The culprit this time is the Fujifilm X-M5. Launched back in October 2024, the X-M5 looks a solid little vlogging camera at a very affordable price. It doesn’t have an electronic viewfinder or in-body stabilization, but it does offer open gate 6K video and 4K 60p with only a modest 1.18x crop. It’s also a very nicely made little camera. But, in April 2025, SIX MONTHS after its launch, where can you actually buy one?
I checked a whole bunch of retailers both in the UK and US, and I haven’t found one yet that actually has this camera in stock. Of course, things will change, and if you’re reading this long after I posted it, then it’s not going to be relevant any more. Even so, this is a ridiculous situation. It’s fine to create buzz with a new product release, but if people can’t actually buy it, what was the point?
It’s not just the Fujifilm X-M5. Apparently, Sony is so inundated with orders for the Sony A1 II that it can’t meet demand. You might want one, but you can’t have one.
This is quite hard to understand, unless you have a very cynical nature. Which, however much I try to overcome it, I do have.
So why are new cameras so hard to buy?
The first explanation is to take what the makers say at face value, that demand has been so high that they have not been able to meet it. Is that a disingenuous marketing ploy to make the product look amazing? Otherwise, it suggests that the sales and marketing depts have no proper grasp of how many products might sell into which markets. That’s not good. Isn’t it their job?
The second is to wonder if this is a ploy to boost demand and expectation and press coverage? That might work, if it weren’t for the fact that if people can’t buy these cameras they will go off and buy something else. And they definitely will.
My third suggestion is the one that I think is most likely – that camera makers are handling new launches like Kickstarter campaigns. When the backorders/pre-orders/waiting lists reach a certain level, they will be able to figure out how many to make and put into the distribution channels. They can minimise unit production costs when they know how many to make. I hope this isn’t it, but it’s the only explanation that makes sense to me. The other explanations make camera makers look dumb, but this one makes them look clever. And I’m pretty sure they are clever.
So, back to the Fujifilm X-M5 (and Sony A1 II). These are good cameras, but not unique. If you’re fed up of waiting, just go off and buy something else that IS available.
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