You may have heard of the Olympus XA2, the XA1 and the XA3, but today we are bringing it back to the fantastic original camera in the series - the Olympus XA. And, although this is rare among series of cameras, we think this one is the best.
We have been taking this camera on holiday with us since we got it, and here are our thoughts on it.
What is the Olympus XA?
The Olympus XA is the first camera in the XA series, succeeded by the XA1, XA2, XA3 and XA4. It was introduced in 1979 and discontinued in 1985.
The Olympus XA is a rangefinder camera. A rangefinder is a type of camera that uses a small patch in the viewfinder to help you focus your camera. We'll talk more about this later.
The XA series are known for their compact size and super sharp lenses, and I consider them point and shoot cameras despite their manual focus.
What features does the Olympus XA have?
The greatest feature of the Olympus XA camera is its fantastically sharp 28mm f/2.8 lens. It is a Zuiko lens, a manufacturer known for their high quality construction and exceptional quality.
The Olympus XA has most must-have features that you want when creating images.
Other features of the Olympus XA include:
- Manual winding
- Automatic shutter speed with a shutter speed indicator in the viewfinder
- Manual aperture
- Rangefinder focusing
- Detachable flash
- Self-timer
- Back-light exposure compensation mode
Using the Olympus XA
Using the Olympus XA took a while to get used to, but now it is my go-to camera for travelling and everyday use. Having all the settings on the front of the camera meant I was often forgetting to set my aperture, however leaving it at the f/5.6 means you can't go wrong.
The other setting on the front of the camera is the focus, which moves the rangefinder patch in the viewfinder.
How does the Olympus XA rangefinder work?
The Olympus XA rangefinder is easy to use when you get used to it. In the centre of the viewfinder is a small yellow patch that reflects part of your view. The goal is to line up this reflected view with what you can see and want to focus on.
It is a really simple system, but does take some getting used to. I found it easy to use as a glasses-wearer and it was nice to have the reassurance that what I was photographing was definitely in focus.
Views of Tenby and Bournemouth, taken on the Olympus XA with Portra 400
Sample images from the Olympus XA
I was really pleased with the film I got back from using the Olympus XA. We used a roll of Kodak Portra 400, and also used it across a variety of lighting situations to really test the camera's limits.
Our roll of film was developed by Gulabi, who are a Glasgow-based film lab. We are partnered with Gulabi and you will get a discount code to use their lab with all camera purchases.
Views of Tenby and Bournemouth, taken on the Olympus XA with Portra 400
You can see the sharpness of the lens in these photographs. There is a slight vignette in the corners of the photographs, but not enough to cause concern or decrease the quality of the image, in my opinion.
Views of Amsterdam, taken on the Olympus XA with Kodak Vision3 250D
Can you use the Olympus XA at night?
Yes, you can use the Olympus XA camera at night. Either with a flash or without.
Here is another area where the Olympus XA really surprised me.
As the shutter speed is automatic, I thought it would have failed during low light situations without the flash attached.
However, these next images were taken without flash at night.
Even in the super dark setting, the Olympus XA managed to expose the sudden flashes of light really well, and also maintained the sharp focus seen throughout the daylight shots.
For these photographs, the camera was set to the infinity focus mark.
What accessories are there for the Olympus XA camera?
There are a good range of accessories you can add to this camera. The main one is the detachable flash that screws onto the side of the camera.
Final Thoughts on the Olympus XA
For a camera the size of your palm, the Olympus XA delivers the quality, versatility, and sharpness of a SLR camera. Its features are all packed into the small body well, and it feels not only sturdy, but capable of great things.
The Olympus XA is an ideal everyday camera for putting in your pocket, and taking for a stroll, or in your backpack when you go travelling.
Those who have used the other Olympus XA cameras in the range will appreciate the rangefinder, over the later models' zone focusing. And fans of SLR cameras will appreciate the compact size of the camera, whilst not losing all of the functionality you want when photographing.
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Article written by: Max
Max is the owner of Cameras By Max. They work full-time repairing and refurbishing all the 35mm film cameras you see on the website. Their favourite camera (at the moment) is the Olympus XA, and their favourite city in the world is Edinburgh.