Really a useful presentation. You have an excellent command of the language and provided a detailed, comprehensive review that I very much appreciated. I had one of these XA gems in the mid '80s and somehow lost it. I was quite broken-hearted about it and never forgot how much I liked using the camera. Just recently I was on Ebay for another purpose and for some reason "Olympus XA" popped into my head. I immediately did a search and lo and behold discovered several well preserved specimens and I quickly acquired one. It amazes me how something so seemingly trivial can make me so happy....
Wilas Thanks I'm sure you'll love it. If you want simpler bit the same form factor there's an XA2 on which you just select your 'focus zone' i.e. mountain, group, head shot, etc. I'd personally recommend the XA though, it's a stunning camera.
Jon Nelson They're a superb pocketable camera, I love the ease of use but have to say I favour the image quality of the rollei 35 and tend to use that a little more regularly
Had one for many years but finally went digital. When i decided to sell it I realised the foam seals were gone. Found a supplier who had precut seals for some models but not the XA. Managed to make seals myself and sold it very quickly on EBay. No complaints so hopefully still working well. I also owned several SLRs but the lens performance of the XA was as good as nay of them.
They're a fantastic pocketable full frame camera and a true rangefinder unlike the Minox 35GT which was typically touted as it's direct competition. I found little to tell between the lenses and the lack of a rangefinder was a drawback meaning you tended to revert to zone focusing and not using the wider apertures. The only thing I'd have kept from the the Minox was the thumb wind lever. I had two GT's and both developed faulty shutters also. Across 3 XA's I've not had a single problem.
26:15 I always try to pull out the film as short as possible. Avoiding exposing it you might get an extra frame by pulling out that bit of film with the advance wheel while the back is closed. An alternative method to make sure the film is catching on - is watching the rewind crank rotating as you advance the film. Super comprehensive review, just picked one up. This little gem seems to have got most thing right and is still readily available for next to nothing. Ain't life grand.
After I found an old Leica IIIf in my deceased grandpas house a couple of weeks ago. I started to try to shoot good photographs for the first time in my life I'd say. Now when I went back there to clear the basement, I found one of these. I'm glad that you put up this video! Now I am going to use this gem alongside my other gem. Thanks for making me eager to try it out
Andreas Lu These are a beautiful camera, check the battery contacts are clean and it's free of dust and check the shutter seems to match the (approximated) shutter speeds in the vf and the battery test and self timer work then load up with a favourite film and go have fun.
The batteries that were in the compartment for somewhere around 30 years. So the contacts are not really that great at the moment. But I should be able to clean them up. The dust situation on the other hand looks good :-) Now I just need some batteries to try it out :-)
Andreas Lu As long as it's not thick green and furry it should be OK, the good thing is that the batteries are common and cheap you can typically find carded packets in cheap £ shops and you'll need 2 AG13 / LR44.
I picked up some batteries and some more film. The camera seems to work quite well. I'm looking forward to see the results :-) Thanks again for the video. I'll keep you posted.
Found one in my stash and revived it. It's a marvel of engineering. My concern is its fragility. Mine froze after one roll, and I opened it up for some gentle surgery. An amazing array of wheels, gears, and wires. It's working again; for how long I will soon find out.
Ron Scibilia Glad to hear you got it working again, I've had a few via ebay and so far they've all been really good, I had a thing about variants like one has m readings on the rangefinder and one has ft then I ended up with a further for the flash unit, (which beyond testing I've never used) then another for the flash and presentation case. I finally realised I'd never use them all and sold all but one, (with the presentation case and flash). Having never had to open one I'm hoping now that it'll re main working and hopefully yours will. Do you have any videos of yours, I'd be esepcially interested in a strip down one?
Great video! I have an Olympus XA2, but it has a problem and I don't know the reason. The led inside the viewfinder is working without a film inside the camera, but after I insert the film, the only shutter speed is 2 seconds, no matter how bright it is outside.
Unfortunately i'm unfamiliar with the XA2 other than knowing it's more automated, I'd suggest it's some kind of electrical problem with the metering, if you feel confident enough you could partially strip and clean all visible electrical contact points and see if that helps? My other suggestion is to see if there's a forum that has more detailed knowledge about the XA2?
It.s weird because when it.s empty the metering seems perfect. I have cleaned the lens, the little lightmeter on the outside, the ISO lever is opening and closing when I set the lever at the film speed. I also have the external flash, but that takes ages to load and it.s not working every time. At first I was looing for a XA model, but it was too expensive
SHIN J Thanks. No it doesn't, this camera pre dates the electronic date stamp models. Something like the newer more automated Olympus Mju zoom cameras would do that and they're very nice cameras to use and can be had cheaply.
Kayla Whalen You feed the tail off the film into one of the slots and turn the winder slightly until you see it grip the sprocket holes 5 close the back and wind on to you see 1 in the film counter.
I'd need to dig into my archives and scan some negatives so I don't know when i'm likely to have the time. The last film camera I was regularly using was the Rollei S35 and B35 but lately it's digital. I will give them all a run again but i'm currently busy with other projects.
The XA combines features, some of which are usually missing in these super-small compacts, in an ergonomic package which makes it the outstanding "user" of this class of mini-cameras. It's lens was a unique design invented to allow the lens to function without having to "pop out" like a Rollei 35 or just stick out like a normal 35mm camera. As noted here, the trade-off of that lens design was a compromise of resolution and to a lesser extent, contrast. As a result, the XA is a great camera for snapshots (it's target market) with enlargements up to 8x10 inches, but its photo output will not perform favorably against most of its small competitors of its period, which includes many less expensive models. Of course, this also meant that the XA got taken to shoot some photos where otherwise no camera or photos were taken.
What "negativity"? Sorry if my some part of my comment ruffled your fanboy feathers, but the history of the XA''s creation and the published lens tests are objective and accurately repeated by me. As a package of features, there is probably no better bang for the buck in a compact pocket 35mm camera. If you use it like Olympus expected and do not try to give Ansel Adams a run for his money on print quality, you should have no complaints.. Mine is not for sale.
I just bought the XA. I know its good camera but im having trouble with that thing at 17:30 (i’d assume its light meter). It is barely seen, i have to adjust my sight to have a better look. While yours seem easily seen without any difficulties. Is it because the age of the camera or what? I want to send you the picture but i cannot put it on here. Any responds will be much appriciated :) thanks!
Iqbal Jurist In bright light it can be tricky to see but it's really only a guide to your shutter speed, as long as it's within the upper and lower numbered section you'll get an acceptable exposure.
spidiq8 maybe these image would help. ibb.co/mrxxpc ibb.co/dB4MFH. Anyway i get your point and i just went to repair place, they said it is age factor (the number measurement) and nothing much can do to fix them. One more question, sir, if its aperture priority, how do you manage yourself to get motion blurry effect? Seems dropping the shutter means dropping the aperture as well (thus making it under exposure). Thankss!
Iqbal Jurist Yes, age can affect these things but some cameras even same make and model can differ from the factory. For motion blur you need a slow shutter so selecting a small aperture or slower speed film or a combination of the two will help you achieve it, depends on the subject as to the speed but slower than 1/30 will be tricky to hand hold without shaking. In bright light you'll need 50-100 ISO and really close the aperture.
man,please answer me.i have this camera.everything is working but,the red button up is not responding.But when i have the film release open is working.the problem is i no have film in hare?if i put film in camera the red button will working???
Do you mean the red shutter release button or the red LED battery test/self timer light? If the shutter release button, with batteries installed it should fire with or without a film in provided the film wind is advanced and the clamshell case lens cover portion is clicked fully open, if it still won't work then the switch that the lens cover operates might be damaged.
As it's operating with the camera back open the odds are it's the switch that the sliding lens cover sets when open to allow the shutter to operate that's at fault, unfortunately I don't know how straightforward it is to check or repair that.
I'm more more of more of a b&w shooter with Ilford HP5 being my all time favourite. I've never used the Konica, this was a roll left in an old camera I was given so I use it for demonstration and test loading. For C41 my favourite was Fuji for colour rendition. If the roll hadn't been half exposed it'd have been interesting to develop and see what was on there.
Peter Elgar Tut! lol, I dare say someone will chastise you. Glad you enjoyed it. To be fair I find myself waffling at times and all I can say is thank goodness for editing programmes, even then I have to kick myself and remind myself to stick to the point. Also, there's a couple of our colonial cousins on here who give good reviews, for modern stuff I love the format of the Canadian photo store I think they're called?
This issue with any film camera (other than the odd Lecia that is still made) is they can not be serviced. Parts are not available and the number of folks fixing older cameras diminishing. Minox 35 and 8x11 can still be repeated by Don Goldberg in USA and MS Hobbies in the UK even though Minox no longer repair cameras. Minox from the later 35ML/MDC have improved more reliable shutters. CLA fixes most issues. MB/ML have LEDs for the meter all the others have a swinging needle in the viewfinder. Rollei 35 with Sonnar lens is claimed to be a better lens, but it is marginal to the extend that owners of both a Rollei and a Minox end up carrying a Minox as it is smaller and lighter. Minox cameras unlike all the other vogue film P&S are getting cheaper, particularly if imported from Germany. MB/ML use PX28 or a stack of button cells. The other Minox 35 cameras use a PX27. Silver Oxide 6V are available to fit. Many Minox cameras have a replacement battery cover with includes a holder for CR1/3 or buttons cells. Voltage reduction holders are sold if this is an issue for the meter in a particular camera. (Jan 2020)
@@draganmikki5688 I'm pretty sure I measured it all before I filmed the review but there's every possibility I got wrong, the XA is in my trekking pack as it's one of my favourites for carrying around so I'll have to dig it out. Which part of the video do I give the measurements in?
They're really not, depends on your location, it's not like mm were recently invented to replace them. Not being able to turn off your caps lock is so yesterday though. ;)
Really a useful presentation. You have an excellent command of the language and provided a detailed, comprehensive review that I very much appreciated. I had one of these XA gems in the mid '80s and somehow lost it. I was quite broken-hearted about it and never forgot how much I liked using the camera. Just recently I was on Ebay for another purpose and for some reason "Olympus XA" popped into my head. I immediately did a search and lo and behold discovered several well preserved specimens and I quickly acquired one. It amazes me how something so seemingly trivial can make me so happy....
Dave Nicholson That's great, I'm so pleased you enjoyed it and hope you equally enjoy your newly acquired XA also
Just bought one. The video was super helpful to someone like me whos new to film photography. Thanks
CheatsBro That's great, glad to help and I hope you enjoy it.
Thank you for this review, so stoked about my XA I just got
z You're welcome, enjoy your XA
Thank you! just got one and very excited to use it!
Yashinta Atika Great stuff, hope you enjoy it, be sure to share your pics please
I love the XA. Ingenious design!!! I take mine with me almost everytime i leave the house!
Good video!
Thanks. It is a great little camera.
@@spidiq8 Indeed :)
Great review! Very helpful. Will definitely get myself one of these :)
Wilas Thanks I'm sure you'll love it. If you want simpler bit the same form factor there's an XA2 on which you just select your 'focus zone' i.e. mountain, group, head shot, etc.
I'd personally recommend the XA though, it's a stunning camera.
I had one of these in the '80s. Took it to Europe. Unfortunately I don't have it anymore, but it's still one of my favorite cameras.
Jon Nelson They're a superb pocketable camera, I love the ease of use but have to say I favour the image quality of the rollei 35 and tend to use that a little more regularly
Had one for many years but finally went digital. When i decided to sell it I realised the foam seals were gone. Found a supplier who had precut seals for some models but not the XA. Managed to make seals myself and sold it very quickly on EBay. No complaints so hopefully still working well. I also owned several SLRs but the lens performance of the XA was as good as nay of them.
They're a fantastic pocketable full frame camera and a true rangefinder unlike the Minox 35GT which was typically touted as it's direct competition.
I found little to tell between the lenses and the lack of a rangefinder was a drawback meaning you tended to revert to zone focusing and not using the wider apertures.
The only thing I'd have kept from the the Minox was the thumb wind lever.
I had two GT's and both developed faulty shutters also. Across 3 XA's I've not had a single problem.
this is so helpful, especially as film is coming back
Thanks, glad you liked it
26:15 I always try to pull out the film as short as possible. Avoiding exposing it you might get an extra frame by pulling out that bit of film with the advance wheel while the back is closed. An alternative method to make sure the film is catching on - is watching the rewind crank rotating as you advance the film. Super comprehensive review, just picked one up. This little gem seems to have got most thing right and is still readily available for next to nothing. Ain't life grand.
Daniel Fjäll Thanks for the feedback and tips, glad you enjoyed the video.
just bought one off of ebay, so excited to try it!
socko Great stuff, I hope you enjoy it.
After I found an old Leica IIIf in my deceased grandpas house a couple of weeks ago. I started to try to shoot good photographs for the first time in my life I'd say. Now when I went back there to clear the basement, I found one of these. I'm glad that you put up this video! Now I am going to use this gem alongside my other gem. Thanks for making me eager to try it out
Andreas Lu These are a beautiful camera, check the battery contacts are clean and it's free of dust and check the shutter seems to match the (approximated) shutter speeds in the vf and the battery test and self timer work then load up with a favourite film and go have fun.
The batteries that were in the compartment for somewhere around 30 years. So the contacts are not really that great at the moment. But I should be able to clean them up. The dust situation on the other hand looks good :-)
Now I just need some batteries to try it out :-)
Andreas Lu As long as it's not thick green and furry it should be OK, the good thing is that the batteries are common and cheap you can typically find carded packets in cheap £ shops and you'll need 2 AG13 / LR44.
I picked up some batteries and some more film. The camera seems to work quite well.
I'm looking forward to see the results :-)
Thanks again for the video. I'll keep you posted.
Andreas Lu Fantastic, post some images if you can in a video or on an album, I'd like to see them.
Found one in my stash and revived it. It's a marvel of engineering. My concern is its fragility. Mine froze after one roll, and I opened it up for some gentle surgery. An amazing array of wheels, gears, and wires. It's working again; for how long I will soon find out.
Ron Scibilia Glad to hear you got it working again, I've had a few via ebay and so far they've all been really good, I had a thing about variants like one has m readings on the rangefinder and one has ft then I ended up with a further for the flash unit, (which beyond testing I've never used) then another for the flash and presentation case. I finally realised I'd never use them all and sold all but one, (with the presentation case and flash). Having never had to open one I'm hoping now that it'll re main working and hopefully yours will. Do you have any videos of yours, I'd be esepcially interested in a strip down one?
Great video! I have an Olympus XA2, but it has a problem and I don't know the reason. The led inside the viewfinder is working without a film inside the camera, but after I insert the film, the only shutter speed is 2 seconds, no matter how bright it is outside.
Unfortunately i'm unfamiliar with the XA2 other than knowing it's more automated, I'd suggest it's some kind of electrical problem with the metering, if you feel confident enough you could partially strip and clean all visible electrical contact points and see if that helps?
My other suggestion is to see if there's a forum that has more detailed knowledge about the XA2?
It.s weird because when it.s empty the metering seems perfect. I have cleaned the lens, the little lightmeter on the outside, the ISO lever is opening and closing when I set the lever at the film speed. I also have the external flash, but that takes ages to load and it.s not working every time.
At first I was looing for a XA model, but it was too expensive
excellent advice
jackmandora1 Thanks.
Thanks for your presentation!
"follow your advice but not your example" -- I got it! LOL
Good video :) Does it have a function to write the date at the bottom of a picture?
SHIN J Thanks. No it doesn't, this camera pre dates the electronic date stamp models. Something like the newer more automated Olympus Mju zoom cameras would do that and they're very nice cameras to use and can be had cheaply.
When I’m loading film, do I insert it into the spool or around it?
Kayla Whalen You feed the tail off the film into one of the slots and turn the winder slightly until you see it grip the sprocket holes 5 close the back and wind on to you see 1 in the film counter.
Can you do a update with photos you have captured? And show what you are using now.
I'd need to dig into my archives and scan some negatives so I don't know when i'm likely to have the time.
The last film camera I was regularly using was the Rollei S35 and B35 but lately it's digital.
I will give them all a run again but i'm currently busy with other projects.
i have XA and XA2 ... amazing FF câmeras
Fernando Filipe They are indeed, hope you enjoyed the review
spidiq8 top review thanks friend.
The XA combines features, some of which are usually missing in these super-small compacts, in an ergonomic package which makes it the outstanding "user" of this class of mini-cameras. It's lens was a unique design invented to allow the lens to function without having to "pop out" like a Rollei 35 or just stick out like a normal 35mm camera. As noted here, the trade-off of that lens design was a compromise of resolution and to a lesser extent, contrast. As a result, the XA is a great camera for snapshots (it's target market) with enlargements up to 8x10 inches, but its photo output will not perform favorably against most of its small competitors of its period, which includes many less expensive models. Of course, this also meant that the XA got taken to shoot some photos where otherwise no camera or photos were taken.
Take your negativity somewhere else, buddy.
What "negativity"? Sorry if my some part of my comment ruffled your fanboy feathers, but the history of the XA''s creation and the published lens tests are objective and accurately repeated by me. As a package of features, there is probably no better bang for the buck in a compact pocket 35mm camera. If you use it like Olympus expected and do not try to give Ansel Adams a run for his money on print quality, you should have no complaints.. Mine is not for sale.
I just bought the XA. I know its good camera but im having trouble with that thing at 17:30 (i’d assume its light meter). It is barely seen, i have to adjust my sight to have a better look. While yours seem easily seen without any difficulties. Is it because the age of the camera or what? I want to send you the picture but i cannot put it on here. Any responds will be much appriciated :) thanks!
Iqbal Jurist In bright light it can be tricky to see but it's really only a guide to your shutter speed, as long as it's within the upper and lower numbered section you'll get an acceptable exposure.
spidiq8 maybe these image would help. ibb.co/mrxxpc
ibb.co/dB4MFH.
Anyway i get your point and i just went to repair place, they said it is age factor (the number measurement) and nothing much can do to fix them. One more question, sir, if its aperture priority, how do you manage yourself to get motion blurry effect? Seems dropping the shutter means dropping the aperture as well (thus making it under exposure). Thankss!
Iqbal Jurist Yes, age can affect these things but some cameras even same make and model can differ from the factory. For motion blur you need a slow shutter so selecting a small aperture or slower speed film or a combination of the two will help you achieve it, depends on the subject as to the speed but slower than 1/30 will be tricky to hand hold without shaking.
In bright light you'll need 50-100 ISO and really close the aperture.
spidiq8 thank you sir! I’ll dig some soon!!
Iqbal Jurist glad I could help you there. Hope you enjoy using it.
man,please answer me.i have this camera.everything is working but,the red button up is not responding.But when i have the film release open is working.the problem is i no have film in hare?if i put film in camera the red button will working???
Do you mean the red shutter release button or the red LED battery test/self timer light?
If the shutter release button, with batteries installed it should fire with or without a film in provided the film wind is advanced and the clamshell case lens cover portion is clicked fully open, if it still won't work then the switch that the lens cover operates might be damaged.
mark avra Can you verify the shutter is wound on fully until it stops and the lens cover is clicked open completely?
the button is working only when the back cover is open,only then.when i close nothing
As it's operating with the camera back open the odds are it's the switch that the sliding lens cover sets when open to allow the shutter to operate that's at fault, unfortunately I don't know how straightforward it is to check or repair that.
Thank you very much for the help.
Nice review thanks....tomorrow i will get my XA! ..... Meat hands with sausage fingers,.... that made my day somehow :D
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed the review and I hope you enjoy the camera. I love mine so much I've had 3 XA's
hi! do you currently have one for sale
mel Not one of these, only the one I use. I do have a digital Fuji X30 for sale though.
Love the camera.... Ive just sussed out how to use a flash with it!......... But I think you mean millimetres and not CM!!
It's a while since I filmed this so apologies if I erred on the measurement increments.
That Konica VX is one of my favourtire negatives. Too bad it's even hard to find expired ones.
I'm more more of more of a b&w shooter with Ilford HP5 being my all time favourite. I've never used the Konica, this was a roll left in an old camera I was given so I use it for demonstration and test loading. For C41 my favourite was Fuji for colour rendition.
If the roll hadn't been half exposed it'd have been interesting to develop and see what was on there.
A 'Fellow Brit' giving a review with none of the 'waffle' we get from our 'Transatlantic Friends' ---- ( Probably will get into trouble now ! )
Peter Elgar Tut! lol, I dare say someone will chastise you.
Glad you enjoyed it.
To be fair I find myself waffling at times and all I can say is thank goodness for editing programmes, even then I have to kick myself and remind myself to stick to the point. Also, there's a couple of our colonial cousins on here who give good reviews, for modern stuff I love the format of the Canadian photo store I think they're called?
You must have very large hands for 65 cm high and 40 cm deep
Yeah, I noticed that. I think he left out the decimal for or he was reading it in millimeters.
This issue with any film camera (other than the odd Lecia that is still made) is they can not be serviced. Parts are not available and the number of folks fixing older cameras diminishing. Minox 35 and 8x11 can still be repeated by Don Goldberg in USA and MS Hobbies in the UK even though Minox no longer repair cameras. Minox from the later 35ML/MDC have improved more reliable shutters. CLA fixes most issues. MB/ML have LEDs for the meter all the others have a swinging needle in the viewfinder. Rollei 35 with Sonnar lens is claimed to be a better lens, but it is marginal to the extend that owners of both a Rollei and a Minox end up carrying a Minox as it is smaller and lighter. Minox cameras unlike all the other vogue film P&S are getting cheaper, particularly if imported from Germany.
MB/ML use PX28 or a stack of button cells. The other Minox 35 cameras use a PX27. Silver Oxide 6V are available to fit. Many Minox cameras have a replacement battery cover with includes a holder for CR1/3 or buttons cells. Voltage reduction holders are sold if this is an issue for the meter in a particular camera.
(Jan 2020)
You sound a bit like Peter Frampton.
Are you sure the width of the camera is 140mm? Manual says it is 102mm.
I'll double check for you when I get a moment.
@@spidiq8 Thank you. I think that with the flash attached the total length might be around 140mm!
@@draganmikki5688 I'm pretty sure I measured it all before I filmed the review but there's every possibility I got wrong, the XA is in my trekking pack as it's one of my favourites for carrying around so I'll have to dig it out.
Which part of the video do I give the measurements in?
FEET AND INCHES ARE SO OUTDATED FFS
They're really not, depends on your location, it's not like mm were recently invented to replace them. Not being able to turn off your caps lock is so yesterday though. ;)
spidiq8 stones aswell