Fujifilm add the new X-A10 entry level camera to their mirrorless line up

It wasn’t too long ago that Fuji announced the entry level X-A3. The much anticipated update to the X-A2, increases the resolution to 24.2MP, and provides a touchscreen LCD. Now, Fuji have announced the the new Fujifilm X-A10, which sits right at the bottom of their entry level range. So, what’s different?

Well, for a start, the resolution’s quite a little lower. Coming in with a newly developed 16.3MP CMOS sensor, it’s not the high resolution monster many have come to expect from cameras these days. But, it’s still a very respectable resolution, especially since most of the X-A10’s users will likely only ever post their images online.

As with Fuji’s other cameras, it features their “colour-reproduction technology, refined over more than 80 years”, to deliver the kind of results we’ve come to know and love. Of course, like the X-A3, it features a Bayer filter, rather than the X-Trans of its larger siblings.

Another feature it shares with the X-A3, is a flip up LCD that can come up a full 180°. It also slides a little to ensure the view is not being blocked by the camera itself from the front. This is its “selfie” mode shooting, or for vlogging. Unlike the X-A3, however, the LCD is not a touchscreen. It’s closer to the previous generation X-A2.

Flipping the screen up in this position does activate the eye-detection autofocus system, though. This makes it handy for those selfies or when vlogging, so the lack of touch screen might not be too big of a deal.

It shoots full 1080p HD video at 30, 25 or 24 frames per second for up to 17 minutes at a time. So, still no 4K on the entry level bodies, although that’s not a big shocker. However, the lack of 1080p60 is a little surprising.

For stills it features six film simulation modes, along with filters and effects. These include Portrait Enhancer for improved skin tone reproduction. Flash sync goes up to 1/180th of a second, but in electronic shutter mode, the shutter speed itself caps out at a pretty crazy 1/32,000 of a second.

Product features

• Outstanding image quality, made possible by the newly-developed 16.3 megapixel image sensor
• Fujifilm’s colour reproduction technology, nurtured through the development of photographic film, captures accurate, warm skin tones, clear blue skies and lush green foliage in tones exactly as you remember them.
• The APS-C sensor delivers beautifully smooth bokeh effects for portraiture and macro shots when using a shallow depth of field.
• The X-A10 offers a total of six Film Simulation modes, namely the true-to-life colours of PROVIA (standard), the vibrant tones and saturated colours of Velvia (vivid), the soft tones of ASTIA (soft), the documentary-style deep colours and soft shades of CLASSIC CHROME, as well as Monochrome and Sepia.
• The normal sensitivity range covers ISO200 to ISO6400, while extended sensitivity settings of ISO12800 and even ISO25600 can be selected when you want to minimise camera shake. The X-A10 produces clear images with astonishingly low noise, even on low-light nightscapes and indoor shots where high ISOs are essential.
• Advanced Filters help you easily produce creative effects. A total of ten Advanced Filters are available, including the new “Fisheye” and “Cross Screen” as well as Toy Camera, Miniature, Dynamic Tone, Pop Colour, Soft Focus, High Key, Low Key and Partial Colour.

– Fuji Press Release

As seems to be the trend these days, there’s no built in GPS, favouring a smart phone connection to pull that information instead. Fuji’s Camera Remote App for smartphones and tablets allows for quick transfer for easy online sharing.

You can also stream the camera’s view to your phone, and control it remotely, allowing you to get those selfies and group shots from a distance.

It gets around 410 shots on a full battery charge, and supports charging of the battery through the camera’s USB port.

Given the retail price of $499, it seems like an odd camera, to me. The only things it really seems to offer over the previous generation X-A2 is that the shutter speed goes to 1/32,000 instead of 1/4,000 and the 180° tilting screen (the X-A2 goes to 175°). Add another $100, and you can step up to the newer X-A3 (as soon as they start shipping), which offers a 24.2MP sensor, a touchscreen LCD, and the ability to shoot full HD video at up to 60fps.

The Fujifilm X-A10 with XC16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS II lens kit will be available from January 2017, and is available to pre-order now for $499.

With such a small price difference between the two, I’m not entirely sure who’d pick the X-A10 over the X-A3. Or even an X-A2, for that matter. But what do you think? Does it offer something more than I’m just not seeing? Will you be getting one? Let us know in the comments.