Fujifilm X-A1 review

PERFORMANCE

The new sensor hasn’t affected continuous performance, matching the X-M1 with a 5.5fps top speed. With a fast SDHC card it kept that pace for 44 shots before slowing slightly to 4.4fps – a tremendous result. Switching to raw mode saw performance fall to 1.4fps after 11 shots. Autofocus wasn’t as responsive as on the X-M1, though. We measured times of 0.5 to 0.9 seconds between fully pressing the shutter button and capturing a photo. The X-M1 managed 0.3 to 0.4 seconds in the same test. This contributed to a slightly disappointing 1.2 seconds between shots in normal use – hardly a poor result, but the Panasonic GX7 proves that SLR-like performance is possible from a CSC with its 0.4-second shot-to-shot time. We also found that autofocus was a little unreliable when shooting moving subjects in low light.

The video mode is light on features, with a fixed 30fps frame rate, a 14-minute maximum clip length and no control over exposure settings. Details in videos were a little sharper than we saw from the X-M1, but we spotted moiré interference on repeating patterns such as bricks and fabric. Video autofocus wasn’t really up to the job, with regular focus hunting when recording nearby subjects.

CONCLUSION

The prospect of a more affordable X-M1 is appealing. £700 is a worryingly large amount to spend on a compact camera, while £500 seems a little more sane. It’s great to find the same controls at this price, but that’s only half of the X-M1’s success story. Without its outstanding sensor, the X-A1 isn’t nearly as enticing, even at this price.

The range is beautifully-formed, but small in terms of lens support

With less reasons to love it, the reasons to be wary become more prominent. It’s relatively heavy and bulky for a CSC, its video mode is disappointing and X Mount lenses are expensive and few in number. It’s still an impressive camera, but by today’s lofty standards, that’s not enough to stand out.