Olympus AZ-300 (1988)

Type: 35mm point-and-shoot / bridge camera, fully automated
Lens: 38–105mm 3x zoom, 12 elements
Introduced: 1988
Also sold as: Infinity 300, IZM300, Infinity Zoom 300

Name: Olympus AZ-300
Brand: Olympus

The Olympus AZ-300 was also sold in some markets as the Infinity 300, IZM300, or Infinity Zoom 300. It is a 35mm point-and-shoot from the bridge-camera era. Lomography places its introduction in 1988, alongside the Yashica Samurai and Ricoh Mirai, as one of the first examples of that breed: an advanced autofocus compact with a high-spec built-in zoom lens. By one account, it was the first AF zoom to exceed 100mm at the long end.

The lens is the main feature. It's a 38-105mm f/?? 3x zoom built from 12 elements, and it accounts for much of the camera's bulk. One dealer described the camera as "held like a camcorder," with the grip and shutter release positioned so your index finger lands naturally on the button. The body is chunky and all-in-one. Most of the minimal controls sit on top, and nearly everything else is automated. The zoom covers wide group shots through short-telephoto portraits, so it suits someone who wants a capable film point-and-shoot without fussing over settings.

Documentation on this model is thin in places. Production years are given variously as 1988, "late 80s/early 90s," and "early 1990s," and the sources on hand record no original retail price, weight, or battery type. The sales record shows these cameras survive in reasonable numbers and are still bought and sold as working film cameras. A 35mmc.com article framed the camera as part of a "Journey of Recovery and Rejuvenation," though the author admitted a preference for something more tactile than this fully automated body. Asking prices in recent listings have ranged from about £28 in the UK to €69 in Europe and $150 NZD in New Zealand. Condition runs from "moderate cosmetic wear" to fully tested and working with original packaging.