Olympus XA-2
The Olympus XA-2: Elegance in Simplicity
There's a quiet beauty in a camera that doesn’t try to be everything. The Olympus XA-2 is that kind of camera—small enough to slip into your pocket, yet bold enough to capture the world in ways you never thought possible. It doesn’t demand your attention; it earns it.
This is a photographer’s camera. Not the type that makes you second-guess yourself with endless dials and menus. The XA-2 is stripped to its essentials: aperture priority, zone focusing, and a sharp 35mm f/3.5 lens. It’s simplicity that gets out of your way and lets you focus on what matters—the moment in front of you.
Compact and Clever
In the hand, the XA-2 feels like a relic of a time when design mattered. Plastic, sure, but solid. A clamshell body protects the lens, making it rugged enough for your adventures yet understated in a way that keeps the curious from looking twice. It doesn’t beg to be noticed, and that’s the point.
You want a camera you can carry everywhere, one that won’t slow you down or make you second-guess your bag choice. At just 200 grams, the XA-2 travels light, letting you live in the moment without feeling like you’re lugging the world on your shoulder.
Zone Focus: Know It, Love It
The XA-2 runs on intuition. Zone focusing—close, medium, far—is the kind of system that puts trust back in your hands. No autofocus motors, no overthinking. Flick the switch, frame your shot, and fire. That’s all it asks of you.
It’s forgiving, too. The 35mm lens has just enough depth of field to cover small mistakes. You’ll learn to read the scene, to judge the distance instinctively, and to fall in love with the simplicity of manual control.
A Lens with Soul
Let’s talk glass. The Zuiko 35mm f/3.5 lens might not sound like much on paper, but it’s sharp—razor sharp. It renders colors with a natural warmth, shadows with depth, and highlights that don’t scream for attention.
And then there’s the bokeh. Subtle, restrained, like the camera itself. This isn’t a lens that tries to impress you with artifice. It lets the world speak for itself.
Why the XA-2 Still Matters
We live in a world of megapixels and instant gratification. The XA-2 is a rebellion against all that. It reminds us that photography is about presence. About patience. It’s the perfect tool for capturing the mundane and turning it into art.
The grain of Cinestill 800 on a cloudy day. A silhouette against the desert sun. The fleeting glance of a stranger in an empty café. The XA-2 doesn’t just capture these moments; it distills them.
Why You Need One
If you’ve been looking for a camera that gets back to basics, the Olympus XA-2 deserves a place in your kit. It’s not a collector’s item. It’s not a shelf queen. It’s a workhorse.
Load it up with film—Portra, Ilford, Cinestill, whatever you’ve got—and take it out. Walk the streets. Climb the mountains. Get lost in the mundane beauty of your neighborhood. You’ll come back with something real.
And isn’t that what photography is all about?
Own an Olympus XA-2 or curious about what it can do? Check out my portfolio for images taken with this gem of a camera. Better yet, let’s chat about how I can bring that same stripped-back aesthetic to your next project.