The Olympus Mju II Zoom 115 - sold in the US as the Stylus Epic Zoom 115 - is a 35mm autofocus compact introduced in 1999 at the top of the hugely successful mju-II line. Made in black or silver, it was revised several times, including a 2000 version with a brighter viewfinder and DELUXE variants adding panorama masks or Quartzdate imprinting.
It squeezes a multi-autofocus 38-115mm f/4.5-9.7 zoom behind the family's signature sliding clamshell cover, which doubles as the power switch, and adds a pop-up auto flash with red-eye and slow-sync modes, DX film reading, autowind and power rewind, a self-timer, dioptre adjustment and weatherproof (splash-resistant) construction. Power comes from a single CR123A lithium cell.
Its significance on today's market is largely as the affordable cousin in a hyped family: the fixed-lens mju-II with its 35mm f/2.8 is the cult object commanding silly money, while the Zoom 115 delivers the same pocketable weatherproof charm with a slower, softer zoom for a fraction of the price. Listings are plentiful in the UK, frequently described loosely as Mju ii with the 38-115mm range buried in the small print.
Buying checks start with identity: confirm from photos whether you are looking at the zoom (protruding zoom barrel, 115 on the face) or the fixed-lens mju-II, since sellers and buyers regularly confuse the two at very different price points. Then test that the clamshell slide powers the camera and deploys the lens smartly, fire the flash and check recycle time, look through the finder for haze, and inspect the rubber weather-seal gasket around the film door - perished seals end the splashproofing. Remember the f/9.7 long end wants 400-speed film; a seller's test roll is the best proof the metering and wind-on still behave.