A Farewell to Olympus: Closing My Chapter After 45 Years of Memories - 31st Mar 2023

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January 2021 marked the end of an era. Olympus—after more than 80 years of shaping photography—sold its camera business. For me, this wasn’t just news; it felt like losing a lifelong friend. My journey began with an Olympus Pen D when I was 8, a gift from my grandfather. From that day, I lived through the magic of the Pen F, OM-1, OM-2, OM-3, OM-4Ti, and later digital icons like the E-P2, E-5, and E-M1.

When I heard about the sale, my heart sank. I understood the business logic, but deep inside, I couldn’t accept it. The name “OLYMPUS” engraved on the prism meant everything to me. For over a year, I wrestled with the thought—what would Mr Maitani say if he were here?
Finally, in March 2023, I made the hardest decision: to say goodbye. Micro Four Thirds had its brilliance—compact size, incredible stabilization, telephoto strength—but I feared innovation would slow under new ownership. In a fast-moving digital world, that felt fatal.

So, I returned to Nikon—a brand that had been part of my story too. After 14 years, I picked up the D850, and today I shoot with a four-camera setup: D850, D750, D5500, and my beloved D40x. It feels right, yet Olympus still holds a piece of my heart.

I hope OM SYSTEM will rise and become even greater than Olympus. Until then, I carry the memories—and the gratitude—for everything Olympus gave me.

Olympus Pen D 
https://www.olympus.co.jp/technology/museum/camera/products/pen/pen-d/


Olympus Pen F 
Source: https://www.olympus.co.jp/technology/museum/camera/products/pen/pen-ff1.8/?page=technology_museum&museum-type=series


Olympus OM-1 
Source: https://www.olympus.co.jp/technology/museum/camera/products/om/om-1/?page=technology_museum&museum-type=series


Olympus OM-2 
Source: https://www.olympus.co.jp/technology/museum/camera/products/om/om-2/?page=technology_museum&museum-type=series


Olympus OM-3 
Source: https://www.olympus.co.jp/technology/museum/camera/products/om/om-3/?page=technology_museum&museum-type=series


Olympus OM-4Ti 
Source: https://www.olympus.co.jp/technology/museum/camera/products/om/om-4ti/?page=technology_museum&museum-type=series

Olympus E-5
Source: https://www.olympus.co.jp/technology/museum/camera/products/digital-e/e-5/?page=technology_museum&museum-type=series


Olympus E-620
Source: https://www.olympus.co.jp/technology/museum/camera/products/digital-e/e-620/?page=technology_museum&museum-type=series


Olympus OM-D E-M1
Source: https://www.olympus.co.jp/technology/museum/camera/products/digital-om/e-m1/?page=technology_museum&museum-type=series


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