Olympus XA: The smallest rangefinder camera
By Konstantinos Besios (His Blog Here)
The Leica M is considered to be the best tool for street photography, small and light with top image quality and the pros of a rangefinder camera. But, there are some cases when I wanted an even smaller camera body that could literally fit in any pocket. A small digital compact could do the job but I am a big fan of film and I wanted something really small with good image quality.
A friend of mine showed me his Olympus XA and it was love at first sight. This is a really unique camera, extra small and light with a fantastic 35mm f2.8 Zuiko lens and its a rangefinder camera !!
I recently managed to purchase this camera at excellent working condition and at an extraordinary price (50 euros thats is !) After shooting a few rolls of film I have to admit that this was the best cost/benefit camera purchase ever !!!
The Olympus XA was designed by the well known Yoshihisa Maitani (designer of the Olympus PEN and OM series), and it’s a really stunning accomplishment. Along with its small size, the great feature of the XA is a remarkable 35mm f2.8 six elements Zuiko lens. It’s electronic shutter is activated with an almost touch button which allows very slow handheld speeds. The lens is not extending, so you just slide the cover and you are ready to shoot. It’s rangefinder is not so easy to operate as a Leica M but gets the job done. For street shooting you just set the aperture to f5.6 and the distance to 3 meters and pretty everything is in focus. This is strictly aperture priority camera, you just don’t get to manually set the shutter, so it takes a while to get used to it (especially since the shutter speed most of the times cannot be easily seen in the viewfinder). But if you choose a 400 iso film it’s really easy to take instantly good images. The camera also has a +1.5 exposure compensation lever at the bottom which comes in handy when you need it.
The biggest advantage of the Olympus XA is that it really looks like an old point & shoot camera which no one really cares to bother, while at the same time can take wonderful images. I carry it everywhere with me and in many cases it has replaced my Leica M since it can be fit even in my trousers pocket, no bag needed.
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Of course the image quality is not a par with a Leica, but for those instances where even a small camera bag is too much to carry this little rangefinder is perfect (and the price is really a bargain !!)
Check out the old TV ad on YouTube!
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I bought an XA2 in 1984 as my first 35mm camera, for £35! There was a lot of hype about it at the time but I found it a bit frustrating and limiting as I knew what look I wanted to achieve and didn’t have the controls to do it. I went on to buy a Canon EOS SLR which gave me the control I wanted, but not the look. And then a Contax T2 which gave me the look but not the control. Then bought a used Contax T which was – perfect! Oh how I regret selling that camera! I sold it to get a Contax G1, but the T was better. Having said all that, and now knowing more about photography tricks – I am looking at XA’s on ebay as in 1984 I realised the XA model was the one I needed but was not available. And these days IQ isn’t the biggest priority any more – but fun and weight are. I sold the Contax G to buy a Leica X1 – which is fantastic and the first and only digital camera I have owned – can’t bring myself to buy a digital compact – I like silence. Am currently the selling the Leica X1 if anyone’s interested. Boxed with viewfinder, grip, thumbs up winder, leather case – all boxed – hardly a mark on it except a couple of spots on the rear viewing screen. When it’s sold I might buy another Contax T!
What is the right battery for the Olympus XA?
I bought my Olympus XA2 early this year after encountering with Japan Camera Hunter website. Something and somehow click just seeing amazing black and white pictures on that website as well as reviews of film cameras on that website as well as your website. Anyway enough said, I decided to buy Olympus XA2 since it is affordable yet produces great quality photos. So I bough Fujifilm Superia premium 400 and ILFORD HP5 PLUS 400 Black and White Film. Hope to get something out of these films.
I have an XA2 and later on an XA. I burnt many rolls with these cameras and those clam-shells are useful as no bags are required. Here is my XAgraphy link.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wickedfilm/sets/72157625897043411/
I want to know can XA easily find anywhere? or is it rare to find it now a days except ebay or other online shops because in Vancouver, Canada, it is rare to see and luckily I found XA with A11 flash for $165 Canadian dollar at Vintage shop. I have to load a battery and a film to try it but it is not cheap and I don’t do online shopping since ID theft and other issues regarding to online shopping. I know it is good camera and kind of must have 35mm camera.
Or
I am going to Tokyo this summer for a month so I shall wait until that time.
I just ordered on on ebay — the original xa (I want a fully manual camera). I need a good 35 mm lens for my screw mount rangefinder and can’t presently afford a good one. The XA will fill the gap for much less. My first camera was a program Olympus 35 EC, and I loved it before moving on. I’m confident I’ll like the camera.
I have been shooting with XA2 for sometimes and acquired an XA of late and this hub interests me. What you have said is so right and now my Leica M and even IIIf sits a lot in the drybox. Thanks for the great pictures too.
Regards.
hi Konstantinos,
I bet you didnt expect so many replies to your post on the Olympus XA. After all, this is an old camera amidst todays fantastic digital cameras. So why the many replies, comments and posts?
I had the XA and the XA4 macro with the 28mm wide lens and macro capability. The XA is a PRO camera in my opinion, thats why they brought up the cheaper and easier to use XA2 cameras etc. The XA was a killer camera with aperture priority. With the A11 or A16 flash attached, you could do slow shutter synch in full sunlight or night shots. It was TRULY a small stealthy camera because you could cover it in your palm and the shutter was just a click.
So thats why there is so much interest in this article because we all have FOND GREAT memories of this really wonderful device created by MAITANI. The question is WHY OH WHY does not olympus make us a DIGITAL XA today?
Fuji x100 comes to mind, but thats a Leica M3 digital replacement, not an XA replacement. But, love your article all the same, love the 35mm angle of view. Here are some portrait shots with the 35mm focal length.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/paparazzi666/5827860110/in/photostream
The Rollei 35 was even smaller, a bit heavier, but definitely smaller.
I’d have to disagree here. The XA is smaller and lighter. The Rollei 35 is deeper and wider. Though the height is the same as the XA. Once the lens is extracted it is even larger. I have both and I don’t use the Rollei because of it’s weight.
The Minox as correctly pointed out was a P+S. The XA is a fully fledged range finder.
It’s really amazing how people love their film cameras (I know I love mine). The digital era has provided us the ease of shooting as many images as we like without the cost of film and of course gave us instant preview and sharing of a photo, but the digital cameras become obsolete after a few years, on the other hand a thirty years film camera is always ready to take a new roll when we feel like it and always reserves a special place in our hearts. It’s nice to see many people still have and use this wonderful camera, and I would also love to see a digital version of the XA someday.
Yes! Weird how Olympus has not even tried to come up with a digital re-design of this classic… a missed opportunity really.
You inspired to me go out and buy a real decent film scanner today and give my XA some street use again… also fun to check out old film files this afternoon. I used that beast on so many trips… remember baking chappatis with this guy in a Nepalese temple, smoking stuff with one hand, making a picture with that lovely small camera in the other…
[img]http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/scans-XA-4.jpg[/img]
Bought my XA in about 1980, just after it was released in the UK (79GBP! – complete with its flash unit A11, which I hardly used). Used it for years and it went everywhere with me, day in day out (including a lot of rock climbing and mountain hikes in all weather), usually loaded with Ilford FP4. Bit soft at f2.8 but got better down to f8. Considering its quirky lens design it was pretty sharp and very usuable.
I’ve looked at some of my 8x10s, and they stand up quite well against my Minolta CLE’s 40mm shot of the same era.
Maitani Yoshihisa was a genius designer (he died in 2009). What a fitting tribute to his memory it would be for Olympus to bring out a digital version.
Just checked my old friend, XA, out. Put in new batteries and she works! Crikey! Might have to purchase a few rolls of film and give the old girl a go once more!
Thank you for reminding me about ths iconic, unique little marvel with its easy to use self-timer and back light compension of +1.5 stops. Great article.
Brian
Hi
I have one XA, i want to shoot again with it, because of you….
Many thanks
Regards
Yummy camera… Many models of these, with different lenses and characherisrics…. Great post Steve… I put chromogenic film in mine… And the quality is amazing… I picked mine up on ebay too. Though i did find a mju at the op shop for $2.00, working and the images are comparable… It was also a classic camera… Helmut Newton reportadly used one… There must be a whole host of well know people who used an XA…
Great little camera. I have two that I bought on ebay a while back. One is loaded with B&W.
XA is a great street shooter. Yah, the lens isn’t as good as a Leica but … you know, ISO400 film isn’t exactly hi-res. I find that I use it mostly in scale-focus mode due to dim finder patch. Just put it at f/8 and 10 feet and you’re good to go. Push the lever to infinity for long shots, and for shots under 6 feet use the RF patch.
Have you used modern 400 EI films? They are every bit as sharp and detailed as 100 films of today and the past. To really get super res you need to shoot ortho films or stuff like PAN F and slightly pull.
TMY2 in DDX is fine for me at 1600. Looks nice. At 800 or 400 it is too nice….
I think it’s funny that so many people seem to want to discuss the differences between a V3 and V4 Summicron 50, when they’re shooting Arista Premium 400. The XA lens is pretty good, just fine for street shooting at f/11 with zone focus — not really any different than an M7 for the same purpose, and a lot smaller.
Be careful to get the XA and not the X1, 2, 3, 4. Those other ones have different lenses (wider and slower) and also are zone focus only… the top of the line is the XA without any numbers. Should be able to get a nice unit for A11 flash (I prefer A16 as it is wider and better for daylight fill with cool flash street shooting) for under 100 USD.
XA4 is as good as the XA but pretty rare. The XA1 was terrible (very slow lens) the 2 and 3 were fun zone-focus cameras. The XA4 has a wide-angle 28mm lens and macro focusing to 0.3m. The focus distance for macro was measured with the hand strap.
I have two of them. Always have one hanging about my neck. Lighter than an iphone. I mostly zone focus them as the focus throw is so short and the usual shots that one can frame with a 35 lens is easy to guess distance.
nice cam indeed! But…whats about the Minox 35 series?
I could be wrong but I believe all the Minox 35 models were zone focus only. The XA gives you legitimate rangefinder focusing while the Minox was considered a “viewfinder” camera.
I agree. I used to use an XA as my main camera with Tmax 400 film pushed to ISO 1600 when I didn´t want to carry my big heavy Leica M6 around. It was so small you could pop it into almost any pocket. The only disadvntage I noticed was that the rangefinder patch wasn´t so clearly visible to me due to my eyesight and the fact that the patch fades over the years. Nevertheless a brilliant camera !
I’ve still got one in the drawer in the living room, complete with the detachable flash. It’s got an unused film in it too — it was my dads camera but I’ve thought about selling it on eBay as it’s a waste not being used.
If memory serves me right, there was two
Version, the XA and the XA2.
Great photos. In many ways much nicer than digital IMHO. Thanks for sharing.
XA: My first real camera love 🙂 I still have got one here on my shelf. When I just tried it, it still works fine even if I haven’t replaced the batteries in ten years 🙂 Yes, a truly remarkable camera I took with me everywhere when I was hitchhiking through the world.
I too have a broken XA.. the shutter doesn’t work anymore.
I switched the Contax T and that’s been working out great… better IQ with a zeiss lens and pretty much the same size.
Oh, the other ting I forgot to mention was that I found it difficult to line up the lines as my eyes got older. LOL! I switched to a Yashica T4 and an Olympus Stylus Epic for the AF features due to this. I still love that little broken XA.
Beautiful pictures, by the way. Thanks for sharing.
I loved the XA and let my older sister have it. She broke it. 🙁
last two are my favs. Love the contrast you get out that combination. Great eye! I pretty much shoot only with one lens (50mm) and the simplicity that this brings is often under estimated. Excellent work my friend.
Great article, I love the XA, in fact I have three! 1 original XA (rangefinder), which I think is still the best one and 2 of the cheaper point/shoot style XA-2s (simple 3-zone focus, slower lens)
My dream is that Olympus will one day come out with a digital, full frame version ! The XA really is an amazing engineering feat considering it’s small size for a 35mm rangefinder and pretty darn good lens).
My XA’s don’t see much use anymore due as I’m a sucker for the convenience of digital but I do drag them out every so often!
My sister had/has this camera. Actually, the XA2. It still works!
Once again the old adage that “it is not the camera that takes the picture but the person behind it” that takes the picture. Excellent imagery, Konstantinos, especially the last one in my humble opinion. Thanks for sharing. You give me some hope as I start out on a quest of shooting with nothing but ‘normal’ (Contax G2 w/45mm f2, Yashica Electro35 GS w/45mm f1.7, & Nikon D2H w/35mm f1.8 DX) lenses for a while.
I love the XA, possibly the smartest of small camera’s ever. I used to dream of owning one as a boy,
it still a has a fantastic design style even today. Why has Olympus never made a digital version?