Olympus XA

The original XA was a rangefinder camera with a fast 35 mm f/2.8 lens, and aperture priority metering.

[1][2] Maitani started with the concept of a full-frame camera that can be carried in a pocket every day, working on basic size and shape in a series of clay models.

At that point, Maitani unveiled several of his prototype clay models, explaining that he already had discarded a thickness of 4+1⁄2 cm (1.8 in): "See how much the front protrudes.

"[3] The lens team began with a Tessar-style design, but by adopting what he later called a "reverse retrofocus" configuration, they designed a six-element, five-group lens with a focal length of 35 mm and, critically, a distance of 33.6 mm (1.32 in) from the front element to the film plane, enabling Maitani's 4 cm camera.

There was also a small lever on the camera's base which when flipped out, added 1 1/2 stops exposure to the shutter speed.

The original XA's dust cover dome resembled a flattened oval, whereas the other models had a more rounded design.