Ballen Photo
Member
I bought my XA2 in 1979 (I think.) I, and my wife to be had taken a ride from Vegas to Reno on my old GS1000 motorcycle. This bike was not a dresser, so everything we had with us was in a packpack that was strapped to the sissy bar in back. I had an old Polaroid camera stuffed in there, but was not impressed with either it, or the valuable space it took up. While in Reno I decided to check out a camera store to see if there was a more compact solution. The girl behind the counter showed me the XA2 and I bought it. It went out the door for a shade over $100. I left the Polaroid with her to use for a doorstop. 
I liked the XA2 so well that I ended up getting the XA as well a few years later. The XA2 with its automatic shutter, and zone focus system was still quite capable in spite of its tiny size and automation. Still, the XA with manual focus, and selectable F stops became my favorite.
I believe it holds the record for being the worlds smallest fully coupled rangefinder camera that shoots full frame 35mm film, and with an F/2.8 lens to boot.
-Bruce
I liked the XA2 so well that I ended up getting the XA as well a few years later. The XA2 with its automatic shutter, and zone focus system was still quite capable in spite of its tiny size and automation. Still, the XA with manual focus, and selectable F stops became my favorite.
I believe it holds the record for being the worlds smallest fully coupled rangefinder camera that shoots full frame 35mm film, and with an F/2.8 lens to boot.
-Bruce
Sean Chan
RFFer
Here is a photo taken by my XA last year.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=21210&cat=5462
I have a few point n shoot cameras and nowadays I stick with a Rollei 35 most of the time but once a while I will shoot a roll with the XA.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=21210&cat=5462
I have a few point n shoot cameras and nowadays I stick with a Rollei 35 most of the time but once a while I will shoot a roll with the XA.
Iggy
Member
Lovely shot Sean. The XA2 is such a marvellous design but delivers the goods where it counts.
A digital XA-D would be a great idea, don`t you think?
Cue a thousand angry responses :bang:
A digital XA-D would be a great idea, don`t you think?
Cue a thousand angry responses :bang:
Flyfisher Tom
Well-known
very nice shots, particularly wide open, I'm impressed
kingkong666jp
Member
two different cameras, i would take xa over epic anytime :bang:Meleica said:
raid
Dad Photographer
Meleica said:
This is what is important from the link given above:
"My assumption is that the shutter only has 1/500 OR 1/1000 to select from, nothing in between...and only F5.6 or F8 with nothing in between."
This is very limiting.
Sean Chan
RFFer
I own both the XA and the Mju 2 (Epic). I agree that the optics of the Mju 2 is better than the XA but the XA gives the user better control over the expourse and usually it means that you can stop down more with the XA where the Mju 2 's auto mode will have the aperture wide open under same lighting condition.
The XA makes less noise as it doesn't have a film advance motor which makes it a better camera for me.
Personally, I perfer the XA much more than the Mju 2.
Here is a photo I took yesterday with a XA :
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=138390547&size=o
The XA makes less noise as it doesn't have a film advance motor which makes it a better camera for me.
Personally, I perfer the XA much more than the Mju 2.
Here is a photo I took yesterday with a XA :
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=138390547&size=o
Last edited:
bmattock
Veteran
Sean Chan said:
Did you get that backwards, Sean? The XA has no motor advance - I presume the Mju does?
Best Regards,
Bill Mattocks
Sean Chan
RFFer
bmattock said:
Yes Bill, I wrote it out the wrong way around, I will amend my message.
Thank you for your information.
ampguy
Veteran
amazing!!
amazing!!
What secret kind of film are you using? My first roll of XA photos on Fuji 400 don't look nearly as good as yours
Then again, I shot my first roll outdoors on a bright day, so had to stop down. Also read reviews that these lens are best at 5.6 - 8 or so, but you have clearly shown that is not necessarily the case!!
Great photos!
amazing!!
What secret kind of film are you using? My first roll of XA photos on Fuji 400 don't look nearly as good as yours
Then again, I shot my first roll outdoors on a bright day, so had to stop down. Also read reviews that these lens are best at 5.6 - 8 or so, but you have clearly shown that is not necessarily the case!!
Great photos!
langdon auger said:
Austintatious
Well-known
Olympus XA
Olympus XA
I picked up an XA a few weeks ago on fleabay. After a new set of light seals, it's a real nice little camera! I can see this one becomming a fav real quick. These are from a test roll I shot with some Walgreens ISO400 color print film. The inside shots are at f2.8 and the bike is ~f5.6 or there abouts. I love the build and the size of this camera. I am very pleased with the results I'm getting also. A great camera & fun to use !
Charles
Olympus XA
I picked up an XA a few weeks ago on fleabay. After a new set of light seals, it's a real nice little camera! I can see this one becomming a fav real quick. These are from a test roll I shot with some Walgreens ISO400 color print film. The inside shots are at f2.8 and the bike is ~f5.6 or there abouts. I love the build and the size of this camera. I am very pleased with the results I'm getting also. A great camera & fun to use !
Charles
Attachments
ampguy
Veteran
Diggin99
Established
XA2 picts
XA2 picts
I love the shots here with the XA...I got the XA2 from ebay...it seems to work ok but the first roll I put through it was very washed out...I plan to try it again with different film and in various lighting conditions...I am glad to here that others have had success with the XA2..I was not so sure about mine after looking at these first shots...A few are in my member gallery...
Nancy
XA2 picts
I love the shots here with the XA...I got the XA2 from ebay...it seems to work ok but the first roll I put through it was very washed out...I plan to try it again with different film and in various lighting conditions...I am glad to here that others have had success with the XA2..I was not so sure about mine after looking at these first shots...A few are in my member gallery...
Nancy
ampguy
Veteran
They look great to me
They look great to me
I looked through some of your gallery pics, and they look excellent. I do see some artifacts which I think are probably from the developer, little scratches on the negatives that I often get as well from the drugstore developers.
Some folks think the lens design of the original XA which has a different lens/group combination than the XA2 and 3 and 4 makes it different, but it's possible the more lenses/groups can also add to flare in some situations.
The 4 is very rare because of the very wide 28mm lens it uses, maybe other things or low production factors in as well.
They look great to me
I looked through some of your gallery pics, and they look excellent. I do see some artifacts which I think are probably from the developer, little scratches on the negatives that I often get as well from the drugstore developers.
Some folks think the lens design of the original XA which has a different lens/group combination than the XA2 and 3 and 4 makes it different, but it's possible the more lenses/groups can also add to flare in some situations.
The 4 is very rare because of the very wide 28mm lens it uses, maybe other things or low production factors in as well.
Diggin99 said: