Olympus Trip 35: The Leica of the Point and Shoots?

[Tigersight]

I recently bought an Olympus Trip 35 (I will not tell you right now how little I paid for it or you might be prejudiced against it) and was so stunned by its steller performance and razor sharp lens that I bought a second one as a back up in case anything went wrong with the first one. That's how impressed I am with it.

It requires no battery as it has a selenium cell which always works, even in very low light. The camera is so light, intuitive, unobtrusive and worry free that it's become my constant companion. I invite you to look at my photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8995523@N08/ and apologize to the hosts of this fine site for not having posted them here yet.

I bought one of my Trips for $12.50 from an auction house in New Mexico and it came in almost mint condition with warrantee card, user manual, and really nice soft black kidglove leather carrying bag blind embossed "Olympus Trip 35." This kind of deal on this camera is not all that rare. My every day Trip was bought for $13.50 and it works like a new camera. It was made in 1976 while the almost mint one was made in 1967 or 1968.

I invite you all to investigate this camera as it is really a lot of fun to use and, like my lizardskin-covered Trip, gets some real positive attention.

 

[aad]

I hope to get mine tomorrow.

 

[Tom Harrell]

I like the looks of the camera and probably will buy one as soon as I find one in good to excellent shape! I have a little Oly ECR 35 right now and would enjoy trying one like you have as well.

I liked your pictures, thanks for sharing!

Tom

 

[charjohncarter]

I just bought one on impluse, I wanted to try it out, along with a few others I recently purchased. I have not received it yet, but I hope it is as good as you say. Is the scale focus a problem? I assume a reseal will be in order. Japanese cameras from this period and type all seem to need light leak help.

 

[markinlondon]

The Trip 35 is a little gem. When they came out they were advertised in the UK by David Bailey. The ad's catchphrase "Who d'you think you are, David Bailey?" is still in use by those with congenital humour deficiencies at the sight of someone with a camera. I keep searching the charity shops and market stalls in vain.

 

[Tigersight]

No, the scale focus is NOT a problem! It's a blessing. I am a sharp focus nut. And, because of this, eschewed the the use of cameras like the Trip 35 for years. But I was wrong. This camera is very, very sharp. In fact, I will go so far as to say that it takes the sharpest pictures of any of my seven cameras. I've long fussed and fiddled with both SLR TTL focussing and rangefinder focusing trying to get the subject "perfectly focused" before tripping the shutter. But with the Trip you have zone focus. And, as incredible as it may seem, the camera is never out of focus unless you make a gross mistake like leaving it set on single person portrait when you take a landscape shot.
I just could never get it through my head that a zone focus camera could take razor sharp photos at all distances. And this is especially relevant now with my trifocal gradiated lenses that fight with the rangefinders and TTL focusing systems. If you wear glasses this camera is a delight to use.

Regarding the light leaks: when I bought my first Trip 35 it arrived without any light seals at all. I took a whole roll of film that way and it turned out beautifully (truly the magic camera in every respect!). But, then I did it right and bought a foam seal kit from Jon Goodman (Jon_Goodman@yahoo.com) that came with full instructions and tool making the whole job very easy indeed. Also, Jon is very helpful and makes himself available for all questions via email. The kit has generous supplies of various kinds of foam and I've done two Trip 35 with it as well as sealing the door of another camera and most of the kit is still unused. It is EASY to refoam a Trip. It is also EASY to reskin a Trip and I got my lizard skin from cameraleather.com. Taking off the old skin and putting on the new one took me 15 minutes.

A WORD OF CAUTION: The Trip 35 uses a selenium cell that surrounds the lens to power the internal light meter which makes the decision as to exposure (when set at "A"). It is a wonderful cell that works in even the lowest light and will last forever IF YOU KEEP IT COVERED FROM THE LIGHT WHEN NOT IN USE! If you buy a Trip with no lens cap or no camera case then you are taking a chance that the selenium cell will be DOA. The first Trip I bought on eBay was shown with a lens cap and it has a good selenium cell. So, too, does my second eBay purchase as it was pictured with its leather case, so I knew it would probably be alright and it was. The first Trip 35 I paid $13.50 for the second I got for $12.50, both on eBay. But be very careful of eBay as it is riddled with shysters and people who have no conception whatsoever of the word "mint."

I hope this has answered all of your questions. If you have more you can ask here or go to Flickrs' Trip 35 Group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/olympustrip35/

Happy shooting.

 

[charjohncarter]

CrisPlatt and Tigersight, thanks for the guidance, I'll let you know how the TRIP does. I'm only to bifocals, but I still can't focus at times. I even bought an old AutoFocus Pentax body (that looks like a spaceship) just to use with wide angle lenses because I have so much trouble 'getting it right.'

 

[DougK]

Seems like the Trip is a perennial favorite around here; everyone who gets one winds up raving about it, myself included. I've gotten some great 11"x14" prints from mine. I just wish it wasn't limited to ISO 400 and slower.

 

[sweathog]

I bought one a while back for 99p (about $2) off the bay, made the postage back because it came with another camera that I then sold. It is in ratty condition, the ASA and scale dials don't lock into place properly, so I have to keep checking them. However, when it works, it is lovely. I've shot a lot with this camera, it was my carry around for a long time. I've got a fair few shots on flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomswanboroughnilson/sets/72157600169108826/) and another roll is getting dropped off tomorrow.
I recently passed one up for £3, I regretted it for a long time, so I've just bought two for £5 (including postage) on the bay, can't wait for those to arrive. Then I'm going to take my first one apart, see if I can sort it out.

What am I trying to say?
The Olympus Trip 35 is a brilliant little camera, well worth getting (but don't all rush to the bay, keep them cheap).

 

[zuikologist]

The TRIP was my first camera before SLRs. Carried it everywhere - a tough and very able camera with a very nice lens.

Tigersight: I like the Carmen portrait - lovely light.

 

[aad]

I received mine Friday, and put 2 rolls through it by Saturday night. It is a great camera,in many ways some sort of "ultimate" in that it's so simple, easy to use, but makes incredible pictures.

Scale focus a problem? Absolutely not. I handed it to a friend who was helping document a construction project, set it to "group"-everything perfect.

Heck, it even works with my Pentax flash! And very, very quiet. It may be the ultimate-and cheapest-street camera around.

 

[fWord]

Some years ago I bought one of these at a local thrift shop. It then lay in its leather case in my drawer for a couple of years after that while I was still shooting with a digital P&S. It was only after reading more into photography that I found these old cameras to have quite a charm.

Fortunately when I dug out my camera the selenium cell was still working well. Stuffed some film into it and took it to the streets. Didn't make any good pictures but the camera and its scale focus definitely works well. Pretty good when shooting from the hip also. Ultimately I sold it (together with a few other old cameras) and I really shouldn't have.

Now, some 12 months after selling all my film cameras I've come full circle to hunt down a single film camera to shoot with alongside a digital setup. Old cameras really have a charm...

 

[Paul T.]

I had a couple, but needed to clear out my camera cupboard. I gave one to a skaeboarding nut, he tells me it's brilliant preceisely because it's zone focus - perfect when somebody's flying over your head - and because there's no shutter lag at all.

The other one went to joefriday I think - tried it yet Joe??

 

[ruben]

No, the scale focus is NOT a problem! It's a blessing. ..........I just could never get it through my head that a zone focus camera could take razor sharp photos at all distances. And this is especially relevant now with my trifocal gradiated lenses that fight with the rangefinders and TTL focusing systems. If you wear glasses this camera is a delight to use.

Happy shooting.

Hi,
i can testify from my own that the selenium cell still works wonderfully.

Secondly the idea of using the zone focus method for glasses wearing folks is quite interesting.

Thirdly, sadly my evaluation of short distances.....

But from Tiger I can conclude this camera is aperture priority programed, which is good for still subjects.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[aad]

Well, wit only two shutter speeds, it's hard to say which is the priority, eh?

 

[ruben]

Hi aad, Which are the two ?

Hi Tigersight,
a) I gave a look to my old Trip 35, and can add that perhaps zone focusing, once you get used to, is faster than manual focusing with a rf or slr.

b) Why don't you move this whole thread to the Olympus rf subforum, with the help of the moderators ?

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[jorgef2002]

Hello Tiger eye where did you get the leather cover for the trip 35 ? thank you.


jorgef2002

 

[izziebears]

My first camera (1960's) was a Kodak Motormatic with zone focus that took great pictures. It had three click stops for close, group, and distance.

 

[DougK]

Hi aad, Which are the two ?

According to the manual I found at http://zuserver2.star.ucl.ac.uk/~rwesson/esif/om-sif/camhistory/manuals/olympustrip.pdf, the two shutter speeds are 1/40 and 1/200. When you use flash it sets the speed to 1/40 and allows you to change the aperture.

 

[charjohncarter]

Maybe the lens, but that is it.

See this: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=70325&limit=recent