Return Trip ? : The Olympus Supertrip re-appraised

A few weeks back I published a quick review on this fixed focus shooter from the might Olympus, but how is it faring as time goes on ?

Olympus Supertrip
Olympus Supertrip : a fixed focus simple 35mm

Light enough for Play
Dumfries 2015. Olympus Supertrip with Ilford XP2

Actually quite well but there are a few niggles. It has turned out to be not that bad a shooter despite it’s ugly styling. Olympus have a nack of making good fixed focus compacts with good optics like the PEN EE-2 and the Supertrip clearly has benefitted from that. Obviously it is nowhere as competent as the PEN series cameras having no exposure control other than changing the aperture to match the film speed.

Fixed focus Zone ?
Olympus Supertrip with Ilford XP2. 2015

But in good conditions the Zuiko 35mm 1:4.3 lens is sharp at 400 ISO and 200 ISO. It’s more able than the Kodak 35EF at the lower speed. Like the 35EF you can cheat with 400 ASA in low light by dropping the film setting opening the aperture up a bit more. You’ll need to do this as the low light warning as common with all of these flash fixed focus numbers kicks in around EV100 12. As is common though you don’t actually need batteries to use this camera

Comparison shot for settings on Olympus Supertrip
Comparison shot for settings on Olympus Supertrip. Taken with Ilford XP2 with camera set at stock 400 ISO on Left and at 200 ISO on right (click to enlarge)

So for such a junk camera it isn’t that bad. It is a better all rounder than the Kodak 35EF. It is pretty sharp and is a match for the Goko UF and has the added flexibility of more ISO speeds and a way of tweaking the aperture. The Pentax Pino 35 does pip it due to its wider exposure range but optically on a good day the Olympus has the edge.

My earlier review details the stats and other stuff for this little number

12 thoughts on “Return Trip ? : The Olympus Supertrip re-appraised”

  1. Hi,
    I just found an Olympus supertrip in my house and I wanted to use it. I was wondering about the flash, how it works, where to put the battery on (because i never used cameras like that), and i found your website. Apparently, you’ve used this camera, so maybe you could help me?
    Thanks in advance,
    Laetitia

    1. Look at camera on the base. You’ll see a small cover at one end of the base with an arrow on it. Slide the cover forwards in direction of arrow and the compartment will open. The camera takes 2 AAA batteries and the compartment is marked which way round to put them in (even if marking missing the contact on cover should show a plus and minus

      You only need batteries for the flash and low light warning. It will work without batteries. With batteries to turn on the flash open the lens cover and just slide the switch below the lens to the flash setting and wait until light on rear lights up. If the camera has not been used in a while there may be quite a delay and even if you get nothing may be worth leaving on for a bit, turn off and remove the batteries and try again (old flash units sometimes need priming like this). There should be a soft wine noise. Make sure you use fresh batteries and if no joy check battery terminals are clean. The LED low light warning will let you know if the electric circuit is working otherwise (half depress shutter in a dark room or with hand covering the front sensor). Flash units can die over time but if you get wine noise probably just matter of priming. Again if flash and/or electrics dead this camera will still work in daylight (note there is slower powered flash setting for close ups or fill in – the blue head)

      Once loaded with film set the camera to relevant film speed. Shoot and enjoy. The low light warning tells you when you should think about using flash as light fails but remember flash only good for a few metres. When you finish the roll of film you’ll need to rewind it – just remember to press in the rewind button on the base before doing so.

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