Pocket camera update and thanks

[dg1]

Made an advice seeking post regarding a small non-electronic pocket film camera

a week or so ago.

 

Got lots of good advice and suggestions and I've ended up with an Olympus XA and

I've got a Trip 35 on its way. Both electronic as it turns out, but where the

electronics are implemented on these still leave the important options to manual

operation and especially avoid slow turn-on operations, shutter lag, noisy

focussing, and little tiny buttons to push to select "modes".. such as on the

Rollei Prego 30 I have, and on the Epic Stylus (both cameras I truly appreciate

in spite of that).

 

Took a chance on an auction for a claimed "like-new" XA. Was somewhat surprised

to find that it is indeed very close to like-new, really quite pristine.

Whoever owned it didn't use it much. Everything seems to work..I'll see how the

first roll turns out before I make any final proclamations.

 

Thanks again (you know who you are), I appreciated the food for thought. Funny

how I keep getting drawn back to film, at least for some things..

 

Here's my new fetish object..<div></div>

[andy middleton]

A fine choice......am sure you'll love it... the metering is really quite superb and the

rangefinder accuracy surprisingly good considering its short base.

look forward to seeing some images for your first rolls.

 

congratulations

 

andy

[michael s.]

XA -- Good little camera.

 

My experience: lens on mine did best at f/5.6, f/8, maybe f/11 at the smallest, and it did surprisingly well wide open, when that was req'd, though I'd been told otherwise.

 

Couple times I tried f/16 and I cannot recommend that or f/22 (one snap as I recall) ... again based upon my experience. Obviously it's worth experimenting a bit to see what you prefer.

 

Hope you post some photos with us here. Have fun.

[teun_dijkstra]

Hi,

 

I used an XA 1983-1995 and was very happy with it. In the end I got problems with the

sliding lid deblocking the shutter button, so be careful. Partly because I didn't like angle of

35 mm anymore i bought Ricoh GR1 for B/W and Prego 30 for colour. The battery function of

the Prego was unstable, so much errors and again so after repair. For now I am happy with

Leica RE. The GR1 got itself damaged somehow. The bottom line: intuitive cameras make fun.

[dg1]

My Prego 30 has been flaky from time to time, sometimes the battery has died without warning. But it certainly is a capable little camera when it works. If I hadn't decided to go back a bit to a little less automation, like the XA, I would have got another Stylus Epic(my first one disappeared) instead of the Prego 30. I also have a Ricoh R1e, which is an econo version of their R1 which was in turn sort of an econo version of the GR1..I guess that makes mine 2 degrees of economy away from a GR1 :) But the LCD display partially died on that making it difficult to tell how many frames are left or what mode you're in. And both, especially the Prego, have whiny little focussing motors and loud rewind motors. Thus I really am liking this XA!

[mark_hahn]

maybe I have a lemon, but I've not been that happy with anything except f5.6 and f8 from mine... apertures where I can easily guess focus and use a Minox 35... which is way way better for IQ.

 

Still fond of the camera, just live with my expectations from it. The simpler lens in the Stylus Epic seems a better performer though...

 

I bought my XA the first year they camera out. The "modern design" was a super wow at the time... still very elegant to my eye.

 

Enjoy your new camera!

 

I also have to agree with Teun, don't really like the FL... which is why I am way more attached to my Retina IIa for shooting now (lovely camera as well!).

[sitemistic]

I love my XA's. Handy, sharp lens. It tends to vignette wide open, but so does a Noctilux. :)

[Brian]

My XA is the XA2 - I know it's less well specified and generally less well regarded than the original XA, but I think it's a handy little camera with a "good enough" lens. The zone focusing works fine for 95% of subjects. However, it's gathered dust since I got my 35RC, which seems to outperform it in every respect and is only slightly bigger.

[Robin Smith]

I agree with Mark Hahn. I was greatly unimpressed with the performance of my XA and much preferred the Minox 35.

[dg1]

Widely varying opinions, as befits anything with character. So far I have just been digging the use of the camera and haven't yet judged the photos as I just finished my first roll. At any rate I find it a very engaging little camera and really enjoy having it with me.

[don_e]

"...I find it a very engaging little camera and really enjoy having it with me."

 

So did I. It is not for those who want to shoot a rf wide open. Otherwise, it is a fine machine. My only complaint about the design is the flush shutter release button. I often don't look at the camera before grabbing a shot and missed a few because I didn't find the button by touch -- although I thought I did. Also, I've read that the button can warp and could require even pressure over the whole of it. It's a big button. The camera took a minor tumble and put a hairline crack in a circuit board. Now it only shoots self-timer mode, and I mean via the shutter release button. It was replaced with the simpler XA2, which I've given to my wife.

 

Btw, the Trip 35 arrived yesterday. Condition is great. I've loaded it with CN-400 and should have something to show by Monday.

 

Regards

[dg1]

Good luck with the Trip 35, I'm looking forward to seeing how it works for you. Mine should arrive in a few days and it will be interesting to see how the photos from that compare to the XA.

[MTC Photography]

I have Olympus XA2, the lens is so so, Minox 35ML is much better

[dg1]

Got some film developed..my verdict is, I like it. This XA is exactly what I expected based on images I've seen taken with it. For the kinds of things I do it will add to my palette of camera based choices. I believe I got a good one. Whether or not it wins an A-B contest with some of the other options is not too important to me.

 

It even looks good to me shot wide open..<div></div>

[don_e]

Dean, some from the Trip 35 test roll:

 

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=825669

[dg1]

Thanks for putting those up there Don. Nice shots..the Trip 35 certainly has a sharp lens. I got mine delivered on Friday and just got some color photos (fuji superia 400) back from the corner drugstore. I stuck them up in photodrop along with some pics from the XA (same film).

 

The XA is producing somewhat higher contrast to my eye, but based on a roll from each it is hard to say what variables are in play. That said I'm really knocked out by the Trip lens. I'm glad I got both cameras, and while I'm feeling partial to the XA largely because it's useable for indoor photos without flash, the Trip 35 design is just brilliant IMO. It's one fast camera isn't it? I was outside watering the boulevard with my dogs a couple days ago, and suddenly a military type helicopter comes over pretty low. I had the trip in my jacket pocket, pulled it out aimed and pushed the shutter. It isn't going to get me in MOMA by any means but it brought home to me some of what we've given up with digital cameras. There's no way any of the digitals I've had could have got that shot, the copter would have been long gone. Not saying the photo itself was even worth taking of course.

 

The operation with the light meter is so seamless. The Trip might have been produced as a family snapshot camera, but I can't think of too many automated devices that have everything integrated into a single action.

 

Phew.. got all enthused here!<div></div>

[don_e]

Ok, I'm enthused, too 8-). My test is whether I can pull it from my pocket while walking, turn to the left or right and get the shot without breaking stride. Trip passes test easily. I haven't missed a shot except indoors, but I'm an outdoors kinda guy, so no problem there. I have issues with digital cameras -- in fact with electronic cameras digital or not -- same as you've mentioned, and I've gone back to manual cameras. Focus and exposure are pre-set for the circumstances, so it is just frame and shoot snick, snick, snick...how hard can it be, right? I don't ever want to have to look at an lcd screen -- or worse, in the viewfinder -- to find out what the settings are or to change them.

 

I was not pleased with the scans, but I'm never pleased with Costco's scans. The 4x6s and 5x7s are fine, and look crisp and clean under a 5x loupe.

 

Trip 35, a nice shooter, and much better and more fun than I thought it would be.

 

Enjoy, Dean. I know I will.