{"id":19072,"date":"2017-10-25T17:59:36","date_gmt":"2017-10-26T00:59:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wkoopmans.ca\/notebook\/?p=19072"},"modified":"2017-10-25T17:59:36","modified_gmt":"2017-10-26T00:59:36","slug":"olympus-xa-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/wkoopmans.ca\/notebook\/?p=19072","title":{"rendered":"Olympus XA"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"OlyXA\"<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Olympus XA reached a certain cult status among film cameras and perhaps its not for just one reason but several.\u00a0 If you start with the idea of what do you want from a camera and that turns out to be ‘packability’ then the XA meets that.\u00a0 The clamshell design both protects the lens and makes it easy to slip into pockets and small spaces.\u00a0 If you also want a quality lens in that small package the XA delivers that as well.\u00a0 The lens design with 6 elements is unique and allows for the overall thinness of the camera.\u00a0 Then there\u00a0are the controls of the camera.\u00a0 Focusing\u00a0is performed with a small lever under the lens\u00a0that\u00a0both aligns the rangefinder patch and moves\u00a0internal lens elements.\u00a0\"XAFocus\"<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Its finicky and\u00a0can be difficult but it is manual and better than zone focusing.\u00a0 The exposure system also\u00a0allows user input in the form of aperture selection with a fully automatic electronic shutter.\u00a0 Fortunately the\u00a0exposures are accurate so fully manual adjustment isn’t often missed and for backlight situations you can select a +1.5 EV override.<\/p>\n

All these various attributes together are what made the Olympus XA desirable back when it was available new and what continue to make it a desirable camera today.<\/p>\n

I used expired generic drugstore ISO 400 film for the following images.<\/p>\n\n\t\t