Olympus Please bring back the XA pocket camera. Either as analogue or even digital.

[Ray Kilby]

I think this ranks as one of my favourite cameras of all time. Simple, easy, manipulable, great optics and it fits in your pocket.

What do others think?

I know plenty of people still have these cameras and continue to use them, though I’ll admit I haven’t used mine in a while. I have both the XA and the XA2, but they are starting to become unreliable. When you open them up, they do not always fire.

In some ways, I have always preferred the XA2 with its simple three-zone focusing. You did not need to fuss with it. But of course, purists will always love the original XA because it offered true focusing and was a genuine rangefinder.

If they ever brought it back as a digital camera, I am certain they would add a pile of extra functions, which would completely ruin what made it special in the first place: a simple point-and-shoot with just enough control to take great photos without any fuss, and one that fit right in your pocket.

If I brought it back, I would make it a 10-megapixel, purely black-and-white camera with only the functions they currently have.

 

[Ray Kilby]

These were with that camera, if my memory serves.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

I don't think we'll ever see anything like the Olympus XA again, film or digital.
I too prefer my XA2 and XA3. They are less fiddly to use than the XA.

I primarily use pocket 35mm film cameras.
One factor that can contribute to unreliability issues is pocket lint.
Thorough internal cleaning during service often solves that.
Use of a pouch case can also prolong service life.

Chris

 

[Ray Kilby]

I don't think we'll ever see anything like the Olympus XA again, film or digital.
I too prefer my XA2 and XA3. They are less fiddly to use than the XA.

I primarily use pocket 35mm film cameras.
One factor that can contribute to unreliability issues is pocket lint.
Thorough internal cleaning during service often solves that.
Use of a pouch case can also prolong service life.

Chris

What pocket cameras are you now using?

 

[trix4ever]

I preferred the 28mm lens and simplicity of the XA-4 myself. Wonderful little cameras.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

>What pocket cameras are you now using?<

I have had a bunch. Today Olympus XA2, XA3, mju1, Minox 35ML, Ricoh FF-1s get the most use.

Chris

 

[coogee]

Count me in as a huge fan of the XA, XA2 and XA4. I still have and use all three.

They are the purest, funnest pocket cameras ever imho. The photos I end up with reflect that, lots of fun happy faces, lots of random outcomes, lots of unintended motion blur, amazing colours, pop flash silliness. They'd sell a million (again) if Olympus ever resurrected them as is, right down to the lovely rubber thumb wheel advance.

Some random favourites from mine.
You should dig yours out OP, air blow around the shutter button area to clear out any lint/dust, and see if they want to play.

XA

XA2

XA4

 

[Mute-on]

Anything that resembles the XA range and could be achievable would get my attention. Even the later Mju but with at least aperture priority. Ricoh GR needs a competitor!

 

[hellojamin]

Great cameras indeed, I prefer my XA2/3 to my XA. So fast and discreet, you can remove from your pocket, slide open the clamshell and hit the shutter in seconds, one handed even. Rollei 35 is also great, sharper lens but slower shooting experience, heavier and bulkier too.

 

[Rick Waldroup]

I shot with an XA for a couple of years and really enjoyed it. I was working a lot of hours back then, and I carried that small camera in my pocket with me everywhere.

 

[Ray Kilby]

Count me in as a huge fan of the XA, XA2 and XA4. I still have and use all three.

They are the purest, funnest pocket cameras ever imho. The photos I end up with reflect that, lots of fun happy faces, lots of random outcomes, lots of unintended motion blur, amazing colours, pop flash silliness. They'd sell a million (again) if Olympus ever resurrected them as is, right down to the lovely rubber thumb wheel advance.

Some random favourites from mine.
You should dig yours out OP, air blow around the shutter button area to clear out any lint/dust, and see if they want to play.

XA

XA2

XA4

I love the images. Soo XA and I’ll take your advice and blow some of the possible lint out. It does fire but it’s cranky

 

[Ray Kilby]

I used to push the exposure by lowering the asa. So I could get great back lit shots and a fatter b/w neg. So simple.

I use a Ricoh digital GR 28mm lens now. I also use the Fuji XE5. I love the latter so much my M11 stays home a lot. I know, I know, I'm a fool.

 

[JeffS7444]

Original XA was a wonderful camera; I acquired mine for ~75 USD. Problems (dust-related?) of the camera not firing might be fairly simple to remedy.

 

[santino]

Yeah, the orange shutter button has to be removed in order to get access to the „sensor„ that has to be cleaned.

 

[Archlich]

I doubt Olympus, or what remains of it, has the R&D capacity - talents, of it all - to sink into entrepreneurial projects like they did in the '70s.

 

[Ray Kilby]

Yeah, the orange shutter button has to be removed in order to get access to the „sensor„ that has to be cleaned.

How do you remove it?

 

[Muggins]

You've inspired me to pop a room of FP4 in mine. Probably too slow for a rainy London (birthday trip to fit in Lee Miller at Tate Britain & Mr Cad), but it's what I had!

 

[JeffS7444]

How do you remove it?

Just pry it out, it's a thin piece of plastic held in place by a little adhesive.

 

[Godfrey]

I had, I think, three Olympus XA cameras over the years. They were excellent shooters, if not the most rugged camera ... All of mine expired with film transport problems that were too expensive/no parts for repair/etc. The XA in my kit was ultimately replaced by a Minox 35GT-E ... bought new in 1998 with dedicated flash and copy/close up kit, still performing well today.

Somewhere along the way, a friend handed me an Olympus Infinity Stylus Zoom DLX. It's long been stuffed in a corner of my equipment cabinet, but I just found it, put a fresh battery in, and loaded it. Seems to be working well; I'll know better when I process the roll. It's a bit bulky compared to an XA and the integrated date/time imprint is out of range (can only be set from 1989 to 2020) but eh? I just found the RC-100 remote for it at about US$11 so I'll get that and see if it all works.

Fun fun fun ...
G

 

[JohnWolf]

If you’re open to digital, a GR could come close to an XA2. Three custom functions set to snap focus at the three distances. P or A mode. Pocketable. Even 35 crop. Pretty similar ergonomics and shooting experience, I think. I use both.