Fujifilm X-A3

The Fujifilm X-A3 arrived in 2016 as a mirrorless camera sized for everyday carry. At 117 x 67 x 40 mm and 339 g, it disappears into a small bag and barely registers around your neck.

There is no viewfinder, so all framing happens on the 3-inch touchscreen. That screen-first design suits casual photographers, travellers and anyone moving up from a phone who prefers holding the camera out rather than up to the eye.

Inside sits an APS-C sensor behind the Fujifilm X mount, so the camera takes X-series lenses and can grow with you. There is no weather sealing, so keep it away from rain, spray and dust.

Stills start with a 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor paired with the EXR Processor II. That resolution leaves room to crop tightly or print large.

Sensitivity runs from ISO 200 to 6400, a range spanning bright outdoor light and lower-light settings. The 1/4000 second top shutter speed helps keep exposure in check when you shoot wide apertures outdoors, though the brightest conditions can still demand smaller apertures.

Autofocus offers 77 points, giving you a wide choice of focus positions when you frame a shot. The maximum burst rate of 6 fps is a ceiling for the fastest setting, not a promise of sustained shooting.

The Fujifilm X mount means you can build on X-series glass as your interests develop. Just remember there is no in-body stabilisation, so for handheld low-light work consider stabilised lenses, faster shutter speeds or a tripod.

Video tops out at Full HD resolution, and the fastest frame rate offered is 60 fps, which keeps everyday motion looking smooth rather than stuttery.

Clips record as MPEG-4 or MOV, so you can pick whichever container format suits the footage you plan to shoot.

The light 339 g body, flipping screen and touchscreen pair well for handheld clips and self-framed pieces. Tilting the screen away from the body lets you hold the camera low or high while still seeing your frame, and touch control keeps adjustments quick.

One gap is the absence of a built-in timelapse function, so interval sequences have to be shot some other way if that work appeals to you.

The 3-inch LCD carries 1,040,000 dots, giving review images plenty of detail. Touch control lets you work through settings with a tap rather than digging through menus.

The screen also flips, which helps at waist level, overhead, or turned toward you for portraits and pieces to camera. Live view keeps what you see on the screen matched to the file you capture.

Light comes from a built-in flash for quick fill indoors, with support for an external flash when you want more power and direction for your portraits or still lifes.

WiFi is built in for wireless connection, but there is no Bluetooth. Note the absences: no GPS and no weather sealing, so plan around fair conditions and add location data elsewhere if you need it.

Storage runs through a single SD, SDHC or SDXC card slot. With no second slot to write a copy, a card problem could cost the shoot, so use a card you trust and download often on important days.

The NP-W126S battery is rated at 410 shots. Expect real-world endurance to shift with how much screen, flash and WiFi use your shooting style involves.

Charging happens through the battery charger rather than over USB, so build mains access into your travel routine. For long or remote shoots, a second NP-W126S removes the need to ration frames near the end of the day.