The deserved hype around Fujifilm X100 VI

Ever since Fujifilm X100 VI was released, the hype around it has been really unreal. There seem to be three kinds of opinions on this camera. There are many who think that this camera is the next best thing since sliced bread . Then there are those who really dislike all the hype and are puzzled by why so many people are attracted to it, given that it is a fixed lens camera and doesn't seem to be very versatile. And lastly there are those who couldn't care less; for them a camera is just a black box with a hole. I fall within the first camp, and I’d like to explain why.

I am okay with the hype because I believe that all creators have an important and key relationship with the tools that they use. Think about all the musicians who have their favorite instrument. Think about all those painters who would not be without their favorite brushes. Even during the Renaissance, many artists fashioned their own tools and were really really attached to them. Photographers are no different. Many iconic photographers have had their favorite piece of equipment and even when they pretended that they did not, it was easy to see that they also got attached to a particular camera or a particular lens and that most of their work, sometimes their best work, came from their use of their favorite piece of gear.

Clearly, when a creator likes the tool or tools that they are working with, it enables better creativity. And this is logical because if I really like using a tool, I am more likely to use it and creation is a process that is as much reliant on quantity as it is on quality. One of the biggest problems that most of the photographers have is that they don't shoot enough. Therefore, if I have a camera that inspires me to pick it up and shoot more, that would only end up increasing the amount of keepers that I would have. It is absolutely paramount that I have gear that not only does not get in the way, but also inspires its use. The Fujifilm X100 VI, I believe, for many people would be that piece of gear that inspires use on a daily basis and it is primarily for that reason that it deserves all the hype.

So, yes, I am excited about the camera and I am thankful for Fujifilm for preserving the timeless design of this beautiful tool. Its attractiveness is not merely superficial nor is it unnecessary; it's a promise of potential, an invitation to explore, express, and create more and better pictures.