The Olympus LT-1 is a stylish 35mm point and shoot film camera. Launched in 1994, the LT-1 was available in four colours: green, burgundy, brown, and black.
The stylish design of the camera was somewhat unique: the LT-1 is completely encased in synthetic leather and has the appearance of a small wallet or purse. With this stylish design, Olympus were targeting the upmarket traveller segment.
I bought an LT-1 in 2018 and it’s been one of my favourite pocket cameras ever since.
Why is it called the LT-1?
The Olympus LT-1 was launched in 1994. Although it shared the same 35mm f3.5 prime lens as the the Olympus MJU I / Olympus Stylus, the LT-1 has a completely different look.
The “LT” in its name stood for “leather tech”, referring to the synthetic leather moulded case that surrounds the camera and cannot be taken off. It looks and feels like a small purse rather than a camera.
Olympus LT-1 models
The original LT-1 was followed by:
- Olympus Quartz Date Panorama model in 1996
- Olympus LT Zoom 105 camera in 1997.
Similarities between the LT-1 and the MJU I / Olympus Stylus
At first glance the LT-1 and the MJU 1 (Stylus) may not look very similar, but look again.
Laying them side by side, you will see that many aspects of both cameras are similar or identical, including the lens, the flash, the viewfinder, and even the shutter button.
Essentially, the LT-1 is a MJU I clad in a leather jacket.
Olympus LT-1 specifications
- 35mm f/3.5 prime lens
- Autofocus
- Auto-exposure
- Several flash modes
- DX decoding
Olympus LT-1 sample photos
Podcast review of the Olympus LT-1
I published a podcast review of the LT-1 after I’d shot a few rolls with it. I’ve relegated this podcast and the images I describe to another page, as I feel I’ve taken much better images with the camera since then.