The company was founded on October 12, 1919 under the name K.K. Takachiho Seisakusho (㈱高千穂製作所, meaning Takachiho Works Co., Ltd.) by Yamashita Takeshi (山下長). The address was Toyotama-gun Yoyohata-chō Hatagaya (豊多摩郡代々幡町幡ヶ谷) in Tokyo. The founder was previously employed by Tokiwa Shōkai, which provided the financial support for the new company. The chief engineer was Terada Shintarō (寺田新太郎), who previously worked for M & Katera Kōgaku Kikai Seisakusho, and the first products of Takachiho Seisakusho were microscopes and thermometers. At that time, Japan imported all its microscopes (and other instruments), mainly from Germany. The company had the clear ambition to rival, and even surpass, these high precision foreign imports. Olympus has been renowned to this day for its research on medical equipment.

Olympus was established as Tokiwa, so the first wordmark read “Tokiwa Tokyo”. The earliest Olympus logo was introduced in February 1921. The wordmark featured a unique, rather intricate, typeface. In 1970 it was replaced by a simple dark blue typographic insignia. In 2001 a yellow line appeared under the wordmark, which was supposed to represent the company’s innovative nature.

Still-video (analog)

• Olympus VC-100 (1991)

Digital point and shoot

Deltis series

• Olympus Deltis VC-1000 (1993)
• Olympus Deltis VC-1000II (1995)
• Olympus Deltis VC-1100 (1994)
• Olympus Deltis VC-1100II (1995)
• Olympus Deltis VC-1000II HS (1995)

Camedia series

• Olympus AZ-1 (2004)
• Olympus AZ-2
• Olympus Camedia C-1 / Brio D-100 (2001)
• Olympus Camedia C-1 Zoom / Brio D-150 (2001)
• Olympus Camedia C-2 / Brio D-230 (2001)
• Olympus C-2 Zoom / C-220 Zoom / D-520 Zoom (2002)
• Olympus C-21 (1999)
• Olympus C-40 Zoom / D-40 Zoom (2001)
• Olympus C-50 Zoom / X-2 (2002)
• Olympus C-55 Zoom / C-5500 Zoom (2005)
• Olympus C-60 Zoom / X-3 (2004)
• Olympus C-70 Zoom / C-7000 Zoom (2004)
• Olympus C-100 / D-370 (2001)
• Olympus C-120 / D-380 (2002)
• Olympus C-150 / D-390 (2003)
• Olympus C-160 / D-395 (2004)
• Olympus C-170 / D-425 (2005)
• Olympus C-180 / D-435 (2005)
• Olympus C-200 Zoom / D-510 Zoom (2001)
• Olympus C-211 Zoom (1999)
• Olympus C-300 Zoom / D-550 Zoom (2002)
• Olympus C-310 Zoom / D-540 Zoom / X-100 (2004)
• Olympus C-315 Zoom / D-555 Zoom (2005)
• Olympus C-350 Zoom / D-560 Zoom / X-200 / X-250 (2003)
• Olympus C-360 Zoom / D-575 Zoom / X-350 (2004)
• Olympus C-370 Zoom / D-535 Zoom / X-450 (2004)
• Olympus C-400
• Olympus C-400L / D-200L (1996)
• Olympus C-420L / D-220L (1997)
• Olympus C-460 Zoom / D-580 Zoom / X-400 (2004)
• Olympus C-470 Zoom / D-590 Zoom / X-500 (2004)
• Olympus C-480 Zoom / D-545 Zoom / X-550 (2005)
• Olympus C-500 Zoom / D-595 Zoom (2005)
• Olympus C-700 Ultra Zoom (2001)
• Olympus C-720 Ultra Zoom (2002)
• Olympus C-725 Ultra Zoom (2004)
• Olympus C-730 Ultra Zoom (2002)
• Olympus C-740 Ultra Zoom (2003)
• Olympus C-750 Ultra Zoom (2003)
• Olympus C-760 Ultra Zoom (2004)
• Olympus C-765 Ultra Zoom (2004)
• Olympus C-770 Ultra Zoom (2004)
• Olympus C-800L / D-300L (1996)
• Olympus C-820L / D-320L (1997)
• Olympus C-830L / D-340R (1998)
• Olympus C-840L / D-340L (1998)
• Olympus C-860L / D-360R (2000)
• Olympus C-900 Zoom / D-400 Zoom (1998)
• Olympus C-920 Zoom / D-450 Zoom (1999)
• Olympus C-960 Zoom / D-460 Zoom (2000)
• Olympus C-990 Zoom / D-490 Zoom (2000)
• Olympus C-2000 Zoom (1999)
• Olympus C-2020 Zoom (1999)
• Olympus C-2100 Ultra Zoom (2000)
• Olympus C-3000 Zoom (2000)
• Olympus C-3020 Zoom / C-3100 Zoom (2001)
• Olympus C-3030 Zoom (2000)
• Olympus C-3040 Zoom (2001)
• Olympus C-4000 Zoom / C-4100 Zoom (2002)
• Olympus C-4040 Zoom (2001)
• Olympus C-5000 Zoom (2002)
• Olympus C-5050 Zoom (2002)
• Olympus C-5060 WideZoom (2003)
• Olympus C-7070 WideZoom (2005)
• Olympus C-8080 WideZoom (2004)

Olympus Stylus / μ [mju] digital

for Olympus Stylus digital and μ [mju] digital see Olympus Stylus µ digital cameras

Tough series

For Stylus/µ WP, Stylus/µ water and Stylus/µTough see Olympus Stylus µ digital cameras

• Olympus TG-1 iHS (2012)
• Olympus TG-2 iHS (2013)
• Olympus TG-3 (2014)
• Olympus TG-4 (2015)
• Olympus TG-5 (2017)
• Olympus TG-6 (2019)
• Olympus TG-310 (2011)
• Olympus TG-320 (2012)
• Olympus TG-610 (2011)
• Olympus TG-630 iHS (2013)
• Olympus TG-810 (2011)
• Olympus TG-820 iHS (2012)
• Olympus TG-830 iHS (2013)
• Olympus TG-850 (2014)
• Olympus TG-860 (2015)
• Olympus TG-870 (2016)

DSLR (fixed zoom lens)

• Olympus C-1000L / D-500L
• Olympus C-2500L
• Olympus C-1400L / D-600L (1997)
• Olympus C-1400XL / D-620L (1998)
• Olympus E-10
• Olympus E-20
• Olympus E-100 RS (2000)

System cameras

Fixed zoom lens

• Olympus XZ-1
• Olympus XZ-2

E-System: DSLRs (Four Thirds mount)

• Olympus E-1
• Olympus E-3
• Olympus E-30
• Olympus E-300 (EVOLT E-300)
• Olympus E-500 (EVOLT E-500)
• Olympus E-330 (EVOLT E-330)
• Olympus E-400
• Olympus E-410
• Olympus E-420
• Olympus E-450
• Olympus E-5
• Olympus E-510
• Olympus E-520
• Olympus E-620

PEN: MILCs (Micro Four Thirds mount)

Olympus Pen E-P1 - 2009

• Olympus Pen E-P2 - 2010
• Olympus Pen E-P3 - 2011
• Olympus Pen E-P5 - 2013
• Olympus Pen E-PL1 - 2010
• Olympus Pen E-PL2 - 2011
• Olympus Pen E-PL3 - 2011
• Olympus Pen E-PL5 - 2012
• Olympus Pen E-PL6 - 2013
• Olympus Pen E-PL7 - 2014
• Olympus Pen E-PL8 - 2016
• Olympus Pen E-PL9 - 2018
• Olympus Pen E-PL10 - 2019
• Olympus Pen E-PM1 - 2011
• Olympus Pen E-PM2 - 2012
• Olympus Pen F - 2016

OM-D: MILCs (Micro Four Thirds mount)

• Olympus OM-D E-M1 - 2013
• Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II - 2016
• Olumpus OM-D E-M1 Mark III - 2020
• Olympus OM-D E-M1X - 2019
• Olympus OM-D E-M5 - 2012
• Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II - 2015
• Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III - 2019
• Olympus OM-D E-M10 - 2014
• Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II - 2015
• Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III - 2017
• Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV - 2020

AIR: MILC Hybrid (Micro Four Thirds mount)

• Olympus AIR A01 - 2015

35mm Full Frame

SLR

• Olympus FTL

Olympus OM system, comprising:

• Olympus OM-X prototype camera
• Olympus M-1 (1972)
• Olympus OM-1 (1973–74)
• Olympus OM-1MD (1974–79)
• Olympus OM-1n (1979–87)
• Olympus OM-2 (1975–79)
• Olympus OM-2n (1979–84)
• Olympus OM-2SP / OM-2S (1984–88)
• Olympus OM-3 (1983–86)
• Olympus OM-3Ti / OM-3T (1995–2002)
• Olympus OM-4 (1983–87)
• Olympus OM-4Ti / OM-4T (1987–2002)
• Olympus OM-10 (1979–87)
• Olympus OM-10 Quartz (1980–87)
• Olympus OM-20 / OM-G (1983–87)
• Olympus OM-30 / OM-F (1983–87)
• Olympus OM-40 / OM-PC (1985–87)
• Olympus OM-707 / OM-77 (1986–91)
• Olympus OM-101 / OM-88 (1988–91)
• Olympus OM2000 (1997–)
• Olympus IS series

Fixed Lens

Fixed focus:

• Olympus XA 1 (1982)
• Olympus Trip Fixed Focus series (plastic-bodied 100, 400, Trip MD, 500, 600) (1984-2000)
• Olympus Shoot & Go, Shoot & Go R

Zone focus:

• Olympus 35 Series (Olympus 35 I/II/III/IV/IVa/IVb/Va/Vb)
• Olympus Wide (II)/E
• Olympus 35 EC, EC2
• Olympus Trip 35 (metal body, 1967-1984)
• Olympus XA 2, XA 3, XA 4 (1980–86)

Rangefinder:

• Olympus 35-S/K/S II
• Olympus Wide S
• Olympus Auto (B)
• Olympus Auto Eye (II)
• Olympus S/SC (Electro Set)
• Olympus 35 LE
• Olympus 35 LC
• Olympus ECR
• Olympus 35 ED
• Olympus 35 DC
• Olympus 35 RC
• Olympus 35 RD
• Olympus 35 SP, SPn and UC
• Olympus XA (1979)

Autofocus:

• Olympus 35 C-AF (Olympus' first autofocus compact)
• Olympus Accura/Superzoom series (80 Wide, 700BF, 130S WD etc.)
• Olympus AFL Quick Flash & AFL-S
• Olympus AFL-T
• Olympus AF series (AF-1, AF-10, AF-10 Super etc.)
• Olympus AM-100 (Infinity S).
• Olympus Écru (Limited edition with retro-styling)
• Olympus Infinity Twin
• Olympus Infinity AZ Super Zoom/IZM series (AZ-230, AZ-300, IZM400 etc)
• Olympus LT series (LT-1, LT zoom panorama)
• Olympus O-Product
• Olympus OZ series Japanese market versions of Infinity, Accura and Superzoom.
• Olympus mju Stylus Epic series (For μ[mju:], μ[mju:] II and III, Stylus/Epic and V)
• Olympus Trip (autofocus) series (plastic Trip AF MD etc.)
• Olympus Infinity Mini Weatherproof

Interchangeable Lens

• Olympus Ace and Olympus Ace-E

Microscope cameras

• PM5 (1951)
• PM6 (1955)
• PM7 (1964)
• C-35DA-1 (1980s)
• C-35AD-4 (1980s)
• PM-6-8 (1980s)
• SC 35 (~1990)

16 mm

• SC16-3
• SC16-4

110 format

• SC16-10

35mm Half Frame

Olympus Pen series of compact cameras, comprising:

Fixed Lens

• original Pen (1959–60)
• Pen S 2.8 and 3.5 (1960–65)
• Pen W (1964–65)
• Pen D (1962–66)
• Pen D2 (1964–65)
• Pen D3 (1965–69)
• Pen EE and Pen EE (EL) (1961–68)
• Pen EE.S and Pen EE.S (EL) (1962–68)
• Pen Rapid EE.S (1965–66)
• Pen Rapid EE.D (1965–66)
• Pen EM (1965–66)
• Pen EE.D (1967–72)
• Pen EE.2 (1968–77)

• Pen EF (1981–)

SLR

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

• Pen F
• Pen FT
• Pen FV

120 film

4.5×6 folders

• Semi Olympus
• Semi Olympus II

6×6 and 4.5×6 folders

• Olympus Six
• Super Olympus
• Olympus Chrome Six I and II
• Olympus Chrome Six III f/3.5 and f/2.8
• Olympus Chrome Six IVa and IVb
• Olympus Chrome Six V A and B
• Olympus Chrome Six RII A and B

TLR

• Olympus Flex I
• Olympus Flex BI
• Olympus Flex BII
• Olympus Flex A3.5
• Olympus Flex A2.8
• Olympus Flex A3.5 II

127 film

Interchangeable lens rangefinder

• Olympus Standard prototypes

TLR

• Olympus Eye 44 prototypes (f/3.5 and f/2.8)

126 film

• Olympus Quickmatic EE S, EE M, 600

APS film

• Olympus Centurion / Olympus Centurion S (SLR with fixed zoom lens)
• Olympus Newpic 100
• Olympus Newpic M10
• Olympus Newpic XB
• Olympus Newpic XB AF
• Olympus Newpic Zoom 600
• Olympus Newpic Zoom 90
• Olympus Newpic Zoom 60
• Olympus Newpic AF 200
• Olympus i-10
• Olympus i Zoom 60
• Olympus i Zoom 75
• Olympus i Zoom 2000
• Olympus i Zoom 3000
• Olympus i 100AF
• Olympus i snap