SPECIAL
HANDS ON WITH X-H2S
FIRST LOOK We’ve tried the X-H2S with all the accessories, and it’s a very impressive tool for pro filmmakers
Once you’ve been shooting with a stacked sensor, it’s hard to go back to a conventional CMOS. In recent times, we’ve been spoiled by the massive speed, wide codec choice and image quality increase that stacked sensor technology has brought to the Sony A9 and A1, Canon EOS R3 and Nikon Z 9. Now Fujifilm has brought it to an APS-C sensor and it has transformed the camera. It’s blazing fast shooting stills up to 40fps, with AF still working and no viewfinder lag. For video, it all but eliminates rolling shutter in most settings, improves the AF, and allows formats such as 4:2:2 10-bit in many configurations. These come in All-Intra or the more compressed Long GOP types, as well as ProRes. This can take up a lot of memory, but does provide data-rich files that are edit-ready. External Raw via full-size HDMI is present, if you want the ultimate file quality for extensive work in post. The camera we tried was a prototype, so chances are production versions will have even better quality. But resulting footage was very impressive. Featured are your choice of H.264 or H.265 files, in All-Intra compression or Long GOP, at a wide range of bit rates and bit depth at up to 720Mbps. The 6.2K files at 30p are detailed and sharp. These are shot Open Gate at 4:3, so you may want to crop to 16:1 or 17:1. It’s ideal for anamorphic shooting, although there’s no auto de-squeeze function in the camera. In 4K there are lots of frame rate, codec and compression options, including 4K up to 120p. At up to 60p, 4K is oversampled from the full 6.2K sensor. Go to 120p and it’s from a 30% crop with no audio, so not quite as good-quality. HD files reach 240p, but again, at the fastest rates there’s no audio. Files all have plenty of dynamic range – especially in F-Log2, where over 14 stops is a realistic claim. Noise is well-controlled in all settings up to ISO 6400. The X-H2S is capable, with impressive spec at a fine price considering the stacked sensor. We’ll test a full production version soon – read all about that next month.
mechanism, which offers up to a seven- stop advantage, thanks to the upgraded processor and an intriguing sensing control function. The camera inherits many design features from the current X-H1, such as a generous grip that works well with large lenses, an LCD display on the top panel to check settings, and a robust body to withstand professional use. The shutter button has been adjusted to improve its feel, with a stand-alone video recording button added to the top plate. Additionally, shutter durability is further enhanced, after withstanding 500,000 actuations in tests. In another first for Fujifilm, two different optional grips can be applied, both of which have a second set of control buttons for vertical shooting – and are dust and moisture resistant. They each take two of the standard Fujifilm NP-W235 batteries, to triple the shooting time when used alongside the camera battery. The standard VG-XH vertical battery grip costs £399/$399, while the second version is the file transmitter FT-XH grip, which comes in at £949/$999. This latter grip features wired LAN connectivity and high-speed wireless communications, ideal for FTP transfer by either wired or wireless LAN and USB smartphone tethering – and tethered shooting by the same method. Remote recording by wired/wireless LAN from Fujifilm’s own app allows up to four X-H2S cameras to be controlled at the same time.
and supports a variety of codecs, including Apple ProRes 422 HQ, 422 and 422 LT. When recording ProRes, the X-H2S also supports proxy recording. Another new feature is F-Log2 gamma, with dynamic range expanded up to 14+ stops. The existing Fujifilm F-Log colour setting is included, too. It also has lower power consumption, extending the maximum recording time to four hours in some settings, supporting a CFexpress Type B memory card and UHS-II SD card. Sensor readout speed during video recording has been improved to 1/180sec, suppressing rolling shutter effect. The EVF uses a high-resolution, 5.76-million-dot panel with magnification of 0.8x. This smooth viewfinder, with frame rate of approximately 120fps, offers improved subject tracking. And a 1.62-million-dot LCD monitor has a useful vari-angle design, so hinges out from the camera and can be twisted around. Subject-detection AF, developed with Deep Learning technology, is able to accurately detect and track human faces and eyes – but also animals, birds, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, aeroplanes and even trains. The X-H2S features an all-new, five-axis in-body image stabilisation “In 20°C, we recorded in high-bit-rate 4K until the battery ran out at around 90 minutes”
More information
fujifilm-x.com
7
PROMOVIEMAKER.NET
Powered by FlippingBook