The best Fujifilm cameras in 2019

(Image credit: Digital Camera World)

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X-mount mirrorless
Compact cameras
Medium format

How do you pick the best Fujifilm camera when there are so many classics to choose from? Fujifilm's camera range includes high-end pro models, compact 'street' cameras, novice-friendly mirrorless models and even an underwater camera – and we'll help you pick the right one for you. From time to time they can even pop up in our best cheap camera guide.

Fujifilm's probably best known for its mirrorless cameras, which take interchangeable lenses. These come in two sizes: Fujifilm's X-mount APS-C models and its professional medium format cameras.

The APS-C X-mount cameras are the most popular and affordable. The more advanced models like the X-T3 and X-T30 have mini-DSLR styling with a conventionally placed (electronic) viewfinder, while the entry-level models like the Fujifilm X-A5 and the new X-A7 have a smaller rectangular shape and ditch the viewfinder. There is an ever-increasing number of X-mount lenses for these cameras, and you can check out the best Fujifilm lenses in our separate guide.

Fujifilm has dropped most of its compact cameras as it concentrates on its mirrorless models, but it still makes the terrific little XP130 (there's a new XP140 too) underwater camera for holidays, travel and general family use and two higher end compact cameras – the Fujifilm X100F, and the more affordable Fujifilm XF10.

At the other end of the scale, Fujifilm has also pioneered the introduction of medium-format digital cameras into the mainstream market, and we've included the big but beautiful GFX 50R and the expensive but ground-breaking GFX 100 in our list.

As usual with our buying guides, we start off with the camera we think is the best all-round choice for most people, followed by a couple of cheaper options for those whose pockets aren't so deep. After that, we head into specialist territory with different cameras aimed at different types of user.

So if you don't see the right camera for you straight away... keep scrolling! And don't forget Black Friday is coming, with the chance to buy your dream camera at prices you can only dream about! See below for more.

What you need to know about Black Friday 2019

The Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales have always been a great time to pick up camera gear. This is when camera retailers bring out their best camera deals, often for a short time only and while stocks last. So what do we expect to see this year? Well, we think some of the best Black Friday camera deals in 2019 will come via the big-name brands. You may not get massive savings on the latest models – instead, the best deals are often on cameras, lenses and accessories that are a little older, or the previous model. So should you wait before you buy? Not necessarily! Makers and retailers bring out promotions and deals all year round, and you can be sure we'll bring you the latest just as soon as they appear!

X-mount mirrorless

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1. Fujifilm X-T30

Fujifilm's latest model is small, affordable and amazingly powerful

Small size & traditional design

Excellent image quality

Autofocus performs well

No in-body stabilisation

The X-T30 is the replacement for the much-loved Fujifilm X-T20, with slightly more resolution, vastly improved autofocus and the ability to shoot at up to 30fps with its electronic shutter and 1.25 crop mode. It's like a mini-version of Fujifilm's top X-mount camera, the X-T3 (below), but we have put it in first place because it's a lot smaller, a lot cheaper and doesn't give away that much in either features or performance. The 4K video capabilities are improved too, and while the X-T30 can't quite compete with the bigger X-T3's professional level video capture, its autofocus is actually slightly more advanced. If you want a small, affordable, all-round APS-C camera that's right at the cutting edge with image quality and features, this is it. We reckon you'll also be charmed by the X-T30's old-school external shutter speed dial and exposure controls.

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2. Fujifilm X-T3

The most powerful APS-C mirrorless camera you can get

Advanced autofocus

4K video at up to 60/50p

High-speed shooting

No in-body stabilisation

The Fujifilm X-T3 is the APS-C mirrorless camera with everything. Well, practically everything. It doesn't have in-body image stabilisation (only the older Fujifilm X-H1 has that), but it does have a powerful autofocus system that covers the entire image area, the ability to capture 4K video at up to 60/50fps and 4:2:0 10-bit quality internally for pro-level videographers, a super-sharp new 26.1 back-illuminated APS-C X-Trans sensor, and all wrapped up in a neat, compact and really well-made body. It's perfect for sports and video, but supremely well adapted to general purpose photography too. If you're looking to upgrade your existing camera and you want the best you can get without the expense of a full frame camera, this is it. Read more: Fujifilm X-T3 review

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3. Fujifilm X-T100

It's a neat and affordable DSLR-style mirrorless model that's rather good

Stylish, lightweight design

Includes high-resolution EVF

Simple, clean design

4K video limited to 15fps

If you've been shopping around for a while, you'll have discovered it's not so easy to find a mirrorless camera with a viewfinder at an affordable price for novices, and this is why we love the X-T100. It’s compact, lightweight and simple to use, yet features a high-resolution electronic viewfinder and a tilting touchscreen – and all at a very attractive price. There are some limitations. The X-T100 uses a regular CMOS sensor rather than Fujifilm's more advanced X-Trans design, but more seriously its 4K video capture is limited to 15fps, so don't get this for shooting 4K video. Paired with the dinky little Fujinon XC 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ lens, the X-T100 makes a great-value camera kit that’s a particularly good travelling companion, whether you’re trekking into the hills or flying to the other side of the world. Read more: Fujifilm X-T100 review

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4. Fujifilm X-A5

Perfect for beginners, fashionistas and Instagramers

Smart selfie mode

Clever Eye AF feature

No viewfinder

4K video limited to 15fps

A thing of beauty, the Fujifilm X-A5 has a gorgeous retro design with some really clever touches, like its 180-degree tilting touchscreen and Portrait Enhancer for selfies, as well as an advanced autofocus mode that finds the subject's eye. As we’ve come to expect in X-series cameras, there’s 4K movie capture but it’s somewhat hamstrung by a 15fps frame rate. The megapixel count for stills is pretty impressive at 24.2MP but, in keeping with the compact lightweight design, there’s no viewfinder, so you have to rely on the LCD for composing shots. With more stamina than various other X-series cameras, this one has a battery life of around 450 shots. If you're moving up from a smartphone, you won't miss the viewfinder but you will love the image quality. The X-A5 has now been superseded by the Fujifilm X-A7 with its larger touch-screen display and more advanced 4K video, but the X-A7 is pretty price, while the X-A5 has been discounted to very attractive levels. Read more: Fujifilm X-A5 review.

Best Fujifilm camera: Fujifilm X-Pro3 — (Image credit: Fujifilm)

5. Fujifilm X-Pro3

The retro classic with a unique viewfinder

Type: Mirrorless | Sensor: APS-C | Megapixels: 26.1MP | Lens mount: Fujifilm X | Screen: 3in tilting touchscreen, 1,620k dots | Viewfinder: Hybrid OVF (95% cov, x0.52 mag) and OLED EVF (100% cov, x0.66 mag, 3.69m dots) | Max continuous shooting speed: 11fps mechanical shutter, 20fps electronic, 30fps with crop | Max video resolution: 4K UHD | User level: Enthusiast/Professional

Superb retro design

Hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder

Novel 'hidden' screen

Expensive and specialised

Also a thing of beauty, but at the other end of the price scale, the Fujifilm X-Pro3 attempts to recapture the handling and shooting experience of classic rangefinder cameras but with the latest digital technology. The new model improves on the previous X-Pro2 with Fujifilm's latest 26.1MP X-Trans sensor, improved autofocus and a unique rear screen design which folds flat against the body in normal use to 'hide' the picture you've just taken and display instead a digital representation of the film packet lids we used to slot in the backs of our film cameras – one for each of Fujifilm's Film Simulation modes! You can flip the rear screen downwards for image playback and shooting, as it happens, so this isn't quite as radical a design as it sounds, but the hybrid electronic/optical viewfinder is still unique to Fujifilm cameras and what helps set this camera apart as a photographic tool. Read more: Fujifilm X-Pro3 hands on review.

Compact cameras

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6. Fujifilm X100F

This fixed-lens compact camera has real old-school charm

Hybrid viewfinder

Sumptuous image quality

LCD doesn't tilt nor respond to touch

No 4K video

If you like the classic 35mm equivalent 'street' photography focal length, you don't have too go that big. The Fujifilm X100F is the latest of the company’s highly acclaimed X100 series, and it comes with a fixed 35mm equivalent f/2 lens, a 24.3MP APS-C format X-Trans image sensor and a clever hybrid viewfinder that combines optical and electronic modes. A hybrid viewfinder might sound complicated, but good as they are, electronic viewfinders just don't give the clarity of an optical viewfinder system, and this one also lets you see 'outside' the frame – one of the key selling points of the Leica rangefinder system, and one which helps you anticipate the action more effectively. The overall layout of dials and buttons is perfectly suited to demanding enthusiast photographers. Build quality is pretty epic as well, making the X100F one of the very best high-end compact cameras in the world. Read more: Fujifilm X100F review

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7. Fujifilm XF10

It's like an X100F but less than half the price

Super-slim

Great value

No viewfinder

Autofocus not the fastest

If you love the idea of the Fujifilm X100F but you're not so keen on the price, the little XF10 could be the answer. It's a much modest camera, without the viewfinder of the XF100 or its old-school shutter speed and lens aperture dials, but the XF10 does still have a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor and a very handy 28mm equivalent f/2.8 lens. Its two really appealing features, however, are its extra-slim body – which can easily slide into a jacket pocket, or even a trouser pocket – and its much lower price. It's easy to focus (sorry!) on its slightly sluggish autofocus and limited features, but where else will you get a pocket-sized premium quality APS-C camera at anything like this price?

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8. Fujifilm FinePix XP130

It’s one tough cookie of a compact camera

Budget price

5x optical zoom lens

Mediocre low-light image quality

No 4K video

Finally, we wanted to mention one of our favourite go-anywhere family cameras. Small but tough, the Fujifilm FinePix XP130 is sufficiently shockproof to withstand being dropped from a height of 1.75m, waterproof to a depth of 20m, freezeproof to -10C and dustproof. It boasts a 5x optical zoom lens with an effective range of 28-140mm in 35mm terms, while the maximum continuous drive rate is pretty impressive at 10fps, and the LCD screen is fairly high in resolution (which is welcome in the absence of a viewfinder). It’s well-connected camera too, with built-in Low-Energy (LE) Bluetooth. There is a new XP140 just out, but the differences are minor and the old XP130 is still on sale, and great value.

Medium format

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9. Fujifilm GFX 50R

If ultimate quality is all you care about, the GFX 50R takes you a step closer

Breathtaking resolution

Build and handling

Leisurely autofocus

Size and cost

Fujifilm does not make full frame cameras. It goes straight from its APS-C models like the X-T30 and X-A5 to a much larger medium format sensor in its GFX models. The first was the GFX 50S, but we really rate the newer GFX 50R, not just because it has a neater rectangular shape but also because it's only three-quarters the price! OK, so the price tag looks excessive compared to regular cameras, but it's a breakthrough for medium format cameras – and the larger sensor delivers a level of image quality that just blows you away the first time you see it (and for a long time after that, actually). It's big, it's heavy, and it's not that fast to use, but it's designed for a more considered kind of photography. The GFX 50R is in this list because it's brought medium format quality within the reach of many more pros and advanced amateurs than ever before. Read more: Fujifilm GFX 50R review

10. Fujifilm GFX 100

It's expensive, but not for medium format. It's also quite exceptional

Incredible resolving power

Full frame 4K video

Controls may divide opinion

In-body stabilisation isn't foolproof

We can't put the GFX 100 at the top of this section because its size and its price put it well beyond the scope of the average photographer. But in the world of medium format photography (sensors larger than 35mm full frame), it's a positive bargain. It's also a groundbreaking camera that changes our expectations about what medium format cameras can do. Its 100-megapixel resolution challenged our own testing procedures, its in-body stabilisation is a medium format first, and its hybrid AF (thanks to a recent firmware update) is a huge step forward. On the downside, while the in-body stabilisation is valuable extra insurance against camera shake, you'd be unwise to rely on it, and while the body is relatively compact, when it's matched up with Fujifilm's medium format glass, the combination gets quite tiring for prolonged handheld use. But this camera's image quality is simply spectacular, and once you've seen what it can do, any handling quibbles are instantly forgotten. Read more: Fujifilm GFX 100 review