XA vs. XA2?

I've shot a couple rolls with my XA2 now, I like it, but feel its biggest shortcoming is the near focus distance. 3 ft is just too far away for a 35mm lens. I just bought a Stylus Epic (not here yet) continuing my eternal search for the ultimate coat pocket cam. Its autofocus, down to 14", but there are shots that I've gotten very recently that autofocus would have ruined. If the XA2 is kinda not a rangefinder, the SE is very not a rangefinder, but fundamentally (aside from this being RFF) they fill the exact same roll. If the SE does the job for me, I'll probably sell my XA2's and get an XA and another SE.

I think $40 is closer to the price at which you might occasionally pick up an XA on ebay.
 
The XA has a lot going for it but two big things against it: first the emphatic blessings of cameraquest ( http://cameraquest.com/xa4.htm ), and second the fact that it's often recommended to Lomo users when their $150 LC-A dies, which is a very frequent occurance. The result is that it's not the bargain it might otherwise be.
 
The XA is the 1st coupled rfdr camera I've owned. I bought mine for $100 in a camera shop in cherry creek north and used it to shoot most of my senior thesis show. The others--even the XA4--aren't coupled and can't compare for accurate, fast shooting. The main problem I've found with the clamshell Olys is that damn "meter on" switch, which is located under the removable part of the shell, and if it begins to stick, the shutter won't fire.
So the rfdr is small and the baselength is too short and there's that meter switch! But the XA has a great soft shutter release and once you know how accurate the meter is, you can compensate with the asa setting. So save your $ and buy a good XA--it's worth the extra cost.
 
If you like autoexposure (with exposure lock ability) with a rangefinder, try a Konica C35 or Chinon 35EE or EE2. The first two are full autoexposure, with the ability to adjust ASA and with exposure lock and can take filters. The latter is aperture priority. All three are larger and heavier than the XA or Epic but can just fit in a coat pocket, are well made, with good rangefinders and lenses (37mm I think) and very inexpensive on *bay.
 
I have a XA2 and i love it. i take it almost everywhere just a girl takes her purse(you know that kinda small one.) the best thing about it it's that you dont need to focus. its hyper-focus it's great for street shots. so i dont feel i need a xa.
you can go to my gallery, there are lots picutres taken by XA2
 
Hi,
I have used an XA and an XA2 for years, and I used to have an XA4 macro as well. I sold the XA4 because 28mm was just too wide for my taste for a "carry with me always" camera - otherwise it was a great lens - very sharp and contrasty.

Incidently, the XA4 sold on xBay for about TWICE what I paid for it!

Now I carry both the XA and XA2 with me always. The XA2 is loaded with Tri-x at 640ASA and is my street point and shoot - the fast film makes up for f/3.5 aperture and zone-only focusing and the 1/750th minimum speed can handle it better. Just open it up and it's ready to shoot instantly with no need to think about focus or aperture.

The XA has Hp4+ or plus-x in it (ASA 125), and the rangefinder with ability to choose f/2.8 allows me to shoot wide open and focus accurately on close subjects.

I have not "scientifically" tested the 35mm lens on the XA vs. the XA2, and I would say that for all pratical purposes they are very very similar in quality. The XA2 lens is a tad sharper in my opinion, but neither are as sharp as the 35mm color-minotar on the Minox 35 that I used to use before it died.

Speaking of durability: I've owned four XAs over the years: one I still own, two got sold when I needed some money (student days), and one fell off of a boat. I have NEVER EVER had any technical problems with any of my XAs and they have all been knocking around in my briefcase FOR YEARS!
 
I sold my XA-4 several years ago because (at the time) I did not use the 28mm focal length often. I gave away my XA-2 since it was so cheap; I bought it for $5. I kept my XA, and I still use this camera often. It is a great little back-up camera for me. If my Canon rangefinder camera fails (which has not happend so far), I have the XA in the pocket. I change the ASA settings at the bottom of the XA whenever I need to better control the exposure for a particulr photo.
 
I carry my XA2 always. No matter what else I carry, small digital, full size Canon or rangefinder, the XA2 is in a pocket or bag. I keep it loaded with tri-x at 200 but have lately been thinking about trying it with pushed tri-x/Diafine as I am looking forward to trying that developer for the first time.
I had a XA years back and loved the thing. Mostly I keep it loaded with Tri-x or XP1 and used it as a street shooter for walk-abouts. If I can find another I'll go for it. EB*y prices are way to high and I'm pretty sure I'll eventually pick on up at a church or attic sale.

Both cameras have useful features and though I like my XA2 a lot, given a choice, I'd rather have a XA. I don't mind 'fiddly' when it comes to such a great little camera!

Cheers
 
I keep an XA2 loaded with film in my car at all times. In fact, that film is getting mighty old by now - time to change it. Good reminder!

You can sometimes find cheap XA's on eBoy by watching the "point-n-shoot" category and just watching for Olympus cameras. Some sellers think they are low-end cameras and don't bother to try to list a model number. I've managed to get a couple at less than $5 each that way. Just be patient, another will be around in a day or so.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Xa, Xa2

Xa, Xa2

I have both the XA and XA2. In fact I took the good batteries out of my XA2 and put them into the XA. From what I've read, the XA2 has a 4-element lens, while the XA has a 6 element one. Both of mine take good pictures. If you only can have one, I say hold out for an XA.
Glad to be aboard as a newbie to this site, although not a newbie to photography.
Dave Kinchen
 
Blue ones show up from time to time - KEH had one for $200 ish in the last 6 months. I think the Red ones are pretty hard to find though
 
I loved my XA4. Much better than XA and XA2. But very rare.

My girlfriend borrowed it and took it to China. She fell and smashed it and Olympus repaired it for free.
 
The XA took my best ever picture ...

The XA took my best ever picture ...

I've had the XA2 and then got the XA because it looked on paper to be better. It certainly gives you a lot more control over focusing, aperture etc. I took it to Tibet and because it was so handy I used it so much more than the Leica that I intended to take my serious pictures with. It just slipped out of my shirt pocket so easily and was instantly ready - even while on horseback. I subsequently bought a Rollei 35SE after hearing so many good things about it, but got rid of it because it was so fiddly to set up, and didn't fit in my shirt pocket. The XA is a superb camera for adventure travel: it took the picture I am most proud of: a Tibetan hunter who walked past me in a remote village . I chased him and whipped out the XA and caught him in a split second pose. I would have missed the shot if I'd tried to get a Leica or Rollei 35SE up to my eye.

Tibetan hunter photo link
 
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