Fujifilm X-H2 for PHOTOGRAPHY review: 40 Megapixel vs X-H2S! 

It's a really nice camera!

If you can afford it, I think it's easy to justify a full size and a pro for when you know you just need one small lens and a compact setup. If the new pro gets a 40mp sensor I may wind up buying it... We'll see. The H2 is preordered and once I get that I'll sell my X-T4

Same here…. As much as I want to wait for xpro4 …. I am also gravitating toward xh 2

Thankyou! The issue is this kind of review takes 2-3 weeks to put together which is far too long for most people to justify. Actually I can't justify it either, but I can't bear to publish reviews without this degree of testing.

Thankyou!

You're very welcome! Look out for my movie mode review coming soon!

You're welcome!

That's a nice upgrade!

I have another video showing the movie capabilities too

Thankyou!

Just me who feels robbed then? Like 20% below what I got on eBay even after fees?

Thanks!

@@cameralabs I pre-ordered my X-H2 last weekend so it's very reassuring to watch your review. I look forward getting my hands on it after having only an hour to play with it so far. I came away not really missing all the dials as much as I love them too.

thanks!

@@bbasleigh6149 I would agree with this. I've not used the 16-55 2.8. I shoot more with primes and they are very nice on the xt3 body with a small grip added. I'm a bit bummed that the resale values of the xt3 have fallen this low...but that is the way.

Thanks!

You're very welcome!

Hope they don't cut down the features too much on the X-T5. Apart from not being able to get a vertical grip which we already know, they are probably removing something else to justify a markdown in price. Probably losing the CFExpress slot for another SD card slot and with it the ProRes HQ and highest bitrates for video. Neither 8K30 or 4K60 strictly *need* the 720Mbps modes outside of professional work. But since they ditched the vertical grip, they already showed their hand in treating X-T photographers like baby photographers, not pros.

@@Vinterloft hopefully they keep IBIS with it's pixel shift feature. I'm coming from an era before Image stabilization, so I don't need it to shoot crisp images, but I do want it for the pixel shift. We only just got IBIS in the XT-4 so it would be disappointing to loose it in the XT-5, but that would be a quick way for them to reduce the price of the XT-5.

@@Vinterloft That's a little harsh!! I really do think that Fuji are well aware of the loyal XT following and in my opinion won't risk anything by looking down their noses at us XT lovers!!! That said, I do agree with your thinking about losing one or two benefits with the XT5, being an out and out stills photographer, the things you listed wouldn't be an issue for me....and if they revert back to the XT3 rear flippy screen that would be the icing on the cake for me!!

@@saulekaravirs6585 That would be a disaster!! IBIS is one of the main things I am looking forward to on the XT5!!! The other stuff that Vinter Loft listed wouldn't be an issue for me......but no IBIS!!!!!!

@@saulekaravirs6585 We're never going to see another Fuji camera without IBIS. They already said they won't be making any more X-T*00 series cameras (the lowest end) and nobody is buying the X-T30 over the X-S10 now for the marginal price difference. But they're probably rolling those two series into one going forward anyway and keeping the ergonomics of the X-T*0 and keeping the IBIS and price of the X-S10. IBIS is simply the most important photography feature since colour.

Also curious about this

It's really useful, especially when shooting with unstabilised primes. I found it really beneficial when framing the shot as well as for keeping ISO low. It's the same as in the X-H2S and I covered it in that review if you're interested.

It’s down to $3300 Australian dollars not a bad deal

I can only guess, but an XT4 successor will almost certainly use the same 40mp sensor, although i don't know if they'd leave out pixel shift to differentiate it. Either way, it's the body style you have to choose. I'd be surprised if there isn't some XT5 news in the next 6 months, so it depends if you can wait that long.

Thanks, there's LOT of work in this one!

2

I know what you mean. Certainly when coupled with one of those new prime lenses and at low ISOs, the X-H2 is delivering fantastic looking images.

The GFX uses a traditional Bayer CFA - which makes it a treat to process, their x-Trans mess though... I would take a closer look at posted RAW samples and process them in your software of choice before going that route because you may come to regret it... x-Trans is tossing 100s of years of knowledge how to process RAW images down the drain for a misplaced notion of being able to reduce moiree. The only thing x-Trans does is create worse moiree than any other sensor CFA out there because it prevents the use of an AA filter and the resolution still is short of being high enough to warrant the only viable solution of oversampling.

This is the exact problem I have with my Gfx system “heavy weight “ that I cannot take it everywhere for shooting. I was planning to sell it and invest on xh2 but I see lots of complaints about auto focus problem even after firmware update!

Thanks!

Thanks! NYC is so photogenic!

Glad you enjoyed it!

Curious about this too, seems it should do well though

Yep, anything moving will get that mad-looking noise effect with pixel shift. It really has to be 100% static.

Not sure, sorry!

I haven't retested it yet

If you can keep to lower ISOs, the XH2 will give you a little more detail than the A7IV, but really there's not much between them in quality. I'd compare their look and feel, and crucially which lenses you'd want for each system, their cost, size, weight, quality etc. You have to look at the system as a whole. Both are great choices.

I didn't, but I did for video

for some reason he is avoiding or not liking to talk about the dynamic range. he does acknowledge it and test it a little bit in terms of does it have enough or not. but that's it.

The X-Trans IV sensor is essentially the same as the XH2S sensor in terms of resolution and noise - see my older XH2S review - so you can use the XH2S res and noise results here as an indicator of older models like the XT3 and XT4. Note the AF is a big improvement though.

Hmmm, are you shooting uncompressed RAW? That could slow it down a little.

Exactly my thought!

Great question but sadly I was unable to test it under those conditions for this review.

A faster sensor readout will help with lighting related banding issues when using the electronic shutter, so the X-H2S is the obvious choice.

I didn't make a formal comparison for DR between them, as both had more than enough for what I'd want. But in theory the lower resolution one should have the potential for slightly higher DR if all other aspects of the sensor were equal (which it may not be). Basically if you are in a situation where you might notice a DR difference between them, I'd say you're dealing with pretty extreme adjustments and it might be worth trying to recapture if possible.

I'm hoping to do some more bird tests in the future, maybe with the 150-500 but most of them around where I am are seagulls and I've included some shots of them!

I agree it's important, but there's only so much i can do. This one already took over two weeks work by itself, and I think is already long enough.

Hi Adam, I hear ya. I get really frustrated with the app as well. I couldn't test it fully as the camera is still too new, but I have been cursing it regularly while travelling with the X100V if that's any consolation.

@@cameralabs I do feel a little better knowing I'm not the only one. And if you have issues that can't be resolved then it's safe to say it's definitely a problem that needs Fuji's attention to resolve. Thanks for the hard work you always put in. Greatly appreciated.

@@adamwhittingham86 you're very welcome!

Fast forward a couple of months and...

Well given the XH2 is 14bit and the GFX100 is 16bit there's no comparison in the tonal range.

You're welcome... but what was your final decision?

@@cameralabs I'm still torn between going for an XH2 or a D850 as the prices have dropped, and then just wait for the XH2 tech to trickle down to the XT6 or the next iteration. I use the X-T4 and X-s10, and I’m very happy with them, but I’m stuck in the process of do I just want, or do I need, a new camera. Ahh, the hell of indecision ! 🙂

@@johnmorrell all of the XH2 tech that's likely to up up in an XT is already in the XT5, so I wouldn't expect an XT6 to have any more of it. Plus an XT6 would be about three years away. D850 is obviously a very different prospect as an older DSLR.

If the X-T5 looks and feels like an X-T4, then it will almost entirely boil down to which body style you prefer. There may be minor differences in accessories or certain features. We can only speculate right now.

You haven't said what you want from an upgrade and how the RP is holding you back. Plus your existing lens investment. All things to consider.

They look similar in style, so in photo terms it's really only if you want the extra pixels and pixel shift mode. So people who make giant prints or tight crops for example.

Remember they're older optical designs with a new physical mount. The 56 would probably be ok, but the 30 less so.

I've actually not tested it, but the range is nice. TBH, I prefer shooting primes on the X system, and of them, the latest 23 f1.4 is my favourite.

So would you recommend the 23mm over the 56mm? @@cameralabs

Cheers! I thought it was worth mentioning again! We all know it, but often forget or ignore it!

Change medium format to crop sensor) are you serious)))?

@@dmitry.sh.8946 it's always worth making real-life comparisons to see exactly how they differ. It might be that a different format is fine or even better for your needs.

@@cameralabs Picture quality.....that's what makes them different....if your priority is the quality of the picture .... I think even a blind man knows what he will choose)

@@dmitry.sh.8946 yes, but don't assume a winner before you've actually compared them side by side, unless you have in which case I'd love to see the results. I would also assume a better result from the medium format, but 30 years in this business has proven to me that the result you expect isn't always what you get, and that some differences can be marginal. That's why it's worth testing to see those differences.

RU-vid certainly plays a role in softening everything! I'd say they were pretty close in reality, not enough for me to choose one over the other for high ISO. The XH2S benefit really is mostly down to readout speed.

Very much interested in this, for video I know the s has an advantage but maybe not for stills

Did you watch the part at the end where I mention the R7?

Glad you enjoyed the review and great to meet you too - sorry for the delayed reply, for some reason YT hid a bunch from me. Hope you've seen the movie mode review I published today!

@@cameralabs No worries! Will check it out!

I tried a Tamron 150-600mm G2 in the shop with my X-T3 about half a year ago and I liked the AF performance of the lens with that body, however I didn't find the lens very sharp so I didn't buy it. If you mean that same lens (instead of 150-500mm?) then I doubt it will have enough resolving power. I found the Fuji 100-400mm much sharper than the Tamron. The Fuji 150-600mm is great. If the AF of the Tamron lens will work well with the new Fuji bodies, I recall reading on DPReview forums that the AF of the lens works well with the X-H2s so I don't expect an issue there, but I might be wrong.

@@TimvanderLeeuw I have the 150-600 G2 for canon and have used it with a fringer adapter, but AF on my X-T2 was pretty inconsistent, and when stopped down to F8 which improves the sharpness quite a bit, AF usually fails. So that lens is paired with the 7d mkii, the canon 400 f5.6 works pretty well on the x-t2, af is quick and accurate, but I would like to have a lens with a native x mount. So when tamron annouced that the 150-500 for the e-mount was coming to the fuji system, I was intrigued. The reviews for that lens is quite good, sharpness is supposedly very good wide open. Not quite sure how good the AF will be on the fuji though. I have also considered a used 100-400, but some people on the net claim sharpness at 400mm isnt so good. The new 150-600 is a bit pricey for me. Although if I stick with the X-T2, it could be okey, not sure about AF on the X-t2 though given the F8 aperture on 600mm.

@@e3446 You will probably find the AF with the Tamron 150-600mm is much improved on newer Fuji cameras, I just cannot vouch for the sharpness at 40mp on APS-C. If the 150-500mm will be released for Fuji X-mount, I have no idea! But I do expect the optical performance to be better.

@@TimvanderLeeuw yeah I can imagine the af performance is quite a bit better on even something like a xt3/4. Tamron announced that the 150-500 is coming to the x mount, price wise in my country it's 800usd cheaper then the fuji 150-600. I guess waiting for reviews is the smart thing to do, but pre ordering is tempting.

Thanks! According to Fujifilm, you should get more detail from any lens you mount on the Xh2 vs 26mp models, but obviously for the best results you'll want a modern prime. The 18-55 is a nice lens, but it is getting on now.

Glad to help!

Where did you hear that it has better dynamic range? Would not have thought there was the case

Nice choices. I've reviewed several of their latest primes, the XF 23 f1.4 LM WR is my favourite!

@@cameralabs Yeah, saw your review on that one and it's definitely in my short list, looks like the ultimate "all-rounder" prime for the X mount, there's so much you can do with those 23mm, and it's so sharp even at F/1.4 it's almost ridiculous. Thanks!

I've not tried the combo.

I have been using the 16-80 on my XT5 for the past week in Istanbul for street, travel and landscape. I find it to be the ‘perfect’ lens for these purposes because of its size, weight and focal range. But for me, photography is a hobby and I am not expecting the sharpest images as compared to primes.

If you shoot in good light, you won't notice that much difference in quality. I'd suggest renting one to try it

Argh, yes!

You're very welcome!

Thanks!

Beware some of those Sigma lenses are old optical designs, especially the 30. I'd say you will get better results with any lens you put on the X-H2, but again if you want a big boost in quality and resolution, you need the newest ones.

No, it's an alternative.

Let me know what you discover!

For now : - TTartisan 7.5mm F2 = at F2 it's pretty good in the center at MFD and good at long distance ; at F2.8 a little bit better at MFD and very good at long distance ; at F4 it's excellent everywhere (it's a fisheye, so corners aren't that important to me) - SMC Pentax-M 50mm F1.7 (adapted) = at F1.7 a bit soft at MFD, pretty good at mid-distance, soft at long-distance ; at F2.8 very good at MFD, excellent at mid-distance, still a bit soft at long-distance ; at F4 excellent at MFD, excellent at mid-distance, pretty good at long-distance ; doesn't get any better (corners are softer than center) - SMC Pentax-M 24mm F2.8 (adapted) = at F2.8 pretty good at MFD, very good at mid-distance, soft at long-distance ; at F4 excellent at MFD, excellent at mid-distance, a bit soft at long-distance ; doesn't get any better (corners are softer than center) - SMC Pentax 100mm F2.8 Macro = not that great... - Laowa 100mm F2.8 macro X2 (adapted) = pretty excellent from F4 to F8 through the whole focal range (at 2:1 ratio, it's not that excellent though, I would suggest a 26MP or 24MP sensor) - Sigma 100-300mm F4 APO IF HSM (adapted) = very good from F5.6 to F11 through the whole focal range - Samyang 135mm F2 ED UMC (adapted) = excellent from F2 to F11, such a great performer ! Don't have any Fujifilm X-lenses for now (except the XF90mm) because I sold all my gear to go GFX-system, and now I (almost) sold my GFX gear to go back to the X-system. I'll let you know about other findings... :)

@@colingentile thanks for the feedback!

What's the file size of lossless compressed?

Is what true?

@@cameralabs that after updating firmware, still auto focus system in xh2 has problem and not working well for tracking?