How clout chasers ruined the Fujifilm X100V compact camera

Did the Fujifilm X100V do more harm than good? Photography is for everyone. At least, it should be. Regardless of technical knowledge, natural talent or even budget, photography has always been about creating something meaningful – not just perfect.

But when the Fujifilm X100V hit the mainstream – between its 2020 release and TikTok virality – something shifted. This compact camera became the 'cool thing' to be seen with. And it didn't feel like it was about photography anymore.

Every generation of photographers has its cult camera. And the Fujifilm X100V really did deserve the hype. It's compact, it's beautiful, it's built like a premium film camera but shoots crisp digital files. With a 26.1MP APS-C X-Trans 4 sensor, 4K video, hybrid viewfinder, fast autofocus and the beloved film simulations, it was a dream for street photographers, travel shooters and everyday creatives.

At launch, it cost around $1,399 / £1,299 / AU$1,900. Reasonable for what it offered. But the hype machine had other plans. YouTubers called it "the perfect camera". TikTokers turned it into an aesthetic object. Influencers showed off the Fujifilm X100V in outfit pics like it was a luxury watch or designer bag. And the market exploded.

Soon, the Fujifilm X100V was selling for over $2,000 in the US, even used. New stock was basically impossible to find. Listings started comparing it to Leias – not because of its image quality, but because of its status.

And here's my problem: while hype can be harmless, in this case, it priced out the very people who actually wanted to use the camera. The creatives and visual storytellers who saw the Fujifilm X100V not as a fashion piece, but as a versatile everyday companion. Instead, the camera became something else entirely: a shelf trophy. A clout magnet. A prop in a coffee shop photo dump.

A camera more photographed with than on.

And I'm wondering: how many of these cameras are actually being used? How many are still stuck and untorched in a drawer? How many owners are really taking advantage of its beautiful design, fast lens, and tactile dials?

It's reached a point where aesthetic branding outweighs practical functionality in gear culture. And that's a shame.

And it's not just about taste. The scarcity became real – and artificial. Because so many units are now hoarded or left unused, functional second-hand models became rare – and that continued to push up prices long after production stopped.

Fujifilm eventually discontinued the X100V to make way for the X100VI. Now, years later, the X100V still sells for absurd money, sometimes even more than its technically superior successor. And for what? Nostalgia? Vibes?

The Fujifilm X100V's specs are great, the form factor is ideal and it really is one of the most thoughtfully designed compact cameras ever made. But not at any price. And the more the hype grew, the less interested I became.

Because at the end of the day, a camera is just a tool. It doesn't have to look good on your Instagram grid. It just needs to help you make work that feels good to you. You can shoot amazing images with old gear, cheap compacts, even your camera phone. The difference is the eye. Not the accessory.

It's just a little sad to think that the Fujifilm X100V – a camera built for creativity – is now sitting quietly on shelves, mostly unused. Like a classic car that never leaves the garage. Beautiful, yes. but built to move.