Marumi describes itself as a designer and manufacturer of photographic lens filters, citing more than 85 years of optical industry experience when its predecessor business is included.[3]

The history of Marumi extends significantly earlier than the 1952 incorporation of Marumi Optical itself.

Early optical roots

The company’s official history traces its origins to Matsutaro Yorishima, who founded Yorishima & Co., a small optical factory in Tokyo. This predecessor enterprise eventually evolved into Marumi Optical.[4]

Marumi Optical was formally established in 1952. The company subsequently focused on photographic optics and became particularly associated with camera filters.

Key milestones recorded in the company’s historical timeline include:

• 1952 — Marumi Optical established.
• 1960 — Introduced circular polarising filters (C-PL).
• 1976 — Introduced the Planet series of special-effect filters.
• 1979 — Established its Nagano factory.
• 1980 — Introduced Marumi as its own brand.
• 1981 — Began domestic sales under the Marumi brand.
• 1996 — Developed wide-angle-compatible thin C-PL filters.
• 1999 — Introduced the NEO MC-L400 high-end UV filter.
• 2002 — Introduced water-repellent-coated C-PL filters.
• 2003 — Launched the DHG series, described by Marumi as the world’s first filters specifically marketed for digital SLR cameras.
• 2006 — Introduced DHG SUPER with water-repellent and stain-resistant characteristics.
• 2012 — Announced the DHG ND-100000.
• 2013 — Introduced EXUS, its flagship filter series.
• 2014 — Introduced the CREATION series.
• 2017 — Introduced EXUS Lens Protect SOLID with reinforced glass.
• 2018 — Expanded its ND filter lineup.[5]

This trajectory underscores that Marumi’s identity is rooted in optical manufacturing and filter technology rather than functioning solely as a camera accessory reseller.

Marumi is primarily a filter manufacturer rather than a producer of cameras or lenses. Its catalogue encompasses several major types of photographic filters.

UV and lens protection filters

These filters are designed principally to protect the front element of a camera lens from dust, fingerprints, moisture, scratches and accidental physical damage. Marumi offers protection filters across multiple tiers, ranging from standard protective models to high-end products within the EXUS and newer PRIME families.

Circular polarisers (CPL)

A circular polarising filter (CPL) reduces specific types of reflected light. Photographers commonly utilise CPLs to reduce reflections from water and glass, deepen blue skies, increase apparent contrast in landscapes and control reflections on foliage and other surfaces. Marumi has manufactured polarising filters since 1960, making CPL technology one of the company’s longest-established areas of expertise.[6]

ND filters

Neutral density (ND) filters reduce the volume of light entering a lens without intentionally altering the image’s colour balance. They are particularly useful for long-exposure photography, capturing waterfalls and moving water, shooting in bright conditions with wide apertures and maintaining cinematic shutter speeds during video recording. Marumi produces both fixed ND filters and variable ND products.[7]

Special-effect filters

Marumi also manufactures filters intended to deliberately alter the aesthetic appearance of an image. Current categories include Star, Night photography, Soft, Mist, Cross, Macro and other creative effect filters.[8]

Square filters

The company participates in the square filter system market, offering filter holders designed for landscape and professional photography applications.[9]

Magnetic filters

A more recent development is the Magnetic Slim system, engineered to make installing and removing filters faster compared to conventional screw-in designs. The company has been expanding this system with additional filter diameters, including 62 mm and 72 mm sizes announced in 2026.[10]

Cinema and video filters

Marumi’s product portfolio extends beyond still photography. The CINE&TV line is intended for professional cinema and broadcasting applications. Its MOVIE products include variable ND filters designed for DSLR and mirrorless video shooting, allowing exposure reduction to be adjusted by rotating the filter.[11]

EXUS

EXUS is one of Marumi’s premium flagship photographic filter families. Introduced in 2013, the series emphasises high optical performance, advanced coatings, low reflection, resistance to dust and contamination, durability and professional-grade construction.[12] The EXUS range has included UV protection filters, ND filters and other premium products.

DHG

DHG is a historically significant product family for Marumi. The name gained particular prominence during the transition from film to digital photography. In 2003, Marumi introduced the DHG series, which the company describes as the first filters developed specifically for digital SLR cameras. The subsequent DHG SUPER series added features such as water-repellent and stain-resistant characteristics. For many photographers, DHG represents Marumi’s effort to align Japanese filter manufacturing with the requirements of the emerging digital camera era.

CREATION

CREATION is Marumi’s specialised, professionally oriented product family. The company states the series was developed around the specific requirements professional photographers have for filters, including products such as variable ND filters and specialised CPL/ND solutions.[13]

FIT+SLIM

FIT+SLIM products focus on slim construction, which is particularly advantageous when using wide-angle lenses where thicker filter frames can contribute to mechanical vignetting.

Magnetic Slim

The Magnetic Slim system represents Marumi’s move towards faster and more convenient filter attachment. Rather than relying exclusively on traditional screw threads, magnetic filters can be attached and removed rapidly, appealing to photographers who frequently switch between protection, CPL and ND filters.

A defining characteristic of Marumi is its emphasis on coating technology. A photographic filter is not merely a piece of coloured or treated glass; the quality of its optical surfaces, coatings, reflectance, transmission, mechanical construction and manufacturing tolerances can all affect the final image.

Marumi publishes technical data regarding transmission, reflection, coating performance, polarisation and optical performance. In 2026, the company announced it would present optical performance information using “Typical Value” specifications, intended to make performance measurements more transparent.[14]

Japanese manufacturing

A central element of Marumi’s brand positioning is its Japanese manufacturing heritage. While its headquarters are located in Tokyo, its principal manufacturing plant is situated in Nagano Prefecture. The Nagano facility has been part of the company’s operations since 1979.[15]

In the filter market, Marumi positions itself as an optical manufacturer with independent engineering and production capabilities rather than an importer applying its logo to generic products. The company states that its technology has been passed down through generations and that its manufacturing expertise extends into OEM and private label production. Since the 1970s, it has supplied customised OEM and private brand products to companies within the optical industry.[16]

OEM manufacturing

A less visible but significant component of Marumi’s business is OEM manufacturing. According to the company, it has provided customised OEM and private brand optical products since the 1970s, supplying major industry players while maintaining its own quality control standards. It also manufactures high-performance industrial filters.[17]

Consequently, Marumi functions as both a consumer-facing photographic brand and an optical manufacturing company, with expertise extending beyond products carrying the MARUMI logo.

Although Marumi is a Japanese company, its market reach is international. Marumi-branded filters are distributed through authorised distributors in approximately 50 countries worldwide.[18]

Participation in international photography exhibitions has been a consistent part of the company’s history. Marumi first exhibited at Photokina in Cologne and continued to exhibit and launch products there for 36 years until the event ceased in 2018.[19]

Today, Marumi continues to participate in major photography industry events, including CP+ in Japan. The company participated in CP+ 2026 and continues to develop products for modern mirrorless camera systems.[20]

Marumi occupies a distinct position in the photographic accessory market, generally perceived as a Japanese specialist filter manufacturer rather than a mass-market camera accessory brand. The competitive landscape includes companies such as Hoya, Kenko, NiSi, B+W, Tiffen, K&F Concept, Cokin and Lee Filters.

Marumi’s differentiation derives largely from its combination of Japanese manufacturing, extensive optical history, filter specialisation, advanced coatings and professional product lines. Its catalogue extends beyond basic UV filters to encompass CPL, ND, effects, magnetic systems, square filters and cinema products.

Marumi’s stated philosophy centres on continually creating new products while preserving generations of optical manufacturing knowledge. Official materials repeatedly emphasise technological continuity, product development and optical quality. The company’s history demonstrates a pattern of introducing new filter technologies in response to shifts in photography, from film to digital SLR, and subsequently to mirrorless cameras and video.[21]

As of 2026, Marumi continues to focus on high-performance filters for modern mirrorless cameras while expanding into magnetic and professional video/cinema applications. Recent developments include:

• Expansion of Magnetic Slim filter sizes.
• New EXUS Lens Protect Mark II sizes.
• Introduction of the PRIME II high-end protection filter line.
• Continued development of CINE&TV and video products.
• Greater publication of optical performance data.

The Japanese site describes PRIME II as a new high-end flagship protection filter, with a claimed reflection level of 0.08% and advanced antistatic coating technology.

The Marumi brand hierarchy is structured as follows:

• MARUMI Optical Co., Ltd.
• MARUMI photographic filters
• EXUS — Premium/flagship products
• DHG / DHG SUPER — Established high-performance photographic filters
• FIT+SLIM — Slim filter products
• CREATION — Specialised/professional creative products
• Magnetic Slim — Magnetic filter system
• CINE&TV — Professional cinema/broadcast filters
• MOVIE — Video-oriented filters
• Square filter systems — Professional/landscape applications

Marumi is best understood as a specialist Japanese optical manufacturer rather than simply a camera accessory brand. Its key characteristics include:

• Heritage: More than seven decades as Marumi Optical, with roots extending further back into Japanese optical manufacturing.
• Specialisation: Core expertise lies in photographic filters, allowing focused development of optical coatings, transmission, reflection and mechanical design.
• Japanese production: Headquarters remain in Tokyo with manufacturing based in Nagano.
• Innovation: Historical milestones include the DHG digital SLR filter series, EXUS, specialised ND/CPL products, magnetic systems and newer high-performance protection filters.
• Professional reach: Beyond consumer photography, Marumi supplies OEM products and operates in cinema, television and industrial optics.
• International presence: Marumi-branded products are distributed in roughly 50 countries.

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