Fix for Olympus XA missing bearing

Hi everyone. I just came back from the Vancouver camera exchange and brought home an Olympus XA. I didn't know much about this camera when I bought it, but my friend who went with me told me it was supposed to be pretty good. I just liked that it was tiny and black!

Anyways, the clamshell wouldn't stay open which prevented the shutter from firing. After some googling, the consensus seems to be "DON'T LOSE THAT CYLINDRICAL BEARING!" Right well, I'm past that now. Someone on flickr fixed his by disassembling a ball point pen as the tip has the right diameter, but needs to be filed down to the correct length. Well I have some old bic pens but don't have a metal file.

Instead I took apart a lighter (bic, surprise!) and used the flint. It's soft enough to be cut to length with side cutters. Stuck that in where the old bearing went, under the lid, and now the thing is perfect. Can't wait to develop this roll!

Anyways, thought I'd share since I googled and didn't see this solution described online. PS: What's the best way to hold this thing? I read online that using your left thumb to move the focus tab is easiest, but it's still pretty fidgety.

It's called a "sliding dust barrier", not a clamshell.

Great, thanks for your reply

thuggins said:

It's called a "sliding dust barrier", not a clamshell.

Click to expand...

https://www.google.ca/search?q=clam...ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMI5JLXtbnfyAIVUexjCh3DzAJb

Inventive use of a lighter! Well done.

I have fairly large hands so I use fairly normal right hand grip, and focus with left index finger, trying to support the underside of the cam with the rest of my hand/knuckles.

Watch out, they tend to multiply!

Fixcinater said:

Inventive use of a lighter! Well done.

I have fairly large hands so I use fairly normal right hand grip, and focus with left index finger, trying to support the underside of the cam with the rest of my hand/knuckles.

Watch out, they tend to multiply!

Click to expand...

I'll try that grip as well! As far as multiplying, I'm sort of afraid of that given how smitten I am by it

Fixcinater said:

I have fairly large hands so I use fairly normal right hand grip, and focus with left index finger, trying to support the underside of the cam with the rest of my hand/knuckles...

Click to expand...

+1 !

--
Useful : http://www.diaxa.com/xa.htm

A piece of a round toothpick is also about the perfect diameter for this.

Great idea. Except now it catches fire everytime you open the camera!

I used the hollow end of the plastic ink tube from a ballpoint pen on an XA2.

wblynch said:

Great idea. Except now it catches fire everytime you open the camera!

Click to expand...

HAHAHA actually ya I was afraid it'd be sparking everytime I opened and closed it! I won't operate it near any gas stations!

You need it to ignite powder flash.