Preview posted 08/23/2016 by Michael Palmer
Full review posted 02/21/2017 by Kyle Schurman

Quick Take

Pros

Can shoot in RAW or JPEG image formats (or both at same time) Good image quality in a variety of shooting situations Large increase in resolution to 24.2MP versus what was found in previous model Can use hot shoe to attach external flash or viewfinder (must be purchased separately) LCD screen is of a high quality LCD is touch enabled and can tilt up to 180 degrees for easy-to-shoot selfies Both manual focus and autofocus modes available Camera is very easy to use Q screen provides quick access to X-A3's settings Film Simulation and Advanced Filters modes are fun to use Retro design is sharp looking Above average battery life

Cons

Autofocus system had some trouble locking on to the point we desired when shooting close up and indoors No 4K video resolution available 12 options on mode dial are probably too many; mode dial could be smaller No viewfinder included Very limited features in WiFi connectivity RAW photos are limited to a 6400 ISO setting Although you can shoot at 12800 or 25600 ISO in JPEG, such images have too much noise Start up to first image captured time is a little slow versus similarly priced cameras Shutter lag performance is a little below average Some control buttons on the back are a little small Must charge the battery inside the camera

Bottom Line

The Fujifilm X-A3 is an easy-to-use mirrorless ILC that has a lot of great features for beginning and intermediate photographers. Advanced shooters probably won't find enough to entice them here, but the A3's good image quality, tiltable touch screen LCD, and simple design is a great option for those migrating from a smartphone camera to a nice dedicated digital camera. The price point of the A3 is reasonable too, especially for a cool looking camera body that has a retro feel. Read more in our Full Conclusion.

Back in August of 2016, FUJIFILM announced the new X-A3 compact mirrorless ILC. Complete with a 24.2MP APS-C CMOS image sensor and an updated image processing engine, this camera was designed to evoke retro styling while offering the latest in modern technologies. So you've got your Built-in Wi-Fi with the ability to share to iOS and Android devices and INSTAX printers, and you're capturing Full 1080p video at 60p, 50p, and 24p.

But the X-A3 also wants to cater to creative types, anyone facing lower lighting conditions and, of course, the Selfie Generation.

To that end, the X-A3 offers a 3.0" tilting touchscreen LCD display that tilts up to 180° so you can see yourself along with friends, family, and photo-bombers. With features like Touch AF, Touch Shoot, and Touch Zoom, your display takes over the camera's main functions, allowing for easier group shots. Along those lines, FUJIFILM has improved the AutoFocus system, with a 49-point array for Single Point AF, and a 77-point focus areas for zone, wide, and track AF modes. Oh, and if you don't want to worry about releasing the shutter button manually (or touchscreen'ually), there are several Timer modes to help automatically count down to capture. This way, you can focus on framing and making silly faces.


On the creative side of the coin, FUJIFILM continues its trend of offering Film Simulation modes that evoke classic FUJI film stocks as well as Advanced Filters to hyper stylize images. On the Simulation side, PRO Neg.Hi and PRO Neg.Std. are new this year, joining PROVIA (standard), Velvia (vivid), ASTIA (soft), CLASSIC CHROME, Monochrome, and Sepia. New Advanced Filters Fisheye and Cross Screen are joining previous filters like Toy Camera Miniature, Dynamic Tone, Pop Color, Soft Focus, High Key, Low Key, and Partial Color. The X-A3 also boasts Panorama and Time Lapse functions.


FUJIFILM X-A3 Features:

• 24.2MP APS-C CMOS image sensor
• Updated image processing engine
• 3.0" (920k dot) tilting touchscreen LCD
• tilts to 180°
• Touch AF
• Touch Shoot
• Touch Zoom
• Self Timer
• Smile Detection
• Buddy Timer
• Group Timer
• ISO200 - ISO25600
• Full 1080p HD Video Recording
• 0.5 seconds start-up
• 0.3 seconds AF speed
• 0.05 seconds shutter lag
• 0.4 seconds shooting interval time
• 49-point Single Point AF
• 77-point focus areas in Zone and Wide / Tracking modes
• 2.75" macro minimum distance
• Release Priority
• Focus Priority
• AF+MF
• In-camera RAW processing
• Film Simulation Modes
• PRO Neg.Hi
• PRO Neg.Std.
• PROVIA (standard)
• Velvia (vivid)
• ASTIA (soft)
• CLASSIC CHROME
• Monochrome
• Sepia
• Advanced Filters
• Fisheye
• Cross Screen
• Toy Camera
• Miniature
• Dynamic Tone
• Pop Color
• Soft Focus
• High Key
• Low Key
• Partial Color
• Panorama
• Time Lapse
• Focus Peaking (for Manual Focus)
• Support for Adobe RGB color space
• Wi-Fi
• Compatible with INSTAX Share Printer via the free INSTAX Share App (iOS and Android)

Pricing & Availability

The FUJIFILM X-A3 Kit is available in Silver, Brown, or Pink - as part of a kit that includes the XC16-50mmF3.5-5.6 OIS II lens. The MSRP on this is $599.95. See our best price box at the top right of this page to see current online pricing.

Additional Product Images