Big test
and it looked like there was a tiny movement in a few leaves – these were blurred, but the rest of the scene was sharp. The other shots merged fine, though, so scenics are a possibility but must remain absolutely static. Focused performance I had several lenses to use on the X-H2, including the 18-120mm f/4 power zoom, the new XF56mm f/1.2, the original XF10-24mm f/4, XF16- 55mm f/2.8 and the XF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6. I used the latter to see how the X-H2’s IBIS system fared. In my tests at 400mm, even at 1/12sec shutter speed I got four out of five acceptably sharp shots, which was highly impressive. Autofocus was reliably accurate and quick. On only a few occasions did I have to lend a hand. Just for instance, I was trying the 50cm minimum focusing distance of the XF56mm f/1.2 lens and the spot AF did not detect a rose hip in shot. Subject detection could be less surefooted too, if the subject was small in the frame, and I found that with birds and planes when using the XF100-400mm zoom. As always with
PERFORMANCE: PIXEL SHIFT MULTI-SHOT MODE
advanced AF systems, camera set-up needs fine-tuning and tweaking for consistent performance. In other key aspects, I thought the X-H2 behaved impeccably, with good exposures, reliable white-balance and impressive digital noise levels. As for the X-H2’s resolution, there’s clearly huge potential for superb-quality imagery and cropping. PN HOCUS FOCUS AF functions almost perfectly, with only the occasional need for manual adjustments
The scene was taken with the XF56mm f/1.2 lens using an exposure of 1/8sec at f/5.6 and ISO 125, with the shortest delay between each shot. The 20-shot process took just over six seconds. I also did shots at ISO 1600 to check out the noise reduction benefit. The required Fujifilm Pixel Shift Combiner software is free and available for Mac and Windows. With high-resolution and accurate colour options selected, the final The 40-megapixel X-H2 lossless Raw file of this scene was 49MB and opened up to 7726x1552 pixels. The combined DNG file is the equivalent of 160 megapixels, measured 640MB and opened up to 15,456x10,303 pixels. In print terms at 300ppi, the normal Raw gives a 62.9x41.9cm (24.7x16.5in) image, compared with the pixel-merged file at 125.8x83.8cm (49.5x33.3in). I checked the images on-screen, viewing the merged images at 100% and the straight images at 200%, so the subject size was the same. There’s more detail in the merged DNG file took 26 seconds to produce on an M1 Mac Mini. shots and less digital noise for the ISO 1600 shots. However, the camera did remarkably well in its native resolution, too.
ISO 125 Normal Raw
ISO 125 Pixel Shift
Final word
Verdict At £1899 body only, the X-H2 will appeal equally to would-be mirrorless switchers wanting a high-megapixel APS-C format camera supported by an excellent, extensive native lens system, and existing X Series owners who want more resolution to work with. But the X-H2 is not just about megapixels, its AF system is impressive, the shooting rate is fast enough for most people, handling is top-drawer and it’s simply an inspiring camera to use. Plus, the price is very tempting. 24 /25 FEATURES 40 megapixels in a compact body, articulating monitor, ample customisation potential and solid AF skills. It’s a feature-packed camera
ISO 1600 Normal Raw
ISO 1600 Pixel Shift
24 /25 HANDLING
The X-H2 sits beautifully in the hand, feels reassuringly robust and core controls are placed for intuitive handling
24 /25 PERFORMANCE
Image quality is excellent, even when you venture into the region of high ISO speeds
24 /25 VALUE FOR MONEY
A highly featured camera for stills and video, and under £2k makes it a bargain
96 /100 OVERALL
The X-H2 is a remarkable camera, great to use and capable of detail-rich, low-noise images at a competitive price
THERE’S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO MAKE GOOD USE
PROS Image quality, good high-ISO skills, range of shooting speeds, handles well, pixel shift shooting, enhanced electronic shutter CONS Sub-monitor showing key camera data when powered off would be good, battery life okay
Where will your kit go next? Inspire others, earn some extra cash and make a difference. Sell your used kit and let someone else love it as much as you have. Make good use of your used gear. Sell yours today at mpb.com/sell
Issue 102 | Photography News 51
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