Difference between revisions of "Olympus"

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History

Olympus began in Japan in 1919 under the name Takachiho Seisakusho (高千穂製作所, Takachiho Works). A year later it launched its first product, a microscope. Olympus has been renowned to this day for its research and medical equipment.

The company began to use the Olympus brand name in 1921 but it wasn't until 1936 that it launched its first camera, a 4.5×6 folder called Semi Olympus. It had the first Zuiko camera lens, but it was the only part produced by Takachiho, the camera body being made by Proud, another Japanese company. Soon after Takachiho began to make their own Koho shutter and their own camera body for the Semi Olympus II, the first camera entirely made by the company. The Olympus Six followed in 1940 in 6×6 format. It was the first of a line of 6×6 folders that would last until about 1957 with the Olympus Chrome Six series.

In 1942, the company name became Takachiho Kōgaku Kōgyō K.K. (高千穂光学工業株式会社, Takachiho Optical Industries Co Ltd); and 1948 saw the launch of the Olympus 35, Japan's first 35mm camera with a lens shutter system. In 1949 the company adopted the name Olympus Kōgaku Kōgyō K.K. (オリンパス光学工業株式会社, Olympus Optical Industries Co Ltd; the official English translation was Olympus Optical Co, Ltd).

In the 1950s there was a TLR vogue in Japan, and Olympus followed the trend from 1952 to 1956 with the 6×6 Olympus Flex. In 1959, after the Rolleiflex Baby Grey had initiated a short revival of the 4×4 format, the company announced the Eye Flex 4×4 auto-exposure TLR, but it remained at prototype level. During the same year 1959 Olympus launched the Pen half-frame camera, designed by Yoshihisa Maitani, the first of a long series. Its compactness and sleek lines were revolutionary at the time, and it could take 72 shots without reloading on a standard 35mm cassette. This time it was Olympus that was setting the trend, and after the Pen many other camera companies began to produce their own half-frame cameras. Olympus was the only one to make a half-frame SLR system, the Pen F, released in 1963. The Pen cameras are still popular today among enthusiasts.

1972 saw the launch of the OM 35mm SLR system. At a time when the clunky Nikon F was still the workhorse of professional photographers, the compact OM system was once again revolutionary. The system incorporated a large line of highly-regarded Zuiko lenses, interchangeable focusing screens, winders and, later, advanced flash units. While never quite challenging Nikon and Canon as the leading choice of professional photographers, Olympus did have a loyal and dedicated following for the OM system, including David Bailey and Lord Lichfield. The OM system has also kept a good reputation among astronomers, macro and micro photographers; this is related to the company's involvement in medical and research equipment.

In 1978 Olympus launched its XA line of compact cameras. The XA is probably the smallest true rangefinder camera ever sold and was very popular among photographers as the pocket camera to carry.

Unfortunately, during the mid-to-late '80s Olympus seemed to lose its way as autofocus SLRs started to take off. Although the company did eventually release an autofocus SLR system it was not very advanced and was not a serious challenge to Nikon or Canon. It changed its orientation and pioneered the concept of the "bridge" camera (an auto-everything SLR with fixed zoom lens) with the IS series. In the early '90s, Olympus had significant success with the compact, autofocus 'point and shoot' Stylus (or Mju) line. It carried on this success at the turn of the century into the digital field. When the digital market really took off with the launch of reasonably affordable, compact 2.3 megapixel cameras for consumers, there were only two real options for photographers -- the Nikon Coolpix or the Olympus Camedia ranges. Before the availability of affordable (sub-$5k) digital SLRs, Olympus's E series of fixed-lens SLRs, evolved from the earlier analogue bridge cameras, was very popular among serious photographers.

The launch of cheaper digital SLRs saw Olympus lose ground again among serious photographers, but recently the E series was developed into an innovative interchangeable-lens SLR system. Without the huge autofocus lens catalogue of Nikon and Canon, Olympus was free to build its E system without concessions to an older 35mm-based system. Olympus is the champion of the 4/3-type full-frame style of SLR rather than the APS-sized sensors Canon and Nikon put into their SLR bodies, which are derived from 35mm film cameras. This allows Olympus to design its bodies and lenses specifically for digital use. The company took its present name of Olympus Corporation (オリンパス株式会社) in 2003, and it continues to innovate and to challenge other manufacturers to do so.

Digital

Point and Shoot

20759010_e8bb06ab4b_t.jpg

DSLR

35mm Full Frame

SLR

44931866_d7b07432e2_t.jpg

Olympus OM system, comprising:

Fixed Lens

Interchangeable Lens

Auto Focus

22827039_941d3ed32b_t.jpg

35mm Half Frame

Fixed Lens

Olympus Pen series of compact cameras, comprising:

SLR

Olympus Pen F series of single lens reflex cameras, comprising:

120 film

4.5×6 folders

6×6 and 4.5×6 folders

TLR

127 film

Interchangeable lens rangefinder

TLR

126 film

APS film

  • Olympus Centurion S (SLR with fixed zoom lens)
  • Olympus Newpic XB
  • Olympus Newpic Zoom 600
  • Olympus Newpic Zoom 90
  • Olympus Newpic Zoom 60
  • Olympus i Zoom 75
  • Olympus i 100AF
  • Olympus i snap

Bibliography

  • Dominique Francesch and Jean-Paul Francesch. Histoire de l'appareil photographique Olympus de 1936 à 1983. Paris: Dessain et Tolra, 1985. ISBN 2-249-27679-X

Links

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