Fujifilm X-H2S assessment: A hybrid speedster | App Tech

(Pocket-lint) – With the launch of the X-H2S, Fujifilm has made one factor clear: it is bored with being missed by the video crowd.

The mirrorless digital camera packs some critical video chops, together with the flexibility to report ProRes 422 internally with no recording cut-off dates. On the identical time, it maintains highly effective pictures options, together with blazing-fast burst capturing at as much as 40fps.

The query is whether or not it might compete with Sony, Canon and Panasonic, whose choices have lengthy been the darlings of the hybrid pictures world.

We have been placing it to the check in a wide range of situations, and this is what we have discovered.

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Design

• Physique: 136.3 x 92.9 x 84.6mm
• Weight: 660g
• climate resistant physique
• 1.28-inch monochrome LCD

The X-H2S is a pleasure to carry: the grip feels pure and safe, whereas all of the essential buttons and dials stay inside straightforward attain.

There is a sizable display on prime of the digital camera that allows you to verify battery life, storage standing, and key settings. It is just like the display on the outdated X-H1, however this time it is higher positioned and the inverted colours make it look far more trendy.

It has been some time since we have used a digital camera with an LCD standing display like this, and we might nearly forgotten how helpful it’s. It stays seen even when the digital camera is turned off and lets you rapidly verify the remaining battery energy and what number of photographs you will have left with out having to activate the digital camera. It is an awesome factor.

The design is modest, we might say, however it’s enticing and has a delicate retro appeal. In fact, it is not an important factor on the planet, however pictures is a visible medium, so it is truthful to imagine that a lot of the goal market will respect a beautiful device.

In contrast to its ordinary choices, Fujifilm has completed away with the outdated shutter pace and ISO dials, opting as an alternative for a mode dial (with a number of customized presets) and a devoted video report button. We’re positive some photographers might be lower than happy with this determination, however for a hybrid photographer, this format makes much more sense.

Connectivity and screens

• Full-size HDMI, 3.5mm headphone and microphone jacks
• CFexpress and SD card slots
• 3-inch 1.62 million dot LCD monitor
• 5.76 million dot OLED EVF

As it is a video workhorse, having the suitable connectivity is essential and fortuitously Fujifilm has completed an awesome job right here. There is a full-size HDMI port that is able to outputting as much as 6.2K RAW or 4K 4:2:2 at 10-bit depth. And that is joined by a devoted 3.5mm mic enter and headphone jack – each the HDMI and mic jack may be accessed with out blocking the flip-out display articulation.

It is a small element, however a lot appreciated.

A CFexpess kind B slot has additionally been added to deal with the brand new heavy codecs (we’re speaking 2754Mbps for six.2K ProRes HQ), however, for much less intensive duties, there’s nonetheless an SD card slot. The digital camera additionally has a USB-C connector, which can be utilized to energy the digital camera, cost the battery, or switch recordsdata to a pc. Sadly, you may’t report on to an exterior SSD, which we discovered to be a bit disappointing.

We examined the digital camera in all kinds of climate situations, from darkish, cloudy days to vivid sunshine, and each the EVF and monitor carried out admirably always. Each provide loads of readability and allowed us to focus and assessment clips with ease, even in direct daylight.

One factor we did discover, nonetheless, is that the auto-detect sensor for the EVF was a bit too delicate, typically turning off the monitor whereas we have been attempting to border a shot. In fact, this, together with nearly every part else, may be configured within the menu system, however it’s one thing to bear in mind.

Images and movies

• APS-C stacked CMOS sensor: 26 MP nonetheless photographs
• Burst capturing as much as 40fps/15fps with mechanical shutter
• Video as much as 6.2K 30fps/ 4K 120fps/ 1080p 240fps
• Inside help for ProRes 422, HQ and LT
• 7-stop IBIS

We initially examined the digital camera at an occasion full of ultra-fast sports activities vehicles and high-flying stunts, and as such we spent a lot of our time capturing high-speed bursts and super-slow-motion video. These are areas the place the X-H2S excels. We shot the occasion with a mix of the XF16-55mm f2.8 and XF50-140mm f2.8, relying on the setting.

Beginning with photographic efficiency, we discovered ourselves capturing lots of 15fps bursts with the mechanical shutter and autofocus. There’s one thing addictive about taking photographs with that machine gun sound, and whereas we’re normally fairly tight-lipped about what number of photographs we absorb a day, we rapidly rack up hundreds of photographs.

Autofocus is way improved over the X-T4, notably with improved eye detection algorithms for human topics. It additionally works with animals and birds, however we discovered it to be far more dependable with a human topic. We discovered it a bit tough to go to the menu and select the theme kind, we want there was a strategy to routinely detect the theme kind with out person intervention.

As you’d count on from Fuji, colours are nice and pictures look sharp and lifelike. We additionally loved capturing with the assorted Movie Simulation modes, which is one thing that is much less frequent on high-end cameras however can produce nice outcomes with out the necessity to modify colours in submit.

In low mild situations, pushing the ISO to 4 figures, we have been glad with the outcomes. In fact, it is no match for a full-frame physique, however you may count on X-T4-like efficiency, as much as ISO 5000 or so, wanting fairly clear. Larger ISOs are usable, in a pinch, however finest prevented when doable.

Transferring on to video outcomes, the X-H2S continues to impress. We notably beloved the 120fps 4K footage we have been in a position to seize, although it is value noting that high-speed 4K movies are topic to 1.29x cropping. At 60fps, you will not get any such cropping.

For our assessments, we regularly handled distant topics and the restricted attain of our 140mm focal vary, so cropping labored in our favour. We did not expertise any overheating both, however your mileage might differ in hotter climates.

We additionally shot lots of 240fps and 1080p footage and whereas all of it appears spectacular at such a excessive body price, picture high quality definitely suffers, and you need to take care of a bigger 1.38x crop. We discovered that high-speed 1080p movies appeared a bit comfortable and had uncommon noise that wasn’t very nice to look at.

We’re not precisely positive why that is taking place, and sadly it is not a difficulty that has been fastened since launch. For sluggish movement, 4K 120fps is the place you will get one of the best outcomes proper now.

At regular body charges, video high quality is superb, producing beautiful colours and sharp, detailed footage. There are a number of codecs to select from, together with ProRes 422, so you may choose the suitable bitrate for almost any venture possible.

Autofocus for video is superb, and one of the best we have seen from the model up to now, however it’s not as sturdy as in nonetheless capturing modes. It additionally would not measure as much as Sony’s choices.

IBIS is an identical story. It is good, however not fairly on par with Panasonic. We regularly discovered that, notably with panoramic photographs, the stabilization stuttered for a second after which rapidly moved to catch up.

We expect this may put the digital camera in a little bit of an odd center floor for pure video shooters, except they’re totally centered on 4K 10-bit 120fps with an APS-C sensor, which the X-H2S completely gives, so far as we are able to inform. And it definitely appears spectacular in its personal proper.

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Written by Luke Baker. Edited by Verity Burns.