Olympus XA
The Olympus XA is a 35mm compact rangefinder camera introduced in 1979, designed by Yoshihisa Maitani as a true pocketable full-frame model with a clamshell sliding cover. It was positioned as a premium compact offering aperture-priority automatic exposure and a coupled rangefinder in a body small enough to carry every day.
At UK auction in 2026, hammer prices for the Olympus XA typically sit in the £56–£160 range, with a median around £80 across recent sales. Today the XA most often sells for between £60 and £95 at saleroom level, with the 2023 outlier at £160 reflecting how condition and completeness (case, A11 flash, original box) push the value higher.
Sales History
Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.
Prices updated: May 2026
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| May 2026 | £130 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 218) Title: An Olympus XA Compact Camera
Description:
An Olympus XA Compact Camera, shutter working, meter responsive, self timer working, rangefinder working, body VG, elements VG, in case, with strap, |
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| Mar 2026 | £70 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 365) Title: An Olympus XA Compact Camera
Description:
An Olympus XA Compact Camera, shutter working, meter responsive, self timer working, rangefinder working, body G-VG, elements VG, with battery |
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| Mar 2026 | £90 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 364) Title: An Olympus XA Compact Camera
Description:
An Olympus XA Compact Camera, shutter working, meter responsive, self timer working, rangefinder working, body VG, elements VG, with working A11 |
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| Jan 2026 | £70 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 191) Title: A Olympus XA Compact Camera
Description:
A Olympus XA Compact Camera, shutter working, meter responsive, rangefinder working, body G, elements G, with A11 flash, working on test |
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| Sep 2025 | £80 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 253) Title: An Olympus XA Compact Camera
Description:
An Olympus XA Compact Camera, shutter working, meter responsive, self timer working, rangefinder working, body G-VG, elements G-VG, with A16 flash, |
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| Sep 2025 | £60 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 390) Title: An Olympus XA Compact Camera
Description:
An Olympus XA Compact Camera, shutter working, meter responsive, self timer working, body/elements G |
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| Jul 2025 | £56 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 125) Title: An Olympus XA 35mm Compact Camera
Description:
black, body VG, advance jammed, not responding to batteries, with A11 case, in maker's presentation case. |
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| May 2025 | £106 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 140) Title: An Olympus XA Rangefinder Camera
Description:
black, body G, shutter works, meter responds to light levels, with A11 flash, working, in makers plastic case. |
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| Mar 2025 | £81 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 195) Title: An Olympus XA Rangefinder Camera
Description:
black, serial number 5663997, body G, usage marks to rear, shutter works, metering responds to light, rangefinder patch clear, A16 flash not working. |
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| Mar 2025 | £119 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 205) Title: An Olympus XA Rangefinder Camera
Description:
black, body G, shutter and advance work, rangefinder patch works, appears to meter correctly, with A11 flash, in maker's presentation case. |
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| Mar 2025 | £75 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 196) Title: An Olympus XA Rangefinder Camera
Description:
black, serial number 3311021, body F-G, paint wear to rear, shutter works, metering responds to light, rangefinder patch clear. |
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| Mar 2025 | £69 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 188) Title: An Olympus XA Rangefinder Camera
Description:
black, body G, with A11 flash, shutter works, rangefinder works, metering appears OK, flash works but the ready lamp does not light, in presentation |
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| Jan 2025 | £31 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 140B) Title: An Olympus XA 35mm Camera
Description:
black, body F-G, shutter and advance jammed, rangefinder not working, with A11 flash, not tested. |
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| Sep 2024 | £56 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Auction (Lot 89) Title: An Olympus XA Rangefinder Camera
Description:
black, body G, paint loss to battery cover, shutter working, rangefinder visible and working, appears to meter, responds to light levels. |
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| Aug 2024 | £106 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Auction (Lot 116) Title: An Olympus XA Rangefinder Camera
Description:
black, body G, battery tested, shutter fires, meter works, rangefinder visible, viewfinder slightly foggy, with A11 flash, working, |
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| Aug 2024 | £81 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Auction (Lot 140) Title: An Olympus XA 35mm Rangefinder Camera
Description:
black, serial number 2419533, body G, shutter works, appears to meter and respond to light levels, however the viewfinder meter needle does not move, |
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| Aug 2024 | £70 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: TWO DAY: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 97) Title: An Olympus XA Compact Camera
Description:
An Olympus XA Compact Camera, shutter working, meter responsive, rangefinder working, self timer working, body G, elements G-VG, with A16 flash unit, |
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| Jun 2024 | £119 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Auction (Lot 200) Title: An Olympus XA 35mm Rangefinder Camera
Description:
black, body G, shutter works, appears to be metering correctly, RF patch visible, viewfinder hazy, aperture works, also with A9M flash, untested. |
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| Jun 2024 | £94 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Auction (Lot 345) Title: An Olympus XA 35mm Compact Camera
Description:
black, body G, evidence of previous battery leak, shutter works, aperture works, internal meter needle works, viewfinder slightly foggy, rangefinder |
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| Apr 2024 | £88 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Auction (Lot 121) Title: An Olympus XA Compact Rangefinder Camera
Description:
black, with F.Zuiko f/2.8 35mm lens, shutter working, body F-G, lens F-G, mild fungus on rear glass, with an untested A16 electronic flash and |
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| Feb 2024 | £100 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 304) Title: An Olympus XA Compact Camera
Description:
An Olympus XA Compact Camera, shutter working, meter responsive, self timer working, body G, elements G-VG, with A16 flash, flash working, warranty |
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| Feb 2024 | £90 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 209) Title: An Olympus XA Compact Camera
Description:
An Olympus XA Compact Camera, shutter working, self timer working, body G, light wear, elements VG, with A16 flash, flash working, in red Olympus |
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| Nov 2023 | £75 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 167) Title: An Olympus XA 35mm Rangefinder Camera
Description:
black, body G, RF patch visible, shutter & flash working at time of auction, optics G, some light haze present, in maker's case with instruction (Qty: 1) |
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| Nov 2023 | £38 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 168) Title: An Olympus XA 35mm Rangefinder Camera
Description:
black, body G, heavy wear, rangefinder patch present but dim, shutter working, optics G-VG, some light haze present, (Qty: 1) |
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| Aug 2023 | £70 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 440) Title: An Olympus XA Compact Camera
Description:
An Olympus XA Compact Camera, shutter working, meter responsive, rangefinder functions, self timer working, body G, some scratches/wear, with A11 |
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| Jun 2023 | £69 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 184) Title: An Olympus XA Compact Rangefinder Camera
Description:
IR 158697, black, 1979, with a F.Zuiko f/2.8 35mm lens, tested as working, body F-G, signs of use, lens G, with an A16 electronic flash, untested |
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| Jun 2023 | £40 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 491) Title: An Olympus XA Compact Camera
Description:
An Olympus XA Compact Camera, shutter working, self timer working, body G-VG, some light scratches/wear to back, elements G-VG, with A11 flash, |
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| Apr 2023 | £160 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 186) Title: An Olympus XA Compact Camera
Description:
An Olympus XA Compact Camera, shutter working, meter and shutter speed responsive, self-timer working, rangefinder working, body G, some light wear, |
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| Mar 2022 | £119 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: The Collectors sale (Lot 632) Title: An Olympus XA 35mm Rangefinder Camera
Description:
black, body G-VG, shutter working, rangefinder patch clear & bright, some slight peeling to matte texture near strap, optics G-VG, with A11 (Qty: 1) |
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| Jan 2021 | £68 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras, Scientific & Collectables (Lot 325) Title: An Olympus XA Compact Camera
Description:
together with a Porst Superflex and other items (a lot) |
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| Nov -0001 | £80 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 402) Title: An Olympus XA Compact Camera
Description:
An Olympus XA Compact Camera, shutter working, self timer working, body G, elements G, with untested A11 flash, in Olympus XA case |
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| Nov -0001 | £80 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 403) Title: An Olympus XA Compact Camera
Description:
An Olympus XA Compact Camera, shutter working, self timer working, body G, elements G, with untested A11 flash |
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Frequently asked questions
What is an Olympus XA worth today?
Recent UK auction hammer prices place the XA between roughly £56 and £160, with most clean working examples worth around £70–£95.
How much does an Olympus XA sell for at auction?
The median price across recent UK auction sales is about £80, and the camera typically sells for £60–£95 unless it is boxed or paired with the A11 flash.
Why do some Olympus XA cameras fetch a higher price?
Condition is the main driver of value: a working rangefinder, responsive shutter button, and original accessories such as the case and flash can lift the price toward the upper end of the range seen at auction.
Is the Olympus XA the same as the XA2 or XA4?
No — only the original XA has a coupled rangefinder and an f/2.8 lens with manual aperture control; the later XA2, XA3 and XA4 are zone-focus models and tend to trade at different price levels.