Innovative products and pioneering developments have shaped more than 100 years at Olympus. You can find our most significant milestones, from the company’s foundation in 1919 to today, here.
Launch of first OLYSENSE CAD/AI applications, marking Olympus' initial step towards creating its Intelligent Endoscopy Ecosystem
Co-founding Swan EndoSurgical together with Revival Healthcare Capital to develop endoluminal gastrointestinal robotics
Transfer of Scientific Business complete
Acquisition of pioneering cloud-AI endoscopy start-up Odin Vision
Transfer of Imaging Business
Launch of Evis X1 system.
Celebration of Olympus' 100th Anniversary.
Introduction of new Corporate Philosophy.
Launch of ORBEYE surgical microscope, incorporating the latest advances in 4K 3D video technology.
Launch of OM-D E-M1 Mark II.
Launch of VANTA series, a range of hand held XRF analyzers.
Introduction of a surgical endoscope system with 4K resolution based on technology developed by Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc.
Launch of OM-D E-M1 mirrorless camera.
Launch of OM-D E-M5 mirrorless camera.
Launch of EVIS LUCERA ELITE system and EVIS EXERA III system.
Launch of THUNDERBEAT, an integrated surgical energy device.
Formation of OSTA, Olympus Surgical Technologies America.
Announcement of Olympus’ medium-term vision, designed to realize a “New Olympus” and take the Company “Back to Basics.”
Formation of a third-party committee by Olympus to investigate prior concealment of company losses.
Launch of Omni-Scan MX2, a phased array flaw detector.
Launch of VISERA ELITE integrated surgical video endoscope system.
Formation of OSTE, Olympus Surgical Technologies Europe.
Acquisition of Innov-X Systems, Inc. to expand Olympus’ presence in nondestructive testing.
Launch of BX3 system biological microscope.
Launch of Olympus Pen E-P1 mirrorless camera.
Launch of EPOCH1000 series ultrasonic flaw detectors.
Merger with Gyrus PLC to deliver additional technology and sales/marketing knowhow to the Olympus surgical business.
Establishment of Olympus Vietnam Co., Ltd. manufacturing facility for cameras and medical equipment.
Opening of Shanghai Medical Equipment Service Operation Center (SORC Shanghai) in China.
Launch of EVIS EXERA II and EVIS LUCERA SPECTRUM endoscopic video systems, featuring Narrow Band Imaging (NBI).
Acquisition of R/D Tech Inc. to expand the nondestructive testing device business.
Opening of Shirakawa Medical Equipment Service Operation Center (SORC Shirakawa) in Japan.
Launch of FLUOVIEW FV1000, the world’s first laser scanning microscope with two independent scanners.
Launch of LEXT OLS3000 microscope, the first in the LEXT 3D confocal laser microscope series.
Renaming of company to Olympus Corporation.
Launch of E-1 digital SLR camera with interchangeable lenses.
Launch of EVIS LUCERA, the world’s first high-definition endoscopic video system.
Launch of VISERA series, an integrated video system for surgery.
Launch of electrosurgical IT Knife.
Introduction of IPLEX industrial videoscope system.
Introduction of EVIS EXERA series endoscopic video system.
Launch of FLUOVIEW confocal laser scanning biological microscope.
Launch of MX50 semiconductor inspection microscope.
Launch of C-800L/D-300L and C-400L/D-200L, Olympus’ first consumer digital cameras.
Establishment of Olympus Endo-Repair Europa GmbH, the endoscope repair service center for the European market, in Hamburg, Germany.
Launch of BX series of biological microscopes and UIS series of object lenses, which improved product appeal in the AX, BX, CX, and IX series of microscopes.
Launch of first μ [mju:] / Infinity Stylus camera, which became one of the world’s best-selling Olympus cameras.
Launch of EVIS 100 (1989) and 200 (1990) endoscopic video information systems.
Establishment of the Beijing office to market microscopes and endoscopes in China.
Acquisition of the British company KeyMed Ltd. as an Olympus subsidiary.
Introduction of Olympus’ endoscopic video information system.
Development of OES (Olympus Endoscopy System), featuring new waterproofing and optical fiber technologies along with ergonomic handling.
Merger of two U.S. sales units to form the North American subsidiary, Olympus Corporation.
Launch of AH2 microscope series, the world’s first microscope with autofocus functionality.
Launch of BH2 microscope series.
Development of an Olympus ultrasound endoscope system.
Acquired Winter & Ibe GmbH to establish Olympus Winter & Ibe for the production and supply of surgical endoscopes and instruments.
Opening of the National Service Center in San Jose, California, for U.S.-based Olympus equipment repairs.
Establishment of Olympus Camera Corporation as a sales base in the United States.
Collaboration with Hamburg-based Winter & Ibe GmbH to produce surgical rigid medical endoscope, with Olympus supplying the optical systems.
Launch of OM-1, a compact, lightweight, SLR camera, which was initially named M-1.
Introduction of ZUIKO PEARLCORDER, the world’s first microcassette tape recorder.
Establishment of Olympus Corporation of America as a sales subsidiary for microscopes and medical equipment in the United States.
Launch of GFS gastrofiberscope, which didn’t have a camera mechanism on the tip.
Launch of GTF gastrocamera with fiberscope.
Start up of Olympus Optical Co. in Hamburg, Germany, as Olympus’ European headquarters (1963) with registration completed in 1964.
Launch of Olympus PEN, an innovative half-frame film camera.
Launch of GT-I gastrocamera.
Development of world’s first practical gastrocamera.
Renaming of company to Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
Launch of first Olympus camera, the Semi-Olympus I, after development of Zuiko photographic lenses.
Launch of Showa GK immersion microscope.
Registration of Olympus name as a trademark.
Sales launch of Asahi microscope.
Founding of Olympus by Takeshi Yamashita under the company name Takachiho Seisakusho; established in Tokyo, Japan, for domestic production of microscopes.
