Fujifilm
NEVER FORGETS Context can be a personal concept, too – perhaps a great memory! Like this elephant that coincided with cold beers and sunset on the Maasai Mara savannah
SPECS X-H2S › Sensor 26.1-megapixel APS-C CMOS stacked › ISO Auto, 160-12,800 (expandable to 80-51,200 for stills, 160-25,600 video) › Image stabilisation In-body sensor shift with 7-stop improvement › Screen 3in free-angle tilting touchscreen, 1.62m dots › Shutter speed 15 mins to 1/32,000 sec › Autofocus Intelligent hybrid AF, phase and contrast detect with 425 points
Fujifilm X-H2S with XF100-400mm, 1/2700 sec at F5.6, ISO 800, 400mm
› Frame rates Up to 40fps (electronic shutter), 15fps (mechanical shutter)
› Recording media 1x CFexpress Type B, 1x SD/SDHC/SDXC slot › Input/output Mic input jack, headphone jack. USB-C, 2.5mm sub-mini control input, 2.4/5GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth › Dimensions (wxhxd) 136.3x92.9x84.6mm/ 5.4x3.7x3.3in › Weight 660g/1.5lb with battery and memory card XF150-60mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR › Construction 24 elements in 17 groups › Focal length equivalent 229-914mm › Filter size 82mm › Minimum aperture F22 › Number of diaphragm blades Nine (rounded diaphragm) › Close focusing distance 2.4m › Dimensions (dxl) 99x314.5mm › Weight 1605g differently.” Hewitt subsequently bought an X-T2, then added an X-H1 and XF100-400mm lens not long after – the pairing became his go-to. “I was blown away by the quality of the lens,” he says. “It was a lot sharper at 400mm than the equivalent lens on my DSLR.” Despite ‘dabbling’ with X-T3 and X-T4 bodies, and seeing EVF improvements with each iteration, Hewitt stayed true to the X-H1, preferring its PASM dial set-up. But he’s had to stay patient for an updated X-H model to come along – now, of course, we’ve had two in a matter of months. On paper, the speed-focused X-H2S was right up Hewitt’s street, but has it been worth the wait? “It’s so much faster. Not only in terms of autofocus, but in fps, as well as general processing,” he beams. “The stacked sensor has made a big difference.” One of the first features that Hewitt made a beeline for was the improved subject-detection autofocus system, which now works on animals and birds. “I was blown away the first time I used it,” he smiles. “I was photographing red squirrels and woodland birds from
FLIGHTY Photographed while testing the Fujifilm X-H2S and XF150-600mm with the 1.4x converter
Fujifilm X-H2S with XF150-600mm, 1/850 sec at F11, ISO 1600, 840mm
Whatever the ISO, it seems Hewitt is certainly sold on the X-H2S – and the Fujifilm X Series as a whole. “I love the system,” he exclaims. “I like to experiment with the Film Simulations and see how they change the mood of a photograph, but also like the mobility the system gives me. I can move around so much more than I could with a DSLR and that shows in my work.”
plus I get instant feedback through the live histograms.” In tandem with the X-H2S, Hewitt has been using the XF150- 60mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR, which seems to make the perfect pairing for a wildlife photographer. “It’s got a bit of criticism for being f/8 at 600mm, but the autofocus is really quick,” he admits. “It’s incredibly sharp at 600mm, even with a 1.4x converter. But it’s also affordable – it helps people to get out, enjoy wildlife photography and achieve great results. If that means we need higher ISO for the best results, that’s fine. Cameras are much better at higher ISO now.”
of sharp shots, I can get 15 or 16 from a single burst. That gives me a greater scope to pick the strongest image from a sequence.” On top of the obvious AF benefits, Hewitt cites an obvious improvement in the EVF as central to why he’s got on so well with the new model. He agrees that it’s both faster and more responsive than the X-H1, but has other reasons to like it, too. “When you’re working out in the field, maybe in really harsh or low light, it’s not ideal to review images and settings on the rear LCD,” he explains. “The contrast and saturation of the EVF is really good,
a hide in Cumbria and the AF picked out the eyes so quickly, then tracked them as the subject moved around. Although not a new function, using the Pre-Shot feature with X-H2S’s subject-detection is a game changer. The camera employs the electronic shutter to silently prerecord frames before you take the photograph, but that’s often when the most dramatic action happens – when a bird takes off, for example. “Not only is the AF faster, it’s also more consistent,” Hewitt continues. “Photographing a bird in flight with the X-H1, I’d get some images in focus, which was fine. But with the X-H2S, rather than getting a couple
fujifilm-x.com
Issue 102 | Photography News 37
photographynews.co.uk
Powered by FlippingBook