olympus xa3 focusing question

[valdas]

I bought today on the flea market xa3 with A11 flash (paid 5 EUR). I checked online sources about the camera and found confusing info about focusing range for each zone. In some places it says that min distance is 0.9m, in others - 1.2. From xa2 manual pictures looks like white half bodies symbol is for 1m to 1.5m and mountain symbol is from 2.5m to infinity, but other sources say that white bodies is 1.2 to 1.8, orange bodies 1.8 to 6.3 and mountain is 6.3 to infinity.... I'm confused...

 

[OlliL]

Diaxa (best source in my opinion) states:

Mountain - 6.3m on

Orange Bodies - 1.2m on

Half white bodies - 1.2 to 1.8 m

Edit: You can also download the manual there.

 

[btgc]

I reviewed XA2's manual out of pure interest and just realized what Oly mean by those figures.

two heads - 0.9m-1.8m (lens focused at 1.2m)
two humans - 1.2m-infinity (lens focused at 2.7m)
mountain - 6.3m-infinity (not specified exact focus point, probably rather "almost infinity")

Those excess numbers for first two symbols mean focusing distince, and as Oly hasn't explained that in clear text, people have to interpret schemes. No wonder there are various interpretations.

 

[David Hughes]

Little I can add to that but knowing/suspecting that the XA3 manual was the XA2's up-graded a little I compared them.

In the XA3 manual they add that the circle of least confusion is 1/10mm, which may be of interest to some people. Perhaps someone can calculate the focus points from that extra data. And it takes a page or two more to cover it! And the XA3 is 20g heavier...

Regards, David

 

[Lobo]

The Manual from Butkus says for the XA2:
Mountain: 2,5m(8,3ft) - infinity
Orange People: 1,2m(4ft) - infinity
White Heads:1(3,3ft) - 1,5m(5ft)

DIXA Manual for XA2 says
Mountain: 6,3m(20,7ft) - infinity
Orange People: 1,2m(4ft) - infinity; Focuspoint at 2,7m(8,9ft)
White Heads:0,9m(3ft) - 1,8m(5,9ft); Focuspoint at 1,2m(4ft)

While it doesnt matter that much for the "orange people" and "white Heads" setting it matter for the "Mountain" Setting, 2,5m or 6,3m. With 6,3m you can guide people easyier out of the DoF area while shooting buildings

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Here's a link: http://www.diaxa.com/xa2.htm

I'd love to know where these figures originated; I've a collection of XA etc brochures of various ages and sizes and they are very vague/coy about the focus points for the zones.

Regards, David