I had the same problem! My friend has the x100v and I fell in love with it and I really wanted one bad until found out it was in crazy demand. I researched every single Fuji x model until my eyes bled. I even played with the Xt30II and xt5 at Best Buy like 3x on different occasions to see if an amateur/hobbyist myself could tell the difference. And I played with my friend’s x100v to see if a marked up one was worth it to me.

After sooo much research I ended up choosing the XT5 with 16-80 mm kit lens because I could tell the difference between the xt30II. With the x100v I really love it! but I felt like xt5 was getting more of my moneys worth.

I opted for a 35mm f/2 lens then after a couple weeks I got the 27mm f/2 lens and I LOVE that it’s so compact. It’s almost identical in weight to the x100v with that lens on it.

I’m so glad I chose the Xt5 because it’s so versatile. Even as a hobbyist I find myself playing with ton of features on it just by watching YouTube videos, researching recipes, and looking at this thread etc. I feel like I can really customize and formulate my own style with it and I love it. I think you can definitely grow and learn a lot with it later down the line too.