Olympus was a leader in single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras, which had no technological competitor for a generation. But by 1987, "compact" cameras built around a miniaturized electronic shutter had absorbed so many advanced electronic controls – features such as automatic exposure and zoom-that consumers began to view them as a serious alternative to the SLR. Olympus had introduced a compact of its own as early as 1978, but not as a main focus of its product portfolio.