Slogan: Focus on Life
Your Vision, Our Future
A well-known Japanese manufacturer of optics and photographic equipment, electronics and medical equipment. We are best known as the creator of digital cameras (both for beginners and professionals) and digital voice recorders (also for different levels of users).
The company was founded on October 12, 1919. At first it was called Takachiho Seisakusho, engaged in optics and thermometers. It is she who has the honor of creating the first microscope in Japan - the Asahi model. Brand Olympus appeared later - in 1921. This name was borrowed from ancient Greek mythology - everyone must have heard of Mount Olympus, on which the gods of Hellas lived. It is difficult to say why Greek mythology was chosen. Most likely, plans for a large-scale entry into the world market were already being considered then. By that time, the company's management decides to focus entirely on optics, abandoning thermometers (however, for medical equipment Olympus will return later). In 1936, the company released its first camera, called the Semi-Olympus I. At the same time, optics appeared Zuiko.
In 1942 the name was changed to Takachiho Optical Co.,Ltd. Thus, the “optical” orientation of the company is emphasized.
 |
| Olympus E-P1 - Micro Four Thirds Camera Reincarnation of the once very popular Olympus Pen (1959) The main features of the Pen were simplicity and ease of use. |
It was possible to survive the Second World War relatively painlessly, as far as it was generally possible in a defeated and humiliated country. In 1949 the company changed its name again to Olympus Optical Co.,Ltd. Its further history is replete with facts about various achievements and research. Mostly in the field of medical equipment. Moreover, developments often had proud prefixes in the form of “first in the world” or “first in Japan”. In 1969, the company's first voice recorder appears: an analog model with microcassettes, called Zuiko Pearlcorder (digital voice recorders Olympus appear much later - in 1998). The release of digital SLR cameras began in 1996, with the advent of the Camedia C-800L/400L model.
In 2003, it was decided to rename the company again, this time to Olympus Corporation. The fact is that the old name no longer covered the entire spectrum of products. Now in Olympus Corporation includes two divisions - Olympus Imaging Corp., (optics, cameras and voice recorders) and Olympus Medical Systems Corp. (medical equipment).
The head office of the corporation is located in Tokyo, Japan (Tokio, Japan). Representations are scattered all over the world.
