The most famous brand canon actually evolved from a Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory established back in 1933. In 1934 it produced the Kwanon, a prototype for Japan’s first-ever 35 mm camera with a focal plane based shutter.
The first set of cameras was manufactured
as a part of business trial and these early birds were named Kwanon
after the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. Now this Goddess was the possessor
of thousand arms and spat flames.
From the very beginning, the company
worked with an ambition of reaching out to the outer world and as such
the company wanted to adopt a name that will be acceptable globally.
With this intention, the company name was changed from Kwanon to Canon
and it was registered as the logo trademark name of the company in the year 1935.
