A focus on photography and the tools we use to do it. This channel will feature short tips, shooting videos, and the occasional gear review. You can see more of my work at www.dylangoldby.com.
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Hi, Dylan, this was great, and most timely. I've come around to wanting to try the 27mm field of view. However, I am looking at pancake lenses. Because I would like better low-light performance and have heard good things about the image quality, I've just about convinced myself to get the Voigtlander 27mm f2 Ulton. However, (a) it's MF only, and I am still slow at that and have an X-T30 mk1 which may make things slower?; (b) it's non-native so there's that concern about it being future-proof; and (c) it's pricier than the XF mk II (and even the Viltrox). Do you have any experience with this lens, or these higher-end Cosina Voigtlanders in general? I haven't been able to try one out so in the back of my mind I always worry that I have been hypnotized by hype! (I'd say I'd be open to other ideas, but I'm not a 23mm fan, the XF 30 is bigger, and I already have my needs covered for wider (13, 16) and longer (35, 50-140).)
Hello Dylan ! It's always a treat to watch your videos ! I watched this one and the one about the 19mm, from Laowa. I'm about to buy one, but I can't make a decision between 17mm, 19mm, or 20mm shift (all by Laowa, for GFX). It seems the 20mm is very sharp and itss construction makes more room for avoiding vignetting. The 19mm is not the greatest wide open. The 17mm looks like a serious one too... For the benefits, I would say : - 17mm widest and pretty sharp wide open - 19mm more compact and sharp at F8 - 20mm sharpest wide open with possible movements I create these conclusions based on videos... so I know it's not the greatest way to process, but I can't try the lenses where I leave. What is you opinion about that ? Thank you so much for your time. Colin
Hi Colin, Adding the shift into the mix really only matters if you're planning to use the shift function. Honestly, despite its "flaws", I really loved the 19mm. It's much easier to carry around and work with. You'll be happy with any of them in the end. Choose the focal length you think will work for you and spend time using the lens rather than worrying about it. Hope that helps!
@@DylanGoldbyPhotographer , always wise advices from you. :) I think that buying a $1000 lens is worrying me the most. I'll let you know what I decide. I get back to my macrophotography... ;) Take good care and a huge thanks for being always around for answering back.
If only this was from 16mm... the new Fuji 16-50 is smaller, lighter and those 2mm extra that can make a big difference. Problem is the inability to stay at f2.8 throughout. Compromises on both lenses.
This was on sale for €207 instead of €260 lately, hard to beat. Only thing I'm worried about is the CA/fringing, seen quite a lot in some full size uploads from SonyAlphaBlog, and you confirmed it as well. I know you'll compare it to the other third-party lenses, but how do you think does it compare to the old 56 1.2 in image quality?
I fully agree with your conclusions about the XH2S. I bought into one coming from an xpro3 to get the speed increase when shooting child sessions. That said, the body does not inspire me much. Funny enough on my last trip I out the idea of a smaller body aside and out the batter grip on there for 7 days and a 70-300 as well as some smaller primes. While bigger, the body now made sense to me.
Thank you for your very personal review of this camera. I also have the T-5 and the H2s. I rarely use the H2s because, as you said, it's not really enjoyable. I use it for situations where speed counts. And as a body, wearing a second lens. Hey, it would be really nice, if I could constantly sync the settings of two cameras constantly so you can smoothly change between two bodies....
That's actually the reason I have two of the same body for work. They're both set up exactly the same so I don't have to think about them at all. It's all down to muscle memory.
Electronic is a "consumer technology", unless military and even so, see the many problems you get with it, in your cars, your phones etc....but it is sold at a premium.
I’m a musician who loves Fujifilm cameras. A song with a really cool drum beat was added at the very end of the video. Could you tell me the title? Thank you!
I dont understand why you dont have more subs. Your reviews are so great and the pictures you show are so awesome. I don't shoot onFuji but you just gained yourself a new follower. These pictures are so good. By the way, you kept talking about Viltrox 75mm F.2 but I couldn't find a video on your channel that talks about it for some reasons.
Hi. Thanks for sharing this video. I got my X-H2S on release day, and have LOVED using it, after using X-T1, X-T2, X-T3. I really like the IDEA of the top-control dials of X-T series, but found it was actually slowing down my experience of creating photos. Also, I added a grip to all my X-T cameras, so the grip on X-H2S is (literally!) a better fit for me. I agree the loss of dial press is a bummer. Also would prefer the non-articulating screen. But, I think this reminds that designing cameras is hard and will NEVER please everyone. Best wishes!
So sorry for FUji and their newer bodies. I will mention it here. After last update i had maybe 6 times Card error in XT5 / never had it before. Also xt5 as newer camera (compared to my pro3) has insanly slow file transfer from SD cards to phone via app. Especialy when you have a lot of photos and want transf last captured. Pro3 automaticly showed from last captured. But T5 showed from first captured on card so i have to wait a long time.
I already own the 23mm f1.4 and was thinking of getting a Voightlander 27mm f2 Ultron as the pancake size is so cool! So.. I'm guessing I don't need this Viltrox? :) (but so many images I see from it are brilliant)
I own a X-H2 and a X-T2. I love the grip on my X-H2. For my X-T2 I bought an accessory to make the grip bigger. I don't like the press function of the command dials on my X-T2: When I use the command dial I often press it unintentionally and that's annoying. I fully agree with your opinion about the custom settings. There was a time where I've experimented with JPEG recipes, but I gave up because too many things are saved in the custom settings. I'd like to be able to define a set of parameters that are stored. Unfortunately I love the haptics the command dial, but I rarely have the opportunity to use it. Button haptics: I miss a click when I press the Q-menu button. The same applies to the back button. All other buttons are fine. I prefer the exposure compensation dial of the X-H2: I can easily turn it with my thumb when looking through the viewfinder. On my X-T2 I need two fingers to turn it. I prefer the X-T2 tilt screen against the X-H2 flip screen.
Well done review. I'm also disappointed about the command dials missing the press function. Be thankful you didn't suffer through the first year of the XH2S where the ISO could not be assigned to command dial 😔 I disagree with you on the grip, I like it much better than the tiny grip on my xt-4 (I have medium sized hands as well). The grip on the XH2S feels much more secure IMO. I also like that there are less dials on top of the camera vs the XT as it is a more weather resistant design. It's a shame the XT5 doesn't allow you to use a lower resolution. As a primary video shooter, I'm so happy Fuji released a legit cinema camera in the XH2S.
Thanks for your discussion of the XH2S. Frankly the XT3 should basically get re-released as a flagship grade body with high resolution / stacked sensor options and a battery grip option (essential, IMO, for any of the larger lenses). Done. Take my money. I think Fuji can do it - with the XH series standing in as flagship "hybrids", there is not really a "photography" flagship in the lineup. That was a big mistake, IMO, as I've now skipped two generations of bodies. Still, I am curious if you think the 40mp sensor generates better image quality overall, or if it frankly doesn't stand out. What has kept me in the system are the outstanding new lenses coming out. They've proven to be faster and more accurate even on my old body, and the image quality is a bump up for sure (making me think twice about whether I really need that 40mp sensor). So long as Fuji keeps pumping out better glass, I can see myself sticking around. But the LACK of improvements or weak implementation of AI tracking in this go-round has been a real bummer.
Hi @Dylan, I think it's not the first time you're showing off some pictures taken with the Viltrox 75mm. I don't like being another one pushing for a gear review, but I'd surely love to hear your experience with it. I bought one recently and I would be interested to know how you use it, what you think it's good for, if it's a keeper or not, etc. But then again, I really like your art more than your reviews, and I would like to encourage you some photographic skills. Composition, interaction with the subject or whatever makes you who you are as a photographer. Have a good day.
Thanks for jumping in and for the kind words. I'd love to do more videos like that, as well. It's hard to find the time and motivation as they don't tend to do nearly as well as anything related to a lens. 😂 That Viltrox review is coming. It's on my list. It's just taken a long time to get to for a few reasons. Hopefully, I'll be able to get to it after the 56mm roundup. Thanks again for taking the time to watch!
I saw that, too, and figured that's why you're doing more gear stuff. I might have an idea or two about that, as I'd love for you to share your approach. I'll write a little email. Just an idea.
Fellow working (stills) tog with 2x XH2S, I'd love to chime in here, overall this was a good review and fair, but I would like to add a couple of important points for discussion. The following points are areas I feel glanced over or I have solutions, if I am not mentioning anything here about other aspects of the review it's because I simply whole heartedly agree (it just seems more efficient to talk about differences of opinion stuff here); 1) Ergonomics. Personally I find this camera really pleasing. When I moved to Fuji my first camera was the XT4, coming from a Pentax K-1 (known for some of the best ergonomics) I found the XT4 horrible to use. I appreciated its slimness factor, but actual usage I got sore fingers. HOWEVER, as time goes on it gets more comfy and the sore fingers cease. I am a true believer that the body learns and copes with ergonomics, through continued use, muscle memory etc, things improve. I also use some heavy ass glass like the Fringer III+50-100/1.8, you appreciate that deep recessed grip! However I understand a prime swapper feeling like it is an overkill grip. Persevere is my advice, it could be you will never really bond with it till it becomes your only camera... 2) MS vs ES. My world is sensitive noise work. My main gig is shooting orchestras, both on and off stage. Whilst it is true the MS is very dampened on the XH2S, my feeling here is if you are not shooting ES then you are not really taking advantage of that stacked sensor. I shoot around the conductor, I must be ABSOLUTELY silent, but I also need the shutter speeds necessary to freeze my subjects properly, this means shooting above the frequency of light flickering (1/100-500), but the 6ms read out speed means I rarely see any banding in my images, even under intense artificial stage lighting (which varies between a mix of LED , incandescent and fluro). Trying the same approach with XT4, XT30II, XS20 etc all resulted in banding. XH2S? None. And what does this mean in reality? It means repeat business. It is noticed that you are able to work like an absolute ninja where other photographers either hand over images with strong banding or they make a noticeable annoying sound. It's not just orchestra work, but any government conference, and I can BURST as I please, not be selective, this means I get to hand over truly awesome perfect moments from a sequence of bursting all the while not making a sound. This for me is the singular biggest reason to use an XH2S for our kind of work, it differs from every other Fujifilm camera, this camera is an ES God! 3) Joystick vs Face/Eye Detection. I love that you discussed the joystick being awful, that too is my experience. However I did not much like the joystick on any camera. Maybe its because I am a gamer and when I think of good joysticks I am used to analog ones like what control pads have to offer. IMO unless a joystick can be implemented similarly... they are a waste of time and space. You can set up the camera to use the touch screen to only shift the AF point around, this I find the faster... but I digress. I actually live in Face/Eye Detection with my XH2S's, but a few parameters need to be set up to help this approach work and be efficient. First of all, the actual AF mode I live in is AF.C with Wide/Tracking. You will need a button bound to toggle Face/Eye on/off, when set to off the Wide/Tracking AF box is presented and you can simply lock on and recompose your shot with half press (or back button focusing) and then take the shot. This is far quicker than messing with joysticks or Dpads to push an AF box around the screen imo, and sometimes we don't want a persons face being the source of attention in the image, such as a trophy on a table or whatever. So first thing, make sure there is a button bound to remove face/eye detection for those times you don't want it to try and find a face/eye. Secondly, bind another button to toggle eye. This was a life saver for me, and another reason I upgraded from an XT4 to an XH2S. On the older generation cameras this is not an option, but here it makes it super easy to get the camera to grab the correct eye vs the far away one. Granted Fuji should improve AF here so that the closer eye is the one always being picked up, but its nice to be able to toggle eye without Quick menu diving. 4) Custom Modes. Indeed it is annoying only some things are bindable and some not. Again with Pentax they have the highest level of customization I have ever come across. I even love that button mapping can be different per User Mode. One annoying thing (on the XH2S) is I would love to have one Custom Mode with zero information in the EVF, just a nice blank screen, something pleasing for manual focus work, but you actually can't bind this for one user mode. Instead you would have to go into the screen settings and untick all the stuff, only to have to put it all back on afterwards, urgh! Having said that, I don't find it too bad, and I personally appreciate the deeper level of customization here over the XT series. I actually use features like twisting the Custom Mode to go from Av to Tv and a fixed 1/4 shutter speed (for arty dragging the shutter stuff), but yeh... it would be nice to be able to tell it NOT to store those parameters and just use whatever is being presented before the toggle (again Pentax cameras can do this). It's a little frustrating to be exposed to cameras that can do this and then cameras that can't, because there really is no reason not to, its just Fuji being lazy. Some things that annoy me however are the implementation. Removing the MCS lever and replacing with a button makes much more sense here, after all how can you toggle from C1 with AFC to C2 with AFS if the lever is pointing to M? But why does pressing the button involve an additional step of having to use a Dpad to make your selection?! Wouldn't it make much more sense that each button push of the MCS button simply toggles the mode? And perhaps a long press of the button locks it to save from accidental pushes (which can happen anyway with the combination of knocking a D-pad button...). So whilst I think the design is fairly solid, the implementation is lacking with additional hurdles not necessary. 5) Non push Command Dials. I heard the decision to not implement these was based around weather sealing, which is very interesting to hear because in a way its an omission that all the cameras that Fuji say are WR with push in dials are not as well WR as those models without the push in feature... Maybe its a good thing they don't push in? Anyway... probably take some reassurance than the XH2S is better sealed than their other cameras. In summary, I'm not sure I am a Fuji fan... but I am an XH2S fan. When you compare the price of the stacked sensor market, the APS-C XH2S sits in a very unique price bracket. My only point is this aspect needs properly exploited. Understand all the benefits stacked sensor technology gives and you get better value from the camera. It's more than simply addressing rolling shutter and processing speeds, this camera was made to be used in ES mode predominantly, outdoor and in, and you can shoot up to 40fps in AF.C! (even some recent FF camera releases are only now boasting about such tech!). Autofocus wise, yeh the Kaizen f/w is not good. I have one XH2S running 1.03 and the other 5.03, unfortunately it is true, subsequent updates are harming AF performance and ruining the camera from that perspective. Fuji... sort your shit out! Sorry for the long post.
Phew! I feel like you could have written the script for my next video! Ha! I really appreciate you chiming in. Here are my thoughts to keep the discussion going: 1) We're now almost 9 months in and that grip still gives me sore fingers. I've just taken to only ever lightly holding it on a strap at my side to attempt to alleviate the pain while still being ready to shoot, but that's been my only solution, unfortunately. 2) I've tried the electronic shutter. The issues of banding and wobbly lines are REDUCED, but not gone. In a family session where both myself and my subjects are moving, the readout still isn't fast enough to get straight lines and non-distorted features. I still have to use mechanical for this. As for banding, perhaps you're not shooting under the 70s era lightbulbs we are here. Unless I'm actually at the frequency of the lights, I'm still seeing banding. Again, it's reduced, but still not gone. I frequently shoot scenes with multiple light sources as well as projector screens and monitors in the scene. Nothing has prevented the banding so far. It's a shame, because it would be even more quiet if I could. 3) Touch AF. Oh my... I tried that. I found it even worse than the joystick. Glad it works for you, though! And YES to a good quality analogue joystick for gaming! Face detection: the main issue I have with it is that Fujifilm's "AI" doesn't seem to know what a face is. Even with a person in the frame, clear as day, it'll find a car or a tree to focus on. I've found it to be utterly useless and I've missed too many shots with it, so I just leave it off unless there's a specific scene where I feel like it might work. I've got the buttons set up just as you described, but rarely use them because it's so unreliable. 4) Agreed wholeheartedly on the MCS button. I originally had it in this review but I cut it as things were already getting quite long. 5) I'd rather have the functionality and deal with the weather sealing issues down the road. In 10 years of X-T cameras with push in dials, it's never been an issue for me. The lost functionality is just painful. I, unlike you am a Fuji fan, just not an X-H2S fan. Here's to hoping that they'll bring a lower resolution sensor back into an X-T body for me! Cheers for your thoughts here! It's good to see other perspectives and the camera working for people. Appreciate your time!
@@DylanGoldbyPhotographer 1) The grip. I have a friend who shoots the Z6II, we often giggle about our camera grips and how differently we wrap our right hand around the recess. I know this is going to sound silly but I think the specifics here might matter to the comfort factor. I dunno why but I have always been someone who has the pinky wrapped/curled UNDERNEATH the camera body, under the grip, on the base plate. The wrapped pinky kinda makes a foundation, with the other fingers on the recessed grip. My friend who shoots the Z6II doesn't like doing it this way, preferring the pinky to be curled in on the recessed grip like the rest of his fingers, and I have met others like this too. In fact.. on those shorter stubbier cameras... I have found people needing to invest in those 3rd party bottom plates to give an extra cm or 2 to allow the pinky to grab onto something, curling it under the bottom of the camera must feel awkward to them. Basically what I am saying is I have noticed a fundamental difference to how we all wrap our appendages around the camera, I'm sure these differences are the cause of such diverging opinions. And I am not so sure if you can comfortably unlearn a way of holding that feels natural. Ergonomics I think is just something that is always going to differ person to person, I am just absolutely fine with the XH2S, I wouldn't mind the recess grip to being a little more rubbery or soft, its kinda hard but other than that I get along quite well with it. 2) ES. You're right that the banding is not always gone and only reduced. What I have found to combat this is this; a) Have the Flicker Reduction set to All Frames. I have never felt the need to evoke the Flickerless S.S. Setting (in fact sometimes when I have tried it the banding can be worse, but indeed other times it can solve it first time, it just depends..). I don't really understand why Flickr Reduction (All Frames) helps here (with banding), my understanding is that it tries to delay the shutter release (ever so slightly) so that it records the image at the time the light flicker is present rather than pulsing off. Of course with mixed lighting its all over the place, you can see the "key light" in the frame perhaps getting priority whilst the fainter light source behind perhaps being captured on or off. But yeh... I still think its an option worth toggling on. b) But the most important trick I have found, is the times I DO see some banding, it appears just toggling quickly to an adjacent shutter speed almost always resolves it. For the indoor work I predominantly work in Tv mode (because the lighting is usually pretty dim I am often presented with my widest aperture for the lenses I am using anyway, and the Auto-ISO can fall where it may. Basically a rule I have is Tv for indoors, Av for outdoors :D)... but I digress. Being in Tv mode, I may have a starting shutter speed of 1/320, and perhaps at the event I can see some mild banding. All I typically need to do is toggle to 1/400 or down to 1/250 and its gone. If that doesn't resolve it, try another shutter speed close to those values. If all else fails I do have a button bound to MS and I invoke that, but for things like rehearsal shots on stage with the conductor... it's just not possible, I'd get thrown out. So... I urge you to keep investigating this feature. I agree its not perfect but usually its a small rotation of the shutter dial and the banding is gone. I have high standards, please check out my instagram page, 99% of my work is ES mode and I work under very challenging lights. I've done theatre and drama shoots, 6000 shots and had banding in perhaps 4-5 images, when I say its rare.. its rare. For something like that Anzac stuff, I have a strong feeling you could be even stealthier. I too have been complemented by the audience as I sit next to them during the performance without making a sound. This stuff matters and just elevates your standing. MS is boss, for sure, but 6ms ES is no joke, its wickedly good. I hope the XH3S is a global shutter :D :D 3) Touch AF, yeh its an option, not great. It's why I live in Wide/Tracking. I bypass Dpad and Joystick altogether, to use them just feels very... DSLRy. One thing tho... in Wide/Tracking, the face/eye detection tends to be prioritized to where you put the box, so if in a crowd or whatever, shifting the box to that person, 9 out of 10 times it will select their face. I don't have too many issues with the Face/Eye thing, but I have a feeling a few other settings in conjunction might be key. I'm pretty sure when I have had the camera AF.S and Wide (basically no AF box), it can be more erratic. I think some AF settings help tame the Face/Eye thing to being more predictable and useful to the user. The actual annoying thing about Face/Eye detection is it becomes its own metering mode... like why? 4) *nods in agreement 5) Yeh you're probably right. I actually hardly ever use mine outside of conferences and concert halls, so the entire WR thing is lost on me, I too would prefer the pushable dials back! I do love how photography differs from person to person. I did not like the analog dials, for pro work I felt it just got in the way and slowed me down from making 'complex' changes on the fly. My Custom modes are mostly working for me, though I absolutely agree with you that they could be better. I also do some (client) video work now and then and, and this is where the Custom Modes really start to shine. C1-3 are video, C4-7 are stills. Trying to do this kind of work on XT bodies now for me would be disastrous. Don't get me wrong, I do like Fuji, the sims, colours and some other stuff. It's not all bad. But after trying XT4, XT30II, XH2S and XS20... for me I really get why the XH2S is held in such high regard, especially among the videographer crowd. Flog2 is very cool and the camera sits at a very good price point. I am not sure if I will continue to invest much more with the brand however. The AF thing is an issue, a bit of a road block and I am losing confidence that they can address this with future builds (hardware/mount specific holdbacks). Moving to 40mp never made any sense to me, I feel like they are treating me like a child, that somehow I should be happy with more megapixels. Fuji.. I'm no fool! 😄
Ah, perhaps my explanation wasn't clear. There is a need at times to switch the function of the dial between ISO and Aperture Value (for lenses that don't have an aperture ring). It's quicker and easier to change the ISO if it's simply assigned to the front dial rather than having to press the ISO button as well. However, that means that the aperture value can't be changed. Right now, I have the ISO button set to switch between the two, which half solves the problem. However, it does mean that I can't use the ISO button for anything else, which reduces the number of programmable buttons for other functions. As I said in the video, not everyone is going to come up against these issues.
Thanks for putting in the work to make this. I thought adding an XH body might make sense for me, and i'm really interested in the better viewfinder, but what I've got will definitely work until the next versions are released.
Well done for being so honest. I too am not a fan of 40mp. I really like the ergonomics of the xt5. Also find the xh1 not too va d to hold and it has most that i need. I just yearn for an xt5 with a 26mp sensor
Thanks for watching! That's pretty much the sum of things for me, as well. It's a great camera, let down by some ergonomic issues and really poor design decisions for me. Here's to hoping!
I have the GFX 50S II and one of the reason I purchased it was to have a digital xpan. It is definitely a process learning to shoot effectively in that ratio. Hopefully, it will become second nature, sooner than later.
Wow! A cheaper way to learn might have been to put some gaffer's tape on the screen of your existing camera! Haha! But, kudos to you for dedicating yourself (and your wallet!) to the process.
Couldnt agree more, especially with the wheels nit being buttons. I use my h2s together with my gfx100s for nature photography, while I miss th dpad on the gfx I miss the pushable wheels on the h2s. The viewfinder on the h2s is what makes that camera the better one compared to the xseries cameras. Always annoyed going back to my xt3 viewfinder….
I have a GFX 100S as well and notice EXACTLY the same things going back and forth. I really wish Fujifilm would stick to a basic set of controls on their "professional"-grade tools so that we can just get to work without having to retrain our muscle memory when switching cameras.
Thanks for watching! That was a while ago now... If I can remember the thoughts I had while walking around, I'll try to put something together. I really enjoyed it, I remember that much!
Legitimately the best real-world use case scenario review of this camera. Thank you for your observations on how the sensor and control layout impact one's workflow. Very valuable review.
Glad it was useful! These are just my thoughts and I hope so people will chime in here with positive spins on the issues I've raised. Personally, it doesn't work for me in the way that I'd hoped, but if these aren't issues for you, it might just be a great fit in your workflow.
Coming from an R5 the XH2S has superior ergonomics to both an R5 and a XT camera. It’s great Fujifilm fans have an option when other brands don’t! I much prefer the C1-C7 on a dial than the 3+ button presses required by the R5. The C1 recall button is a great option. I do wish at least one command dial was clickable. I would like an E-Shutter option that is 14-bit, even if reduced FPS. Bird and animal AF had been just as good as R5 in my experience. IBIS is a bit jerky in video and can be improved but I can reliable get sharp images with ES at 600mm and 1/250s! My R5 EVF was hot garbage. The colors and tonality of the preview would change when using AF. I tried everything including a factory reset. There is nothing worse than looking through the EVF only to be uninspired with what you are looking at. It’s the main reason I sold the R5.
Interesting take! I've never used the Canon mirrorless line, but I was always turned away by the ergonomics of their DSLRs. Every time I was handed one, I gave it back pretty quickly. Interesting that you're finding the Custom Dial to be useful. I guess you don't mind being forced to assign a shutter speed to each and every C setting? How does that pan out for you?
I much prefer the ergos of my R5. The greens in the R5 EVF are very uninspiring yes. I just wish Canon made F2-L primes. Having shot a wedding recently on the R5 it’s AF wasn’t as good as it used to be. I’m concerned that later firmwares are making cameras worse to help them sell more cameras. My XH2S AF was garbage between 5-7 versions. Seems pretty good with my old 23 1.4. I’m off to Europe next month from Australia. Still debating whether to take the XT4 or XH2S.
I'm not gonna lie, to be honest I actually prefer the image quality of Fujifilm cameras with the high end Fuji lenses. The colour rendition and bokeh fall off is gorgeous. I feel like modern FF mirrorless cameras are incredibly clinical. I had a D750 and thought the image quality was so uninspiring I sent it back and got a Fuji X-H1. Fuji is pricey but I love the options they provide.
@@DylanGoldbyPhotographer I have sane default settings for the modes I use. C1 is 60fps video. I can hit my C1 recall button in any mode and be shooting video in seconds. I have C2 for bird AF with 1/800 shutter, auto ISO. C3 for animal AF 1/500s, C4 is 120fps video, C5 is 30fps, and C6 is 6.2K with 1/400s when I maybe want to shoot video and extract stills. I also enjoy being able to change modes even when the camera is off. I just always have what mode I am in my head and without looking at the camera I can click up and down and be in the mode I want.
The body size, grip and ergonomics of the XH2s is a no go for me, although I would love to have only 24/26 MP. So I end up with a XT5 which is nice, but I do not use it because of the 40MP. Shame on Fuji that they do not offer a XT5s with 26MP. I use currently a Panasonic Lumix S5ii. 24MP very good ergonomics and the Sigma i-series lenses for L-Mount are small with high image quality and a joy to use with the aperture rings.
Interesting that you're willing to go with the larger body if it accomodates a full-frame sensor! Do you find that its a more comfortable design than the H2 style bodies?
@@DylanGoldbyPhotographer Obviously this is very subjective, but I find the S5ii ergonomically better than the Fuji XH2s. But the XT5 body is even better. The S5ii makes only sense in my view, if you use it with the Sigma LMount lenses. Excellent image quality and often same size as the Fuji lenses. They are smaller and in most cases cheaper than the Lumix L-Mount lenses. Except for video with a Gimbal. Then the Lumix F1.8 line might make more sense, because they all have the same size and weight and no focus breathing. Another idea would be MFT. I bought a second hand Olympus EM1 Mk3 and I am impressed. 20MP and the best ergonomically grip I have used in any system over the last 20 years (Nikon, Fuji, MFT, LMount, Sony etc.) I do also like the MFT Lumix G9 Mk1, but the grip is IMHO too thick compared to the Oly EM1.3. But VF and some other stuff is better with the G9. The newer G9 Mk2 is in my view a desaster. The body is way too big and file size although only 25MP is huge. Within the next 6-8 months, I hope in LMount for a smaller, rangefinder style fullframe body and in MFT also a smaller (rangefinder style) MFT body. With Fuji I am less confident that that we will see a XT5-like body with only 26MP. I am afraid that Fuji signed a contract for such a high volume of the 40MP sensor (to get a cheaper price) so that they are forced to use it in almost all cameras in the future to achieve these numbers.
The LM thumb grip helps the XT5 hold ability much much better. As far as the 56 1.2 WR, it’s much better than the old version and I get much better accuracy and hits with it, even though it doesn’t have a linear motor!
I've heard a few people talk about these thumb grips for the X-T series, but I've never really had an issue with the body on it's own. I also use flashes a lot, so the thumb grips are a no go for me either way. Enjoy that 56mm. It's a phenomenal lens despite the clunky AF.
Thanks for your review. I on the other hand opted for the XT5, unfortunately the auto focus is a lot less to be desired! Last year, I actually was happy with the auto focus, until the next two updates made it worse than I could imagine! Now it’s worse than the XT4 that I used to own? I can’t believe how Fuji can’t seem to deliver on auto focus. Instead of bringing out so many different model cameras, why don’t they just fix the auto focus? 😤
I've seen some stories around about this AF debacle. For the way I set the cameras up, I haven't noticed it at all. It's always been a bit off and that's something I've come to joke of as being "Fujifocus", but I haven't noticed this degradation that people are speaking of. Where are you noticing it most?
@@DylanGoldbyPhotographer Mostly, it’s in the continuous auto focus when using face eye recognition. But I’m finding I’m having problems even with custom setting number one, zone auto focus and even single AF! One perfect example is just tracking somebody walking towards you, there was a recent video of a guy who showed the XT4 was better than the XT5 - we’re going backwards! I would be interested in your auto focus settings for single shots on using the XT5. I do a lot of street photography, and you have to be accurate very quickly or you lose the focus. This wasn’t a problem for me last year. Sometimes a lot of specific settings throughout the camera affect auto focus. 🖖
Better weather sealing wasn't a great argument to remove the clickable dials. A matter of taste: The grip is simply perfect, the grip of the XT-series unusable, an additional grip a must have. I never use MS. There's no reason to use it. Not even for flash. ES. It's always silent. I never use AF S. No need for AF S. No advantages. WP/Exposure: really useful if it could be added to a setting. I put it on a function key. I'll won't buy any camera without cf express card type B (not A) any more. It's simply faster and cheaper per GB compared with UHS II. Fujifilms firmware policy is a nightmare. Bad quality, not tested (enough). They ruined their development department, including their lens development, as there hasn't been a relevant new prime lens for years now. The 56/1.2 WR was extremely disappointing.
Interesting that you've found AF-C to be reliable. I shoot quite a few static subjects and I did try to use AF-C as people claimed it had improved. I'd say I get about a 50% hit-rate with static subjects and AF-C, so I still make use of AF-S for 90% of my work. Have you found any particular settings that help with that?
100% agreement. I wonder however if we sleep better at night knowing that we give up the clickable command dial for better WR? It's interesting to think that all the clickable command dial Fuji's are at more risk from sealing issues compared to the non... Maybe they saw the XH2S as a real outdoor wildlife machine and just didn't want to deal with weathering issues. Either way it was an interesting omission by Fuji, almost a 'don't trust the clickable command dial cameras in the rain'.. like wtf Fuji? Yep, AF.C, ES all the way (indoors and outdoors, whatever light source), that's how you exploit this camera properly. FWIW I have 2x XH2S and one is 1.03 and the other 5.03, some testing and indeed the 1.03 is more competent. It does seem like their f/w is nuking the AF... sad. The 56/1.2RWR makes great images when it gets it right, but not LM is the biggest bungle this company has ever had. I mean literally what was the point at all?! LM should have been the utmost top priority and accept NOTHING LESS. Bizarre company... The lack of a good 56/1.2 has literally made me look at other systems...
I never thought I'd buy an X-H2s myself but there I am, like you, I have one for over a year now... I'm quite happy with it, I like the custom setting banks, I like how fast it it, etc. I still don't quite like the flipout screen but learned to live with it. Like you one of my main frustrations is that the "exposure preview" mode cannot be stored per custom settings bank! Now I have dedicated a custom button to that to switching it quickly. That focus lever, I got quite used to it by now although I hated it initially! The CFExpress cards are indeed great. I have ProGrade cards as well, they do offer good deals. The 512GB size seems near infinite ;-) The faster write speed over the SD cards helps me too, for deep focus stacks and for burst mode shooting. By now, I do find the camera enjoyable to use myself although I came from X-T3 & X-H1 which are more the traditional Fuji cameras.
Glad to hear you've made peace with that focus lever. I still fight it every single time I go out. It's just slow and difficult to work with. I've done the same thing with the exposure preview setting. I use it so often that I have it assigned to a button on every one of my cameras. I just wish they'd allow it to be saved into the Custom banks for ease of use! Happy shooting!
Interesting insights on the X-H2s especially regarding other reviews stating how much that camera has allowed them to speed up their workflow. For my event work, two X-T5s are more than decent enough. I do understand the file size issue for bigger deliveries, however, I do not find it to be of practical concern for my work. On the one hand, I shoot in the lossless compressed format reducing file size. On the other hand, SSD storage has become so cheap these days that I am happy to just buy a new one once the old one is full. To be fair though, I never found the 40 megapixels to be that big of a resolution difference compared to the 26 on other bodies. I find myself delivering different crops of the same photo for which the 40MP just gives me a tiny bit more extra room to crop where I think the sensor’s main benefit lies.
I alluded to this a little in the review, but I think it can definitely speed up the types of workflows that Fujifilm has deemed appropriate. It just hasn't been thought through well enough to allow all sorts of different workflows to be helped. I've heard really good things about Sony cameras in this regard, but every time I pick one up I feel like I'm flying an X-Wing. Ha! For me, the file size is more than just storage. It's the increased preview generation and export times. I have jobs that require me to deliver a few images in the 15-minute car ride between locations and the 26 MP files just take the stress out of that. At the end of a week's shooting, I've saved 30% in hard drive space for backup (This could be 20-30 GB), and the same in time (could be 8-10 hours at the end of a week). Honestly, I don't have any clients (that I use crop sensors for) that require anywhere near 26 MP for their final files, so cropping isn't an issue for me, either. Glad you've found a way to make 40 MP work. I've still got my fingers crossed that Fujifilm will wake up to not everyone needing that sort of resolution and allow small raw or offer a X-T style body with the lower resolution sensor again.
I have been shooting XH2 since it was released and I hate it compared to the XT line, mainly the screen. I struggle with exposure comp adjustment with XH2. The cfast express card doesn’t fit with my travel file handling with an iPad, they’re fast but perhaps only a need for video. I enjoy how it can be set up for custom modes and quick to flick between, the xt5 still needs you to flick multiple dials and switches to get the correct auto focus modes etc. I’m on the fence on swapping to a second xt5 or have one of each.
Since I work in manual mode with these cameras, I haven't noticed exposure comp being an issue for me. Is it just because you have to use a different dial or is it a bit more nuanced than that? Re: custom dials: I've actually found it to be slower than the X-T5 because of the forced exposure settings in the custom banks. If that could be fixed, it'd be so much faster, but for now, I actually find it quicker to make all the adjustments manually myself.
@@DylanGoldbyPhotographer I generally only use compensation when it’s in the custom mode for bird photography, the only way I can set it up is to use a function button to change the thumb wheel from shutter to comp. Sometimes I forget and I end up changing shutter speed without noticing. There’s too many specific settings for birds to adjust every time. The other custom setting I have is full manual for landscapes. I did just figure out on the xt5 that when you put the comp dial to ‘C’, it allows you to use the front dial for comp adjustment and I think that’s a bit of a game changer for me.
So far I've had a Fuji X-T10, X-T1, and X-E3, sold them all off and then had a Canon 6D and Nikon D750. Didn't like either so came back to Fuji with an X-H1 (bought it this week), and I must say whilst I do prefer the X-Tx series for fun factor and ergonomics, I really do love the X-H1 - perfect sweet spot of not being too expensive (due to not being one of the coolest Fujis cameras haha) and it's middling age. The X-H1 seems to be a nice middle ground of classic and modern Fuji design - no idea what they've done on the X-H2s design here... possibly Fuji's first significant instance of dropping the ball. I still think for the long run the X-Tx and X-Pro lineups are Fujis gold standard of performance and usability... shame the X-H lineup butchered the manual controls. Plan to invest into my X-H1 for paid shoots and might treat myself to an X-Pro if I make enough with it ;) Thanks for the honest review buddy!
I totally agree with you about the X-H1. I wish Fuji had just kept that body design for its X-H2/X-H2S series. I’m really disappointed that they didn’t. I now use an X-T5 with a beefed up extended grip and will be converting my X-H1 into an infrared camera because I just can’t seem to part with it.
@@doogieham yeah, there's just something about the X-H1, really perfect design. I'm gonna see how it goes, but I must say as I get to use the X-H1 more, I could possibly forgive the X-H2 for its design if it means getting better video features in the same style body... if not the XT4/5 will be the future upgrade!
Thank you for this exceptionally thorough review. I feel each and every point you are making. This is why I am still holding on to the H1. Still the best ergonomics and best sensor (for large volume low light event stills shooters) except the stacked one in the H2S. I would love a T5S. It’s a shame Fuji decided to screw up their controls and engage in stupid megapixel war.
I have a similar opinion of the X-H2S; it's a useful tool but not fun to use. The X-T series is much more enjoyable to me. On my X-H2S, I set the front button to be the electronic level control and use the unlabeled function button on the top plate as my focus check button. I configured the d-pad buttons as follows: up = focus area, left = face detection on/off, down = subject detection on/off, and right = front command dial switch. Those settings have made the camera usable, but it still isn't fun. I used the camera, along with a Viltrox 75mm, to shoot an indoor concert a couple of days ago, and I was able to get some very good photographs with the combination. My street photography and everyday cameras will remain an X-T5 and X-T3.
