Canon Inc.

The origins of Canon date back to the founding of Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory in Japan in 1933[5] by Takeshi Mitarai, Goro Yoshida, Saburo Uchida and Takeo Maeda. It became the company Precision Optical Instruments, Co., Ltd. in 1937.[5] During its early years, the company did not have any facilities to produce its own optical glass, and its first cameras incorporated Nikkor lenses from Nippon Kogaku K.K. (the later Nikon Corporation).[6]

Between 1933 and 1936, 'The Kwanon', a copy of the Leica design, Japan's first 35 mm focal-plane-shutter camera, was developed in prototype form.[7] In 1940 Canon developed Japan's first indirect X-ray camera. Canon introduced a field zoom lens for television broadcasting in 1958, and in 1959 introduced the Reflex Zoom 8 and the Canonflex.

In 1961, Canon introduced the Rangefinder camera, Canon 7, and 50mm 1:0.95 lens in a special bayonet mount. In 1964 Canon introduced the 'Canola 130', the first Japanese made 10-key calculator, a substantial improvement on the design of the British Bell Punch company, which introduced the first fully electronic calculator two years earlier with the Sumlock Anita Mark 8 unit. In 1965 Canon introduced the Canon Pellix, a single lens reflex (SLR) camera with a semi-transparent stationary mirror which enabled the taking of pictures through the mirror.

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  A logo from 1934 depicting Bodhisattva Kwan'on
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  Kwanon camera (replica) with the Kasyapa lens
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  Hansa Canon with the Nikkor 50mm f/3.5 lens
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  Canon 7 with the Canon 50mm f/0.95 lens
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  Canon Canonet QL G-III 17
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  Canon Pellix

In 1971, Canon introduced the Canon F-1, a high-end SLR camera, and the FD lens range. In 1976, Canon launched the Canon AE-1, the world's first camera with an embedded micro-computer.[8]

Canon introduced their Inkjet printer using bubble-jet technology in 1985, one year after Hewlett-Packard. In 1987, Canon introduced their Canon Electro-Optical System (EOS), named after the goddess of the dawn, along with the Canon EOS 650 autofocus SLR camera. Also in 1987, the Canon Foundation was established. In 1988, Canon introduced 'Kyosei philosophy'.[9] The EOS 1 Flagship Professional SLR line was launched in 1989.[10] In the same year the EOS RT, the world's first AF SLR with a fixed, semi-transparent pellicle mirror, was unveiled.

In 1992, Canon launched the Canon EOS 5, the first-ever camera with eye-controlled AF, and the PowerShot 600, its first digital camera.[11] In 1995, Canon introduced the first commercially available SLR lens with internal image stabilization, Canon EF 75-300mm lens f/4-5.6 IS USM. The Canon EOS-RS was the world's fastest AF SLR camera with a continuous shooting speed of 10 frame/s at the time. Based on the EOS-1N, the EOS-1N RS had a fixed, semi-transparent pellicle mirror with a hard coat. In 1996, Canon introduced a pocket-sized digital camera with the Advanced Photo System, named ELPH in America and IXUS in Europe. Canon entered the digital video camcorder market in 1997.

In 2004, Canon introduced the XEED SX50 LCD projector.[12] Canon introduced its first high-definition camcorder in 2005.[13]

In November 2009, Canon made a €730 million (US$1.1 billion) all-cash offer for the Dutch printer maker Océ.[14] Canon had acquired majority ownership of Océ by March 2010,[15] and completed the acquisition of 100% of shares in Océ by the end of 2011.[16]

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  A Canon F1
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  A Canon AE-1
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  A Canon AV-1
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  A Canon EOS 650
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  An original Canon Digital IXUS

In 2010, Canon acquired Tereck Office Solutions, Inc.[17]

On 16 March 2010, Canon announced that it was seeking to acquire a new .canon generic top-level domain, acquiring it in February 2015 and using it for the first time on its global website in May 2016.[18][19]

In the third quarter of 2012, Canon's global market share in the sale of printers, copiers and multifunction devices was 20.90%.[20]

In early 2013, Canon USA moved into a new US$500 million headquarters in Melville, New York.[21][22]

In February 2014, Canon announced it would acquire Texas-based Molecular Imprints Inc., a developer of nanoprint lithography systems, for an amount speculated to be around US$98 million.[23]

On 13 June 2014, Canon announced it had acquired Danish IP Surveillance VMS software company Milestone Systems. Milestone provides open-platform software to allow video management from various vendors in a single interface; therefore the company will operate as a separate entity.[24]

On 10 February 2015, Canon announced that it had intentions to buy Swedish Security Camera maker Axis Communications for US$2.83 billion.[25] On 23 February 2015, Axis Communications reacted to this news and confirmed that it had received a purchase proposal from Canon. The purchase was effectively completed in April 2015.[26]

On 24 April 2015, Canon Europe announced it had acquired the London-based family photo sharing startup Lifecake.[27][28]

In November 2015, in an effort to avoid the selling of gray-market camera gear, Canon USA filed litigation against a number of camera gear retailers. Retailers include Get It Digital, All New Shop and F&E Trading.[29]

In March 2016, Canon acquired Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation for US$5.9 billion.[30]

On 28 March 2017, Canon Europe announced it had acquired the London-based printing startup Kite.[31][32]

On 2 April 2019, Canon introduces two new UHDgc 2/3-inch Portable Zoom Lenses designed For 4K UHD Broadcast Cameras.[33]

In July 2020, Canon recorded its first ever quarterly loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[34]

In September 2020, Fujitsu announced that it would provide Canon with a Fujitsu Supercomputer PRIMEHPC FX1000 unit, to assist with its no-prototype development manufacturing initiative.[35]

In December 2020, Canon concluded its photographic-equipment print-ad series named "Wildlife as Canon Sees It". This series of ads began in 1981 in National Geographic magazine.[36]

In October 2023, Canon introduced its new nanoimprint lithography manufacturing systems, which it claims are simpler and more affordable than ASML's extreme ultraviolet lithography systems. The system prints the desired circuit pattern onto the silicon wafer bypassing photolithography and can produce circuits equivalent to 5 nm scale.[37][38]

Canon has been manufacturing and distributing digital cameras since 1984, starting with the RC-701. The RC series was followed by the PowerShot and Digital IXUS series of digital cameras. Canon also developed the EOS series of digital single-lens reflex cameras (DSLR) which includes high-end professional models.

Due to consumers switching from compact cameras to smartphones, Canon's Q1 2013 operating profit fell 34 percent year-on-year.[41]

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  Canon EOS R5
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  Canon EOS-1D X Mark II
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  Canon PowerShot G15
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  Canon Ixus 240 HS

Canon produces a range of high-output flash units for its DSLR cameras, including the 270EX II, 320EX, 430EX II, 430EX III-RT, 470EX-AI, 580EX, 580EX II, 600EX-RT, 600EXII-RT, EL-1, and EL-5 Speedlites. Canon also produces macro flash units, including the Macro Twin Lite and the Macro Ring Lite.

Canon designs and manufactures CMOS image sensors in-house for its imaging products and it has three dedicated fabs in Japan. In 2016, Canon, the fifth-largest image sensor manufacturer in the world, decided to start selling the sensors to other companies.[42] However, it does not plan to sell smartphone image sensors to focus on the niche markets such as industrial and space observation.

Although Canon had withdrawn from the so-called 'pixel count race' in the 2000s, it has been on the cutting edge as to the image sensor resolution in recent years. A demo of a 250MP image sensor was revealed in 2015[43] and reported to be launched in 2020. In 2018, Canon launched a 120MP image sensor as a part of its latest BtoB offerings.[44]

For many years, Canon was the principal maker of the print engines found in industry-standard laser printers. The first models of Apple LaserWriter and the equivalent products made by HP used the Canon LBP-CX engine. The next models (LaserWriter II series, LaserJet II series) used the Canon LBP-SX engine. Later models used the Canon LBP-LX, LBP-EX, LBP-PX engines and many other Canon print engines.

Following Canon's acquisition of the Dutch digital printing manufacturer Océ in 2010, Canon continued to develop and manufacture printing systems, initially under the Océ brand name. On 1.1.2020 the company Océ was officially renamed Canon Production Printing.[45]

Canon has been sued over intentionally designing all-in-one printers that cannot scan when the printer is low on ink.[46] Canon settled the lawsuit in 2023 without admitting guilt.[46]

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  A Canon wide-format printer
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  A Canon large-format printer
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  Canon i-Sensys MF237w

Canon's largest division in terms of revenue is its multifunction copier division. Canon distributes its consumer and home office imageCLASS line though retail outlets and professional-grade imageRUNNER series through subsidiary Canon Solutions America and independent distributors. The professional-grade series ranges from small table tops to large digital presses.

Canon manufactures a wide range of flatbed scanners, film scanners and document scanners for home and business use, including the Canon Canoscan 8800F. Some of its scanners employs LED inDirect Exposure (LiDE) technology, such that USB port is sufficient to power the scanner, and no additional power is required.

Current printers use the proprietary BJNP protocol (USB over IP port 8611).

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  A Canon CanoScan 9950F scanner
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  A Canon CanoScan LiDE40

Canon produced a range of calculators in various applications, including handheld calculators, desktop calculators, printing calculators and scientific calculators. One model was the 1964 Canola 130. It had 13 digits, a result of marketing research. The reason for the odd number of figures was based on selling it to the Japanese central bank. Given the low value of the Japanese Yen, 13 digits was a requirement of the banks.

The calculator was built by germanium transistors and the display was a light pipe which gave an odd format.[47]

Canon produces a range of projectors.[48]

Canon offers a range of wireless presenters, from advanced green laser presenters with back-lit screen display to basic red laser presentation clickers.

Canon is developing a prototype virtual reality headset (Canon VR). The headset offers a wider viewing angle (120°) than other VR devices but requires handles rather than a head strap. The headset is not yet available on the market.[49] As of 2020, Canon produces and sells high-end AR (augmented reality) headsets for enterprise users.[50]

Canon is one of the world's top producers of semiconductor and display manufacturing equipment. Its subsidiary Canon Tokki dominates the market of material deposition equipment, and instruments for manufacturing OLED displays. Canon is also the leading manufacturer of display photolithography equipment and one of the top 3 in the semiconductor lithography machine market. Once a leader of semiconductor lithography along with Nikon, it has been dwarfed by ASML, and as of 2017 its share in the overall market was less than 5%. Still, Canon maintains a great presence in the i-line stepper market.

Canon introduced two MSX home computer models in 1983, the V-10 and the V-20. Both offered just the minimum range of the MSX standards without any additional features. The V-20 was able to receive shooting data from the T90 Canon camera with the Data Memory Back T90 expansion.

Canon also sold a Canon AS100 PC[51] for which you could get a color or monochrome display computer, shortly after the release of the IBM PC. It was based on the Intel 8088 processor and used CP/M or MS-DOS. Options included an 8 MB hard drive.[52]