My Camera’s: Olympus XA
The Olympus XA is my first film camera. It’s a camera that looks like it could be out of blade runner.
Feels right to have a picture of the XA on film. This is actually a picture of my sisters XA taken with mine but they look the same.
What you might notice is that the camera is tiny. It fits in your pocket. If you read my post on the a6000 you’ll notice a pattern of liking small light cameras. I believe there’s an old adage that goes, “the best camera is the one you have on you.”
The next thing you’ll notice is that it has a unique clamshell design. The cover on the left slides over the lens which protects it when you put it in your pocket. There’s also that sexy red shutter button on the top. It’s unlike any shutter I’ve ever used in that almost any contact with it will take a picture. This can occasionally lead to accidental fires (which you don’t really want given how expensive film is). The shutter has a very light click sound and is very quiet compared to modern cameras.
my first self portrait with the xa
Why I chose the Olympus XA as my first film camera
I wanted to give film a shot and I started doing some research on youtube & google. Why I wanted to start shooting film is a topic for another post but if you look at the photo above you’ll notice how different it looks from digital. It’s gritty, raw, & imperfect.
The XA is a famous camera. It’s the masterpiece of acclaimed industrial designer Yoshihisa Maitani who created a full frame 35mm camera that he designed to fit in a shirt pocket. Having an iconic piece of industrial design was appealing in itself. It has retro futuristic look. It’s just cool. Here’s a good writeup that includes more of it’s history.
On top of being cool it’s a good value. I didn’t know if I would like shooting film and I didn’t want to spend a ton of money finding out. The XA was often listed as a top 5 film camera and was the least expensive on the list.
While the XA is small and doesn’t have interchangeable lenses it does have one great lens. Glass is important and I like my images crispy.
So in summary, the selling points for me were: value, size, full frame 35mm, image quality, & it’s history.
Receiving the XA
My XA came with it’s original box and a flash accessory. Basically the XA has an external flash that you can screw into the side of it. The flash is almost as big as the camera itself. I must admit that I haven’t used the flash yet. It’s evidently great and creates a cool look for parties. I do think the additional size and weight is a big reason why I haven’t used it.
One of my first shots with the XA (probably my first in black & white). You can see the case and the packaging.
First Impressions
A big thing to know about the XA is that it’s a rangefinder. The rangefinder system works very differently than an SLR. See the video below. This completely threw me off.
The above video is a very clear version of what you see when focusing the XA. This is the best case. I couldn’t see the alignment and my eye had to train itself. It might have taken me 20 minutes to figure it out. This led to a frustrating first experience. The dim viewfinder is a known issue with the camera. Mine came with a little piece of black tape which helps you see the lines. I think the focusing is the biggest issue with the camera.
Black & White Olympus XA Sample Images
Most of the above black and white’s were shot with Ilford HP5. I would argue that this stock and camera produces a more unique look than shooting with color film. The grain, contrast, & dynamic range is something that digital can’t recreate, even when using presets/ filters.
Color Olympus XA Sample Photos
Motion Blur & leaning into imperfections
As I mentioned, the XA’s rangefinder is dim. If you have a lot of time to set up a shot it’s fine. This is not the reality for most of my XA usage however. Most of the time people are moving or just don’t want to sit and wait for you to focus. You either can take the shot hoping it’s close enough or miss the moment. This results in many shots that aren’t perfectly in focus.
I personally think this is part of what makes film photography unique. The photos look more artistic, impressionistic, & vintage. This further carves out a place for film vs digital.
I would estimate 25% of my shots aren’t in perfect focus with the camera. 10% might have interesting motion blur. Sometimes this can be disappointing when you get your roll back and other times a pleasant artistic surprise.
XA High Level Pros & Cons
Pro’s
The smallest full frame 35mm film camera (if it’s not “the” smallest it’s up there).
Cool design
Sharp Lens
Quiet shutter
Con’s
Dull Rangefinder & resulting focus issues
Very occasionally will have film advance issue that results in double exposures
No built in flash ( I rarely use flash)
Where the XA fits into my lineup
My main camera is the Sony a6000 (around my neck) and the XA is in my pocket. I’ll take it out and keep it around my wrists when there is a shot that I think works particularly well for film. Basically I’ll mix it in.
Overall Thoughts
I enjoy using the XA. It’s size makes it my most used film camera (I have an SLR as well). I use it to capture impressionistic moments and don’t care about it being in perfect focus. If you want a film camera with reliable focus as your “main camera” I don’t think the XA is the best choice. If you want to mix in film with digital and want something you’ll always have on you I highly recommend it.
For more film photo samples check out my instagram