The Olympus Superzoom saga: zoom accessible to all

Origins and context: Olympus diversifies its strategy

By the 1990s, Olympus was already a key player in consumer photography, notably thanks to its famous mju series (or Stylus internationally), elegant, compact, and bright fixed-focal-length compacts. But not everyone was looking for a fashion statement. Some users wanted a simple, robust, and practical camera with an optical zoom for shooting landscapes as well as distant portraits.

It was to meet this need that the Olympus Superzoom range was launched: a series of 35 mm compact cameras with motorized zoom, fully automatic, intended for the general public. The first model, the Superzoom 70 , was released in 1993 and marked the beginning of a line of cameras that were deliberately less chic than the mju, but also less expensive and more functional.

💡 Olympus has thus focused on a dual offering: the mju for lovers of design and compactness, and the Superzoom for everyday photographers looking for good value for money.

Multiple names depending on the region

Depending on the market, the Superzoom was sold under several names:

Superzoom in Europe,
Infinity Accura or Infinity Zoom in North America,
Olympus OZ in Japan (e.g. OZ 110 Zoom = Superzoom 110),
Citia in Japan at the end of the series (eg: Citia 160).

But behind these different names lies the same philosophy: an automatic film compact with zoom, reliable and accessible.

🔍 Models and technical characteristics: from 38 to 160 mm

A rich and evolving range

The Olympus Superzoom series included around twenty models between 1993 and 2001, with zooms ranging from 38–70 mm (modest zoom, x2) to the very ambitious 38–160 mm of the Superzoom 160, released in 2001. The intermediate models (105, 115, 130, 140) allow everyone to choose according to their needs and budget.

Some notable references:

Superzoom 80 Wide : the only model with a 28mm wide-angle lens, ideal for landscapes and architecture.
Superzoom 120TC : technical version with 4 frames/second burst and infrared remote control.
Superzoom 140S / 160 : powerful zoom (x3.7 / x4.2) with modernized design.

These automatic film cameras also come in Quartz Date (QD) versions with a date back, or with additional functions marked by letters such as R (Remote), BF (Big Finder), TC (Timer Controller), etc.

Common features and advanced options

All Olympus Superzooms offer the following features:

Autofocus (infrared or passive detection),
Automatic exposure (no manual adjustment required),
Built-in multifunction flash (auto, forced, suppression, anti-red-eye, night mode on certain models),
Motorized zoom, sometimes at two speeds depending on the pressure on the button,
Complete motorization of film advancement and rewinding.

Some models also include:

Aspherical lenses and ED (extra-low dispersion) elements,
Multi-zone autofocus (up to 5 zones on the Superzoom 160),
Panorama mode, self-timer, IR remote control, dioptric correction viewfinder…

📐 Design, ergonomics and handling

From simple beginnings to functional elegance

The first Superzooms (70, 110, etc.) sport a functional matte black look, with a fairly thick casing and solid plastic construction, designed for everyday use.

From 1996, Olympus adopted:

A sliding cover like mju (on the Superzoom 105 ),
Improved ergonomics with more compact housings,
A metallic finish (champagne, silver) on models like the Superzoom 130S or 140S.

The Superzoom 160, the latest model in the series, was billed as "Olympus' smallest ever 160mm zoom compact" upon its release.

Ergonomics and comfort of use

Even if some models remain a little massive compared to fixed focal length compacts, the Superzoom compensates by:

A secure grip,
A good-sized central viewfinder (especially on the BF versions),
A simple interface with clearly identifiable buttons,
Good compatibility with eyeglass wearers (wide viewfinder, dioptric correction).

🔧 Optical quality, autofocus and photographic rendering

A decent optic for versatile use

Superzoom lenses range from 4 to 7 optical elements. Higher-end models include aspherical lenses and ED glass to improve sharpness.

Zoom lenses often have sliding apertures (eg f/3.9–10.8), which:

Limits low light performance,
Requires favoring ISO 400 or 800 films.

But in broad daylight:

The sharpness is good in the center,
The colors are saturated, faithful to the Olympus signature,
A gradual blur appears at the edges at full aperture,
A slight vignetting at wide angle sometimes adds a welcome vintage touch.

Autofocus and exposure: reliable, but not instantaneous

Multi-zone autofocus models (like the Superzoom 160) are more responsive. However, some cameras may seem sluggish in low light or with a moving subject.

The automatic exposure is well calibrated, with good management of backlighting and contrasting scenes thanks to the automatic flash trigger.