Fstoppers says the Fujifilm X100VI may be underpriced for what it delivers

The Fujifilm X100VI has become one of the hardest compact cameras to find at retail, yet that scarcity may be hiding the bigger story: at $1,599.95, it may actually be cheap for what it delivers. James Popsys revisited the camera after initially bouncing off it, and his second look turned into a small reset of the way the X100VI is judged, not as a spec sheet trophy, but as a camera that makes people want to shoot.

That shift matters because Popsys did not test it on a contrived project run. He took the X100VI on a family visit to Cornwall and used it over a couple of weeks, where the practical question was simple: does the camera come out of the bag when motivation is low? For him, the answer became yes. In a year when image quality from modern cameras is largely settled in daylight, his argument was that the real difference is how a camera feels in hand and how often it makes you reach for it.

Fujifilm built the X100VI around that idea from the start. Announced on February 20, 2024 and framed as part of the company’s 90th anniversary year, it shipped through dealers in early March 2024 with a 40.2-megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor, X-Processor 5, a fixed 23mm f/2 lens, and up to 6.0 stops of in-body stabilization, the first time an X100-series digital camera had IBIS. Fujifilm also loaded it with 20 Film Simulation modes, including REALA ACE, a 425-point intelligent hybrid AF system, 6.2K/30p and 4K/60p video, and subject-detection AF for animals, birds, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, airplanes, trains, insects, and drones.

Popsys says that mix of tactile dials, hybrid optical and electronic viewing, and Fujifilm’s film simulation recipes creates a camera that is simply enjoyable to use, even if he still shoots raw. He also argues that Fujifilm cameras may be priced too low, not in the sense that buyers are getting away with something, but in the sense that the build and the experience do not fully signal what the files and the shooting experience are worth. The X100VI’s aluminum top and bottom plates, redesigned body, and advanced hybrid viewfinder help explain the appeal, but the market response has made the point even louder.

The comparison set sharpens the argument. Popsys places the X100VI against the Sony a1 II, Leica Q3, and Ricoh GR IIIx, and says the Fujifilm wins on enjoyment even when the Sony is technically superior on paper. That is the market-value reality check at the center of the story: a camera can be impossible to buy, command resale premiums, and still look undervalued next to what it actually gives back every time it comes out of the bag. The 1,934-unit Limited Edition, priced at $1,999.95, only reinforces the message. The hype is real, but the bigger surprise is that the X100VI may still be worth more than the sticker says.