2026-04-22 FujiFilm XP-15 Digital Camera

The FujiFilm XP series of cameras started with the XP-10 series, somewhere around 2008. This XP-15 is typical.
It is—

drop-proof—tested by dropping 1 m {3.3 feet} onto a plywood surface 5 cm {1.5 inch} thick
water-proof—used in water no deeper than 3 m (9.8 feet)
dust proof—see cautions about sand below

On the other hand the list of cautions is extensive. You must close the battery/memory card hatch correctly (tight and no grit in the seal). You can’t leave the camera in water more than two hours. You can’t submerge the camera in hot water. You can’t dive into water holding the camera. Sand can ruin the hatch seals, as well as damage the speaker and microphone. Leaving the camera in sunlight could cause it to exceed its operating temperature. While we are on the temperature limitations, the camera’s operating range is -10 to +40 ºC (+14 to 140ºF).
The camera will sink in water. If it sinks below 3 m it will potentially flood. Flooding is often fatal. Which leads to the strange spread of opinions on the internet of the FujiFilm XP cameras. They are either loved, or hated. They are one of the cheapest, lightest and capable waterproof cameras, so a lot of the opinion has to do with expectations of some and complete loss of the camera by others.

I have been using a FujiFilm Z10 camera for many years. It has the similar internal zoom as the XP-15 (3x vs 5x), similar operating controls, options and battery and has worked very well for all those years. FujiFilm seems to use the same battery in many of their smaller point-and-shoot cameras, which I find charming.

I did note a strange point of this particular model. It has a “port” next to its speaker on the end—protected by a plastic cover—that is explained in the instructions as a “Connector cover (not for customer use)”. I gather you shouldn’t bother to pry it open because it isn’t for you.

This camera came in an Optex case that has held up well. The case has two zipper pulls on one compartment, while the other single pull compartment has two half compartments–one mesh and one solid. The back of the case has a double Velcro™loop so you can attach the case to your belt or other straps you are wearing.

Comments

2026-03-14 - History and Evolution of the Kodak Logo

While working as a junior clerk at the Rochester Savings Bank, George Eastman first began commercial production of dry photographic plates in a rented loft of a building in Rochester, New York in April 1880. In the next few years, Eastman became very successful and expanded the company several times. His company started as the Eastman Dry Plate Company in 1881, later became the Eastman Dry Plate and Film Company in 1884, and soon after the Eastman Company in 1889. The last name change occurred in 1892, when the Eastman Kodak Company of New York was organized. The company has been called Eastman Kodak Company ever since. The word "Kodak" was first registered as a trademark in 1888. The letter “K” had been a favorite of Eastman’s, he is quoted as saying, "I devised the name myself. The letter 'K' had been a favorite with me; it seems a strong, incisive sort of letter. It became a question of trying out a great number of combinations of letters that made word...

2026-03-20-Manfrotto monopods

Sometimes collecting is a matter of persistence. The Manfrotto “GRUPPO” 434SSB monopod (shown top) showed up one day at my local thrift store. They had a price tag of $25 on it. I had bought the lower Manfrotto Compact MMC3-01 monopod at the same thrift store for $3. So I asked, “Why so much?” They answered their “expert” had found it sold for $200 on the internet. I find experts—who almost never clerk in the thrift store, so are unreachable—hard to deal with. There is also the matter someone might actually pay them $25 for a 2.27 kg (5 pound) aluminum pole, so I decided to let the Gods-of-Collecting decide if I was going to ever own it. For weeks I would pick it up, check the price tag to see if they had come to their senses, and return it to the shelf. I did try various clerks to see if they would lower the price, but they said they were not authorized to change prices. I plodded on, week after week without much hope. ...

2026-03-25 The Kiron 70-150 mm F/4

This Kiron 70-150 mm f/4 Macro1:4MC zoom was made by Kino Precision, Japan in 1980. The same company made both 1.5x and 2x extenders for this lens. It is a lovely design featuring a 52 mm filter size —common to many normal lenses—and a constant f/4 at all zoom positions. The f/stops are full stops from f/4 to f/5.6 and from f/16 to f/22 while the other apertures are half stops apart. FOCAL LENGTH RANGE: 70mm - 150mm [2.1X zoom ratio] DIAGONAL ANGLE OF VIEW: 34.3° @ 70mm - 16.4° @ 150mm LENS CONSTRUCTION: 13 elements in 9 groups WEIGHT (Olympus OM Mount): 460 g (with hood, front and rear caps) The macro range sets in below the three foot (0.9 m) marked distance at all zoom positions but you only get to the minimum 1:4 ratio at 150 mm. Macro starts around a 1:8 macro range at 70 mm. This is the only lens I have ever collected that has the original price sticker on the rear cap. At least I assume it is the original price sticker… It ha...

Edmonton Photographic Historical Society

Search This Blog