Olympus History

UIS objective lens (1993)

After the Second World War, Olympus developed various objective lens series, including the Plan Series, Mplan Series, and the LB Series of long barrel objective lenses. The company also launched infinity corrected (IC) long barrel objective lenses for industrial applications, thereby further expanding its line-up.
In 1988, Olympus took the momentous decision to switch all its microscope models to a new universal infinity system (UIS) optical system.
The new UIS optical system was based on the concept of an ideal microscope to meet all needs and incorporated the following features:
· Provides world-class resolution and contrast for all observation methods.
· Uses infinity optics in order to unify the design concepts for biological and industrial systems. Ensures excellent scalability of modular components.
· Creates a universal objective lens line-up, as this single objective lens series can be used for all types of observation methods.
· Field of view for standard observations expanded to 22 (the field of view is a unit expressing the breadth of view). Improves operability by expanding the range across which the objective lens can move.

The development and manufacturing teams at Olympus had given their all on this product. When they finally completed their work, they had achieved a novel design, development of more appropriate glass materials, development of thin-film coatings (multiple coats), reliable product quality, and development of automated lens processing methods to lower costs.
The UIS objective lens series was launched in 1993. The UIS objective lenses contributed to greater product appeal in the AX, BX, and CX Series, as well as the IX Series of microscopes.

BX Series (1993)

The BX Series (BX40, BX50, BX60), launched in 1993, used a novel Y-shaped design for the microscope body. The series featured superior operability, excellent rigidity, and first-class optical performance. A wide range of accessories was also available to expand the range of observations possible. Olympus succeeded in providing the optimal viewing environment for all observations.
At the same time as developing the UIS objective lens, Olympus worked on designing a Y-shaped microscope body in a bid to further evolve the AH2, BH2, and CH2 Series and establish a global leadership position. There was heated debate amongst the developers from the concept generation stage, but unstinting efforts and expertise by the development and manufacturing divisions resulted in the debut of this product with the tagline "Yes is the answer." YES is an acronym for Y-shaped ergonomy, Excellent optics, System versatility.
This product range took the competition by surprise and was extremely well received by microscope users.

AX Series (1994)

The AX Series (AX70, AX80), nicknamed Provis, was launched in 1994 only 1 year after the BX Series.
The series featured automated observations and photography. The AX80 featured autofocusing and provided high-resolution images to meet the needs of pro-users.

CX Series (1997)

The CX Series was launched in 1997, following on from the BX and AX Series.
The UIS optics objective lens was subsequently developed into the UIS2, further improving microscope performance.