Olympus Trip RC

History

The original Olympus Trip 35 (1967-1984) was a long-running success powered by selenium, requiring no battery. When Olympus refreshed the Trip name in the early 1980s, the new Trip-series cameras were electronic, DX-coded compacts sharing little mechanically with their selenium-metered predecessor. The Trip RC appeared around 1985 as a consumer-targeted variant, adding the remote-control feature to the standard mid-range Trip body.

The RC designation specifically refers to the remote-control capability, which Olympus marketed toward family photographers wanting hands-free group shots or self-portraits without rushing back from the camera on a self-timer. The IR remote handset was sold separately or bundled depending on market.

The Trip RC sits in the lower tier of Olympus's 1985 compact lineup, below the AF-1 and the XA series, targeting buyers who prioritized ease of use and the RC convenience feature over optical performance or build quality.

Why It Matters

The Trip RC is historically interesting as an early implementation of wireless shutter triggering in a mass-market consumer compact. Remote shutter systems were uncommon in this class of camera in 1985; the feature anticipated the self-timer wireless remotes that became standard in digital photography decades later. However, the RC was not a commercial breakout, and it is rarely discussed in histories of the Trip series, which tend to focus on the original selenium Trip 35 and its distinctive styling.

For contemporary collectors, the Trip RC is an obscure footnote - valued by completists of the Trip family rather than as a standalone desirable camera. Optical performance is ordinary for the class, and the plastic body lacks the tactile appeal of earlier metal-bodied Olympus compacts.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Olympus Trip - covers the Trip family; RC variant may appear in the later electronic Trip section