During the 1970’s, Radio Shack’s Science Fair wing was cranking out the junior mad scientist kits left and right. The most widely known are the x-in-1 Electronic Project Kit (where x is any number from 10 to 300 or more). I had a 100-in-1 version of one. Lesser known amongst these lab kits is the SF-3000 Optical Lab Kit.
The Optical Lab Kit provided over 135 optical experiments of all kinds. Looking at the box cover, there are photos of a camera, telescope, periscope, and microscope, and what looks like a copy of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon album cover.
Inside the box was an illustrated manual, and a plethora of plastic tubes, boxes, lenses and filters to have you spying on your neighbor in no time (in the name of science, of course). The kit even included parts to make a 35mm camera with interchangeable lenses.
The kit included a number of acrylic lens elements to put together in various combinations to create a different optical implements.
The highlight of the kit was the camera. It was a very basic 35mm camera, but it was functional and you could build different lenses of various focal length for it.
Also included where a number of colored filters, mirrors, etc., to ensure your dominance over the visible spectrum of light. Good times to be had!
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I still have this kit minus the manual. I have 1 and a half kits due to having some missing pieces in the first kit. I recall the salesman in the shop open another box and gave me parts I needed and the remainder of the kit contents.
I lost the manual for this and would like a copy for my son to have a look at.
Thanks
Andrew
Andrew,
I have the manual but I am missing one small optical part. Any chance you would consider a trade for the small part for a copy of the manual?
Thanks,
Al Smith
Aplusal@aol.com
anyone know where to get something like this now? This is awesome, i’m totally into photography (plus it would be great for my physics project)
Thanks!
This items is particularly rare, but has come up on ebay from time to time.
Can anyone tell me what a good ( not to expensive) kit would be for my 13 year old grandson?
I have the complete game, but the manual does not have it. Can someone help me with the manual, I am a teacher and I want to use it in classes with children.
I look forward to your support and I am grateful for your help.
Thanks