Olympus XA-2 – An old friend

Years ago (40 years) I moved to the east coast for a couple years. I was loaned a small compact camera. I decided to carry it instead of my heavy bulky Minolta. At first glance it seemed to be a small somewhat inexpensive camera. It was an Olympus XA-2. Wanting to revisit this great little camera. I purchased a new-to-me XA-2 in 2024. It was small, lightweight, very simple, but could this device really turn out good pictures? In short, yes.

The XA-2 came in a nice hard sturdy plastic box. The instruction manual was included but with the ease, minimal buttons, a few dials and adjustments, this camera seemed very intuitive to use. It seemed cheap and plasticky and I was wondering just how well it would shoot compared to the Minoltas and Pentax’s I had carried before. Plus, how well was it going to hold up being in my pockets and bike bags all the time? In the end I was not disappointed with the XA-2 at all.

The little solid camera actually did very well. I shot incredible pictures, and it performed in every environment I was in. It was dependable. I switched between slides and print film depending on my budget. It is a basic point-and-shoot and very user-friendly. Open the clam-shell lens cover, look through the view finder, and push the button. Even if I had forgotten to adjust for distance or landscape focus, the pictures looked good. The latitude in the 6 element lens was good.

Some describe the camera as an ultra compact. I would agree and it was easy to fit in a backpack or coat pocket. The XA-2 has some extras as well. There is a self-timer with a 10 second wait. The same switch is also a battery check.

The Olympus XA series came around 1979. It quickly became a hit in the point-and-shoot field. It’s a 35mm camera with a high-quality lens with minimal requirements from the user, and is easy to carry and use. To focus the XA-2 there is a basic single person symbol, a group symbol and a mountain symbol. That’s it for your focus adjustments. It can be a challenge, but a single person is 3-6 feet. The group setting is 6-12, beyond that use the mountain icon.

ASA is the only other thing to set, and with ASA setting from 25 to 800 you have several film speed options. And with the automatic light meter it gives great shutter speeds to match your lighting needs. A little green or red light on the right, inside the view finder, lets you know if you have enough light.

A 35mm compact camera that’s dependable every time is a lot of fun. The flash is easy as well. Attach and screw the flash to the camera and then turn it on. It extends the camera’s size sideways about 2 inches but is still very compact. I carried that little camera daily. The flash is strong and the pictures came out even in darker circumstances. There seemed to be a bit of vignette around the photo’s edges, but it was hardly noticeable. In fact, I really didn’t notice it in most of my pictures.

The Olympus XA-2 model started in 1981 and then later went to the XA-3, and lastly the XA-4. A more simple XA-1 was released at some point too. With its impressive lens design, these little cameras will likely never disappoint the shooter. The images are bright and colorful. This little camera is not a replacement for the larger SLRs, but with good composition and with good contrast, sharp pictures could easily be made into 8x10s and bigger.

There have been lots of reviews on this XA series. Articles with specs, limits, weight, shutter speed, and who the designer was (Maitani). Since there were 5 versions (the first one was just XA) there were a few changes and advances along the way in its development. Mine was the XA-2 and it was very capable in its ability for my needs. People might argue as to which is the best model, but any XA camera will perform well, even the very basic XA-1.

The price range for used ones today are pretty reasonable for the camera it is. It is not a disposable camera by any means, and if you get a well looked after one, it should rugged enough to give years of service.

Sadly, when I returned from my trip, this little camera companion got turned back over to the landlord who had gotten it for me (Dad). I was recently able to locate another good working XA-2 but it needed new light seals. This isn’t a hard job, but time consuming. It’s now working very well.

I am glad to have this little camera in my camera corral. For just shooting candid and street shots the XA-2 is a very easy choice. It’s an easy choice for simple street and vacation photography. These little XA cameras have made a small niche for themselves. A camera with great six element lens, easy knobs and dials, easy shutter and for giving remarkable pictures they cant be beat.

They are fun little cameras. I think they are a great little starter camera for someone who wants to get into film, and indeed anyone with more experience who wants a camera that’s easy to pocket. They perform well for any type of snap shots.

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