Fujifilm's slim 2012 budget compact — 16MP CCD, 5x 28-140mm f/2.6 zoom, 720p video, SD storage, NP-45A battery.
The FinePix JX420 was announced in January 2012 alongside the JX370 as part of Fujifilm's slim, budget JX line of point-and-shoot compacts. The J-series targeted first-time digital camera buyers, and the JX420 was among the last generation of the range before smartphones absorbed this end of the market.
A 16-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CCD sits behind a Fujinon 5x zoom equivalent to 28-140mm with an f/2.6 maximum aperture at wide angle. Focus runs from about 45cm to infinity with a 10cm macro mode, sensitivity spans ISO 100-3200, and framing is on a 2.7-inch 230k-dot LCD - there is no viewfinder. Video records at 720p and 30fps, storage is SD/SDHC, and the NP-45A lithium-ion battery is rated for roughly 300 shots. The body weighs 124g at 95x57x24mm.
The JX420 is an uncomplicated pocket camera: scene recognition, face detection and panorama modes do the thinking, and the slim body slips into any bag. It suits buyers wanting a cheap, simple compact with a usefully wide lens, though the small CCD struggles above ISO 400 and there is no image stabilisation to lean on at the long end.
Used examples are inexpensive, so insist on a working NP-45A battery and charger - the cell remains widely available as it was shared across many Fujifilm compacts. Check the lens opens fully without error messages, the LCD is unscratched, and test telephoto shots for shake-induced softness given the lack of stabilisation. SD compatibility makes memory a non-issue.