The Olympus XA1 is a 35mm camera and part of the XA series. It was built in the early 80s.
From the outside, it looks very similar to the Olympus XA, but the inner values are by no means comparable to the legendary rangefinder camera. The XA1 does without a rangefinder and aperture priority, has a maximum aperture of f/4 instead of f/2.8 and also makes an honestly cheaper impression from the outside.
The only real advantage, even if only in part, is that it doesn’t need batteries. The 35mm camera has a selenium light meter, as known from the Olympus Trip 35. This sets the correct exposure time for ISO 100 or ISO 400 films.
A flash can be connected on the side, but only flashes for the XA series.
In terms of price, the Olympus XA1 with A9M flash was priced at 27,800 yen.
Technical datasheet
| Attribute | Specification |
|---|---|
| Type of Camera | Viewfinder camera |
| Film format | 35mm |
| Film transport | Manual |
| Picture format | 24 mm x 36 mm |
| Focal length | 35 mm |
| Biggest aperture | f/4 |
| Minimum focus distance | 150 cm / 4.92 ft |
| Focus | Manual |
| Lens design | 4 elements in 4 groups |
| Light meter | Yes |
| Supported film speeds | ISO 100 to 400 |
| Exposure modes | Program automatic |
| Manual exposure settings | No |
| Date imprinting | No |
| Built-in flash | No |
| Flash Connection | Connection for XA flash units |
| Tripod mount | Yes |
| Cable release thread | No |
| Self-timer | No |
| Power supply | Not necessary |
| Size | 10,4 x 6,5 x 4 cm |
| Dimensions in inches | 4.09 x 2.56 x 1.57 inches |
| Weight | 190 Grams |
| Estimated value / Used price | 109,69 Euro 179,11160,87107,07851,7293,8818017,131278,25117,73 Estimate based on used prices of 29 offers (possibly with different scope of delivery and/or condition). As of 6.5.2024 |
| Average used price in the year 2023 | 96,87 Euro (103.91 US-Dollar) |