X Series · 2013
Fujifilm X-A1
The first Fujifilm X camera without an X-Trans sensor.
Short answer
The X-A1 was the first X-mount camera to use a conventional Bayer sensor instead of X-Trans, in order to hit a lower price. It has a 16.3MP sensor, no viewfinder, a tilting screen and 10 film simulations.
The X-A1 arrived alongside the X-M1 with the same body and a different sensor. Where the X-M1 had X-Trans, the X-A1 had a standard Bayer chip and a lower price, which is the entire distinction between them.
Key specs
- Sensor
- 16.3 MP CMOS with Bayer filter
- In-body stabilisation
- No
- Viewfinder
- None — rear screen only
- Video
- 1080/30p
- Weight
- 330 g
- Launch price
- $599
Specifications
- Released
- October 2013
- Sensor
- APS-C · 23.6 × 15.6 mm
- ISO range
- ISO 200–6400 (100–25600 extended)
- Burst
- 5.6 fps
- Screen
- 3.0-inch tilting LCD, 920K dots
- Lens mount
- Fujifilm X
- Card slots
- 1× SD
- Dimensions
- 116.9 × 66.5 × 39.0 mm
Dimensions
- 116.9 mm wide
- 66.5 mm tall
- 39 mm deep
Body drawn to scale from the dimensions Fujifilm publishes. Depth is listed, not drawn.
Why Fujifilm used Bayer
X-Trans sensors cost more to make and require more processing power. For a camera that had to sell below six hundred dollars with a lens, a conventional Bayer sensor was the only way to get there.
The colour science is unchanged, so the film simulations behave the same. What you lose is ACROS, and a small amount of fine detail because Bayer sensors need an optical low-pass filter.
Is it worth anything now?
Very little, and that is the honest answer. Autofocus is slow, the screen is dated, there is no viewfinder and 16 megapixels on a filtered Bayer sensor is the weakest imaging combination Fujifilm has shipped.
The one argument is price. If a body appears for almost nothing with a lens attached, the lens alone may justify it.
What is good
- Full Fujifilm colour simulations Tilting screen and 330g body Takes any X-mount lens Extremely cheap
What is not
- Bayer sensor with a low-pass filter No viewfinder, no ACROS, slow autofocus Outclassed by almost everything since
Verdict
The X-A1 is a historical curiosity. Buy it only for a lens bundle, and expect the body to be a bonus rather than the point.
Film simulations on this camera
10 film simulations
Common questions
What is the difference between the X-A1 and X-M1?
The sensor. The X-M1 uses X-Trans, the X-A1 uses Bayer. The bodies are otherwise the same.
Does the X-A1 have Classic Chrome?
No. It predates Classic Chrome and never received it.
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Last updated August 27, 2026