A Second Hand Fujifilm X100V Can Go for More Than a Brand New One
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It’s not uncommon to see cameras get bought up and sold. Some are even sold for more right after. But there’s currently a huge problem with the camera industry. Lots of companies can’t produce enough to meet demand. This has created something that is very common in the luxury product world. For example, the Fujifilm X100V is a very hot camera. We reviewed it very favorable a while back. But Fujifilm can’t keep up with the demand for them. In that case, you’d probably search for a refurbished or used camera. And in this case, you might end up paying more for a used one than you will a brand new Fujifilm X100V.
The Fujifilm X100V on the Second Hand Market
If you look at eBay or even Amazon (click new and Used), you’ll find the Fujifilm X100V going for a higher price than normal. Arguably, it’s the most logical compact camera to get right now unless you reach for the Leica Q2. But this, combined with its simplicity, stunning looks, and weather sealing, make it a fantastic choice. Lots of folks probably tried to reach for the Fujifilm XT4 or the X Pro 3 instead. But once those ran out, they eventually settled for an X100V. And of course, those ran out too.
Fujifilm isn’t alone on this one though. The Canon EOS R5, one of the best cameras of our time currently, is incredibly hard to get.
What these brands have in common is supply issues. Sony, who produces lots of their own components, have had no real issues with sales. Canon is mostly the same, but some components aren’t made by them. So it’s hard to get the materials. Nikon hasn’t had issues keeping up with supply, but there might be something involved there with declining sales. Above is a snapshot of our most sold products this year. As you can see, according to our audience, they’re buying Sony cameras and great primes for the system. Canon, Olympus, and Nikon are keeping up in terms of lens sales though.
Transparently speaking, Tamron is a current sponsor of some of the site’s content. With that said, we’ve pushed them a bit more than other brands. However, this is probably the first year in the site’s history that we haven’t seen a Fujifilm product in our top 10 most purchased. And I personally attribute this to their supply issues.
A Parallel From the Watch World
This isn’t all that uncommon, believe it or not. If you look at other luxury products, they’re all similar. In the watch world, it’s not uncommon for a Rolex or a Tudor to skyrocket in price on the second-hand market. You can buy the watch for $13,000 and then flip it for $20,000. But Rolex creates a false sense of availability. Instead, everyone gets on a waiting list and you’ll be on that list for nearly a decade. It makes people want their products even more.
However, I don’t think that the camera manufacturers are trying to do this. But if they did, it would probably be a very smart idea. It could also probably even save the industry in some ways. I’ve been saying for a while that dedicated cameras and lenses are a niche market. There are creators who have a genuine need to get them. But lots of folks still use their phones for capturing photos and video. If you want the creme-de-la-creme though, you’ll go for a higher-end, dedicated camera.