Olympus XA or XA2?

Blighty · Oct 28, 2011

Fellow Apuggers,
I've just seen an Olympus XA for sale at a local dealer for £55 quid. I think this is a bit steep and I might be able to talk him down a midges. Anyway, I currently have an XA2 and I really like it. Is the XA better? I know it has more focussing options but is that the only difference? As always, you advice is greatly appreciated. B.

wblynch · Oct 28, 2011

The XA has the rangefinder focusing aid and selectable aperture F-stops.

Although my XA2 does seem to vignette a little more than my XA, beyond that I don't find much difference between them.

Toffle · Oct 28, 2011

My XA2 is a great camera... but it does not allow much control of the picture making process. I particularly miss the opportunity to select apertures. The quality of the pictures is excellent, and it is a handy camera to throw in your car for every day. One thing, though, the shutter release is very touchy. I have heard this from others as well.

darinwc · Oct 28, 2011

Well they shutter release on the XA is exactly the same as the XA2.

In regards to your question.. it depends on your shooting style.
The rangefinder window is small, but it is bright. Some people find that it is too small for them and prefer to just scale focus.

I have seen some very, very good images from the XA2, (other photographers). It just takes care and practice getting the image right.

And I have made some very, very bad images from the XA. Again, it takes care and practice even though you can focus, you need to focus well, hold the camera steady, and stopping down a bit helps.

So dont think that you cannot make good images from the XA2.

RH Designs · Oct 29, 2011

The XA lens is f/2.8 vs the XA2's f/3.5. I think the ability to set your desired aperture is valuable too, but for a simple point and shoot I'm sure the XA2 is just as capable. XAs can suffer from a sticky shutter magnet (although mine haven't) so buying from a dealer with a guarantee is probably wise.

elcabezagrande · Oct 29, 2011

One other difference between the two is that the XA has backlight compensation. This disappeared on the XA2, but came back on the XA3.

Toffle · Oct 29, 2011

elcabezagrande said:
One other difference between the two is that the XA has backlight compensation. This disappeared on the XA2, but came back on the XA3.

A handy way to handle exposure compensation on the XA2 is to change the ISO for individual shots where you know compensation is necessary.

Chan Tran · Oct 30, 2011

Looking at the schematic diagram for the XA I think it's not difficult to modify the ISO control into the manual shutter speed control and made the camera manual exposure only. But I am not good in unassembling camera so I don't dare.

Mike Wilde · Oct 31, 2011

The thing is tiny enough to start with. Even with a read of the schematic, where are you to mount the switch to throw the thing into manual mode?
And then one shutter speed only, I presume?

Or are we going to start calibrating the rotation of a potentiometer, like those DIY modders who introduce manual exposure to auto only flashes this way?

Red Robin · Oct 31, 2011

Blighty, down a smidgen ? My XA+the attached A-11 flash cost under $3. dollars at a good-willies. Don't use it that much right now but it IS a great camera. A quick read around the forums of well-liked cameras nearly has a XA in the top ten They work well and they are just so freekin' small.

clogz · Oct 31, 2011

Hello Niels, go on and get the Oly XA, be a sensible lad Just make sure you don't get ripped off.

Greetings

Hans

Toffle · Oct 31, 2011

Tell ya what... I'll give you $3 just for the A-11.
(I bought one on ebay a few years ago and it worked twice. )

Mike Wilde · Nov 1, 2011

Tom, PM me on the desired a-11; I have 2 that are spare, and am not too far to send one of them via Canada Post.

Blighty · Nov 4, 2011

clogz said:
Hello Niels, go on and get the Oly XA, be a sensible lad Just make sure you don't get ripped off.

Greetings

Hans

Hiya Hans; some bugger beat me to it.

Eric Rose · Nov 4, 2011

Your right 55 quid is outrageous. Beyond that they are both great little cameras. I have two XA's currently and have had an XA-II as well. Unfortunately the XA-II became temperamental and would only fire using the self timer mode. I took it apart to see if it was something that was fixable but found it was an IC rather than a loose wire. Another thing I found was that it was a very well designed and constructed camera. The XA's are wonderful to use as long as the focus patch is nice and bright. I never found the XA-II's scale focusing to be a hindrance. Both camera's produce great images.

Steve Smith · Nov 4, 2011

These seem to be going for stupid money on Ebay. My XA was about £3 and I think I paid £0.50 for my XA4!

Steve.

Russ - SVP · Nov 5, 2011

Hold out for the Olympus RC!

Marc Akemann · Nov 5, 2011

Steve Smith said:
These seem to be going for stupid money on Ebay. My XA was about £3 and I think I paid £0.50 for my XA4!

Steve.

Wow Steve! £3 for an XA is great but £0.50 for an XA4 is fantastic.

I like the XA over the XA2 because I can control the f/stop and I like the +1.5x exposure compensation lever on the bottom of the camera. I use that feature a lot. Another reason I purchased an XA was for the 6 element, 5 group lens over the 4-element lens in the XA2 but when looking at comparison pics I really can't tell the difference. My XA has been with me for over 15 years, until just the other day. I sent it in for a CLA.

-Marc

Steve Smith · Nov 5, 2011

I got the XA and the XA2 from car boot sales. I also bought a couple of XA2s for under £5 for the pair which were mounted together on a strip of aluminium and they had been wired together so both shutters fired together. I assume they were used for stereo.

I gave both of those away a few years ago.

Steve.

Toffle · Nov 5, 2011

Steve Smith said:
I got the XA and the XA2 from car boot sales. I also bought a couple of XA2s for under £5 for the pair which were mounted together on a strip of aluminium and they had been wired together so both shutters fired together. I assume they were used for stereo.

I gave both of those away a few years ago.

Steve.

Yes, and I thank you for it. Quite a handy camera. It is my "go everywhere" camera.

I think I posted this already in this or another thread, but with the XA2 you can do exposure compensation by under or over-rating your film speed for individual shots. (You just have to remember what film you are using and set it back immediately )

Marc B. · Nov 6, 2011

Marc, @ Film Sprocket
Where did you send your XA for service/CLA?
Marc

Marc Akemann · Nov 6, 2011

Marc B. said:
Marc, @ Film Sprocket
Where did you send your XA for service/CLA?
Marc

Marc B, I dropped off my XA with Dave Easterwood (Dave's Camera Repair Inc.) in Chelsea, MI. He's been repairing cameras since the early 70s and has always done excellent work with all of my equipment from 35mm to LF. He used to have his business just outside of Detroit for many years in Westland, MI. Now, thankfully, he's only 20 minutes away. He can be contacted at 734-433-2640. His rates are reasonable and he guarantees his work. -Marc

Marc B. · Nov 7, 2011

Marc, Much appreciated, Marc

Olympus XA or XA2?

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