Newbie looking for a (relatively) affordable and durable point & shoot with decent IQ

[B-9]

Huss, you need the L35TW AD next!

 

[Huss]

Huss, you need the L35TW AD next!

uh oh!

😉

 

[newjerseysurf]

i nabbed this for $30 off ebay. got it today. seems to be in OK shape.

i assume those seals need replacing? also i couldn't wind the camera but the batteries appear to be dead.

 

[shawn]

Seals look like they could use replacing. Jon Goodman sells very inexpensive custom cut kits for the XA series.

jon_goodman@yahoo.com

I've done the seals in several XA series cameras and it is pretty easy. He includes full instructions too.

If you can't wind it is probably because the shutter is already cocked. Will need batteries to fire it and then it should wind fine.

Shawn

 

[B-9]

Nice little XA2 you got there! Happy shooting!

 

[Scope79]

Good catch for 30$ , it looks very tidy. Get silver oxide batteries for it, they will last longer and metering is more accurate with them.

 

[newjerseysurf]

Good catch for 30$ , it looks very tidy. Get silver oxide batteries for it, they will last longer and metering is more accurate with them.

Definitely seems to be, at least externally:

 

[newjerseysurf]

Ok so maybe I now know why the XA2 was affordable. Or maybe it’s just me being new to this.

It appears the film isn’t latching on here at the bottom for whatever reason.

Also sometimes when I press the shutter I hear an initial click and then a second click about 1 second later.

Regardless I can get the film to wind into the camera.

 

[newjerseysurf]

It also kinda looks like it ripped the film. The first attempt I did need to wind it with some force so maybe I ripped it??

 

[newjerseysurf]

And a video. This is without film in the camera.

https://youtu.be/2GURKu3OWZI

 

[shawn]

And a video. This is without film in the camera.

https://youtu.be/2GURKu3OWZI

What film speed do you have it set to? Sounds like it is just keeping the shutter open for a longer exposure. If the ISO is set really low that is probably fine, if it is set really high something may be going on. The green light is saying that the exposure is going to be lower than 1/30 of a second.

Point the camera at a bright light and see if the camera fires with a different shutter speed. Or plug the flash in and shoot with it and see if the shutter is different.

Shawn

 

[newjerseysurf]

What film speed do you have it set to? Sounds like it is just keeping the shutter open for a longer exposure. If the ISO is set really low that is probably fine, if it is set really high something may be going on. The green light is saying that the exposure is going to be lower than 1/30 of a second.

Point the camera at a bright light and see if the camera fires with a different shutter speed. Or plug the flash in and shoot with it and see if the shutter is different.

Shawn

Ok I feel a bit better. It was at ISO 100.

Thoughts on why the film didn’t catch and appeared to rip? Is that roll done for?

Is there anything that can cause damage by firing the shutter without film in it or with the door open as I’m testing?

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Is there anything that can cause damage by firing the shutter without film in it or with the door open as I’m testing?

No.

Phil Forrest

 

[newjerseysurf]

No.

Phil Forrest

any idea why that film ripped and is that one a goner now? maybe i loaded improperly?

 

[shawn]

You can just pull a little more film out of the canister and cut a new leader on it. Might have ripped if when it tensioned on the spool the gear didn't line up with the sprockets. Or if you tried winding it and had your hand on the rewind dial you can tear film that way too.

Shutter will be fine firing with no film and/or with the rear door open. It makes no difference at all there.

Shawn

 

[newjerseysurf]

What the heck am I doing wrong here? This is getting to be incredibly frustrating.

https://youtu.be/RbiCzUl2PeM

 

[shawn]

You need to read the fine manual. Page 4.

http://www.cameramanuals.org/olympus_pdf/olympus_xa2.pdf

The film leader has to be pushed into the slots in the take up reel.

Shawn

EDIT: See video

 

[newjerseysurf]

You need to read the fine manual. Page 4.

http://www.cameramanuals.org/olympus_pdf/olympus_xa2.pdf

The film leader has to be pushed into the slots in the take up reel.

Shawn

EDIT: See video

thanks. i was actually watching those and still not getting it. finally i pushed it as deep into the slot as it would go AND held my fingers on that little spoked reel thing until it fed it. i was being too gentle with it.

honestly the whole unit feels a little fragile so i am babying it a bit.

 

[shawn]

I think they are fairly tough really. I bought 4 or 5 XA series and none had feed issues. Once you get it it will be easy.

With any film camera if the take up spool has any of slots in it the film leader gets fed into the spool in one way or another. Depends a little on if the spool spins clockwise or counter clockwise for take-up.

If the spool is totally smooth there is usually a mark (often red) near the bottom of the film chamber which is a marker for where you bring the leader to and then close the back and the camera will auto take-up the film.

Shawn

 

[newjerseysurf]

I think they are fairly tough really. I bought 4 or 5 XA series and none had feed issues. Once you get it it will be easy.

With any film camera if the take up spool has any of slots in it the film leader gets fed into the spool in one way or another. Depends a little on if the spool spins clockwise or counter clockwise for take-up.

If the spool is totally smooth there is usually a mark (often red) near the bottom of the film chamber which is a marker for where you bring the leader to and then close the back and the camera will auto take-up the film.

Shawn

good stuff. here's a stupid question - when is the thing actually powered on? is it only when you flip open the lens door? does it go into some type of hibernation otherwise?