I own nine 35mm and MF rangefinder film cameras and the ovf was what had me pre-ordering the X100. Now, I shoot all digital, but once my work schedule slows, I will probably supplement the digital with MF B%W film. The rangefinder experience was very different from shooting my Contax and Bronica SLRs. The rangefinders are also a slowdown and look around experience. Some of them lack metering, so experience and familiarity were important in a fast moving environment. The X100 had some of the rangefinder connectivity to the subject, but in some ways it was faster..autofocus vs manual focus..but not by much and pretty good metering, but the camera was no where close to how responsive my 1960 Leica M3 was. Fast forward to today and my A9 has the responsiveness of the M3 and lightening fast/accurate focusing and exposure. My A7Riv isn't quiet as responsive, but the viewfinder is amazing. It almost rivals my Contax RTSiii and far exceeds the old Contax in low light environments. Does the X100v EVF make the OVF unnecessary? The answer for most will be yes and for those folks, the next generation Sony fixed lens camera would probably be a better, albeit a more expensive choice. For a few, the rangefinder style EVF provides a more connected experience on the street. I'm betting that the 'v' provides a responsiveness like the A7Riv and a more enjoyable shooting experience than the Sonys. Why is this? The OVF. It either is, or is not your thing, but the only way to find out is to force yourself to use it until you are on autopilot and the camera and viewfinder no longer stand between you and your subject. Then you will know if, in certain environments, the ovf is for you.