Olympus XA3 weird malfunction!

[Kim Catton]

Hi everybody

Some time ago I got myself a small tiny present, the Olympus XA3. I have been using it a lot but suddenly something weird happened and the problem is still there...the camera is on Self Timer all the time. Even when the lever isn't set to Self Timer. Has anybody experienced this malfunction before? Is there hope for my lovely XA3? Some kind of hard reset? I have tried to take the battery out of the camera and leave it out for some time, didn't help

//Kim

 

[bobwysiwyg]

Sadly, I have an XA which I just love(d) carrying around, that developed the very same problem. I found no way around this, but will watch this thread for possible solutions.

 

[unclemack]

If nobody else posts a solution maybe some pics would jog my memory - I retired from camera repair over 10 years ago, getting old & feeble-minded.
The XA2 was the version I saw most but I always had a soft spot for the XA. Lovely little rangefinder, good lens.

 

[bobwysiwyg]

Hope you meant pics of the XA itself. If you can think of anything to fix this, I owe you a beer, heck, a case. I really like this little camera.

 

[John Hermanson]

An XA or XA3 that is constantly in self timer mode have either a cracked circuitboard or defective IC. No parts available. John

 

[Eric Rose]

Very common problem with the XA's unfortunately. I have taken one apart to see if there was a fix but it seems there is nothing that can be done.

 

[Kim Catton]

sa news i gues. It really is a very annoying malfunction

 

[unclemack]

Found a few notes I made back then & checked some of my invoices.
I have no record of a faulty ic on an XA series that I can find. This and "cracked board" had previously been diagnosed before quite a few cameras, camcorders, flash packs etc. - and on one occasion a minilab - were brought to me which I was able to repair, the diagnosis having been incorrect.
Water or moisture ingress often caused this problem and others - my notes tell me that when ic pin 4 is at vcc the timer operates and that there are a number of possible paths to this condition. Mode switch itself was sometimes the problem.
None of this is good news I'm afraid - values being what they are the possibility of economic professional repair doesn't really exist.
Not the best camera for a first diy attempt either I think.

 

[bobwysiwyg]

Found a few notes I made back then & checked some of my invoices.
I have no record of a faulty ic on an XA series that I can find. This and "cracked board" had previously been diagnosed before quite a few cameras, camcorders, flash packs etc. - and on one occasion a minilab - were brought to me which I was able to repair, the diagnosis having been incorrect.
Water or moisture ingress often caused this problem and others - my notes tell me that when ic pin 4 is at vcc the timer operates and that there are a number of possible paths to this condition. Mode switch itself was sometimes the problem.
None of this is good news I'm afraid - values being what they are the possibility of economic professional repair doesn't really exist.
Not the best camera for a first diy attempt either I think.

Well, looks like no free beer for you. Thanks for checking though.

 

[Rick A]

For a $20 bill, I'll send whoever wants it, an XA-2 and an A-11 flash(USA only) you can replace the seals on the camera, and have a nice little shooter. I'm not sure if the A-11 still works, but last time I checked the XA worked.

Rick

 

[Rick A]

On second thought, just pay the postage and its yours. Its been sitting for a long time, and might need fiddled with.

rick

 

[wblynch]

Hi Rick,

I wanted to thank you for the consideration on the XA2.

I have been trying to reply to you but the PM thing doesn't seem to be working for me.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

The beloved XA cameras endeared themselves to me over a long period of time. I first picked up an XA in 1982 for bicycle touring, its size and hi-spec being the attractions. That camera died from a failed shutter and some IC board malfunction and was not repaired by OLYMPUS themselves when they had their own service facility in Melbourne (Australia) c. 1985.

Another XA was bought off eBay from a guy in San Diego in 2001. Mint condition and did just the trick in rekindling everything odd and good about the XA: tiny, feature packed yet at the same time basic, fiddly, very sharp and contrasty lens and especially, prone to niggly hangups (read: faults!). This XA packed up on me very suddenly in Queenstown, New Zealand in 2005. The shutter would not fire, and if it did, stayed open. Attempting to remove the film, the back cover latch broke off. In a fit of rage I had to set it aside and move to a digital AF compact. I faithfully brought the XA home and traded to a camera store for the princely sum of $5.00. That's the last I saw of it. Probably uneconomical to repair and just out of favour with the march of speed and convenience hallmarking digital.

Interesting thread to read. Lots of old and very fond memories...