I am a camera geek, as I pre-ordered the new Fufjifilm X100VI fixed lens camera eight minutes before it was announced on February 20. Unfortunately, it wasn't early enough to secure access to the first installment of the camera, which went on sale last weekend. [The Fujifilm X100VI is undoubtedly the most pre-ordered digital camera in history, with over 650,000 pre-orders in China alone.

To track the status of orders, Reddit users have created a massive Google sheet, sharing the current status of orders placed by fellow Fujifilm fans, when, to whom, and how many were ordered. Unsurprisingly, the majority are marked as "back-ordered."

We take this data with a grain of salt, as trolls are always lurking, but the end result is a picture of a camera company that is completely unprepared to meet the enormous, but not surprising, demand for new products.

In order to secure the first lot of cameras from B&H, Reddit's sheet suggests that orders had to be placed within the first three minutes of the camera's announcement. I've been passionate about digital cameras for years, but I've never seen anything like this.

Well, what's the deal? Why are people so enthusiastic about a camera that doesn't even have a zoom lens?

The X100 series has long been a favorite of hardcore photography enthusiasts. The camera's styling, controls, and user interface all mimic film cameras. The built-in lenses are 35mm-equivalent, sharp, and fast, perfect for street, travel, and portrait photography.

Additionally, it is reasonably lightweight and compact with a sensor that is considerably larger than those found in today's top smartphones. This makes it ideal for low-light photography.

With Fujifilm's legendary analog "film simulation" built in, it's easy to see why so many people love this little camera. For years, this camera was popular but hard to find. But with the fifth model, that changed.

The X100V was released in February 2020. And for the first few years of its life cycle, it was not that hard to find a new one.

Then came TikTokers.

At some point in 2023, the X100V started trending on TikTok. And they were hooked, and for most of 2023 and into 2024, the X100V was out of stock and unavailable everywhere, with used copies consistently selling for more than MSRP on eBay.

I'm all for new generations discovering and embracing traditional photography, and the overnight success of the X100V really warms my heart, as does the interest in the X100VI. However, I regret that Fujifilm did not anticipate more demand.

Nevertheless, the historic Japanese brand has moved camera production to China to increase the outflow. However, a recent Nikkei report states that monthly production is around 15,000 units. With the possibility of more than 1 million pre-orders worldwide, it is possible that people, myself included, will have to wait months, if not weeks, for cameras to ship.

Did Fujifilm prepare any cameras before the launch? And which markets are likely to receive the first few batches? I don't know.

What I do know is that Fujifilm does not provide information to customers or camera stores about delivery dates, which has led to many complaints. Camera stores large and small are flooded with pre-orders and inquiries.

I contacted a local store to ask about the wait time if I ordered on March 1 and was told 8+ months. I hope that estimate is modest. But those who have not yet ordered the X100 VI may not get it for a very long time.

After all, I like to wait. Besides, I already have an older Fujifilm model, the X-E4, which has almost the same film simulation. So I'm going to happily snap away while Fujifilm sorts out the launch of a not-so-great camera.