Olympus and OM System: who makes the cameras now
Olympus handed its camera business to OM Digital Solutions on 1 January 2021. OMDS sells the cameras as OM System, and since April 2026 its CEO has been the principal shareholder.
Short answer: Olympus Corporation no longer makes cameras. Its camera business became a separate company, OM Digital Solutions, on 1 January 2021. That company makes today's OM System cameras and M.Zuiko lenses, including the new PEN.
Each point below links to its source, official pages first.
What happened in 2021
- Olympus Corporation transferred its imaging business to Japan Industrial Partners (JIP). The transfer was completed on 1 January 2021, under a definitive agreement signed on 30 September 2020. From that day OM Digital Solutions took over the business. (Olympus news release, 4 Jan 2021)
- OM Digital Solutions was established on 9 October 2020. Its head office is in Hachioji, Tokyo. (OMDS company profile)
- Olympus's own products page now says its cameras, audio recorders and binoculars are no longer owned or controlled by Olympus Corporation, and have been sold by OM Digital Solutions since January 2021. (Olympus products page)
- Olympus Corporation describes itself today as a maker of medical systems. (Olympus global homepage)
From the Olympus name to OM System
- Cameras launched in 2021 still carried the Olympus name, for example the Olympus PEN E-P7. (OMDS history)
- OMDS launched the OM SYSTEM brand in 2021. The OM System OM-1 followed in 2022, and OMDS lists the OM-5, later that year, as its first mirrorless camera with the OM SYSTEM logo. (same history page)
- In September 2026 the PEN line moved over too. OMDS calls the new OM System PEN the first PEN series camera to bear the OM SYSTEM brand. (press release, published by DPReview)
Who owns OM Digital Solutions now
On 1 April 2026 OMDS said its President and CEO, Shigemi Sugimoto, "has become the principal shareholder of the Company and has assumed management control." It said its legal entity, name, location, business and terms with customers stay the same, and gave faster decisions and longer-term investment in technology as the reasons. (OMDS news release, 1 Apr 2026)
Before that, JIP had owned the company since 2021. DPReview covered the change on 3 April 2026.
What it means if you own Olympus gear
The Olympus PEN E-P7 and the new OM System PEN both list the Micro Four Thirds mount on their official spec pages, so it is the same lens system. Olympus's products page sends camera owners to OM Digital Solutions.
Why this site is called Olympus Rumors
Plenty of people still call these cameras Olympus. This site covers OM System cameras and M.Zuiko lenses, and older Olympus gear when it matters. It is not affiliated with OM Digital Solutions or Olympus.
The newest example of the switch: OM System PEN launches with an EVF and the series' first splash protection.