RoamingScott wrote:
The price of the 40mp X-H2 leaking as $2000 is no big shock, and seems to place it in quite the underachieving tier of cameras. Time will tell. Being cheaper than the X-H1 (adjusting for inflation) doesn't bode well.
$2000 is less than I expected, and I think a good price for what amounts to the highest resolution Fuji body with (likely) most of the improved AF from the X-H2S.
It clearly doesn’t equal the A1 or Z9 for still specs, but it’s also less than half the price of either.
I’m pondering one of these bodies to adapt my 500PF. I’ve used the adapter in the past and it worked really well. It was only let down by the X-T4’s marginal AF in low light (which I encounter frequently shooting wildlife in Northern climes), and that appears like it might no longer be an issue with these newer bodies (judging by people shooting with the 150-600/8).
I think both of the new cameras look like winners.
CKrueger wrote:
$2000 is less than I expected, and I think a good price for what amounts to the highest resolution Fuji body with (likely) most of the improved AF from the X-H2S.
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I think both of the new cameras look like winners.
To yoru second point, they look like very competent cameras.
To your first point, we are virtually certain to also get the same 40MP sensor and the same AF improvements from the XH2 in the next XT5... in a slightly smaller package and likely at a lower cost.
One can assume there will be something to attract people to the high-res XH2 over the XT5. That’s likely to be either superior video video or superior AF.
It remains to be seen how much of the X-H2S’ AF capabilities are up to the faster readout from the stacked sensor, and how much is due to a faster processor. It’s entirely possible the high-res XH2 has AF very similar to the XH2S, at which point it has the potential to be quite the wildlife camera, with its super high-density sensor.
We’re all speculating, of course, but I think $2000 isn’t a high price for an XH2, regardless of what the XT5 ends up being.
CKrueger wrote:
One can assume there will be something to attract people to the high-res XH2 over the XT5. That’s likely to be either superior video video or superior AF.
It remains to be seen how much of the X-H2S’ AF capabilities are up to the faster readout from the stacked sensor, and how much is due to a faster processor. It’s entirely possible the high-res XH2 has AF very similar to the XH2S, at which point it has the potential to be quite the wildlife camera, with its super high-density sensor.
We’re all speculating, of course, but I think $2000 isn’t a high price for an XH2, regardless of what the XT5 ends up being. ...Show more →
Regarding your first point, we've sort of been through this once with the XH1. Initially, IIRC, it offered IBIS that was only available on that camera. But its soon was introduced on other models. In the end, there were two big reasons that photographers continued to buy it. First, some of them like larger camera bodies for various reasons. Second, it ws steeply discounted. At the non-discounted price it did not sell that well.
So, one wonders what specific features Fujifilm would actually limit to exclusive availability on the XH2 models. Perhaps that special BSI stacked 26MP sensor will only come on the XH2 line. (I suspect that its is a temporary, transitional sensor until Fujifilm can put a 40MP BSI stacked sensor in their cameras, but that just speculation.) Maybe it will be higher video specs, but that wasn't long the case with the XH1, and it is hard got see how Fujifilm could limit the video specs on their other cameras going forward... since the competition probably will not.
So, it isn't out of the realm of possibility that what the XH2 series will eventually give you over the other models is (again!) a larger body and maybe, for a while, higher video specs?
Bill Claff has posted the PDR results for the X-H2S on the Photons2Photos website, and the results are... interesting. Appears that the 26Mp BSI stacked sensor has taken a small step backwards from both the 26Mp sensor in the X-T3/4 and the 24Mp sensor in the X-H1.
If you translate the results for the X-H2S up 1/3 f-stop to account for the ISO160 vs ISO200 base ISO difference between the 26Mp and 24Mp sensor, they are nearly identical.
Russ Becker wrote:
Bill Claff has posted the PDR results for the X-H2S on the Photons2Photos website, and the results are... interesting. Appears that the 26Mp BSI stacked sensor has taken a small step backwards from both the 26Mp sensor in the X-T3/4 and the 24Mp sensor in the X-H1.
Yep, pretty much as you predicted. Gains are in speed and AF performance, while preserving existing IQ. If your style is cramped by FPS and AF performance, you will like it. If not, you won't appreciate the differences.
I won't get into a PSAM vs dedicated dials debate; there are strengths and weaknesses to both control methodologies. As a user of both an X-H1 and a GFX100S it isn't a big deal, to me. Far more interested in having a proper aperture ring on the lens, but I digress.
Russ Becker wrote:
Yep, pretty much as you predicted. Gains are in speed and AF performance, while preserving existing IQ. If your style is cramped by FPS and AF performance, you will like it. If not, you won't appreciate the differences.
I won't get into a PSAM vs dedicated dials debate; there are strengths and weaknesses to both control methodologies. As a user of both an X-H1 and a GFX100S it isn't a big deal, to me. Far more interested in having a proper aperture ring on the lens, but I digress.
All I really wanted was an X-H1 with the ability to detect bird and animal eyes, and an improvement in dynamic range would have been the icing on the cake.
I have no interest in taking selfies at 40 fps, but I guess that's where Fuji thinks the market is going...
gdanmitchell wrote:
So, one wonders what specific features Fujifilm would actually limit to exclusive availability on the XH2 models.
I more wonder about this question itself ?
Did Fujifilm ever limit exclusively anything to any camera, ever ?
Except the X-Pro line optical viewfinder, which obviously is only available in this one form, because its a too expensive gimmick to make lower cost versions of it.
What you get with higher tier models is better performance, better build quality, better controls etc. And features like a second memory card slot, and battery grips, etc. I'm not aware they ever limited photographic features, or offered substantial improvements in image quality in "higher" models.
Unlike for example old Nikkor DSLR where the cheap models had limited options with flash for no obvious reason, and couldnt drive autofocus with Nikkor AF glas.
Sauseschritt wrote:
I more wonder about this question itself ?
Did Fujifilm ever limit exclusively anything to any camera, ever ?
I'm fascinated that you follow that question with... some examples of where Fujifilm did exactly that.
Sigh.
In general, camera manufacturers differentiate the feature sets of cameras based on what sort of buyer they are targeting. Fujifilm has done this all along. (To Fujifilm's great credit, they have not generally differentiated by type of sensor, with the exception of the obvious split between the x-trans and GFX lines.)
For example, compare the XE models to the XPro models. The former are competent little cameras. (I owned one, and I have had the opportunity to use the other.) The XE is limited to only the EVF — no OVF option. The XE does not provide all of the dedicated physical controls that are on the XPro — for example, no ISO dial. If I recall correctly, when the XH1 came out with IBIS, this feature was not initially on their other cameras. There are plenty of other examples in the Fujifilm line. Look them up — all the specs are available online.
So it is reasonable for a person who is considering their options to ask what the actual difference in features and performance will be between the XH2/XH2s and XT5 models. We do not know the answers yet, so someone who isn't in a white heat to get the very first version of the XH2 right now and can wait a bit could be patient and wait until we have. more information.
I have to say I was very surprised by the extremely negative review of Ken "Angry Photographer" Wheeler. He even states that the output of the XH2s is "muddy", compared to the X-T4, the X-T3 or the X-H1. He also complaints about the build quality. He also says that the user interface got much worse, with lacking clickable dials and the loss of the switch for autofocus modes and manual focus at the front.
Sauseschritt wrote:
I have to say I was very surprised by the extremely negative review of Ken "Angry Photographer" Wheeler. He even states that the output of the XH2s is "muddy", compared to the X-T4, the X-T3 or the X-H1. He also complaints about the build quality. He also says that the user interface got much worse, with lacking clickable dials and the loss of the switch for autofocus modes and manual focus at the front.
Are you surprised because you thought he was a Fuji fanboy that would never offer a negative comment about the gear, or because you weren't aware of the poor user interface and declining build quality?
Sauseschritt wrote:
I have to say I was very surprised by the extremely negative review of Ken "Angry Photographer" Wheeler. He even states that the output of the XH2s is "muddy", compared to the X-T4, the X-T3 or the X-H1. He also complaints about the build quality. He also says that the user interface got much worse, with lacking clickable dials and the loss of the switch for autofocus modes and manual focus at the front.
molson wrote:
Are you surprised because you thought he was a Fuji fanboy that would never offer a negative comment about the gear, or because you weren't aware of the poor user interface and declining build quality?
That thing wreaks of anger over the fact that he didn't get the review sample early. What cracks me up is the guy never shows anything to back his claims and yet there he is making all kinds of dumb statements in the review.
I've been using the X-H2S since launch and he's either flat out lying or completely ignorant on some aspects of the camera.
1. The camera is not cheaply made at all, it is as solid as either the X-H1, X-T3, or X-T4 and I say this as somebody that had an X-T4 right beside this body for almost a month.
2. He cites Gerald Undone to prove his point, but Gerald states Still AF is awesome and notes it is the best APS-C Camera on the market.
3. He then cites DPReview, who showed you could get near perfect tracking with a custom setup and tweaking of the options. Still everyone he wanted to point to, in order to backup his claims, all had preproduction firmware and noted that.
So yeah, he's basically butthurt and lying about the body, because he felt slighted by Fuji for not sending him the body earlier.
