Fuji Finepix AX280 Review

The Fuji Finepix AX280 is a simple snapshot camera. Its biggest strength is its ease of use. It sits at the cheaper end of the market and will just about squeeze into a large pocket. It has 14 megapixels and a 5x optical zoom lens.

Although High Definition movies are becoming increasingly more widespread not all cameras at this level offer them, so the Finepix AX280 is ahead of many of its closest competitors in this area. It is also one of a small group of cameras that runs on AA batteries.

Why Buy The Fuji Finepix AX280

The Finepix AX280 is likely to appeal to someone who sees photography as fun and is looking for a simple snapshot digital camera.

Ratings

Ease of Use 9
Features 7
Movie Mode 8
Build Quality8
Colours8

Photo Quality 7
Style 8
Lowlight 7
Macro 7
Value for Money8

Main Features

Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:

14
5x
3 inches
93 x 60.2 x 27.8mm
119g

Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:

10cm
Yes
No
AA
SD / SDHC

Features

Fuji have a good reputation for producing simple, easy to use digital cameras. That's the case with the Finepix AX280 too. Describing the features is not going to take long because there are very few of them!

The main features are 14 megapixels and a 5x zoom lens. That gives you more than enough megapixels for extra large prints. The length of zoom is roughly standard and is a step up on the most basic models.

The 3 inch screen is also a bit of a bonus on a digital camera in this price range. A larger screen does help when composing images and accessing the menu system.

Aside from these features you get the tools to adjust settings such as white balance, exposure compensation and ISO if you are looking to fine tune your photographs. One useful feature is the ability to fire off two simultaneous shots. One is taken with flash and one without. You can then choose your favourite shot out of the two.

Another bonus comes in the form of the Finepix AX280 being able to shoot High Definition movies. Although this is becoming the norm this feature has yet to be rolled out to every entry level digital camera.

Power is supplied by two AA batteries.

Handling

Getting a good hold of the Finepix AX280 is not a problem. It is a good size, plus there is also a raised, grip area on the front of the camera. In addition there is a dimpled area on the back if the camera where you can rest your thumb.

Operating the Finepix AX280 is a simple task. There are not a great number of buttons or menu options to contend with.

On the top of the camera there are just two buttons. One turns the camera on and off. The other you press to take a picture.

On the back near the top is the zoom control button. You press one end to zoom in and the other to zoom out.

Below this are buttons to change the information displayed on the LCD screen and to review images.

Under these is the standard circular section. This has options to delete an image, choose the flash setting, activate the self timer and place the camera into macro mode. In the centre of this is a button that allows you to access the menu system and to also confirm a chosen setting.

Looking at the menu system your will see 8 general shooting options spread over two pages and 23 setup options covering four pages.

Image Quality - See Sample Images Below

Outdoor Scenic Shot 1

There are some plus points and some negative points about this picture. To start with I like the colours. The centre of the picture is also sharper than I would expect to see from an entry level camera. On the downside focusing slips as you move towards the edges. Detail is lost from the lightest areas of the shot too as the Finepix AX280 finds it hard to cope with the low angle of the sun at this time of the year. I can also see the corners of the photo take on a darker look.

Outdoor Scenic Shot 2

With this shot there tends to be less of a difference in quality between cameras like the Finepix AX280 and more expensive models. As in my first shot the centre of the photo shows the sharpest level of detail while sharpness slips as you move out towards the edges. If you enlarge the photo you can see signs of purple fringing around the trees. This is to a minor level, so I would be surprised if this was an issue with smaller prints.

Outdoor Scenic Shot 3

Zooming in shows the same strengths and weaknesses as my previous tests. Sharpness in the centre of the shot is better than I would expect from this type of camera, but there is a gradual softening away from the centre. This is unlikely to be a problem if you keep your prints to snapshot size.

Outdoor Building

This shot confirms what I have seen so far. The centre of the shot is sharp, but the outer edges look a little soft. You would also expect a more expensive camera to lift the photo more. By this I mean that the brickwork on the building looks a little flat. Darkness also creeps into the corners again.

Outdoor Portrait

I would like to have seen a bit of extra warmth in the colour of this shot. Skin tones are a bit bland with colours verging on being washed out.

Indoor Portrait With Flash

Light from the flash unit brightens the face quite nicely. The light in the shot is a bit uneven though. There are areas of the hair that could do with more light and darkness is clearly visible in the corners of the shot again.

Indoor Portrait Without Flash

Photos taken without the benefit of good light tend to highlight the difference between cheaper and more expensive cameras more than any other test. In this example there is a fair amount of noise showing in the photo. This takes the edge off the definition of the shot. You are likely to need to use flash as soon as lighting levels start to fall.

Macro

This shot sums up the Finepix AX280 quite well. Once again I see a photo that is much sharper in the centre than away from the middle. If you are looking for a camera that you can produce the occasional close up snap then the Finepix AX280 is likely to be able to give you what you are looking for. If you plan to take a fair few close up shots then there are better cameras in this price range.

Colours

I like the colours showing in my outdoor scenic shots. In other instances the colours lack a bit of pep.

Noise

Perhaps it is not surprising that noise can be an issue when taking photos when the light is not perfect. Noise is also likely to show in areas of light shade.

Picture Quality Summary

The pictures taken by the Finepix AX280 are fairly typical of a cheaper compact camera. If you stick with smaller print sizes you are unlikely to be greatly inconvenienced by the slippage in sharpness as you move towards the edges of the photo. Of more concern are the darker corners that you may see in your photos as there is not a lot you can do about that.

Shutter Lag Times

Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time

0.39 seconds
16.15 seconds
0.5 seconds
15.37 seconds
3.02 seconds

Shutter Lag Table link arrow

Ease of Use

Ease of use is the greatest strength of the Finepix AX280. It is a fairly typical entry level model that can be operated automatically with the camera making all the key exposure decisions. All you need to do is point the camera at the subject and press the shutter button.

Points I Like

Ease of use - High Definition movies - Good sized LCD screen

Where it Could Improve

Dark corners in photos - Small amount of purple fringing - Noise in lowlight - Loss of sharpness toward the edges of photos

Verdict

If you are looking for a cheaper snapshot digital camera then the Fuji Finepix AX280 is an option. It is very easy to use and is relatively small in size. I do have one or two concerns about picture quality, but it does come with a very low price tag and has one or two extra features.