Olympus SuperZoom 3000

The Olympus SuperZoom 3000 is a camera designed for snapshots from the 1990s. It was also known as the “Olympus OZ 110 Zoom” in Japan and as the “Olympus Superzoom 110” in Europe. Another model allowed adding a date stamp to the pictures, with the calendar extending up to the year 2020.

The camera is equipped with a fixed “Olympus Lens Zoom,” consisting of ten elements in eight groups. This zoom lens offers a focal range from 38 mm to 110 mm, with a maximum aperture of f/3.8 (38 mm) and f/8.1 (110 mm). Manual focusing is not necessary for this camera, as it features autofocus with a minimum focusing distance of 60 cm.

The Olympus SuperZoom 3000 is a 35mm camera with a built-in light meter designed for an ISO range from 50 to 3200. The DX code on the film cartridge determines the correct sensitivity. If no coding is present, the default ISO setting is 100. Both aperture and shutter speed are automatically set by the camera.

An integrated flash provides sufficient illumination. It has a range of 0.6 to 5.9 meters at ISO 100 in wide-angle mode and can be used in an automatic mode, red-eye reduction mode, or as fill light. It can also be completely turned off if desired.

Additionally, the camera features a built-in self-timer and a tripod mount. The self-timer has a delay of 12 seconds. Moreover, the camera can be operated with a remote shutter release. The housing is weather-sealed.

With a weight of 305 grams and dimensions of 13.3 x 6.8 x 5.6 cm, the camera is quite compact and easy to handle. It is powered by two CR 123A batteries (eBay / Amazon*), which are still readily available.

Camera Settings

Although there are no direct settings for aperture and shutter speed, the camera offers various modes. These can be viewed on a display on top of the camera, which also shows the number of remaining pictures.

Spot
Focus and exposure are centered on the middle of the frame.

Auto-Zoom
The camera automatically zooms to fill the frame with the subject’s head and shoulders.

Night Scene
This mode is intended for night shots and can be combined with four different flash modes.

AF-P
The focus automatically tracks moving subjects.

Infinity
The focus is set to infinity, ideal for landscape shots.

Films for the Olympus SuperZoom 3000

The instruction manual for the Olympus SuperZoom 3000 recommends using 35mm films. Despite the emergence of new film formats, the 35mm format remains popular, leading some manufacturers to produce films for this format. The Kodak Gold 200* is a possible color film option for the Olympus SuperZoom 3000. Black and white images can be taken using the Ilford FP4 Plus*. Test reviews show that both films are suitable for a variety of applications.

The color film is processed using the C-41 development process, which is offered by most photo labs. For developing black and white films, it is important to use a specialized developer. Instructions describing the necessary steps are typically included in the film package.

The 35mm camera exposes an area of 24 mm x 36 mm. Usually, it is possible to capture around 36 images on a standard film roll. The film advancement in this model is automatically performed by a built-in motor.