The XA4 Macro was released in 1985, and has a nearly identical form factor to the first XA. It is quite a bit simpler in operation, however, with zone focusing instead of rangefinder focusing, and full program exposure versus aperture priority. The lens is also wider and slower, with a 28mm f/3.5 instead of a 35mm f/2.8. That said, it is razor sharp.
The main gimmick of the XA4 Macro is in the name. The lens can focus pretty dang close! Down to 1 foot, even. To ensure well-focused images at its two closest pre-set focus distances, the included strap can be adjusted to precisely measure either 1 ft or 1.7ft from the camera. A nifty trick! So if you're buying an XA4 Macro used, make sure the strap is included.
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| Focused at 1 ft |
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| Focused at 1.7 ft |
The viewfinder is very simple, with frame-lines (including marks for parallax correction), and a single LED that lights up if the camera thinks there's not enough light in the scene. A few different XA proprietary flashes are compatible with the camera - I used an Olympus A11 flash for some of my interior photos. Normal flashes will not work, as the camera has neither a hot shoe nor an x-sync port.
I shot a roll of HP5+ with the XA4 Macro, which I pushed to 800 ISO. I am pleased with the results. All of my negatives came out well-exposed. When I guessed focus correctly or used the measuring strap, photos turned out nice and sharp. My favorite images are below. While I was only able to borrow the camera for a short while, I enjoyed my time with the XA4 Macro and will try to win it at auction!
