Olympus Trip 35
Olympus Trip 35
Lovely little camera, cute to Olympus design tradition. fits well into small and large hands, is lightweight, and simple to use. Little wonder that they are plenty of them out there. Almost a point-and-shoot camera. Settings are scant, the distance by estimate, ASA setup, and recommended aperture. By the light meter, the camera decides what shutter speed to use between 100 and 40, the only options. If insufficient light a red paddle pops over the viewfinder and the shutter does not fire. Note that the aperture activates when the shutter activates, else it stays at a closed position.
The innards are as simple. Two leaves, shutter and aperture. Of the five cameras that passed through my hands, four had seized aperture blades. The blades are moved by a tiny spring that is tiny and weak. In comparison, similar shutter blades are activated by the strong spring and click, even if dirty. It is easy to access and easy to repair; see below.
A very popular pocket camera, it had a long run between 1968 and 1988, with over 10,000,000 made. Easily found today in a working condition.
| List number | 1924 |
| Brand | Olympus |
| Model | Trip 35 |
| Manual | Butkus Bretts Caife |
| Value | |
| Format | 35mm |
| Introduced | 1968 |
| AKA | |
| Country | Japan |
| Qty made | 10,000,000 |
| Initial price | |
| Currency | |
| Type | Viewfinder, point and shoot |
| Body material | Metal |
| Mode | Auto, AP |
| Weight | 425 gr, Body with lens |
| Class average weight | 410 gr, Body with lens |
| ASA range | 25-400 |
| Kit lens | 2,8/40 |
| Lens make | D-Zuiko |
| Filter size | 43.5 mm |
| Lens mount | Fixed lens |
| Mount size | N/A |
| Aperture | |
| shutter | Leaf |
| shutter make | |
| Light meter | Selenium, external, coupled |
| Winder | Thumb dial |
| Lock | No |
| Speeds | 25-400 |
| Mirror | N/A |
| Viewer | |
| DOF preview | No |
| Exposure lock | No |
| Exposure compensation | No |
| Shoe | Hot |
| External sync | X |
| Sync speed | 40 |
| Timer | No |
| Battery | N/A |
| Integral flash | None |
| Other | |
| Service / repair links | camerlog.com |
| More | Lewis Collard Ken Rockwell |
Olympus Trip 35 service
Remove the bottom plate and release the black and yellow wires from the RH corner hold. This way the front barrel will be easy to maneuver.
Release the three pointed set screws to remove the front ring. The screws later fit into a groove on the barrel.
Remove front ring and unscrew the lens below, remember to mark lens position so will screw it back to same upon assembly. Remove three screws at the bottom.
Remove assembly via the next three screws to access the shutter leaves.
All the four cameras I have dissected needed aperture blade cleaned. The blades operate by a week hairspring that tends to wander around.
Soak in solvent, if needed a puff of graphite powder does wonders. Once the leaves close by the hairspring the work is done.
When you remove the barrel assembly a tiny steel ball may pop out. It goes between the adjusting disk and the lens, jumps into the holes to mark aperture stops.
Video showing the process at a very slow pace.
