Has the cheap compact camera craze persuaded you to ditch your phone? I’d consider the Fujifilm X-A7… REALLY!

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No, I’m not mad! The Fujifilm X-A7 is an excellent introduction to the world of dedicated cameras – and at a very reasonable price, too

Fujifilm X-A7 review
The Fujifilm X-A7 should feel like a step up from a phone, while retaining plenty of familiarity (Image credit: Digital Camera World)

The Fujifilm X-A7 was released way back in 2019 and, while it’s hardly the best Fujifilm camera ever, I actually think it’s a decent choice for anyone looking to step up from the best camera phones and into the world of dedicated cameras – or somebody looking for a compact everyday carry for around $600 / £400.

And while it’s not a compact camera in the truest sense, the Fujifilm X-A7's body is so small that it’ll happily slip into the smallest of backpacks or a generous handbag.

Similar choices on the market right now are the Fujifilm X100VI and Fujifilm X-M5. These are both much more capable cameras that boast proper X-Trans sensors (the X-A7 has a Bayer-filtered sensor). But while I love the X100VI especially – it’s a sublime little camera – I’m struggling to get on board with paying $1,599 / £1,599 for a fixed-lens, compact camera.

Now, don’t get me wrong. If you’re a street photographer or looking for your one-and-done premium compact, it’s a fine choice. But when I’ve already got a Nikon Z8, I’ve had to keep reminding myself that I don’t need that beefy 40.2MP sensor. In fact, one of the reasons I want an APS-C camera is because of the smaller files.

The obvious choice would be to pick up an X100V or even a Fujifilm X100F, but these cameras are still going for silly prices because X100VIs are still mighty hard to get hold of. And while I’ve just claimed that the forgotten Fujifilm X-T200 is still a great entry-level choice, it doesn’t really have the compact form factor I’m looking for.

Even the aging Fujifilm X100F is holding its price on the used market given the popularity of the X100V and X100VI (Image credit: Fujifilm)

You just have to look at the rise in popularity of the Kodak PixPro range to realize that cheap, small cameras are in vogue. And if you’re upgrading from a phone, chances are, you’re unlikely to spend upwards of a grand on a dedicated camera.

Now, I’m not going to stand here and suggest the Fujifilm X-A7 holds a candle to the X100VI or even X100V. But it does have one ace up its sleeve for the right photographer – it’s an interchangeable-lens camera.

This makes it an excellent choice for phone photographers because they can experience a wide range of focal lengths – if they so choose – without losing too much familiarity in the controls department. And by familiarity, I mean the X-A7’s gorgeous 3.5-inch rear LCD.

This large and bright flip-out touchscreen takes up almost the entirety of the camera’s minimalist rear, that has only five buttons and a tiny thumbstick.

Rear of Fujifilm X-A7 with LCD screen flipped out in front of a field

The lack of a viewfinder won't bother phone photographers, and that articulated 3.5-inch touch screen takes up most of the camera's rear (Image credit: Digital Camera World)

That’s not all phone photographers will be thankful for. The battery supports in-camera charging – so attach the charging cable and you’re good to go – and you get access to 11 Film Simulations. This means you can apply trendy film-style aesthetics (modeled on real analog film) to your JPEG images. Get the exposure right and you won’t even have to worry about editing them – just like your phone!

There’s also a pop-up flash, hot shoe, and mic input. However, the latter is slightly strange as it’s 2.5mm, so you’ll need to use the included adapter to connect a 3.5mm jack. The camera can shoot bursts of up to 6fps and capture 4K 30p, uncropped, but with a 10-minute limit. And FullHD 60p. And crucially, the image quality is really good for a camera of this price.

Easily the biggest hurdle for photographers like myself to overcome is the lack of a viewfinder, but phone shooters will feel right at home composing from the rear LCD. However, if the lack of an EVF is a dealbreaker for you, you could always look at the Fujifilm X-E4, instead.

This little camera has a similar form factor to the X-A7, but it will cost you a little more. Still, you do get a better spec for the additional outlay, such as the viewfinder, a proper X-Trans sensor (26MP, too), and 8fps (20fps electronic) burst shooting.

Regardless, if you can find it for the right price, I still think the Fujifilm X-A7 is a decent purchase for the right photographer, even in 2025.

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Mike Harris
Mike Harris
How To Editor

Mike is Digital Camera World's How To Editor. He has over a decade of experience, writing for some of the biggest specialist publications including Digital Camera, Digital Photographer and PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine. Prior to DCW, Mike was Deputy Editor of N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine and Production Editor at Wex Photo Video, where he sharpened his skills in both the stills and videography spheres. While he's an avid motorsport photographer, his skills extend to every genre of photography – making him one of Digital Camera World's top tutors for techniques on cameras, lenses, tripods, filters and other imaging equipment – as well as sharing his expertise on shooting everything from portraits and landscapes to abstracts and architecture to wildlife and, yes, fast things going around race tracks...

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