Quick Smart FUJIFILM X-H2S
With each generation of its X-mount cameras Fujifilm has been making progress, but with the X-H2S it’s made a giant leap forward. In this camera, it immediately has a competitor for the Canon EOS R3, the Nikon Z 9 and the Sony Alpha 1.
If you’re a sports photographer ready to move on from your DSLR, whatever the flavour, Fujifilm now demands you pay some attention to its X-mount mirrorless system. It certain had the lenses, bolstered by the arrival of the monster XF 150-600mm f/5.6-8.0 R LM OIS WR, which is equivalent to 229-914mm. That it weighs in at just 1.6kg reinforces an advantage of the APS-C cropped-sensor format.
That said, the X-H2S isn’t especially compact, especially with the optional VG-XH battery grip fitted, but it’s no bigger than its full-frame rivals and, not surprisingly, a whole lot more manageable than any pro-level DSLR. It’s built to a high level of ruggedness and reliability, with a magnesium alloy body that’s both weather sealed and insulated to allow shooting in subzero temperatures. On the photo side, it shares a lot with the X-T4 in terms of features and functions, but for video, the X-H2S is in another league to any other X-mount model.
Consequently, as a video camera, it’s in the mix with the Panasonic Lumix GH6, the Sony A7S III and Canon’s EOS R5 (see the Making Movies panel for the full video story).
The X-H2S essentially keeps the same chunkier styling as its predecessor, which has elements of Fujifilm’s medium format GFX line, especially evident in the squarer EVF housing and the large info display panel. Put the X-H2S and the X-T4 side-by-side and there’s not that much difference in their sizes overall, but the former has a deeper body with a significantly larger handgrip that will help when using longer lenses.
Stacking Up
The new X-Trans CMOS 5 HS sensor adopts a stacked BSI design and is combined with a faster processor. While the new sensor retains the same resolution as the previous X-Trans CMOS 4 imager – as currently used in the likes of the X-T4 and X-Pro3 – the stacked design increases the read-out speed by a factor of four while also reducing rolling shutter distortion. The next generation X Processor 5 doubles processing speed over the previous gen engine, and Fujifilm says it also delivers a number of image quality improvements including less noise at higher ISO settings. Another important element of the X-H2S’s speed, is the use of
