Olympus XA3

[Harlee]

I recently picked up an excellent XA3 on Ebay. I have a question for anyone who has one or can answer this question about it. While the camera automaticlly sets the film's DIN up to and including DIN 1600, it also has the standard lever to set the film speed. Since the film speed number is set automatically, does it override the manual film speed setting? Does it make any difference where the film speed lever is set since it is set automatically? I head back into Ukraine in a couple of weeks and want to take the XA3 with me to test it out. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Can't you check it looking at the meter needle while changing ISO manually with film loaded? I've never used the XA3...

Cheers,

Juan

 

[coelacanth]

I believe the manual ISO is for films without DX code. If camera detects the code, it will set the film speed automatically.

You can fool the system by one of the following:

• Put aluminum foil over the DX code. Then manually set the speed.
• Put stickies or other paper over the DX code. Then manually set the speed.
• Use x-ato knife and change the DX-code to the speed you want. Then auto ISO detection will pick that up.

Hope this helps.

 

[Harlee]

The XA2 and XA3 don't have a meter needle, and it's not that I want to change the ISO, just wondering if the auto ISO setting overrides setting it manually. I'm assuming that if I place film with a ISO of 800 and the manual setting is set for say, 100, the camera will override the 100 manual setting and program the camera at ISO 800. Obviously, if I'm using some older film without a DX code, then the manual setting will program the meter for the film speed. Does this make sense to you? The camera manual really doesn't go into detail about this feature.

 

[coelacanth]

See my post above.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Page 6 of the manual "With 'DX' film, the film speed is automatically set."

Page 26 "When using non-'DX' film. (Intermediate settings are not available.)"

And under the picture "Set the ISO film Speed." I guess you don't need the picture to understand that the little pointer moves from left to right and vice versa!

Page 30 FAQ's "... If you are using non-DX film, you must set the speed using the manual lever."

I hope you like the XA3, it's a splendid piece of equipment.

Regards, David

 

[Harlee]

Well, I've decided that once I place film in my XA3, I'm also going to manually set the film speed indicator so that I know what film speed I have in it. The camera's back doesn't have the little window to let you view what film is in it, so this will at least let me know what film speed I'm using.

 

[John Hermanson]

If you want to fool the DX reading, put black electrical tape (rubber) over the patches on the cassette. Then set asa manually. XA3 has no meter needle. John

 

[raid]

Keep things simple with such a camera. Point and shoot.
I would mainly use on type of film, and then with time control it.

 

[reuno]

Hey coelacanth ! You're talking about aluminium leaf to fool the DX sensor. I just loaded a HP5 400 into my X4. In order to rate it at 1600 it put some black marker on the dx code (not the barcode) but speeds look very slow when i'm shooting the subway with it... do you think there's some infrared stuff that could go thru the black market and that it will be fooled by aluminium ? Thanks in advance,

 

[fidget]

I put a small piece of sticky tape over the contacts in the camera. I can't imagine that I would rely on Auto setting.
Wouldn't foil allow a connection to be made, possibly seen as a valid ISO? They are simple electrical contacts only.

Dave

 

[reuno]

I'll stick with electrical tape... thanks for the advice pal !