Fuji HD-P

[Berndt]

Sorry, this thread is not about a very spectacular camera, but this model confuses me a little bit - a Fuji HD-P, which I found on a flea market recently. I can't find any information about this specific model in the internet, but it's interesting, that there are obviously a few very very similar models, which do look absolutely the same from outside except a letter after the "HD" ( HD seems to stand for "heavy duty" ). I found something about an HD-M model ( M might stand for motor drive ) and there also seems to be a Fuji HD-R ( no idea, for what the R is standing for here ). Are those all water resistant cameras ? The P in my HD-P obviously stands for Panorama, as there is an option inside the camera for exposing just a part ( middle bar ) of the 35 mm frame. An interesting feature, but coming with an underwater camera ? Underwater panoramas ? A weird camera somehow.


Fuji HD-P by bokuwanihongasuki, on Flickr

[Stephen]

The Panorama feature sounds similar to the Advantix wide panorama film option with 35mm film, does this one take 35mm standard cassettes, (rather than APS?). The option merely crops the normal frame to a panoramic size acceptable to processors to do prints from it.

The HD-M is underwater as well, I assume the HD-P matching the other as to waterproof limits.

The HD-M stands for heavy duty motor, and is quoted waterproof heavy duty, with a two meter depth limit, produced in 1984.

The HD-P was introduced in 1990, and would appear to share the 2metre limit, which is a modest specification for underwater, strictly for pools and shallow water.

They use the expression "all weather camera", which indicates it is not a true underwater camera. the problem with underwater cameras is not just the seals, but getting them open after use in normal air pressure! A two metre limit does not affect the seals that much.

Stephen.

[Berndt]

Stephen, always thanks for your competent comments. 1990 ... interesting. So six years after the HD-M, which obviously already had a motor driven film advance, but the newer HD-P is still having a manual film advance. Aside from that, pretty much the same camera, just having this panorama crop feature, which would be actually a funny gadget ... if the button for that wouldn't be IN the camera. So, you can choose panorama or not just once for the whole film.

[Stephen]

There are a lot of references on the net, but they are in Japanese, perhaps indicating it was really a home market camera?

[Stephen]

There several cameras in the 1990's that offered so called panorama shots on APS and 35mm, they all cropped the standard frame to achieve the effect. The adverts stressed that you could mix normal and wide shots mid film, but as it was based on cropping, of course you could, all a bit of a marketing scam!

A true 35mm panoramic camera uses the length of the frame, but extended along the film giving a huge negative, like the Horizont Russian camera. No Developing labs could easily handle the vastly extended negatives.

Kodak realised that the standard 35mm frame could be cropped and "Panoramic" cameras were born! they even used the same focal length lenses as usual. At one point disposable APS cameras were marketed, with two viewfinders to give "normal" and "wide views", both from the standard negative!

It all tied in with the then growing popularity of 16:9 wide screen TV's in the late 1990's, the old cinema format used by 35mm was going out of favour.

Stephen.

[trux]

I have had a long relationship with this family of FUJICA HD cameras, my first being the HD-1, acquired in 1979 (which 
I still have and used until quite recently when the shutter wore out). Subsequently, I got the HD-S some years later
( and also used until very recently when the shutter also gave out). The local Fuji technical service was unable to source 
parts for repair from Japan and so, offered to order me a factory-refurbished HD-P, which I'd never heard of. The HD-M
was, in fact, motorized but from some reports not as reliable as the manual models. I'd also heard of the HD-R but don't remember what 
particular feature it offered. In my opinion, this is the most useful field camera I've ever used, not the best, I owned 
M Leicas before they got stolen but no self-respecting thief would look twice at the Fuji HDs. Had no luck finding the instructions
on line but I think the rewind crank lock allows the user to crank the shutter without advancing the film. In the old days, one
could do multiple exposures by depressing the rewind button while cocking the shutter, so preventing the film from 
advancing.