Hi Gideon, hope you are over your cold. Took a punt on an XA at a car boot sale in September. No batteries in so couldn't test it, picked it up for £20. It does have issues however. The shutter speed needle in the viewfinder read 2.5 to 3 stops under what I would expect. However the shutter itself fires at a different, faster speed that seems more accurate. Also has the annoying habit of the red light on the front flashing once and emitting a single bleep when the shutter is fired. I'll need to put a roll of film through it to test fully.
I bought one in the 80s, loved it and eventually sold it for digital. But I missed it and started looking for one. A year or so ago I spotted one in a dark corner of an antiques emporium. I looked it over, worked perfectly and clean inside and out. It looked like new. I asked what they wanted for it the answer was £10. It is of course now mine and I feel whole again with my XA. There are gems out there but you have to be so lucky to find them.
Get in touch, and I'll send you a battery cover.
Hi Gideon, hope you are over your cold. Took a punt on an XA at a car boot sale in September. No batteries in so couldn't test it, picked it up for £20. It does have issues however. The shutter speed needle in the viewfinder read 2.5 to 3 stops under what I would expect. However the shutter itself fires at a different, faster speed that seems more accurate. Also has the annoying habit of the red light on the front flashing once and emitting a single bleep when the shutter is fired. I'll need to put a roll of film through it to test fully.
That's what I'm talking about, dodgy XA that somehow keep on going, fingers crossed for your film test.
I bought one in the 80s, loved it and eventually sold it for digital. But I missed it and started looking for one. A year or so ago I spotted one in a dark corner of an antiques emporium. I looked it over, worked perfectly and clean inside and out. It looked like new. I asked what they wanted for it the answer was £10. It is of course now mine and I feel whole again with my XA. There are gems out there but you have to be so lucky to find them.
Utter bargain, an XA for a tenner is a win for sure.