Fujifilm's 1999 pocket digicam — 1.5MP CCD, fixed f/2.6 lens, SmartMedia; FinePix 1500 in Japan
The Fujifilm MX-1500 was announced in May 1999 alongside the more advanced MX-2900 Zoom and was sold in Japan as the FinePix 1500. Fujifilm promoted it as packing 1.5 million pixels into the smallest, lightest body in its class. Japan received Metallic Silver, Juicy Orange and Mint Green versions; only the silver model was sold worldwide.
A newly developed 1.5-megapixel 1/2.2-inch CCD produced images up to 1280x1024 pixels behind a fixed f/2.6 lens (f=6.6mm). Shutter speeds ran from 1/4 to 1/2000 second, storage was on SmartMedia cards, and framing used an optical finder or the 1.8-inch D-TFD screen. The corrosion-resistant aluminium alloy body weighed just 195g, and mostly automatic operation included a best-framing assist and a Pioneer-developed Map Viewer function.
This was Fujifilm's pocketable, style-led megapixel compact for a wide audience, and it remains an easy entry point into late-1990s digicams. The bright f/2.6 lens helps indoors, but fixed focal length and small files keep it firmly in the casual and collector category.
SmartMedia is the main practical hurdle: cards are discontinued and early cameras only accept smaller capacities, so confirm a working card is included. Check the D-TFD screen for fading, look for corrosion around the battery contacts, and verify shots record and play back without card errors.