GEAR
FUJIFILM X-H2S
STACKS OF TECH
The X-H2S is not just the ultimate APS-C mirrorless, but one of the greatest cameras ever
WORDS AND PHOTOS ADAM DUCKWORTH I f you want the very best APS-C mirrorless camera for shooting high-end video, packed with rich codec choices and high frame rates, the Fujifilm X-H2S is it. Nothing we have tested even comes remotely close. For Fujifilm users, it’s far and away the most capable X Mount camera ever, and at £2499/$2499, it could be seen as a bargain for what you get. However, the reality is that all other flagship mirrorless cameras for moviemaking are full-frame – from the likes of Canon, Sony, Nikon and Panasonic. Or they have much smaller Micro Four Thirds sensors, like the Panasonic GH6 or OM System OM-1. Cameras with APS-C sensors tend to be designed as consumer models built without the latest spec, or essentially hybrids such as Canon’s EOS C70 or the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K. These certainly aren’t built for excellence in stills and video. That’s precisely what the X-H2S is – a fully featured mirrorless, equally at home rattling through still images at an insane 40fps, as shooting 4:2:2 10-bit ProRes video. It might be the only flagship mirrorless APS-C on the market, but it has performance to match – or even beat – pro machines with larger sensors. All bases covered Fujifilm has obviously become serious about making a camera that excels at everything. In terms of filmmaking, pretty much the only thing it lacks compared to some other high-end cameras is internal
Raw recording and some dedicated tools, such as waveforms and shutter angle. But if Raw is a must for your workflow, it can output 12-bit ProRes Raw or
BRAW to suitable Atomos and Blackmagic monitor/ recorders, as well as 4K/120p 4:2:2 10-bit non-Raw. And, of course, monitors add waveforms and false colour themselves. The reason why the X-H2S is a leap ahead of previous Fujifilm cameras is its stacked sensor found in high-end models like the full- frame Sony A9 and A1, Canon EOS R3 and Sony Z 9, as well as the Micro Four Thirds OM System OM-1.
These give a clear, real- time view that’s essential for moving subjects in both stills and video. It makes the X-H2S a fantastic stills camera for capturing sport and wildlife, and gives a massive performance boost to video. Its X-Trans CMOS is a back- side illuminated, 26.16-megapixel sensor that reads signals four times faster than the previous model, and the X-Processor 5 doubles processing speed. This means zero lag or blackout in the viewfinder, much faster and more accurate autofocus, virtually no rolling shutter and quick frame rates. It also unlocks a huge swathe of high-end video codecs
“The reason why the X-H2S is a leap ahead of previous Fujifilm cameras is its stacked sensor found in high-end models”
CLASS ACT All you need is a small mic and variable ND filter and the compact Fujifilm X-H2S is ready to shoot high-quality movies
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PRO MOVIEMAKER
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