What Does OM System Stand For & What Was The Company Called In The Past?

For some people, the name OM System may not immediately ring a bell. However, it's actually a rebranded company, which used to have a more iconic name in the photography industry — Olympus. Founded in 1919, the company itself has had a storied history, most notably with its early innovations in the medical technology industry through producing microscopes, thermometers, and gastrocameras. Although he was initially a lawyer by profession, the company's founder, Takeshi Yamashita, was first tasked to pioneer the domestic microscope production in Japan. However, in the years that followed, the company made a name for itself in an unlikely industry: photography.

The company had many names, from Takachiho Seisakusho, Takachiho Optical Co., Ltd., to eventually Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. Named after Mt. Olympus, where the Greek gods dwelled, the company had trademarked the name long before it became the actual company name in 1949. Fifty years later, it dropped the world "Optical" from its name and became known as simply the Olympus Corporation. 

In September 2020, Olympus Corporation finalized its plan to sell its imaging business to Japan Industrial Partners Inc. Although Olympus Corporation retained 5% of its share, the majority of the business (95%) was set to be absorbed under OJ Holdings, Ltd. A year later, Japan Industrial Partners Inc. officially gained majority ownership of the Olympus Corporation's Imaging business, which it transferred to a new wholly-owned subsidiary, OM Digital Solutions Corporation. 

At the time, Yasuo Takeuchi, President and CEO of Olympus Corporation, shared the parent company's plans to put more weight behind its medical technology arm (via press release). In many ways, it's a return to the company's roots in manufacturing Japanese medical tools. On its website, Olympus shares that it continues to produce medical devices that range from 4K camera heads for urological endoscopy to diagnostic ultrasound systems. It has also been working to integrate artificial intelligence with its medical devices, sharing plans in October 2024 for Olympus to use AI in early detection procedures and conduct pilot tests in preparation for mass commercialization in 2025.

Based in Tokyo, OM Digital Solutions Corporation now owns the Olympus cameras, audio recorders and binoculars divisions and styles itself as a multi-billion Japanese corporation with a mission to "enrich people's lives." With around two thousand employees, it has offices in Japan, Asia, Europe, and the United States.

Despite its early start in medical technology, it took a few decades for Olympus' photography business to take flight. In 1936, the Japanese manufacturer released the Semi-Olympus I, a medium-format film camera with the Zuiko lens. Less than a decade later, it pioneered the first 35mm camera in Japan with the launch of the Olympus 35 I.

After changing hands in 2020, its new owners decided on the name "OM System" as an ode to one of its most important designers, Yoshisha Maitani. Under his leadership, the brand developed some of Olympus' most iconic products. On its website, Olympus credits the mechanical engineer with developing several products, including the Olympus Pen. At the time, the Olympus Pen was a landmark design that could take twice as many photos in a relatively smaller body. Less than a decade later, the Olympus Pen F model made history as the first half-size system SLR.

Combining both the word "Olympus" and his last name, "Maitani," the new company name was born: OM Digital Solutions. In recent times, OM Digital Solutions shared its plans to transition its products into the OM system branding. Since then, several imaging products in its portfolio have been manufactured with the OM system logo, including lenses and several compact cameras. According to the company, the first camera that held the logo was the single-lens camera, the OM System OM-5, which was released in 2022.