Concepts and overview

The prototype of the first Olympus OM System camera, the OM-1, was introduced at the Photokina of 1972. Its preliminary name was the M-1 and the system was supposed to be called the Olympus M System. However, Leitz (Leica) was not amused since they also had (and still have) an M system. Olympus agreed that it would be confusing (especially when their system would be evolving and the increasing body type numbers would grow towards the current Leica line - the Olympus OM-4 would be called M-4...:-)... At the last moment Olympus decided to change the name into OM (Olympus M) and so the camera became the OM-1. It could not be helped that several M-1 bodies, M System lenses and M System accessories had already been produced. Today these units are true collectors items and are worth several times more than their OM equivalents...

The (O)M-1 caused quite a sensation at the Photokina. Compared to the cameras of the competitors the body was amazingly small and lightweight. Yet it was a full-blown, all-mechanic, professional system camera. Reduction in size and weight, not only of the bodies, but also of the system lenses and accessories, as far as possible, was and still is the base concept of the Olympus OM System. This concept appealed to a large group of photographers, and after a while other camera manufacturers also started to develop smaller models. Thus Olympus became a trendsetter. Other striking features of the (O)M-1 that were guaranteed to make the camera a big hit, were the silent shutter and the bright and large focusing screen.

One of the tricks how the OM-1 was made more compact, was to sink the pentaprism into the mirror housing

The term "professional system camera" is a keyword of any single digit OM camera, meaning that it is built for heavy duty usage, not to fail the photographer even when dozens of films are run through it daily with a motor drive attached. It is also backed by a complete photographic system consisting of a large array of lenses and accessories. The camera should be prepared for a wide range of different photographic situations - portrait, photo journalism, sport photography, scientific photography (medical photography, macrophotography, microphotography, astrophotography), etc. This does not only make a large set of exchangeable lenses necessary, but also interchangeable focusing screens, a high speed motor drive, an exchangeable camera back and a wide array of accessories to link all the individual parts of the System. The Olympus OM-1 and the Olympus OM System had all that. Olympus decided to decline from one property the professional cameras of the competitors, like the Nikon F1 and the Canon F1 had: exchangeable finders; this was done to keep the body as small as possible.

The Olympus OM System is one of the biggest SLR systems in the world, consisting of hundreds of units, some intended for general photography, others intended for specialized scientific photography, like macro-, micro- and astro-photography.
Even this Group Photo from the first half of the eighties doesn't show every unit that was made in 28 years.

Of course the complete OM System didn't fall out of the clear blue sky. It must have taken at least five years of development. Maitani used ideas of another SLR he developed for Olympus in the early sixties: the half-frame Pen F System. This system already had much of the properties of the OM System: a large array of lenses and accessories, including accessories for macro- and microphotography. You can read more about the Pen F System at Stephen Gandy's wonderful CameraQuest pages. Even before the Pen F was introduced in 1963 Olympus had built a reputation as camera manufacturer specialized in small cameras with their famous Pen camera (1959). This was a full frame 35mm camera with fixed focal length lens. A whole range of small 35mm and half-frame cameras would follow: the historical Pen W, Pen EE3, Pen EF, XA, Trip, 35RD and 35RC and the recent AF Mini, Trip AF and Mju are just a few names...

The Pen F system was discontinued after the OM System was introduced. The same happened in 1973 to the Olympus FTL, a full frame 35mm SLR camera introduced in 1970 that never was backed up by a system, only by a few (P-threaded) lenses.

Even today, 28 years after its introduction, the OM-1 still is a photographers camera rather than a collectors item. Its straight forward design, compactness, lightness but probably in the first place it being a representative of a dieing species: an all mechanical camera. Without its 1.35 mercury battery the OM-1 is still capable of taking the picture - exposure information can come from a hand-held meter or an exposure table. Also much appreciated by micro-, macro and astrophotographers is the mirror-lockup option that helps to reduce vibration. Photography students will also find an OM-1 to be very appealing; it is commonly advised to start on a mechanical camera to truly learn the basic rules of photography - the complete lack of auto exposure facilities (other than the automatic link of the aperture and the exposure meter) helps to be more involved in selecting apertures and shutter speeds. Besides OM-1 bodies and used Zuiko lenses are widely available for reasonable prices.

After its change from M-1 to OM-1 (which only was a rebadge) the OM-1 was patched twice: in 1973 motor drive capabilities were added; existing models could also be modified to accept a motor drive. This patch is commonly referred to as OM-1 MD because of the small label 'MD' that was put on the front. In 1979 the camera was upgraded to become the OM-1n. The main improvement was a better communication with the Olympus T Flash System (it added a flash ready / flash ok signal in the viewfinder). It was discontinued in 1987. This left a gap in the availability of a new mechanical OM camera, since the OM-3 (introduced in 1983) had already been discontinued in 1986, and the OM-3Ti did not appear until 1995.

OM-System inside story (1)
Interview with Yoshihisa Maitani, published in the Japanese book 'All about Olympus', 2001

"A camera is not designed or developed by only one person. It's always a product of teamwork."
These are words frequently heard from especially Japanese camera manufacturer engineers. No matter how unique the camera is, the name of its designer is usually unknown.

The Diamond-point Pen
Yoshihisa Maitani, advisor of Olympus today, is a designer himself symbolizing the Olympus cameras. He designed the first half-format "Pen" when he was only 24 years old. Since then he took charge of Olympus camera projects such as the half-format SLR Pen series, the XA series (which became the origin of the capsule type P&S cameras of today), and the SLR OM system.

There's a shining tool in Maitani's shirt pocket. At a glance it looks like a common ball-point pen, but it has a precisely cut diamond point at the tip. This is what called a diamond pen, usually used at factories for scribing control numbers and markings on press moulds. A special tool not commonly available at stationery stores in the town.

Maitani needs this pen when an eager Olympus user asks a favor of him. Maybe Maitani is the only camera designer in Japan, or in the world, who is asked while walking down the street "May I have your autograph on my camera?" First he was using an almost hand-made diamond pen, but when the OM system has been introduced, too many people began to ask him for his autograph, so the factory workers presented this pen to him. Maitani has been using this pen for 30 years.

Demands for an SLR System Development
Olympus Pen series, marketed from 1959, became the best seller and more than 17 million of them were sold in the succeeding 20 years. In the 1960s, almost all camera manufacturers in Japan were selling half format cameras and many of the new products were half format too. Then, why Olympus decided to develop such a serious full format SLR system "OM" in those days? Maitani says "Well, the reason was rather simple..."

Japan was in the middle of their highly growing economics period. Cameras were one of the most expected products to earn foreign money. However, sales of the Pen began to decrease in US, the largest market. The main reason was the mount for half format slides. New color slide film was starting to take over B&W film, but half format slide mounts were not made in USA. In Europe and Japan, slide films were returned from development properly mounted in half format mounts, but not in USA. Two frames were mounted in a full frame mount, or the whole roll was returned unmounted with 36 full format mounts.

Other manufacturers such as Nikon and Pentax started to market new SLRs with specs overcoming their former rangefinder cameras. Naturally, Olympus needed their own SLR to sell too.

Maitani was born in 1933. As a "prodigal son" of a soy sauce brewer, he was very fond of taking pictures with his Leica from his childhood.

"Before I joined the company, I used my Leica IIIf very often. I spent about 10 rolls per session. In those days I didn't use film in patrons (cartridges) but magazines instead. I didn't have enough film magazines, and camera stores didn't stock them. I had to place an order through the importer and wait for three months, so I did, just because I had to."

"Therefore, my basic attitude toward designing a camera has always originated from the desire to take a picture. I'll look for the necessary equipment, and if not available, make one myself. If a half format camera already existed, I wouldn't planned one myself. If a camera suitable for practical use was available somewhere, then I would rather go there and simply buy it. But it wasn't available anywhere, so I made one myself. Today, people say my ideas were unique, but I simply made what I needed but not existed anywhere."

"Then, the export department desired a new product that can take over the Pen (i.e. a full format SLR) to be developed as soon as possible. They even didn't mind to buy cameras from somewhere else just to sell them. Today this is commonly known as OEM, but in those days this idea rose a great disturbance."

Heavy-thick-long-big vs. Light-thin-short-small
It is known that 5 years were spent for development of the OM system, but the planning meetings started in January 1966, that was 6 years before the release.

The main condition or must was to "make a system camera". Olympus is a comprehensive optics manufacturer who also makes microscopes and endoscopes. If they are making an SLR, it should be capable of taking all kinds of photographs through a wide variety of lenses and adapters. Nobody was against this concept.

The second must was to "make a unique camera, not available anywhere else". The beauty points of Maitani's favorite Leica were its light weight, small size, and the great fitting in the user's hands. SLRs in those days were too big and heavy for Maitani.

However, nobody understood Maitani's new concept. "In those days, it was important for a camera to be heavy, thick, long, and big. The phrase "Light-thin-short-small" didn't exist yet. Small cameras were considered as toys." Maitani called big, heavy and noisy the "three BADs of an SLR" and tried to thoroughly get rid of them. But people severely refuted "A new spec is required for a new product. A product without something new is NOT a new product. Small size and light weight are not advantages and rather DISadvantages."

Maitani says "In such mood we couldn't calmly discuss about the new product and we didn't have any progress in our meetings for a long time. When I was inquired "What's the new features?" I couldn't dare answer "Light and small, but the specs are equivalent to a conventional SLR."

One day about six months later, an OM meeting started in the morning as usual. When everybody left the room for lunch, Maitani scribbled a whole spec chart on the blackboard. "When everybody came back and saw the specs, they said 'Looks good. Let's proceed with this plan.' and I almost succeeded to persuade them." But those specs were just copied from an instruction book of an other manufacturer's new camera. "I shouldn't have done that, but I told everyone the truth and made the situation much worse than before."

Six more months have passed without any further progress, but at the last meeting in December 1966, the design department manager finally gave up and just said "Do it as you like." Decision has been given at last. "So, the development of the OM system started in 1967 but for me, it started in 1966."

At first the system was named "M system" and the first camera was "M-1". What does the "M" mean? The outward consensus was "The pronunciation of alphabets differs by country, but the letter M is the same 'em' in German, French, English, and in most other countries. So let's use the letter M." "But to tell the truth, it's my initial. Everybody knew it but it was not mentioned. Among various ideas it was finally, but easily decided as M-1".

A serious problem arose two months after the M system was born. The M-1 was released first in Japan on July 20, 1972 and was introduced at the Photokina in September. An Ernst Leitz (today's Leica) executive came to Olympus' booth and said "We don't want you to use the letter M".

The letter M has been used for rangefinder Leicas since 1954. However, a one letter name cannot be registered as a trademark. Olympus could refuse to change the name of their system because it wasn't illegal. "But Olympus was a company who always tried to avoid troubles with other companies. This time also, right in front of the Leitz's person, we instantly decided to add something before the M. Few ideas were suggested, but a name with three or more letters needs registration. So we concluded to use the letter O for Olympus."

This decision was made within an hour, but cameras with M-1 cover were already in production and pamphlets were completed. So it was also immediately decided to sell the completed bodies but trash the not yet mounted top covers. Consequently, about 5,000 M-1s were sold and a few of them are still found in used camera stores today.

The size of the OM bodies is very close to that of a Leica. Almost the same size of a Barnack type Leica, and its volume is very close to that of an M Leica. Is this because Maitani loved his Leica since he was a child?

"We didn't simply copy the Leica at the design stage. I think I should say, it had to be that size." Since the OM system was assumed to support all kinds of photography, the specs of the large sized lens mount was decided first so it can accept even microscopes and telescopes. A large mirror was also provided so it ended to be equipped with the largest mirror compartment in the class. In the actual design process, systematizing the camera had priority over minimizing its size.

"Effort of lots of people and a considerable amount of money is spent to develop a product. Such a product is, so to say, a property of all human beings. It's wasteful to make 'another thing alike'. If we're going to make something, let's make something never existed before." Together with this Maitani's policy, the
unique but steady concept of the OM system is certainly inherited today.

OM-5 ... ?
At the end of the interview, we asked Maitani about the "OM-5".

"Please understand that the OM-5 will not come out soon. As you know, our investments are mainly oriented to digital cameras today. But demands are always changing. If desired by the people, it may come out some day."

Thanks to Mr. Kazuya Matsumoto for this translation.

This next milestone in the development of the OM System came three years after the introduction of the OM-1, that is, in 1975 (a prototype was shown at the Photokina 1974). This was the electronic sister camera of the mechanical OM-1, featuring aperture preferred automatic exposure while remaining the option for manual exposure. Following the design concepts of the OM System it had exactly the same dimensions of the OM-1 and almost the same weight. But what caused even more sensation was the Off The Film (OTF) light measuring method that worked both with available light and with the Quick Auto 310 flash. This method used additional cells that measured reflected light from the film (for shorter shutter speeds reflection from a pattern on the first curtain). It allowed very precise exposure, especially for long shutter speeds and with macro extensions.
In 1979 the OM-2 was replaced by the OM-2n. Like the OM-1n, this camera also had better communication with the T series flashes (it no longer supported TTL flash exposure with the Quick Auto 310). Besides the long exposure limit was doubled to 120 sec. It was discontinued in 1984. Two new cameras replaced it: the OM-2Sp and the OM-4.

The main improvements of these cameras were a more modern electronic design, like LEDs in the viewfinder instead of a needle, spot metering, and compatibility with a new series of extra bright focusing screens. The OM-2SP, OM-3 and OM-4 were more or less introduced simultaneously in 1984. At this time the OM-2n was discontinued, but the OM-1n was available until 1987.

The OM-2SP (Spot-Program) has single spot metering which is only available in Manual Mode and which is also the only kind of metering available in this mode. The camera measures average center-weighted in Auto Mode and in Program Mode. This last mode, which controls both shutter speed and aperture, is intended for care-free amateur photography but has a side effect: motor drive performance is reduced from 5 to 3.5 frames / second. Other specifications of this camera are very similar to the OM-2n: exchangeable back and focusing screen, OTF measuring of available light and flash light, etcetera.
It filled a gap in price range between the non-system (amateur) models OM-10 & OM-20 (Hfl.750 / Hfl. 880), the professional mechanical OM-1n (Hfl.1020) and the high-end professional models OM-3 and OM-4 (Hfl.2090): the OM-2SP sold for Hfl.1320 (all list prices in 1985).

The OM-3, a mechanical shutter camera, and the OM-4, an electronic shutter camera, lack program exposure but have an advanced multi spot meter (up to eight points can be measured and automatically be averaged) with can be used together with automatic highlight and shadow compensation, and a 1/2000 sec. shutter speed.

The OM-4 adds a 60 minutes memory function for available light center-weighted average metering and for spot metering, and a long exposure limit of no less than 4 minutes (in combination with spot metering), which is even today a world record. In Auto Mode it has OTF measuring of available light and flash light.

The OM-4 and OM-3 were upgraded to the OM-4Ti in 1987 and the OM-3Ti in 1995. These new models have better electronics, a durable titanium top & bottom, and can provide flash synchronization up to 1/2000 sec. in combination with the F280 flash. The OM-3Ti, which is the most recent professional OM body, also is the first mechanical camera that supports OTF flash.

In 1978 Olympus started a line of OM bodies that were targeted at the consumer / amateur market, available at a lower price. These bodies are not built as durable as the professional line. They all have a fixed focusing screen; their viewfinder is not as large as the System Cameras and some models do not accept a Motor Drive or lack support for OTF/TTL flash exposure. Most models have a fixed camera back; none of them accept the 250 Film Back and only the Auto Focus / Power Focus models (707 and 101) accept a special databack (the OM-10 QD is a special case since is has a fixed databack). Furthermore not all lenses are supported, and because the focusing screen is fixed they are also unsuitable for larger than life-size macrophotography, microphotography or astrophotography.

The first camera in this line was the OM-10. It was followed by the OM-10 QD (1980), OM-10 FC (1982, only US), OM-20 (1982; US: OM-G), OM-30 (1983; US: OM-F), OM-40 Program (1985; US: OM-PC), OM-707 AF (1986; US: OM-77 AF), OM-101 PF (1988; US: OM-88 PF) and OM-2000 (1998).

From these models the OM-40 Program has the highest integration with the OM System (support for Motor Drive and TTL flash) and the OM-2000, manufactured by Cosina, the least (only supporting the OM lens mount and viewfinder accessories). For a quick view of the various features supported by all OM bodies, check the Body Group Main Features Table.

One of the great mysteries in the professional branch of the OM System is the lack of development for autofocus (AF), or any other form of modernization. In 1983 the amateur line introduced an experimental AF system in the OM-30 in combination with one special lens (an 35-70mm/F4 AF zoom with built in motor and battery compartment). In 1986 a real AF OM model was introduced together with 8 AF lenses: the OM-707. This model was clearly targeted at the amateur market (it is lacking so many things essential for professional use: interchangeable focusing screens, manual exposure, shutter speed info with non-AF Zuikos, exposure compensation, DX override, and support for motor drive, TTL flash cable connector, lenses longer than 400 mm and the Auto Bellows).

Rumours go that Olympus actually did design a professional AF body but that they were too late and the competition (specifically Canon) had already taken over the market, and therefore they did not put it in production. Maybe they were afraid it would be a commercial flop, maybe the prototype was too bulky and did not fit in the OM philosophy, or maybe they waited until Leitz would produce an AF camera... ;-) Currently Olympus and Leitz are the only two big camera manufacturers that have no AF SLR camera model. At least Leitz is not so mysterious about the matter as Olympus: they just state that an AF mechanism would derogate from the superior lens quality Leitz brags about. This sounds like a sophism - nobody is complaining about the lens quality of professional Nikkor or Canon AF lenses. The true reason probably is that manual focus and mechanical exposure operation, also referred to as the 'back to basics' principle is the only way Olympus and Leica bodies can distinguish themselves from modern plastic 'wonderbricks'.

In an interview in 1999 Maitani, who is now retired as engineer but still is associated with Olympus, admitted that he indeed had all the ideas for 'the final OM model' that included everything from previous models. That suggests a professional AF (?) model with Program Mode, Manual Mode, Aperture Preferred AE, ESP and Multi Spot Metering. But someone at the top of Olympus pulled the plug. 'Unfortunately it never happened', he said. We now know that it never will.

There are a few alternatives for getting AF onto OM bodies. The Zuiko 35-70mm/F4 AF lens can do its AF trick on any OM body. However it is bulky, heavy and rather slow and does not work in low light conditions. A more elegant lens is the Tamron Adaptall 2 AF 70-210mm/F4 (IF) lens. Both lenses however have one big problem: they can't focus in low light conditions.

Olympus did build various successful AF non-OM cameras. Besides AF compact P&S cameras, the AZ-300 Series (now discontinued) and the iS-Series are well known. Some models from these series are P&S cameras, but the iS-3000 (1992; US: iS-3) is a serious model that has most features any photographer would need in an SLR AF model. Olympus was the only camera manufacturer that was really successful with the concept of the Bridge Camera - cameras filling the gap between P&S Compact cameras and SLR cameras. Olympus called the concept ZLR - Zoom Lens Reflex. Olympus used the same concept in their APS model Centurion and in some digital Camedia models. And of course in the market for digital cameras Olympus is one of the biggest.

In 2002 Olympus announced the end of the OM line, thirty years after its introduction. The production of the two remaining bodies, the OM-3Ti and OM-4Ti stopped immediately, the production of lenses and remaining accessories stopped in March 2003. Sad news for all OM lovers all over the world, but inevitable. The market for manual focus film cameras was just too small, even Leica is struggling to survive. So Olympus doesn't make any film based SLR anymore, only a few point and shoot cameras and two ZLR cameras (the iS-5000 and iS-500) remain.
But at least Olympus finally entered the digital SLR market with their E-System (a.k.a. Four Thirds System) in 2003; hopefully it will eventually grow to be a worthy successor of the OM System...

Mechanical shutter cameras:	M-1	>	OM-1	>	OM-1 MD	>	OM-1n	>	OM-3	>	OM-3Ti

Electronic shutter cameras:					OM-2	>	OM-2n	>	OM-4	>	OM-4Ti
								\>	OM-2SP