After the success of my review of the Fuji Film X100F, I thought I might have to present another camera to you. For the non-techy of you, don’t worry, this camera is a doddle to use, and my daughter was using it when she was a seven year old! It won’t get complicated.
I wanted to use a film camera to do it. I will presume that you have no experience of using a film or vintage cameras also, so Millennial friendly, and after a certain age, you will be meeting an old friend. I would like to introduce you to the Olympus Trip 35.
As the name might suggest the Olympus Trip was a camera designed for travel photography and for the mass market in the 1960s and 1970s (production stopped in 1988). A point and shoot. No gimmicks. Although this is not a style or fashion blog, this camera is a beautiful object, and if you thought you had people coming up to you and telling you how sexy your camera was with the X100F, then you’ll get even more people coming up to you telling you how gorgeous your camera is. It is one of those timeless cameras that just oozes sex appeal. I replaced the original wrist strap with a more chunky and comfortable version from Amazon.
There are some things that you will not be able to do with this camera. You won’t be able to add another lens. You get a 40mm Zuiko F 2.8, however the 40mm focal length will have you covered for the majority of situations for your photographic trip, and also gives beautiful results, especially with modern emulsions!. Just look at the X100F photos and it will be self evident. You won’t have all the modern conveniences of a Modern DSLR or even mirrorless camera, but you won’t have any problems with batteries. There aren’t any. The power for the metering comes from the selenium cell (which contrary to appearances isn’t a New Romantic group from the 1980’s). You will have get film for it. It take film from ISO (or ASA) 25 to 400 which, for when you’re on the road is fine, and will cover most eventualities.
Loading film is so simple that a child of seven could do it, and my child, when seven years old did it easily. Then basically, you’re ready. Off you go and explore. I haven’t talked about how to focus the camera. So…. The camera uses the principle of zone focussing. You turn the lens and you will see a face, a couple, a group of people, and then a mountain. If you turn the camera around so the top is the bottom, and the bottom the top (Pride reference, even if I am slightly late), you will see the distances marked out: 1m, 1m50, and 3m to infinity, but not beyond. We’re talking photography, and not a film based on Ants, or Seven Samurai.
There are two shutter speeds, 1/200th of a second and 1/40th and the camera chooses which one it uses. But 1/40th with a 40mm lens shouldn’t give camera shake. So you can cover light from F22 at 1/200th of a second to F2.8 at 1/40th of a second. You will see an F stop dial on the camera, and that you will see in the viewfinder. When not using a flash, just put it to A (automatic). If ever there is not enough light, there is a little red flag that pops up into the viewfinder, and the camera shutter won’t fire. It’s idiot proof!
I will include a video from YouTube to show you how to load the film as it will be easier than describing to you in written language.
So get out there and start taking some photos! Go on the streets. Go on a Trip. Just get out there and start using it. Have fun and share photos if you want! Mine are from a trip to Portugal and the Canary Islands from 2016 taken on Ilford HP5 Plus. Make of them what you will…
IJM Photography 