Intro

Four years after releasing the X-H1, Fujifilm has lastly adopted it up with not only one however two fashions. One of these is the highest-resolution APS-C digital camera to this point, the 40-megapixel X-H2. The different is what we’re taking a look at right now, the high-speed X-H2S designed for sports activities, wildlife capturing and extra.

The largest function of the X-H2S is a brand new stacked, backside-illuminated 26.2-megapixel sensor. Its excessive velocity permits burst capturing at as much as 40 fps, quicker autofocus and diminished rolling shutter. It additionally guarantees improved picture high quality, and comes with in-body stabilization, a high-resolution viewfinder, twin card slots and extra.

Pros

• Very quick burst speeds
• Class-leading EVF
• Excellent video capabilities
• Great picture high quality

Cons

• Stabilization not nice for video
• AF nonetheless behind Canon and Sony
• Expensive for its class
• Lacks Fujifilm’s retro allure

These enhancements and options don’t come low cost, although. At $2,500, the X-H2S is now probably the most costly APS-C cameras on the market, with the identical value as comparable full-frame fashions like Canon’s EOS R6 and the Sony A7 IV. Is it value paying that for a smaller sensor?

Body and dealing with

The X-H2S isn’t your typical Fujifilm digital camera. At 660 grams bigger and heavier than the X-T4, although it’s a contact lighter than the X-H1. It has a a lot greater grip as effectively that imparts a sense of stability, excellent for those who’re attaching massive lenses for sports activities or wildlife capturing.

As talked about, the format is extra like rival mirrorless cameras from Canon and Sony than different Fuji fashions. Instead of dials that show shutter velocity, publicity compensation and ISO just like the X-T4, it has standard entrance and rear dials. The just one on high is a mode selector, and on the again you have got a joystick and D-Pad management. It’s received a minimum of 12 buttons, most of which might be reprogrammed for various features. As with the X-H1, it has a high LCD that exhibits main settings.

Since it’s designed for sports activities and wildlife capturing, which requires altering settings on the fly whereas maintaining a tally of the topic, the format is smart. However, I do know many Fujifilm followers choose the normal dials – although no less than you may see settings on the highest LCD show if capturing from the hip. The solely management I didn’t take care of was the document button, because it’s tiny and awkwardly positioned. The X-H2S makes use of the identical logical menu system because the X-T4, so settings are comparatively straightforward to search out.

Also good for motion photographers is the digital viewfinder (EVF) that gives blackout-free burst capturing and better decision (5.76 million dots) than both the Sony A7 IV or Canon EOS R6 (3.68 million dots every). It additionally packs a high-resolution, fully-articulating contact show that permits you to management focus, fast menu and different features.

For I/O, you get a high-speed USB-C port with energy supply, plus WiFi and Bluetooth for digital camera controls or transfers. Unfortunately, Fujifilm’s digital camera app for reside view capturing or picture imports is comparatively primitive (the low 1.7 Play Store ranking is a clue), failing to point out issues like publicity and audio ranges for video, or enable burst photograph capturing.

Video customers get each microphone and headphone ports, together with a pleasant full-sized HDMI jack for exterior recorders. To deal with the additional velocity and video capabilities, it has a pair of card slots, each UHS-II and high-speed CFexpress. And lastly, the battery (the identical variety because the X-T4 however upgraded) permits as much as 720 photographs on a cost and effectively over two hours of 4K 30p video recording.

Performance

With as much as 40 fps burst capturing speeds at full decision, the X-H2S is quicker than some other APS-C digital camera, however there are some caveats to that. It will solely hit these high speeds in launch, slightly than focus precedence mode (which means it takes the shot even when it’s not in focus). That means a variety of your photographs shall be blurry, so it’s not a practical mode for motion capturing. Dialing all the way down to 30 fps, nonetheless, I received much more photographs in focus and the hit fee was almost good at 20 fps

Shooting with the mechanical shutter, I noticed 15 fps burst speeds, very respectable and a match for Canon’s EOS R7. On high of that, the mechanical shutter may be very quiet (and sweet-sounding), significantly in comparison with the clattery shutter on the EOS R7. In that mode or the 20 fps silent mode, I used to be in a position to seize upwards of 300 photographs at a time to a quick CFexpress card – over 10 seconds of capturing. That’s proper up there with sports-centric cameras like Canon’s EOS R3.

The X-H2S is Fujifilm’s first digital camera with chook and animal monitoring, and may also observe automobiles, bikes, bikes, airplanes and trains. It labored fairly effectively for a primary iteration, although it could lose monitoring relying on the capturing angle and different elements.

Face and eye monitoring, although, is the most effective I’ve seen on any Fujifilm digital camera. It tracks easily and tenaciously, providing you with extra photographs in focus. It additionally did a great job of getting a topic’s eye and never their eyelashes or nostril in focus. Overall, the autofocus on the X-H2S is far improved from earlier than, however not fairly as much as Sony and Canon’s requirements.

It does beat all its rivals relating to capturing discreetly, although. The stacked sensor’s speedy velocity means it has minimal rolling shutter in silent mode, so you may confidently use it for capturing birds, wildlife, sports activities and different fast-moving topics.

Promising seven stops with supported lenses, the in-body stabilization additionally carried out effectively for photographs, letting me get sharp photographs at comparatively low shutter speeds. However, it doesn’t work as effectively for video, as I’ll element shortly.

Image high quality

With the same 26.2-megapixel sensor to the X-T4 (with the addition of the stacked know-how), the X-H2S is among the many greatest APS-C cameras for shade rendition. Everything appears pure, whether or not you’re capturing landscapes, animals or individuals. JPEGs look good straight out of the digital camera, with a barely higher steadiness between noise and sharpening than earlier than because of the tweaked shade science.

Like the X-T4, it makes use of a dual-gain sensor, with the candy spots at ISO 800 and 3200. High ISO efficiency is sort of on par with the X-T4, with noise moderately effectively managed and detailed preserved as much as about ISO 6400. It does supply usable photographs past that, however publicity must be right otherwise you’ll have extreme noise when boosting blacks.

The 14-bit RAW information supply loads of room for adjustment, with some exceptions. Because of the dual-gain sensor, it’s higher to shoot at greater ISOs than attempt to shoot on the base ISO 800 after which increase the blacks, as noise ranges are greater. Still, you may increase blacks in high-contrast photographs by a number of stops with none points. It doesn’t carry out fairly in addition to the X-T4 on this regard, seemingly because of the stacked know-how which may elevate the noise flooring.