Fuji Fuji X100VI coming Feb 20th

[CraigC]

I ordered mine, unofficially, a few days before the announcement, placed a deposit on the day, and picked it up a week ago. That gave me time to sell a couple of cameras and a kidney on eBay so I could afford it.

I've been with the same dealer - London Camera Exchange in Guildford - for over 30 years. I was top of their list.

I should have done the same, but dragged my feet and only ordered a few days after the announcement, but with a smaller retailer. Expecting (hoping) to get it late this month. We’ll see.

 

[Lightmancer]

Minor user beware... The spring to eject the SD card is quite strong... Mine discharges with the venom of an irritated spitting cobra...

 

[CraigC]

Spoke to my dealer and supply continues to be limited. Was expecting to have mine by end of this month, but now looking like I'll be lucky to get it in April. Still holding out hope for it to arrive before our family vacation a month from now.

 

[drd1135]

Minor user beware... The spring to eject the SD card is quite strong... Mine discharges with the venom of an irritated spitting cobra...

XT5 is like that. I shoot cards 7-8 feet across the room. Outside, I aim it at myself in case I slip and it’s in a puddle.

 

[Lightmancer]

XT5 is like that. I shoot cards 7-8 feet across the room. Outside, I aim it at myself in card I slip and it in a puddle.

😁

 

[Ghostbuggy]

It seems like the X100V craze carried over to the VI, at least here in Germany the camera is essentially sold out and only available for pre-order. The only way to get one of these cameras on short notice would be buying used and scalpers are at it selling new and sealed cameras with a few hundred Euros premium. I didn't know there was a limited edition, celebrating Fujifilm's 90th anniversary - those are being sold for at least EUR 3000.

 

[CraigC]

Well, 5 months later, my X100VI arrived today. Picked it up tonight, added a screen protector, lens filter, and charging up the battery.

I've had each gen of the X100, except the original, so know the camera well. But, looking forward to see how the new sensor and IBIS perform. Plus the Reala Ace film sim.

 

[Rf53]

I read through this thread with great interest. I was hoping to find out why there is such demand for the V and now the VI. They are definitely cool looking, but when it comes down to nuts and bolts they don’t really offer anything particularly unique or new, and there are other cameras out there that offer the same or more for less money. Yet, the VI is waitlisted, and the resale prices for the V are crazy. I read that the V became a sensation on TikTok and the rest is history. Is that all there is to it? If you have been at this long enough you know that it’s the photographer that makes the camera and not vice versa. So what’s the deal guys?

 

[rayvonn]

I read through this thread with great interest. I was hoping to find out why there is such demand for the V and now the VI. They are definitely cool looking, but when it comes down to nuts and bolts they don’t really offer anything particularly unique or new, and there are other cameras out there that offer the same or more for less money. Yet, the VI is waitlisted, and the resale prices for the V are crazy. I read that the V became a sensation on TikTok and the rest is history. Is that all there is to it? If you have been at this long enough you know that it’s the photographer that makes the camera and not vice versa. So what’s the deal guys?

I have no skin in this game, I don't own one but can opine it is not a "Tiktok" camera (which I notice is something put about by people that also don't own one), it's actually a very good camera. Desirable too, given its manual controls/ choice of EVF/OVF and the long history of Fujifilm. If one doesn't like that fine, but it seems there's a sizeable amount of people that do. I reckon that if you use a camera that you find to be bland/ not inspirational then you shouldn't use it however if that's not the case then you should. For whatever reason, a lot of people do seem to like the X100 series and for me, people should go with what suits them. At the end of the day we can all use our phones to take pictures but we don't because we prefer a camera.

 

[Rf53]

I have no skin in this game, I don't own one but can opine it is not a "Tiktok" camera (which I notice is something put about by people that also don't own one), it's actually a very good camera. Desirable too, given its manual controls/ choice of EVF/OVF and the long history of Fujifilm. If one doesn't like that fine, but it seems there's a sizeable amount of people that do. I reckon that if you use a camera that you find to be bland/ not inspirational then you shouldn't use it however if that's not the case then you should. For whatever reason, a lot of people do seem to like the X100 series and for me, people should go with what suits them. At the end of the day we can all use our phones to take pictures but we don't because we prefer a camera.

I didn’t mean to say it is a TikTok camera solely for use in that media. The article I read said that it became “a sensation on TikTok”, meaning that it gained popularity on social media so many people wanted one. In essence, they benefited from TikTok marketing to an affluent young audience. In addition to that pandemic supply chain issues reduced production and made the camera scarce. That became a catalyst for demand. I think there is a lot of herd mentality driving the issue. They are fine cameras, but I don’t think they are so much better than others with the same features selling for lower prices, that’s all.

 

[rayvonn]

I didn’t mean to say it is a TikTok camera solely for use in that media. The article I read said that it became “a sensation on TikTok”, meaning that it gained popularity on social media so many people wanted one. In essence, they benefited from TikTok marketing to an affluent young audience. In addition to that pandemic supply chain issues reduced production and made the camera scarce. That became a catalyst for demand. I think there is a lot of herd mentality driving the issue. They are fine cameras, but I don’t think they are so much better than others with the same features selling for lower prices, that’s all.

It's interesting to me that it could have been, say, Olympus sitting where Fujifilm is now, both are similar in that they have been going for decades and decades with past and current fine photographic products but, as we have seen, different marketing and design strategies over the last say 20/ 30 years or so.

 

[Richard]

I read through this thread with great interest. I was hoping to find out why there is such demand for the V and now the VI. They are definitely cool looking, but when it comes down to nuts and bolts they don’t really offer anything particularly unique or new, and there are other cameras out there that offer the same or more for less money. Yet, the VI is waitlisted, and the resale prices for the V are crazy. I read that the V became a sensation on TikTok and the rest is history. Is that all there is to it? If you have been at this long enough you know that it’s the photographer that makes the camera and not vice versa. So what’s the deal guys?

After coming to the X100V after ten years with a Sony RX100, and prior to that a selection of undistinguished digital point and shoot cameras, I can tell you that there is another consideration, which is how the camera feels in your hands and what a pleasure (or otherwise) it is to use. This is closely related to how readily you can get the camera to do what you want it to do.

I learnt photography with film cameras which had dedicated controls for aperture, shutter speed and ISO, and I'm afraid my brain still works that way, so it was like coming home to hold an X100V and have those dials at my fingertips again. I'd basically given up trying to bend the little Sony to my will and shot on Auto most of the time, so my photos with the RX100 were a sort of joint effort between me and the camera. Now with the Fuji I'm more mindful of what I'm doing, it's a pleasure to shoot aperture priority again (home again there too) and I can finally see what I'm doing again with a proper viewfinder. All those things make photography more rewarding for me, and I hope that will improve the quality of my pictures too.

Plus, of course, there are the Fuji film simulations ...

-R

 

[Rf53]

It's interesting to me that it could have been, say, Olympus sitting where Fujifilm is now, both are similar in that they have been going for decades and decades with past and current fine photographic products but, as we have seen, different marketing and design strategies over the last say 20/ 30 years or so.

It would be interesting to know the demographics of sales. With so many being sold photography enthusiast are probably a low percentage of the buyers. In a world where GenZ is into record players and vinyl a retro looking camera with huge social media cred is probably right in their wheelhouse. Like everything else, this too shall pass.

 

[CraigC]

Well, I sold the VI today. Waited longer to get it than how long I owned it, but feel it was the right decision. See my comments here in the GAS Disposal thread

Great camera, just not the top choice for me.