The hip new shooter

IT IS COMMON to assume that specialised cameras are losing out to smartphones when it comes to the snapper of choice for the young and trendy.
However, according to Fujifilm Malaysia, the demand for mirrorless cameras has beaten out DSLRs in Asia, especially among the youth.
Building on its success with the X-A3, Fujifilm Malaysia recently launched the X-A5, the latest, smallest, and lightest mirrorless digital camera in its X series range.
Inside the X-A5 is a new 24.2MP sensor with the X series' signature colour reproduction technology.
It is equipped with a host of new features, such as a touch screen, new zoom lens, 4K movie recording, and the latest Bluetooth pairing technology for fast image transfers.
Fujifilm Malaysia managing director Yoshitaka Nakamura emphasised that the X-A5 was designed with the fashionable and youthful in mind, but without sacrificing Fujifilm's signature image quality.
Nakamura said: "Fujifilm's latest X-A5 series meets and exceeds the needs and preferences of fun-seeking photography enthusiasts [right up] to the tech-savvy professional photographers [who] demand sleek, easy-to-handle, lightweight, versatile, compact, and high-quality images from their cameras."
He added that Fujifilm's latest offering is also an ideal device for the avid traveller.
For the social photographer, the X-A5 offers a plethora of connectivity options.
It can connect directly to a smartphone via the Fujifilm Camera Remote app for easy sharing on social media.
It can also connect to a Fujifilm Instax SP-3 printer for instant photo prints.
The X-A5 comes with the new collapsible Fujinon CX15-45mm F3.5-5.6 OIS PZ lens.
Together, the combo weighs in at only 496g.
Those who attended the launch event were also given the opportunity to use an X-A5 for themselves.
In hand, it feels almost like a compact camera, but it has a lot of buttons and dials, like a DSLR.
Using the camera can be as complicated or as simple as the user wants it to be.
The camera can switch from a fully automatic point-and-shoot mode to a fully manual mode at a turn of a dial.
The built-in 3in LCD can tilt for low-angle shots, and flip up for selfies.
The X-A5 also has a little something for videographers.
It can record HD videos up to quad speed for slow-motion clips, and record in 4K. The Multi-Focus Mode automatically stacks 4K quality images to create pictures with an adjustable depth of field.
The camera also has a 4K bust function that shoots 15 frames of 4K quality images per second.
The X-A5 is available in two packages. The early bird package includes the camera, the 15-45mm kit lens, two 32GB SD Cards, a leather case, and a leather strap, all for RM3,288.
The Selfie Portrait Package comes with the camera, the 15-45mm kit lens, and the XF23mm F2 R WR lens for RM3,998.
The X-A5 also comes in brown, pink, or black leather wraps.