The X100v hype pushing prices to crazy leves

Foskito wrote:

notchy wrote:

Foskito wrote:

...

Agree, but the hype was never that high with all other models. I am just saying that if they can't keep up with demand it means the market still want the current version.

I don't understand why you keep describing this situation as resulting from "hype". Hype suggests a marketing campaign or some other coordinated effort to artificially boost demand and thus prices. That's not what's happening here. This is just good ol' supply and demand in action.

Exactly the same thing has happened with Raspberry Pi single board computers (and many other products). Component shortages have restricted the numbers being manufactured while demand from buyers has remained constant. Inevitably in a market place, this has pushed up prices, in some cases to astonishing levels. No hype involved.

I guess you are not familiar with how social media work. As I said before one only needs to take a few minutes to dive into Instagram, Tiktok, etc to see what hype is. A trend, something viral, a tendency. Not a “conspiracy or a “coordinated effort”.

I do understand. I was a web programmer during the noughties and I started using twitter when its main claim to fame was that it was an interesting example of a Ruby on Rails application. I think I've got the basics down.

The X100V is a desirable camera. The X100 line has enjoyed "cult" status pretty much since the first model. Many serious photographers who are not primarily Fujifilm users regularly sing its praises, often writing gushing blog and forum posts about the experience of using it as a second (or third) camera.

The camera has many interesting features, such as the hybrid viewfinder, the built-in ND filter and flash, a leaf shutter, its unobtrusiveness, light weight and portability and so on. On top of that, the X100V has a large number of significant improvements over its predecessor. Plus of course, there are its "cool retro" looks. It's unique. There's nothing else quite like it. Given the lack of supply to retailers, I don't find the prices it's fetching in unofficial sales channels or in the second hand market places in the slightest bit surprising.

Moreover, perhaps it's just the part of the world I live in, but I don't think I've seen an X100 (any model) hanging from the neck or wrist of anyone much under the age of 35 to 40. So not really the right demographic for Instagram influencers, much less TikTok.

The above features kept demand ticking over nicely during times when component availability was plentiful. Now that availability is problematic, is it really surprising that a camera with the features and cachet of the X100V is fetching high prices on the second hand market?

Regardless, writing as an X100V owner, short of second hand prices reaching Leica rangefinder levels, I won't be selling mine unless/until Fuji provides us with a compelling upgrade.