The Fujifilm x100v is a camera I’ve had for well over 3 and a half years now.

Since buying it, it’s been my favorite camera of all time.

It’s also been the backbone of this YouTube channel - you guys probably know but I’ve made countless videos about it.

And yes, this was before the hype.

Within the past year or so it seems like every big name youtuber has gotten their hands on this camera and used it to inflate their channel.

Which is not a bad thing, it’s a smart move actually, but I’m sure few of them still use it today.

And because of all of the hype, there’s a lot of things people seem to get wrong about the Fujifilm x100v.

Still.

But today, I’m going to clear all of that up with you.

We’re going to talk about everything from what people get wrong about this camera to who I think it’s best suited for.

Reminder, this is not a tech or spec review - anything you want to find out about the camera you can find in my other videos.

The x100v is “Too Expensive”

Many complain that the x100v is too expensive (especially resale).

The only thing I can say to that is: don’t buy it then.

The price of a camera reflects it’s value in the marketplace. So if the x100v is $2000, that’s because the demand for it is high.

That’s what people are willing to pay for this camera.

And the reason people complain is because they want the camera as well, and they’re upset that they can’t get it for the retail price.

But how badly you want it isn’t going to change how much it’s going to cost - you have to simply choose whether or not you’re willing to pay the price.

So if you want the camera, save up for it.

If it’s too expensive, buy a different camera.

In my opinion however, you don’t need the latest and greatest gear to do your work.

I’ve taken plenty of photos with the old X-Pro1 and some of the images I’ve edited and sold as prints. So the resolution of the images, sensor, and camera isn’t as important as the photos you take. And if you want to go out and spend 2 grand on a camera, understand you’re paying a premium for the features and preferences you want.

No one’s forcing you to buy the camera.

If you don’t think it’s worth it, don’t buy it.

If You Want to Change the Lens You’re Missing the Point

One of the many things people complain about is how you can’t change the lens - you’re missing the point.

The Fujifilm x100v is a niche camera.

It’s not a systems camera like the Fujifilm X-T4 or 5.

It’s not meant for everyone.

The camera has a fixed lens, meaning it only makes sense if you like the 35mm eq focal length.

But that’s the point of this camera.

It does one thing “wrong” so it can do what it’s meant to do excellently.

Now if you’re like me who enjoys the 35mm, that’s not a bad thing. Actually, it’s more of a good thing.

Having a fixed lens saves on bulk and size and removes any of the decision making you might have before going outside.

You don’t have to worry about which lens to bring because you don’t really have a choice in this case.

Instead, it’s just grab and go and moving on with your day.

I personally like to use this camera in everyday scenarios. Maybe I have to run errands, maybe I’m meeting up with some friends, maybe I’m going out camping.

It’s a perfect camera to bring along with me when I’m just living life.

So the point of this camera is not to cover all your photography bases but to be a companion you bring along with you.

And understand that the x100v isn’t meant for everyone.

The V has a 23 (35mm eq) focal length - and most people don’t see the world in that focal length.

Many of you would actually be better served with a 28 or 50eq.

How to find the focal length that’s best for you:

grab a solid standard zoom lens

Take something like the XF 18-55 kit lens and just run around taking photos.

Spend a week on each focal length, only taking pictures with the 18mm, 23mm, 35mm, and so on.

This is because most people don’t actually know what 35mm or 50mm looks like in their head.

That’s why they have a hard time picking a prime lens - because they don’t understand the fields of view yet.

The good news is that you simply just need to spend more time with each focal lenth.

Once you get used to each focal length you will understand the differences.

When you review your photos pay attention to the ones you like the most.

See what field of view makes the most sense to your brain, which fov excites you, and which you want to take more pictures with.

That will tell you which prime lens to buy.

In my case, I got lucky with the x100v.

The 23mm or 35eq was something that immediately clicked with me, even before I fully understood these different focal lengths.

So I went about it backwards and this past year or two I’ve been spending a lot of time with zoom lenses and practicing the other focal lengths to understand them better.

Going about this now, I wouldn’t recommend this method.

I think it’ll be much easier and cheaper if you use a zoom lens, treat it like a prime for a day/week, and took photos until your batteries die.

Then if something like the 35eq excites you, you can consider picking up the V.

Reviews Wont Change the x100v

In the past year or so there’s been a lot of mixed reviews on this camera.

Some people praise the heck out of it, others talk shit about the V for the views.

I’m of the former - I’ve been praising the camera since the beginning.

But at the end of the day, the x100v is the x100v.

The actual camera itself wont change.

Meaning if you don’t want to buy it because of what someone said in some YouTube video, don’t buy it.

There’s a lot of people who don’t like this camera because it’s overhyped.

There’s also many people buying it simply because it’s popular.

But that doesn’t change anything - only your perception of the camera.

Despite what people may say, if the camera fits your wants and needs, it’s a good buy.

Ignore everything else.

If there’s anything I’ve learned about buying and reselling gear over the years its that you’re the only one who really understands your needs. No one understands your photography, the environments you’re in, and your preferences as much as you do.

So when you’re going out and buying new cameras and lenses, there will be both hits and misses.

Something someone said was good online might be subpar when you get it.

A camera you thought would suck might be your holy grail.

So the best you can do is take things with a grain of salt and understand your wants, needs, and psychology the best.

Know when you’re having GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) and don’t fall into that trap.

After all, photography is supposed to be about the photos not the camera right?

So put the reviews aside, put the specs aside, put your GAS aside.

And ask yourself:

Will this camera help me create better work?

Which ironically leads me to the next point.

The x100v is NOT Going to Make You Take Amazing Photos

This is a big misconception.

I think because this camera has been so popular, it makes everyone think its the best thing since sliced bread.

Now I certainly think it is, and I’ve made sure to express that over the years, but that might not be the case for you.

If you’re buying or using this camera because everyone’s talking about how good it is, and then you get it and starting taking crappy photos with it - I’m not sure what to tell you.

Any camera, good or bad, is not going to make you take good photos.

And you shouldn’t buy this camera expecting it to.

A camera is only as useful as it’s user.

The way I currently see photography is that it’s about how YOU see the world.

Meaning the camera is simply an extension of your eye and the better your photography skill is, the better you can translate that.

3 Steps to learn how to take good photos:

take a thousand photos
edit a thousand photos
do it all over again, making improvements each and every time

It really is that simple.

But most people don’t want to hear that or do the work.

They’ll complain and say things like: well that’s easy to say hard to do Andre.

You’re right.

Easy to say, hard to do, meaning you don’t have to do it and then you wont get better.

Now what?

But that’s the reality of it - there are no shortcuts to getting better.

The price of improvement is there - again, you simply have to decide whether or not you’re willing to pay it.

So if you believe it’s hard and you can’t do it - then that will become your reality.

But if you understand the costs associated, and you want the dream outcome, then it’s within your capabilities to do it.

If you want to improve your photography, you’ve gotta put in the work.

Don’t expect a camera to make you better.

Here’s the good news though:

If you decide to dedicate yourself and take the time, even just 1 hour a day, you can make massive improvements over the year.

I’m not an amazing photographer by any means, but I continue to put the work in and I am slowly getting better over time.

Remember, direction is more important than speed.

A thousand micro improvements over the course of your lifetime will compound.

So you might feel like you suck now, but stick to the day to day and you will improve.

And once you improve, you’ll be able to look back at how far you’ve come.

When you look back at how far you’ve come you’ll begin to get excited at how far you can go.

Because it’s not about becoming the “best” photographer.

Art is all apples to oranges and a direct comparison with some other photographer will always show positives and negatives.

It’s not about that.

It’s about developing YOUR unique art, improving and iterating on it, and taking it as far as you can (or want to).

That’s my current perspective on the craft.

Finally, Who is the V Suited For?

So that was a bit of a rant there, but lets bring it full circle:

Who is the x100v suited for?

Finding the right camera can be like striking gold.

When I first bought the V I didn’t know I would like it so much.

I kinda just wanted it.

It seemed to do everything I wanted it to do, so I took a chance and bought it.

Luckily for me, it was everything I hoped for and more.

But many people have to dig dig dig around and get through all the dirt and muck until you find the right one.

And this might mean buying, using, renting, and reselling until you strike gold.

This is because you’re not only learning about your preferences along the way, but your own photography as well.

So you haven’t figured things out yet, so it would make sense you don’t know what you want.

But eventually you will understand and find what you work best with.

3 Genres I think the V is best suited for:

everyday photography
street photography
documentary photography

Based on my experience, I think the V really shines in everyday, street, and documentary photography.

It’s a great tagalong camera for your everyday life, to travel and explore cities with, and even document public places.

You can also make the case of using this in weddings and photoshoots - because if you’re used to a camera, you can use it anywhere.

But documentation is where I seem to have the most fun with this camera.

Taking photos of my friends and family.

Capturing candids of certain moments.

Doing dumb things.

Traveling, exploring new places.

Bringing the camera along casually without worrying too deeply about photography.

All of that and more.

So if any of those things sound exciting to you, I couldn’t recommend the V more.

Which is ironically a genre I think most people can engage in: documenting their own lives.

But more on that, in another blog.

Have a great day and thanks for reading.