Is there really such a thing as a “retro-themed camera” anymore? Throwback styles are the norm. Take Fujifilm’s latest mirrorless camera, with its aluminum body swathed in faux leather. It'll look great in your study next to your globe bar and real-leather-bound tomes.
The Fujifilm X-A3 is built around a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor, which is the same size as the imager found in most consumer DSLRs. Like its predecessor, the X-A1, the X-A3’s new sensor has a Bayer pattern color filter like practically every other camera. That means you're not getting the unique “X-Trans” sensor in the higher-end Fujifilm X-T2 and X100T, which was designed to make images look like they were shot with film cameras. With the X-A3, sharpness and color likely won't look as delicious.
Then again, those X-Trans cameras cost more than twice as much as the X-A3.
This shooter also doesn’t have all the knobs, buttons, and advanced features of those higher-end Fujis, but the sensor size and specs are still solid for its $600 price tag. There’s a 49-point autofocus system (compared to the X-T2’s 325-point system), a top continuous shooting speed of 6fps (compared to 14fps), and 1080p video recording (stepping up will get you 4K capabilities).
The X-A3 can boast a few bonus features, like manual exposure controls, RAW mode with in-camera processing, an ISO range that reaches up to 25,600, and the ability to control the camera remotely via Wi-Fi. But clearly, this is a camera built for more casual shooters. You know, the kind that also wants to snap the occasional, automated selfie.
That's right. As with the X-A1, the X-A3's three-inch touchscreen tilts all the way up so you can see it from the front. This latest model, though, picks up a few tricks that help you take smarter selfies. When you flip the screen up, the camera automatically focuses on your eyes. There’s also a feature that automatically triggers the shutter when you smile, or when people huddle in front of the lens. When you’re using the camera to shoot the world around you and not just your own beaming face, the touchscreen offers smartphone-like touch-focus and pinch-to-zoom controls.
And of course, you can print your selfies on the portable Instax Share SP-2 printer, which is compatible with this camera. Synergy! The X-A3 will ship in October, and it’ll be available in brown, silver, and pink. The $600 asking price includes a 16-55mm kit lens.
