Finepix 1300 just quits, will not power up with new batteries

MIne's doing the same thing. I've had this problem on and off ever since I bought the camera.

I think they had a defective control chip from the factory and there's no excuse for them to have released these cameras for sale with this problem.

The problem evidently stems from the stupid way they power up the camera. The switch is basically a momentary switch that turns the camera either on or off and the chip then recognizes what the operator intent is by changing whatever state the camera happens to be in (if it's of then it turns it on and vice-versa).

The chip will also turn the camera off if it hasn't been operated after a set time and theis is also the reason that the camera will run down the baterries if it hasn't been operated...there is always a slight drain on the batteries even if it's turned off.

So to answer your question, this isn't built-in obsolescence, it's defective design.

I will never own another Fugi product.