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It took some getting used to with my XA as well.
Practice a bit (without film in the camera) concentrating on moving just the tip of your finger that lays on the shutter and keeping the rest of your hand(s) still.
After a while I began to appreciate the design.
Ok, also I mostly shot in daylight with the XA, so shutter speeds were pretty much fast enough to get a sharp picture anyways.As you apparently used mostly cheap / expired / light-leaked (?) film and got this processed using the cheapest option as well you can't really expect great negatives, seriously.
To see if the camera is alright I'd get one roll of nice & fresh proper film, preferably low tolerance (ISO 100, like Ektar - or, even better, slide film), and shoot a lot of stuff in good light with it. Do one or two with the self-timer. Check if batteries are fresh.
Finally get this developed at a proper place.
Good luck!
salad-
Yeah some poor decisions on my part. I went hoping for a cheap dev+scan, but got a not-very-cheap dev+print option.
The film is mostly not too bad - the same mix I use in the Leica and get processed at Photofusion, except the Kodak which I just bought when I was out and had run out. The light leak was from the first film I forgot was in the camera, I'd put it in and shot a few frames after fixing the light seals.
Good idea about slide film test and batteries. Until about a week ago daylight has been so dull anyway - surely even worse in Berlin?
To be honest, even with good exposures and processing they would still have been junk, which is what is most disappointing. I can't "rest" my finger on the shutter button without it firing, so I have to drop and press. At the same time I often can't get it to fire when I actively press down so I then have to make two or three attempts. I read that this may indicate some dirt under the shutter button? I think I will look for some instructions how to take it apart and clean - anyone else done this?
hoefla
picked up 5 rolls of film today, all complete shite...
exposures generally crap - not sure if it's the camera or Asda's dodgy processing, guess the only way to tell is to take the next roll to photofusion.
but also, I think me and the XA2 just don't get along... blurry as hell, I have a hard time with that shutter button unless I've actually set the camera on/against something it'll probably move.
I was kind of enjoying carrying an everyday camera, for the most extended period of time in years...
le sigh.