Using filters with the Olympus XA - Yes We Can!

Emil · Jan 10, 2010

Hi.

I just wanted to share a little newfound knowledge here. I recently bought an Olympus XA, a wonderful camera and a tribute to the genius of the designer Yoshihisa Maitani. But unfortunately there are limits to genius. The camera has no way of attaching filters, which of course is crucial to b/w photography.

So when I was ready to go out to the beach today, to take some pictures of seagulls and crows in the snow, armed with the XA, I suddenly remembered that the film I was using, Agfa APX100 is very blue-sensitive, therefore needing a filter.

So what do you do? I found a .40Y Cibachrome filter in a drawer, and cut it to a small rectangle, and installed in the back of the camera between the film and the lens! This works very well, and there are even some small tabs, that the filter can squeeze in between, and hold itself without glue or tape. The only real tricky bit was to cut a little piece of one corner of the filter, to not interfere with the film advance gear.

So to sum it up: It's easy to use filters with an XA if you don't mind cutting up a gel filter.

Cheers,
Emil

benjiboy · Jan 10, 2010

You could stick it over the lens with Blu Tack Dead Link Removed

bobwysiwyg · Jan 10, 2010

I've resorted to, from time to time, just holding a sunglass lens over the cam lens and sensor.

WetMogwai · Jan 10, 2010

Here is my solution. I attached a Cokin A filter holder to a film canister cap with duct tape. I cut a slot in the canister and put a bolt with a knob on it through the slot. This screws into the tripod hole. By sliding a wire tie toward the open end, it can grip the cap and hold the filter holder in place. It swings out of the way easily so I can switch between using a filter and not in a fraction of a second.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=529777&l=8c2ddd10b6&id=1013560147

Mike Wilde · Jan 10, 2010

I have carried my XA on trips as a backup to my SLR's. So I had a group of 55mm glass filters on board.

I made a DIY adapter from thin aluminum flat stock to make a bracket that screws into the tripod socket on the bottom of the camera, and then bends out to the front, where there is a 55mm (actually about 57mm) hole bored where the filter mounts, aligned with the lens and exposure sensor. A rubber band goes on the inside of the bracket hole when a filter is in place to hold the filter in place.

It stores easily and works well enough. The next refinement is to epoxy a 1/4-20 nut on to regain the ability to shoot with it and still use the tripod without having to remove this bracket's mount bolt.

Rick A · Jan 12, 2010

Mike Wilde said:
I have carried my XA on trips as a backup to my SLR's. So I had a group of 55mm glass filters on board.

I made a DIY adapter from thin aluminum flat stock to make a bracket that screws into the tripod socket on the bottom of the camera, and then bends out to the front, where there is a 55mm (actually about 57mm) hole bored where the filter mounts, aligned with the lens and exposure sensor. A rubber band goes on the inside of the bracket hole when a filter is in place to hold the filter in place.

It stores easily and works well enough. The next refinement is to epoxy a 1/4-20 nut on to regain the ability to shoot with it and still use the tripod without having to remove this bracket's mount bolt.

You can use what is called a connector nut. They are approx. one inch long, and are designed to connect two lengths of allthread rod. That should give a nice spacing for your gizmo bolt and the tripod mounting bolt inside the nut.

Rick

Steve Smith · Jan 12, 2010

You could also use one of the threaded, knurled bolts which are used to secure cameras into their leather cases. 1/4" Whitworth male thread on one end and female thread on the other.

Steve.

Steve Goldstein · Jan 30, 2015

I just found this thread because I wanted to take my XA on a week-long ski trip at high elevation (3km+) where there's lots of blue. I went with a 22mm x 33mm piece of Wratten 12 gel edge-taped to the internal baffle closest to the film plane. It's more tricky to get it in there than just putting it at the film gate, but it's better protected in there and curved fine-point tweezers did the trick. I ruled out the external-filter solution because I didn't want to carry or fumble around with extra stuff. I'll just use hyperfocal focusing - the hardest part will be pushing the shutter release with the mitts on.

BetterSense · Jan 30, 2015

With black and white film there have been plenty of times I just held a 55mm lens filter over the front. It needs to filter for the light sensor as well, and not block light from it, or exposure will be off.

thuggins · Jan 30, 2015

Steve Smith said:
You could also use one of the threaded, knurled bolts which are used to secure cameras into their leather cases. 1/4" Whitworth male thread on one end and female thread on the other.

Not to cast aspersions on defunct British thread profiles, but I believe you will find that the standard tripod thread is 1/4-20 UNC, not 1/4 BSW. There is a slight difference, although the screws will fit interchangeably.

Rick A · Jan 30, 2015

bobwysiwyg said:
I've resorted to, from time to time, just holding a sunglass lens over the cam lens and sensor.

That's all I ever did when I had mine. I bought my XA when I lived in Park City Ut. and took it everywhere. I let my best friend borrow it to trek Nepal.

Steve Goldstein · Jan 30, 2015

BetterSense said:
With black and white film there have been plenty of times I just held a 55mm lens filter over the front. It needs to filter for the light sensor as well, and not block light from it, or exposure will be off.

Yup, I've done that too. But I'll be skiing at high altitude with gloves, goggles, and whatnot, and want to minimize the amount of futzing. It's a safe bet to keep a yellow on all the time for this trip and simply adjust the ISO to compensate, it's mostly sunny up there at 3000+ meters. I know I can work the basic controls (open/close the clamshell, shutter, and film advance) with my ski gloves - I've tested it. The focus and aperture can stay in one place. I don't expect great art and can accept whatever minimal impact arises from a brand-new Wratten gel placed between lens and film.

Richard S. (rich815) · Jan 30, 2015

Emil said:
The camera has no way of attaching filters, which of course is crucial to b/w photography.

They are? Darn it. Now I better start using them I guess.

Paul Howell · Feb 2, 2015

I was given a box of 35mm point and shoots, after carrying a couple around I decided to try and add a lens hood and filter ring to at least one. I picked a Nikon Easy Touch 110 because a Series V push on lens adaptor ring will fit just inside the front lens assembly without getting too close to the housing the zoom zooms in and out off. I used silicon to glue the ring to the front. If I want to make this permanent I will use epoxy. The Series V lens hood does not block the AF or exposure sensor. I can use a light yellow without concern for exposure, but to sue an orange or red filter I found an old Kodak print scale and cut out a very small circle to cover the light meter and used another small circle of scotch tape to fix it over the cell. I cut out a segment of the 2" for one stop and a 4" segment for 2 stops.

Until I run a test roll I don't if the lens hood is wide enough at 38mm the widest the zoom will go. Once to about 50mm I don't think there any issues.

Using filters with the Olympus XA - Yes We Can!

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