured first-generation Image Intensifiers for its parent company, Oldelft N.V.

BURLE was founded in 1942, the company was first operated by RCA Corporation. In 1998, BURLE opened a manufacturing facility in Matamoros, Mexico. In 1999 BURLE acquired the scientific detector and spectroscopy products business of Galileo Corporation, located in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, now PHOTONIS USA.

In July 2005, BURLE joined PHOTONIS.
In 2007 PHOTONIS Holding is a fact with the opening of a Head Quarter in Mérignac.