Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/03/07

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: [Leica] Most portable Leica M outfit...
From: "Rei Shinozuka" <shino@panix.com>
Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2002 12:33:25 -0500 (EST)

> From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>
> 
> I'll go with Bob on this one - the XA was/is a pretty amazing little
> camera - pocketable, weather proofed, quiet shutter release, great 35 2.8
> lens, and new - a long time ago - or used - a great price. Unfortunately,
> being an Olympus, they do tend to develop problems of one sort or another.
> In the case of the XA the shutter release system has a tendency to
> eventually fail.
> 
> B. D.

agree with everything, except that the XA has a sharp-sounding shutter...
much louder than the T, or an M.    i know this because i used to be
in the habit of taking surreptitious photos of people with my T.  when i used 
the XA in its stead, i was quickly busted by my would-be subjects.  

the XA has a square aperture hole.  and quite a bit of vignetting.
nowadays i find vignetting charming (as in the noctilux), but back when
i used the XA 15 years ago, i was less enamored of that characteristic.

i still have my little XA, with the A11 flash and the little plastic 
display case.  a lot of ingenuity combined with modest materials
and economical manufacturing.

- -rei
- --
To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html

Replies: Reply from Mark Rabiner <mark@markrabiner.com> (Re: [Leica] Most portable Leica M outfit...)