Fuji X-Pro3 now discontinued... what can we expect next?

I was on the BH notification list since months ago and I just got an email saying there is no more XP3...
Also got the same about the X-E4. So, are those 2 lines gone an only the unicorn X100V will prevail?

...and no rumor for the next one in sight. Weird. I hope Fuji knows what it is doing by catering to the masses instead of its core base and newfound fans on social media. Unfortunately, I feel like they are missing the boat and those people are buying used, which does nothing for Fuji.

Edit - I re-read what you posted and adjusted my response...

I agree, the idea that Fujifilm is somehow shorting their camera production to bump prices in the used products market strikes me as illogical.

I've worked my entire life as an engineer producing parts in the automotive and medical sector and I've never heard of a company willingly turning away sales.

I think they are doing this due to supply chain issues, not by choice.

I know I have been heavily criticized for saying that in the past, but I have work my whole life in advertising for brands who rely not only in quality and tech but also on brand reputation like Audi, and I strongly believe Fuji could allocate resources and produce more cameras if they want to.

The Swatch group did the same thing last year when they release the Omega-Swatch “MoonSwatch” collaboration. Of course, they could have produced millions of watches but they decided to limit their production and keep the hype and the unattainability factor and people went crazy paying even $1000 for them when their retail was $250.

The difference with Fuji is Swatch's CEO openly said that on interviews. It was all about building brand reputation.

Fuji is playing the same game on a market that couldn't care less about cameras, and only care about what's hot on Tiktok. I have seen X100s first generation sold for $800 and X100Vs for $2200 on eBay.

A friend bought her XE4 + 27mm on Amazon through a 3rd party seller for $1750 USD. She is not even a photographer, but saw someone on Instagram with one and decided she want one too! For that new market Fuji is the best thing, no cool millennial wants to be seen with a Canon R8.

I bet the next Fuji X100 (assuming there will be one) will have a price tag of around $1750. And will be eternally on “backorder”. We will see. But so far, no more XP3 or XE4. Why?

Hi,
I don't think for a nano-second that they are shorting supply to drive up used prices. Supplies of the XE4 and X100V were short well before Tik Tok made the latter (particularly) fashionable. Fuji is first and foremost a business that sells new products and it makes no economic sense to do so. They would have to be very cautious about relying on fashion to sell anything.... Sure the prices are high today, but it only takes a change in whim and they'll be as 'yesterday' as flared jeans. Then the market will return to selling to serious photographers and they'll be overpriced. Here in Australia, used X100's are going for insane prices. An acquaintence told me yesterday he'd seen one go for AUD$3800 (USD $2530). More than an XH2S or A7R4. Used XE4s are following them, and used XE3's are on e-Bay for around USD$800. The XE3 listed at USD$899 when announced five years ago and to me the current prices are too high for a five year old camera with no warranty. Take your pick.
Cheers, Rod

Make quick revenue is not the only goal of a brand.

Do you really think Rolex can’t produce more of their watches when they are permanently sold out? Of course, they can, but they decide when and who gets them, as simple as that and everybody in the watch industry knows it.

That is why their pieces are selling 4 or 5 times the retail price for the “basic ones” and much more for the desirable pieces.

Brand value.

Fujifilm isn’t directly benefiting from the dealer and third-party markups. I’m going with Occam here… No conspiracy. They’re making all they can.

Again...

It doesn't matter if Fuji is not making a dime from scalpers or resellers, it is all about controlling supply and demand to build brand equity. I already gave facts and real-life examples, Rolex, Swatch, Nike with limited editions, Supreme etc etc... Is part of the branding game (I work in that Industry, so is not me with crazy conspiracies) the difference is Western executives can openly talk about it unlike the Japanese and their secrecies.

Everybody is free to think whatever pleases.

Well I guess we diverted the thread onto the X100v supply woes when the title and OP were about the demise of the XPro3. What next? I've suggested the XPro4 before today - maybe it'll surface at the forthcoming summit later this month...... Strange indeed that there have been no tips, but maybe they've managed to keep the lid on it.

Not a rumor of any kind, which is odd by now. It would be a shame if they kill both the X-E and X-Pro lines, who knows... I still have a few primes eating dust since I sold my XT3 last October.

I worked in Advertising and Marketing too. And afterwards adjacent to it. Agencies and “brands” were amongst my clients and a meeting where a decision like that you describe is made isn’t completely outside of my wheelhouse. Given what I see, what I know, and what I believe to be true of Fujifilm, a Japanese company controlled by an even bigger Japanese conglomerate, I’m going with the less complex explanation. They can’t produce enough product and are devoting resources to their most profitable models. They’re not deliberately leaving money on the table by creating artificial shortages to build brand equity.

Yes, we’re all entitled to an opinion. Yes, I may be completely wrong. No, I don’t have any direct sources of information… other than that the flow of X100V cameras to my local camera shop has never significantly slowed or ceased except for port delays during lockdown. Orders placed are being steadily fulfilled, but supply can’t keep up with demand and there are never Vs in-stock.

My limited experience with manufacturing tells me that it may not be feasible for Fuji to fire up another line just to meet this trend-driven demand, even if they can get all of the components. And perhaps this model too is approaching the end of its production run.

Back on topic, I expect an X-Pro 4, though production may be delayed. Again, this is a wild-assed guess. I know nothing.

I find odd a company the size of Fuji cannot find a way to produce enough X100V cameras to fulfill the high demand.

But I have to agree on a couple of things:

If a consumer buys an X100 that’s it. There is no system to keep spending money into. So I guess is better for Fuji to sell whatever body and keep milking the consumer with lenses that will need another better body in the future.

And yes, it is not the usual modus operandi of a Japanese corp. Maybe I am thinking about how Western luxury brands behave and play with their markets.

We will see if the upcoming summit brings something interesting, but as John said, would be time to at least have a few rumors and so far are none.

We can expect the cameras to be replaced by their successors.

So your suggesting that we should see Fujifilm prices rise 4 to 5 times their current prices as they build brand exclusivity?

Sorry, but I simply don't buy that Fujifilm is positioning itself as the next Leica.

It has been widely reported by Fujifilm (and others) that this is a supply chain issue and I still see no reason to dispute this.

And I prefer to believe in this option 😎 $$$$$

Assuming the components are available, (and we all know the one about you making an ass out of me), and there is physical space on the factory floor, what would you estimate the cost of spinning up another production line to be? No need for precision, just what order of magnitude? Now take into account that this cost must be absorbed into a product that many assume (there it is again) to be late in its life cycle. Production will be switching over to the X100Next in relatively short order.

I invite any manufacturering experts to chime in here as well. I’m admittedly out of my element, but I guess the costs to be measured in hundreds of thousands of (US) dollars on the low end, and lower millions are not outside of my range of belief.

I too take Fuji’s supply chain claims at face value. They might be applying spin, but the costs of openly lying can be quite high for a publicly traded company. In addition, while it’s not legally mandated that they maximize profit at all costs, I believe that there would be an investors objection to artificially limiting the availability of an in-demand product in the name of brand equity. (A concept that I do support and believe in by the way.) Investor accountability is another key difference between Fuji and most of the luxury brands you listed, which are privately held.

@jaberg I may know even less about this, but what I gather is that production (assembly really) is planned in batches. The last one will have run some time ago and if they are doing it right, the lines will be fully occupied, perhaps with higher margin products. If there were a slot, there would be changeover costs.
And also look at the marketing side. A traditional (Japanese) marketing department may well see this as a hype that may not last. TikTok? FickleFockle

I don't think I understand that part 🤔

Well, yes maybe you are right, and they don't deliberately slow down production, but they are definitely not speeding things up either, which could be obvious, they need to keep the market hungry for the next new thing.

Maybe in 3 weeks we will know!