TikTok has been the instigator of several product crazes that have sent people into a buying frenzy. The hashtag #TikTokmademebuyit doesn’t exist for no reason; it’s a genuine phenomenon and can work on anything from a sunset lamp (a great divide for photoshoots), to skincare products and even kitchen gadgets.
Perhaps the most expensive and in-demand product to be affected by TikTokers' sheep mentality, though, is the Fujifilm X100V.
• Want to join the influence train? These are the best cameras for TikTok
If you’ve ever tried to get your hands on this popular, fixed-lens APS-C camera you’ll understand just how patient you have to be. Ever since it was released back in February 2020, those wanting one have had to wait months for them to come in stock. Even now, three years on, you can’t go into a shop and pick one up because Fujifilm is still struggling to keep up with orders.
Since the X100V is now three years old, there has been speculation that it might have been discontinued ahead of a new release in the X100 lineup. While we can’t say whether or not we’ll see the sixth edition of the X100 any time soon, we can confirm that they’re still very much in production and orders are not slowing down.
A spokesperson for Fujifilm told us that even if everyone stopped ordering one now, it would still take six months to fulfill the backlog – now if that’s not a successful camera, we don’t know what is!
@will.mov ♬ Kübla - Wyl & Wun Two
One of the reasons for the more recent spike in sales is due to the camera's social media popularity. On TikTok alone, the hashtag #X100V has had more than 81 million views and several TikTok stars including itchban (60K followers), will.mov (95K followers) and hectorgess (89K followers) have labeled it as “one of the best cameras” they’ve ever used.
With so many stellar reviews from big-time content creators, it’s become somewhat of a fashion accessory – but some people haven’t been cast under its spell. While many of the comments on videos where people use or review the X100V are to do with how amazing it is and how much they want one, there are a few people who suggest there is “too much hype” around it, considering when it was released and how much it costs.
Personally we think its price point is justified, for such a compact camera it really packs a punch and for a content creator on the move, it really does tick all the boxes with its 26MP sensor, 11fps continuous shooting, 4K 30P video and 17 film simulation modes.
This isn’t the first time a camera has become popular thanks to social media. We recently saw the price of the original X100V skyrocket again, all thanks to TikTok, and the Panasonic GH5 saw a huge surge in popularity when YouTubers like Casey Neistat started using it.
While the wait on the X100V might be frustrating, and you may have found yourself asking the question “Why can’t Fuji just make them faster?”, the answer simply comes down to parts supply and demand. If you’re still after one, and hoping to get it this side of 2024, you'd better get your order in soon, because who knows how long you might be waiting.
Check out the best Fujifilm cameras for alternatives to the X100V – and don't forget These are the best Fujifilm lenses including a range of super-sharp primes, useful zooms and stunning wide-angles perfect for landscapes.
