Fujifilm's 2012 budget compact — 14MP CCD, 33-165mm 5x zoom, AA power, 720p video
The FinePix AX500 was a budget compact in Fujifilm's AA-powered AX series, announced at the start of 2012 and shipping from around March that year at an $89.95 list price, alongside the closely related AX550. It was among the last generations of cheap CCD compacts Fujifilm made before smartphones absorbed the category.
It pairs a 14-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CCD with a Fujinon 5x zoom covering 33-165mm equivalent at f/3.3-5.9, framed on a 2.7-inch LCD. Sensitivity reaches ISO 3200, face detection with smile and blink recognition handles people shots, an electronic image stabiliser tackles shake, and video records at 1280x720. It runs on two AA batteries and stores to SD cards.
It suits beginners and buyers wanting a glovebox or festival camera where loss would not sting: AA cells can be bought anywhere and the 5x range covers snapshots through short telephoto. Image quality is honest budget-CCD fare — good in sunlight, noisy indoors — and the electronic stabilisation is modest, so expect a daylight camera.
With AA power and SD storage there are no obsolescence traps; check instead for the wear cheap bodies collect. Confirm the zoom extends without hesitation, the flash charges, and the LCD — the only finder — is free of pressure marks. Battery-bay corrosion from abandoned alkalines is the most common fault on AX-series bodies, so open the door before paying.