The Olympus Trip 35 is a 35mm compact camera, manufactured by Olympus. It was introduced in 1967 and discontinued, after a lengthy production run, in 1984. The Trip name was a reference to its intended market — people who wanted a compact, functional camera for holidays. During the 1970s it was the subject of an advertising campaign that featured popular British photographer David Bailey. Over ten million units were sold. You can read more about it here and here.

It fell into my hands rather accidentally. My mother-in-law had a box of her grandfather’s camera equipment. In the box was a bunch of mixed equipment. I didn’t really think much of the contents but knew enough to know this — never, ever, turn down free camera equipment at first glance. The obvious reason is the monetary value of certain photographic pieces can hold a value so high it would make a Goldman-Sachs board member blush.

The second is, you never know what you might want/need in your photographic life down the road. And was I ever right in that regard.

The contents of this box held several items which today are still in use by me. The Olympus Trip 35 being just one. Lately, it’s been usurped from it’s throne of “smallest, quickest camera I own” by the Canon AF35M. But the Trip 35 still makes it out on special occasions or during traveling when I need multiple film snap cameras loaded with different film.