Old Olympus XA 35 MM Camera

[papisa]

Found this camera last week in a old dusty box way back in my number 2 store room. Would any body no how old it might be or when it was made, took some color shots this week and they came out super nice and clean. description of the camera as you look at it from the front going left to right.
In a small box it has flask-2.8-4-5.6-8-11-16-22=FNo. When you open the slide protecting the lens, on top of the slide is in Caps=XS. Around the lens in a circle it reads=Olympus F-ZUIKO 1:2.8-f=35mm, below the lens is the ASA settings from 25 to 800, below this is the focus slide, above the lens when you move the focus it reads=ff 2.8 4 8 oo ft, obove this is the veiw finder, in the veiw window when you move to focus the camera on the left side are numbers with a needle that goes up, the numbers are 1 2 4 6 15 30 60 125 250 500. It has an Electronic Flash A11, above this is a glass and i think a refelector, on the left you can move a ltlle side up and down with ASA settings=reads 400-full-100 On the bottom left to right, back light . + 1.5-check-self timer on the back left it has AUTO and below that are ASA numbers with lines going up, some are short and long, the Flash pops out on the top to the left side when you are using it, Thanks, Mike.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

The XA is an old rangefinder. It's legendary for having a good, sharp lens in a very small body. One of the best compact rangefinders ever made. You have quite a nice one, there.

 

[papisa]

Thank you, that is good to no, would you recommend taking it to a good shop and have it gone thur and cleaned?
Mike.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

I'd put a battery in it (you can find the information on the battery type if you Google the camera) and see if it works first. Does it look dirty?

 

[David Brown]

Found this camera last week in a old dusty box way back in my number 2 store room. Would any body no how old it might be or when it was made, ...

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Worse deal I ever made was trading my XA and some cash for a Russian camera that lasted 1 day before breaking. Live and learn.

Cheers

David

 

[Charles Webb]

I really loved the little XA, fit very well in my pocket and made excellent pictures. I actually quit using mine because of a slight vignetting on full frame corners. When printing my negatives myself, or after having a lab print them there was a problem of darker corners than I liked. The vignetting was visable when I viewed my negs on the light table, so I put it away.

A really neat little guy that I should bring out of retirement and put back to work.

Charlie......................

 

[Jon Shiu]

It's a great "spy" camera also, to take candid shots. Just watch out for the light seals in the back. They tend to get all gooey.

Jon

 

[papisa]

No, it is super clean inside, will find a battery for it, will try some black and white, which film would you recommend for B & W, never took any B and W, Thanks to all, have to say good night, i had rotator cup surgery mon. and have an 8 AM rehab to day.
Mike.

 

[Anupam Basu]

It's one hell of a camera - never leave home without it.Dead Link Removed

 

[Lee Shively]

The XA was, and is, a very sweet little camera. Olympus always did put some pretty nice optics on their point-and-shoot cameras. Put some batteries in her and try her out.

 

[eric]

Dang man, you guys are making me feel bad. I just took some pix of mine last night cause I haven't used it in YEARS and I'm thinking of selling it. Bought it new in the 80's from B&H.

 

[Earl Dunbar]

It takes 2 SR44SW batteries. Don't use alkaline batteries, only SR44SW or equivalent. The XA is totally camera dependent, and SR44SW batteries are high drain and long life. When the voltage drops from use, it wil do so quickly, i.e. it has a flat discharge curve. So, voltage will be good until the battery dies. Other batteries of the same size and nominal voltage, especially the alkaline LR44, do not have this characteristic and can result in bad or erratic performance/exposures. Note: The energizer 357/303 used to be equivalent, but current published data shows it is no longer equivalent.

As others have noted, it's a great camera. I have used XAs nearly since they were released. I have two now; both need a CLA, though one is working adequately. The other is non-functional even with fresh batteries. I'll get them both CLAed at some point.

The vignetting issue is there at wide apertures, but does vary from sample to sample. It appears the later production runs alleviated much of the problem.

zuiko.com and olyfix.com both provide great repair services.

 

[Earl Dunbar]

More (than you ever wanted to know) on batteries: http://www.willegal.net/photo/srt/srt-mercury.htm

 

[gnashings]

Why oh WHY do I read these threads!?!?!?!?!! I should know better!

Now I want one... Thanks a lot!



Peter.

 

[abeku]

I bought mine in early 2005 and I've never regret it. It's always in my pocket wherever I go and I get those pictures that I missed out earlier.

 

[Chan Tran]

Olympus XA

If I remember correctly the XA was introduced in 1978. It did not sell very well then. I got mine as a demo in 1979 for $150 US with the A11 flash. I sold the thing in 84. It has a very sharp lens.

 

[mcgrattan]

I've been looking for an XA for ages but people are wise to them. Prices are not cheap.

I do have an XA2 which is also a surprisingly good camera -- excellent images given that it's only zone focusing. Dead Link Removed