Why Your Favorite Creators Are Ditching Fujifilm
Over the past year or two, I’ve noticed a subtle but steady trend: creators, YouTubers, videographers, professionals “graduating” from Fuji to Sony (or Canon, or Nikon).
It’s far from a mass exodus, and Fuji is certainly not struggling, but the shift is interesting enough to warrant a conversation about why it’s happening.
Fuji’s Strengths & Why They Matter
Let me reiterate: Fuji is doing great.
The company has carved out a niche, especially among enthusiasts and hobbyists. Their cameras are fun to use, beautiful to look at, and designed with that tactile, analog charm that makes photography feel less clinical and computer-y.
For many, that’s the whole point. Fuji is really the only company doing what they do, balancing nostalgia and digital convenience. The X100 series in particular has become almost a cultural icon, popping up everywhere from TikTok to professional portfolios.
However, for hybrid shooters, like YouTube creators, fun only gets you so far.
Where Pros Start Feeling Jaded
At the high end of Fuji’s lineup, things start to feel a little different.
When the top-of-the-line APS-C body (X-H2 or X-H2s) is just as digital and utilitarian as anything Sony or Canon makes, it raises an uncomfortable question: why should pros stay with Fuji?
Fuji was once the budget and size-friendly option for creators who didn’t want to carry bulky full-frame gear. And certain bodies in the lineup still make sense in that regard… but if you consider an H2 or H2s paired with a standard zoom lens, the price and size advantage largely disappear.
You’re really not all that far from a full-frame setup in terms of either price or bulk.
And while Fuji is actively closing the technical gap, its system still feels a step behind in some areas. Video features, outdated lenses that fail to take advantage of their newer sensors and AF systems, slow updates, forgotten bodies, almost great autofocus (yes, still a conversation), hybrid performance, and missing quality of life features like custom buttons that can be re-assigned in video mode, for one thing.
Seriously, why can a $2,500 camera not do that yet, Fuji?
For working pros or content creators, those gaps can… add up.
Fuji’s Target Market
Of course, there are professionals doing incredible work with Fuji cameras. But Fuji has made no secret of who their core market is: entry to mid-level enthusiasts.
Most bodies aren’t optimized for video
They’re not particularly concerned with marketing to pros
Lens lineup, while excellent in places, still includes aging glass in need of a refresh
Despite the ever-present feeling that Fuji is doing a lot to catch up to get more competitive, there’s still a steady stream of releases like the X100VI, X-S20, X-T30 II, X-M5, X-E5, and X-Half.
This parade of lower-cost offerings either make compromises to carefully roll out certain features at more affordable prices or are specifically aimed at beginners, vloggers, and people shooting for platforms like TikTok.
They’re all fantastic pieces of kit, but they also universally suffer from one Achilles heel or another that disqualifies them in the eyes of your average working professional.
Why [Insert Camera Brand Here] is a Tempting Jump From Fujifilm
This is where your bigger, more established companies start looking like a better long-term bet. For someone like me, with a lot of money already sunk into Fuji gear, the idea of going (back, in my case) to Sony, for example, represents:
Room to grow. Their system is unquestionably built for professionals
A massive lens ecosystem. Both first-party and third-party offerings which have seen critical updates long ago
Practical design decisions. Sony has a reputation for prioritizing function and quality of life over quirk and fun, which is both the best and worst thing about their products
Rumors about upcoming bodies reflect this.
If the upcoming A7V does indeed get the versatile “tilt-and-twirl” do-it-all screen from the A7R V, that’s exactly the kind of feature that speaks to practicality and quality of life as a core focus. It’s a popular decision, and it illustrates Sony’s priorities perfectly.
Image courtesy of: DPReview
Fujifilm’s Fun Factor
Here’s another perspective: Fuji’s quirks and experiments are genuinely wonderful.
They make photography playful in a way that no other brand can replicate. Even Nikon's wonderful ZF is a stark outlier in yet another lineup aimed at hybrid shooters and pros.
Analog controls, film simulations, aperture rings, tiny prime lenses. They’re all fantastic little ticks in the ‘positive’ column for the Fuji ecosystem.
But fun doesn’t always translate into professional reliability.
I have absolutely grown to love my X-H2s, but it has also left me scratching my head. It feels like any hybrid camera by any brand, which forces me to wonder: if I can thrive with this allegedly “soul-less and digital” tool, why not just switch and take advantage of all the other features that could come along with it?
The Middle Ground
My take? This explains why so many photographers I know, or that you might see online, keep an X100, Ricoh, or even invest in a Leica for personal work, while relying on Sony, Canon, or Nikon for professional jobs.
They want the fun, character-driven tool when they’re shooting for themselves, the kind of camera that makes its presence known and adds to the creative process, and so do I.
But more often, day-to-day we need a machine that simply disappears and lets us focus on the job.
Final Thoughts
Fuji isn’t in trouble. Far from it. They’re thriving, and they’ve built a loyal audience who genuinely loves their cameras. But as more pros demand reliability, technical performance, and a roadmap that supports growth, I’m feeling the pinch and pressure to move up and over, along with them.
It comes down to a question I keep asking: “What do I want out of staying with Fuji?”
If the answer is fun, then that’s perfectly valid.
But if the answer is reliability, growth, and performance, then maybe the fun isn’t worth sticking around for.
Thanks, as always, for reading!
