In love with Olympus XA :)

[yudiandra]

Hi mate,


Im nothin new to film photography and already exposed myself since roughly 10 years with my beloved Minolta X-700. About 2-3 years ago im tryin to go digital with Canon but somehow it didnt feel the same (got good result but feel different).


Somehow recently I stole myself an Olympus XA (brought for just under 80$ is that a real bargain??) in perfect condition, never used and sealed away on its box. Well then my journey begin and........................


Its truly amazing. I love it so much.


Anw is there any recognizable troubles with this little beauty? Would any of you felt the same with this camera? Is there any suggestion on something else I might fell in love with? Feel free to share it mate

(shots taken in Agfa CT-Precisa)

I share few of em and the rest comin in to in Instagram lately before I put up my website again ( instagram.com/yudiandra.y/ )

Cheers mate!

 

[ic-racer]

Seems to have a lot of falloff at the edges. Is that wide-open? The second image looks like what one sees with a slow shutter curtain, but, of course, the AX has a leaf shutter. So I have no explanation.

 

[baachitraka]

On these days I don't walk without XA.

 

[yudiandra]

@ic-racer

wide open at /2.8 mate. yea i noticed it too but i think its normal tho. it seems normal rite

@baachitraka

well it seems that i wont go anywhere without it too from now on, small and compact fit perfectly anywhere

 

[bvy]

I think the light falloff is the nature of the beast when wide open:
https://flic.kr/p/rYQWW9

I was lucky to get mine for the price of nothing. I responded to a Craigslist ad for a "non-working Olympus clamshell camera - free" (I'm paraphrasing). I've had it over five years now and still don't know what's non-working about it. They're good little cameras. I've recently rediscovered mine -- the rangefinder focusing is not as useless as I initially thought.

 

[yudiandra]

@bvy

Yes it is indeed! love it mate. Consider urself a lucky one then to own your lovely so-called non working clamshell. Thanks for sharing the love man, indeed it is pleasing to hear those good words around abt the XA.

 

[Chan Tran]

Hi mate,


Im nothin new to film photography and already exposed myself since roughly 10 years with my beloved Minolta X-700. About 2-3 years ago im tryin to go digital with Canon but somehow it didnt feel the same (got good result but feel different).


Somehow recently I stole myself an Olympus XA (brought for just under 80$ is that a real bargain??) in perfect condition, never used and sealed away on its box. Well then my journey begin and........................


Its truly amazing. I love it so much.


Anw is there any recognizable troubles with this little beauty? Would any of you felt the same with this camera? Is there any suggestion on something else I might fell in love with? Feel free to share it mate

(shots taken in Agfa CT-Precisa)

I share few of em and the rest comin in to in Instagram lately before I put up my website again ( instagram.com/yudiandra.y/ )

Cheers mate!

If yours is really in perfect condition then it's great. I had a new one bought in 79 and it was great. I sold it because flash support is not good and I kept taking picture of my finger. Recently I tried to find a good condition XA and I found those that the indicating meter doesn't work. Faded out range finder patch and meter indication and actual shutter speed mismatch.

 

[Chan Tran]

Looking at your photographs I don't know but my taste isn't for grainy, low details and blue images.

 

[summicron1]

the XA was a real game changer when it came out both for design and abilities -- I have found several in thrift stores and yard sales, so didn't have to pay what the market demands, and did manager to wear out the little plastic gears in one. Still a great street-shooter, superb quality.

i suspect your second image looks darker on one side because yu have the sun just outside the frame on the right side. I've never had a problem with them vignetting.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

I like the images - it reminds me of Ektachrome.

Yes, the XA is just amazing.

 

[McFortner]

The XA is great. I have two, one in feet and one in meters. Wonderful shooters and very compact. I even sneak one with me when I go to the VA Clinic, where I've been told I couldn't bring in a camera. Well, having a camera with me is my security blanket when I go out so the XA fits the bill.

 

[yudiandra]

@chan


yea chan thanks for your words it is just like that what i meant, but for some other purposes the XA are quite sharp for capturing details.
there is many XA's out there in the market but it isnt easy to get the one in perfect condition so i consider myself lucky.


@summicron


indeed it is a great street-shooter bcs of the soft touch, quiet shutter, and also the small builds that no one would notice you. yes it is the sun on the second picture, nice observation man.


@theo


thanks theo! yes it is amazing and i love it so much since ever

@mcfortner

yes just like what i said bfr the size is perfectly fits anywhere and it looks cute outside with a hidden beast inside. the one i had is in feet, im looking for another one tho for my gf she wud love it too

 

[ericdan]

I have two XA2 and love them.
The old foam inside doesn't keep it light tight anymore. I have to tape the door hinge with masking tape, but otherwise in perfect condition.

 

[Jesper]

The XA is a wonderful camera. I got my first from a closing darkroom and brought it along on a travel to London because of its size. I was amazed by the quality and yesterday I bought my third (How can you resist an XA in good working order with new seals at $30?)

 

[Theo Sulphate]

Thinking about it, is there a better 35mm full frame camera in such a small size? Probably not. The XA gives you control in selection of ISO, aperture, and distance, plus it shows you the selected shutter speed. You can put it in your pocket and it's safely protected by its own shell.

The Ricoh GR-1 is similarly small and gives you more controls, but unfortunately quite a few of them have failed with electronic problems.

This is why I think the XA is so good.

 

[ericdan]

Exactly. I was shooting a GR1-V which was amazing except for the film winding motor. That broke within a year of usage for me.
Exceptional lens on that ricoh but the XA-2 is no less impressive at a tiny tiny fraction of the cost.
Also, much less things to brake on the XA.


Sent from Tapatalk

 

[yudiandra]

@jesper

even if you could, please you should not resist that

@eric & theo

my dad urge me to try GR1 bcs of the extra features but many thanks now ive heard more about those electrical problem. tho im already deeply in love with my xa.

i asked bellamy (japancamerahunter.com) about is there any similar rangefinder out there and he said there is none so maybe i bought another XA for my gf

bout bellamy, he's really reliable so i opted to believe him

 

[nathanbucs]

Set the focus distance and aperture to the orange marked numbers and you have a high quality point and shoot

I carry mine when travelling for those quick snapshots

 

[Subversive Mk II]

Years ago, when looking for a cheap, simple, and reliable but non-battery P&S, I bought a basic XA-1. It's rattled around in numerous car glove-boxes, pockets, rucksacks, drawers, etc, and fulfilled its function over the years of being a pocket-filler and always ready to take a record shot whenever I wanted it to. Still going well, and probably will continue to do so, for years yet. I'll probably buy another one, but perhaps one of the slightly more settable ones.