I agree
People need to understand that the X100 fills a niche
I have looked and tried the Sony NEX-5, one of the best EVIL cameras out there, but shooting in manual mode is a PITA because the controls are just fiddly.
The X100 is the only camera out there that offers this much control short of a Leica, in a package smaller than most EVIL cameras but larger than consumer PnS ones.
It is overpriced from the perspective of someone looking for a ILC
It is underspecced from the perspective of someone who already has a DSLR.
This fits the bill for me because I don't always want to be walking around with my D3s or my D700, nor do I want to start going and getting more lenses. I was in the market for a Leica m8.2 for the reason that I wanted a camera with a fast prime, APS-C sensor (I can't afford an M9), as compact as a Leica, and with manual and easily accessible controls for shutter speed and aperture. Like film cameras, ISO isn't something you're able to switch around easily, though the capability is there if needed. If you look at this this way, the X100's remit becomes crystal clear - Fuji wanted to introduce a modern interpretation of the classic rangefinder, with the benefit of adjustable ISO and digital recording.
This camera is not targeted at these markets. Which also explains why this is not like your typical EVIL or high-end compact camera, nor is it marketed the same way. People who understand this will understand how the X100 fills a niche.
So, in short, what I'm really paying a premium for is a NEX-5 with a 20mm fast pancake lens and manual physical controls for aperture and shutter speed. And an optical/hybrid viewfinder.
Advantages of NEX-5 over X100:
- 920k pixel screen
- interchangeable lenses
- autoHDR
- panorama
- higher resolution (14MP vs 12MP)
Advantages of X100 over NEX-5
- optical/hybrid viewfinder
- fast prime
- dedicated dials/knobs for aperture, shutter speed, exposure compensation
- on-body flash
- superior low-light performance (larger photosites)
- according to sample shots, the DoF and bokeh appears to be better than the NEX-5 (if there are lens options that allow the NEX-5 to beat the X100, I'm not aware of it)
- more compact
More detailed comparison:
http://snapsort.com/compare/Fujifilm_FinePix_X100-vs-Sony_Alpha_NEX-5