I love saving cash on previously loved camera gear – but I wouldn’t buy the Fujifilm X100VI used. This is why

Buying used camera gear from a reputable company is one of my favorite ways to save cash. But there are times when secondhand isn’t the greatest option. Buying the Fujifilm X100VI used is the perfect example of when secondhand may not be the best choice. Thanks to the viral popularity of the X100VI, the camera’s used price is actually higher than the list price for a brand new camera.

After the predecessor went viral on social media, the Fujifilm X100VI stock was gone nearly as soon as the camera launched. One year later, finding the popular compact camera in stock is still a challenge, which is why the camera’s used prices are significantly higher than the camera’s $1,599 / £1,599 / AU$2,899 list price. With a used model, photographers don’t have to wait for the camera to come in stock. But impatience could cost several hundred dollars as used prices of the X100VI sit at more than 30% above the original list price and, in some cases, nearly twice the retail cost.

I understand wanting to to skip the wait, but the X100VI is already showing signs that the wait for the camera is becoming far shorter than at launch. Last month, the X100VI temporarily had an estimated ship date at B&H and was even listed in stock at a retailer in the UK. Both stores have since gone back to listing the camera as out of stock, but that indicates that one year after launch, the X100VI is finally becoming easier to find.

While the major retailers are still currently listing the camera as out-of-stock or the slightly better pre-order status, several Redditors have reported success by going with smaller local stores, or using Best Buy’s customer service chat to track one down.

Besides the signs of the X100VI becoming easier to find, the used prices of the compact camera are even more than buying a mirrorless camera with a pancake lens. Buying the Fujifilm X-T5 and the XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR is slightly more than the list price of the X100VI, but under what the used model is going for right now. Such a mirrorless and pancake lens combo is a bit larger than the X100VI but is still reasonably small and has that same retro look. Plus, the mirrorless camera is far more flexible than the X100VI.

Or, to drop the price even further, the X-T50 with the 27mm also makes a worthy X100VI alternative. To drop the price even more (but also the resolution), that pancake lens can also pair with the Fujifilm X-S20. (The lens would also make a very compact kit with the X-M5, but currently, that compact mirrorless is also tough to find).

I’ve had good luck buying used camera gear from reputable companies like MPB or the used department of a large camera store like B&H or Adorama. But I’ve only bought used to save cash – the thought of paying more for a used version doesn’t sit well with me, at least not for a camera that is still being manufactured and isn’t an antique.

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