Ode to the Olympus XA

[bgb]

Those images are wonderful Greyscale 🙂
I just got mine out to have a look at it and generally point it at stuff but when i wound it on i noticed the rewind crank moved too ... Ooops
Don't remember loading it but old age does that sometimes.

 

[NickTrop]

Beautiful shot!

Then you see all of us having used pro digital cameras, do lots of things with software and with a camera that costs 100 times what an XA does and is the newest technology three decades after, and we just can't do it better...

Cheers,

Juan

Juan - after using a compact digital camera for the last year as my "take anywhere camera"... I just need to have some OOF "depth", some bokeh to my images. Technically, spot on. Sharp, good colors... BUT. With all this technology, if you want a pocket-sized "full frame" sensor you can slip in your pocket, you gotta go with film - and the XA is among the best choices. And - no, you can't do better in 135 than the pics Greyscale posted, no matter how much you spend. I get why people do it, mind you. Hell, I do it and have, have/had, lusted after some more than moderately pricey kit. Butchya know what...?

 

[kzim56]

The doctor is in by Karl Zimmerman, on Flickr


Untitled by Karl Zimmerman, on Flickr



Coming & going by Karl Zimmerman, on Flickr

 

[julescasablancas]

MOAR MOAR>>>>>


Not much an option here by therightword !, on Flickr


black skinny jeans by therightword !, on Flickr

 

[-doomed-]

The XA is one film camera I'd still like to own. It's the full frame wonder that my PEN EE2 isn't.

 

[Ducky]

Though it looks oh so purdy sitting next to your teeth on the shelf...

There's that dentist/leica thing again.

 

[bhop73]

I almost always have my XA in my bag, mostly because of the size, but it does give some nice results.


Jacked by bhop, on Flickr


It's A Bug by bhop, on Flickr

 

[Wlodek]

I love (loved, as I lost it on a trip to Germany) the XA. I really should get another one.
The shutter was prone to seize in many of those, but the remedy is simple. Remove the bottom cover and locate the shutter electromagnet. The camera has a clever shutter where a permanent magnet is released momentary by a pulse from the electromagnet. But sometimes the magnet stays stuck through thin film of moisture or oil. All you need to do is to pull gently the magnet away from the electromagnet and clean the two surfaces by pulling between them a piece of tissue moistened with alcohol.
And yes, thanks for the ode!

 

[Tom Harrell]

Geepers, I had a 56 Ford just like that one Greyscale! That brought back a lot of memories!

Tom

 

[will-i_am]

Great stuff Nick it is indeed a great camera got one a couple of weeks ago, my mum saw me with it and said oh i have a camera that looks like that, i now have an XA2 as well. The XA goes everywhere with me now.

 

[bayusuputra]

i still want this camera.. sigh, the price nowadays soars big time.. but this wicked little thing still amazes me.. i would love to own one in near future!

 

[wblynch]

In some languages the letter "X" is pronounced in the manner of "H".

Am I the only one that calls my little camera an Olympus "HA" ?

 

[Keith]

Originally Posted by NickTrop View Post
Though it looks oh so purdy sitting next to your teeth on the shelf...

There's that dentist/leica thing again.

Or your hair as the case may be! 😀

 

[wafflecakee]

I've owned mine for less than a month but I can't get over how awesome it is. I wish i could sell my dslr and pay for quality processing.

 

[Harlee]

You guys have said it all. I've been using XAs for over 20 years and I believe I've had one in my possession ever since. Late last year, I picked one up at Good Will in mint condition with an A11 flash for around $3.50. Wasn't sure if it worked, but the focusing patch was good and for $3.50 what did I have to lose. Got it home, cleaned out the battery chamber, slipped in two batterys and it fired right up. Tomorrow it goes with me to the Atlanta/Yankee spring training game. I currently have 2 XAs, one XA2, and a mint XA3, all in surperb working order.

 

[CVickery]

Unfortunately mine only lasted for one film, before it locked up. I shouldn't have tried to fix it since I'm all thumbs, but I did. Anyone want a build it yourself XA? 🙁

 

[julescasablancas]

The metering is also very good, whether with flash or without
Never get wrong exposure so far..


cat.. by therightword !, on Flickr



X for XA by therightword !, on Flickr

 

[julio1fer]

I'm late, but great ode! I'll try a very imperfect haiku:

Out of your pocket
the little black camera
grabs what you can see

The XA certainly deserves some poetry.

 

[Bingley]

Thanks for this thread, Nick, and your ode to the ode-worthy XA. I still have, and regularly use, the one I bought new in the early 80s at the old 47th Street Photo in NYC. In fact, I like the XA so much I recently bought another here in Classifieds. Having a pocketable cam w/ a great lens opens up shooting possibilties (f.4 and be there!). For example....

 

[bayusuputra]

i am anxiously waiting for a deal in the classified here.. if all goes well, it will be my first XA!