Fujifilm has beefed up its entry-level compact system camera, launching the Fuji X-A3, promising bigger images, longer battery life and better portraiture. Fuji says the X-A3 is aimed at the younger generation and boasts a slew of features designed to help photographers take better portrait photography, from selfies to traditional head and shoulder shots. On board the Fuji X-A3 is a new 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor, which the company says delivers more accurate colour rendition than its predecessor, with warm skin tones in particular. A new Portrait Enhancer mode aids this skin tone reproduction by brightening them, while an Eye Detection AF mode aims to make self-portraits easier. In the Portrait Enhancer mode, the X-A3 brightens skin tones in three-step adjustments so you can choose your desired tone. Another key feature of the Fuji X-A3 is that the camera offers a 180-degree slide-and-tilt LCD screen with 100% visibility. Even when it’s articulating LCD screen is tilted 180 degrees for a self-portrait, the Fuji X-A3 will activate Eye Detection AF to adjust focus on the subject’s eyes. Meanwhile, users can focus and release the shutter via a vertical command dial found just below their index finger.

Pre-order the Fuji X-A3 at Adorama

What’s more, the X-A3 LCD employs a touchscreen with Touch AF, Touch Shoot and Touch Zoom functionality, the latter which enables you to use a pinch-out finger gesture to use a prime lens like it was a zoom. The Fuji X-A3 front plate, top cover and dials are all made of aluminium, and it comes encased in a faux leather wrap. Other features include Full HD video recording, a maximum shutter speed of 1/32,000sec, Panorama and Time Lapse modes, built-in Wi-Fi functionality and a 49-point focus area for AF in the Single Point mode, plus new Zone and Wide / Tracking modes, which use 77-point focus areas to capture moving subjects. Users will also find a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 up to 6400, which is expandable to ISO 25,600. The X-A3 offers 11 Film Simulation modes that mimic the effects of Fujifilm’s classic film brands, like Provia, as well as a range of Advanced Filters for creative effects like High Key and spot colour. Fuji says the X-A3’s battery will last for approximately 410 frames on a single charge, and a new focus switching lever at the front of the camera lets you swap between AF-S, AF-C and MF.

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Fuji X-A3 Price & Release Date

The Fuji X-A3 price tag will be £599 for the camera plus the XC16-50mmF3.5-5.6 OIS II kit. A release date is set for the end of September 2016. READ MORE Hands-on Fuji X-T2 review What is a mirrorless camera: key technology explained