C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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The Olympus XA2 (1980) is the zone-focus version of the rangefinder-equipped XA. Same Maitani clamshell design, same body silhouette, but with a simpler **zone focus** ring (3 distance settings: portrait, group, landscape) and a slower 35/3.5 lens (vs the XA's 35/2.8). Programmed exposure only — no aperture control. The XA2 became the highest-volume of the XA series because it cost less and the zone focus was easier to use than a rangefinder for casual shooters.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile →C41
Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Kodak UltraMax 400 is a versatile consumer-grade ISO 400 daylight-balanced color negative film with T-grain emulsion, delivering warm Kodak colors, fine-for-speed grain (PGI 46), and wide exposure latitude. Currently in production and available globally as a single-roll and multi-pack.
Develop 35mm film
Labs in our directory that process 35mm film.
Before you buy used
About this camera
The XA's simpler, cheaper, lighter sibling. Zone focus instead of rangefinder, half the price, and arguably more popular.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Lens | D Zuiko 35mm f/3.5, 4 elements / 4 groups |
| Years | 1980–1986 |
| Shutter | 2s – 1/750s, electronic leaf |
| Modes | Program only |
| Focus | Zone, 3 positions |
| Weight | 200 g |
| Battery | 2× SR44 |
Released 1980, alongside the more capable XA. The XA2 was Olympus's volume seller of the XA family. Production ran 6 years until 1986; the XA3 (1985) added DX coding while keeping the zone-focus body, and the XA4 (1985) added a wider 28/3.5 lens with macro mode.
The XA2 is the cheapest Maitani-designed compact in 2026. Used at $80–200, it's significantly cheaper than the XA (rangefinder) and dramatically cheaper than the Contax T2 or Olympus mju-II. The 35/3.5 lens is sharp from f/5.6 onward, and the zone focus is fast enough for street photography after a few rolls.
For "first compact film camera" recommendations, the XA2 is one of the most-mentioned. The trade-off vs XA: slower lens, no aperture control, no rangefinder for precise focus. Vs mju-II: similar size and weight, but mju-II has autofocus and is weatherproof.
Lens fixed. Same A1/A11/A16 flashes as the XA (slide on the side).
C41
Kodak ColorPlus 200 is an affordable, consumer-oriented daylight-balanced color negative film at ISO 200. Known for warm, slightly muted color rendition, fine grain, and wide exposure latitude, it is currently in production and widely available in Asia and select global markets.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
View profile →Olympus XA2
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