I've asked Santa for an original Olympus XA, designed by Yoshihisa Maitani. Beautiful little thing. I am very excited. I love to see how different cameras see. I realize now that for the past decade and longer, camera toys have featured prominently in my Christmas lists. So this year it is the Olympus XA and a new wide angle lens for my Canon 30D. In years past there have been, well, most significantly the 30D, but also a Diana last year, a Yashika Mat, a Lomo, Holgas, a wonderful cardboard pinhole, a stunning wooden Zero Pinhole, Lensbabies (digital and for Canon AE1), pinhole caps, and a series of gradually improving digital cameras up to the 30D. Christmas means cameras to me. And running shoes. The camera theme is aided by the fact that my father is an accomplished landscape/portrait photographer, and we like to geek out on the technical stuff when we get together. I haven't mentioned this much on the blog, but photography figures very prominently in my life, along with my printmaking. Anyway, just spent a quiet morning mooning over the Olympus XA, which I think will be my tiny, sharp little pocket companion. It tickles the same spot as those tiny little pet houses they make for girls. "Hello, Camera!"
