I can still remember the worry that the smartphone camera would deliver a debilitating blow to the camera industry – but now it’s 2025 and photographers are facing the opposite problem: actually finding cameras in stock for list price. The Fujifilm X100VI’s viral fame has meant the camera is near impossible to find without paying more than list price, or facing a long wait. But the retro-styled compact is far from the only victim of a demand that exceeds supply. The latest? The pro-grade Sony A1 II.
As spotted by Sony Alpha Rumors, Sony’s newest flagship A1 II is currently listed on Amazon.com for $9,249.95 in the US (about £7,459 / AU$14,804). That’s nearly $3K more than the $6,498 list price. The camera, which began shipping in December, is listed as “coming soon” or on backorder from other US retailers like B&H and Adorama. In the UK, Wex Photo and other camera retailers still list the camera as a pre-order while Amazon UK doesn’t list the camera at all.
The Sony A1 II is hardly alone in its limited availability driving the cost beyond the list price. The Fujifilm X100VI’s viral fame has meant that even used models are selling for over list. Similarly, the Leica D-Lux 8 is listed for more on Amazon than the Leica website, where it is out of stock.
Even cameras that are several years old are selling for more thanks to the trends that have driven up the popularity of compact cameras long after many manufacturers stopped making them. The Canon G7X Mark III, which launched in 2019 and is no longer made, is going for twice the original list price on Amazon US currently.
I have to say when tech like the first full-frame mirrorless and smartphone cameras that weren’t crap elicited worrisome headlines for the camera industry, I didn’t see this coming. A decade ago, I wouldn’t have thought that a camera would be so in demand that people would pay hundreds or even thousands more than the list price just to get their hands on one.
What’s more surprising is that the Sony A1 II is a niche camera. The expensive flagship doesn’t hold the same widespread appeal that a compact camera which may attract both photographers and influencers. It’s a camera made for the most demanding genres and yet, it’s hard to find in stock. Personally, I thought the global shutter and lower price on the Sony A9 II would hold the most appeal, but either I’m wrong or Sony really underestimated the original demand for the camera.
The Sony A1 II only began shipping at the end of December – so hopefully the low stock woes are a short-term problem. (The Sony rumors site is calling for the shortage to end “soon.”) But the Leica D-Lux 8 is still seeing out-of-stock messages six months later; the Fujifilm X100VI nearly one year later.
The shortages are likely caused not just by unexpected demand but the manufacturing facilities as well. Canon closed one of its plants after compact cameras declined in popularity, for example. As shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic illustrated, putting all the manufacturing in just one or two locations can spell disaster for the supply chain.
While the resurgent popularity of some formats like compacts will hopefully mean more new models released, it's in the meantime making camera shopping a headache for many photographers. At the least, it means photographers will have to exercise patience when waiting for the latest gear.
Is paying more than the list price for a camera worth it? For me personally I tend to wait until the hype dies down, but some of the trends are really showing staying power. I’d pair a compact lens with a retro Fujifilm mirrorless body before I overpaid for the X100VI.
But as a flagship, the Sony A1 II has fewer comparable “alternatives” particularly for those who want the 50MP sensor rather than the 28MP on the A9 II. Still, I’d try to pre-order from a retailer offering list price and wait first.
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