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Archive 2023 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

Fivesense
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

I love shooting with both Fuji and Nikon. Between my Z6II and X-T4 for indoor sports, I'll shoot Nikon every time (70-200 vs. 50-140).

But, the Z6II has underwhelming AF for action in my opinion. I get the keepers I need, but not reliably/predictably. I have not shot the Fuji XH2S.

Would you choose the XH2S over the Z6II for any sports scenario? I hope a future firmware update will improve the Z6II AF, but in the meantime I'm curious about those who've used both and have a strong preference either way.

Jan 19, 2023 at 11:24 PM

carl_g
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

I can’t speak for the Fuji but I have a z6 and have used it for field sports. You need to shoot it like a DSLR. I usually use AFC with wide area small in the middle of my screen and get decent results. The auto tracking is garbage IMO. The Fuji looks promising but it’s a crop sensor vs. the full sensor of the z6ii you have. In low light, FF makes a huge difference. Good luck

Jan 20, 2023 at 07:05 PM

Fivesense
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

carl_g wrote:
I can’t speak for the Fuji but I have a z6 and have used it for field sports. You need to shoot it like a DSLR. I usually use AFC with wide area small in the middle of my screen and get decent results. The auto tracking is garbage IMO. The Fuji looks promising but it’s a crop sensor vs. the full sensor of the z6ii you have. In low light, FF makes a huge difference. Good luck

All great points, especially the low light advantages of the FX Z6II.

Wide area (small and large) has been hit or miss, although I'd say I've had more success with wide area small. Large tends to occasionally grab something in the background rather than the subject. I use AF-C and keep the box on the subject, but haven't figured out the auto track yet. I've read some articles on how to do it and may try this weekend. But in my uneducated attempts with it, the yellow box was always slow to grab onto the subject.

Regarding the XH2S, I wonder how much the mp would assist with the inevitable crops of the action. For static stills, I know it will help. But for action, it still comes down to low light capability. I'm sure the XH2S tracking is superior at this stage.

Jan 20, 2023 at 07:31 PM

osv2
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

stacked sensors are the dividing line between a real sports camera and a general-use camera.

maybe try renting the xh2s for an event, see how it performs with your lenses.

Jan 20, 2023 at 08:25 PM

Fivesense
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

osv2 wrote:
stacked sensors are the dividing line between a real sports camera and a general-use camera.

maybe try renting the xh2s for an event, see how it performs with your lenses.

Can you please extrapolate a bit?

I've got the 16-55 and 50-140. May add a f/1.4 prime.

Jan 20, 2023 at 11:50 PM

osv2
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

stacked sensors have much faster readout speed, so they can do more actual af measurements.

with more af data, the camera doesn't have to rely on prediction as much, the af is more accurate.

that's why all of the high-end cameras have stacked sensors; a9/a9ii/a1/r3/z9, and now the xh2s/om-1.

of course lens focus motor speed and accuracy is a big factor, that's why you want to test it with the glass you have.

Jan 21, 2023 at 03:16 PM

Dbltfarmer
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

I have shot sports for the past two years with the Z6II. It is a very good camera for shooting sports and at high ISO's on dark fields with low light it excels. Like someone else said in this thread. You have to shoot it like a dslr. The Wide S and Wide L work okay. Most of the time I shoot in one of the dynamic area modes and it does and excellent job. Also, I was shooting with a 24-70 f2.8 G and a 70-200 f2.8 G. I then decided to trade in the 70-200 G for a 70-200 f2.8 S lens for Z cameras. it was a very good trade as the 70-200 S lens is a huge upgrade over the G lens. Coupled with the Z6II it made a huge difference.

The 100-400 S lens is also a huge upgrade. Below are two images from football and basketball.

I have never used a Fuji camera so I can't make that comparison.

NIKON Z 6_2 NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S lens 400mm f/8.0 1/640s 8000 ISO 0.0 EV

NIKON Z 6_2 NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S lens 200mm f/2.8 1/800s 1600 ISO 0.0 EV

Jan 22, 2023 at 06:07 PM

henry albert
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

I've always been a little mystified by the focusing complaints made against the Z6/Z6II. I've owned both, used them primarily for sports, and have no substantive complaints about the autofocus. I never use the more exotic focus modes, and instead rely on single point or dynamic. Maybe that's where things go wrong for some folks. If you can't make any partcular mode work, then stop using it and try something else.

Jan 22, 2023 at 09:59 PM

Dbltfarmer
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

henry albert wrote:
I've always been a little mystified by the focusing complaints made against the Z6/Z6II. I've owned both, used them primarily for sports, and have no substantive complaints about the autofocus. I never use the more exotic focus modes, and instead rely on single point or dynamic. Maybe that's where things go wrong for some folks. If you can't make any particular mode work, then stop using it and try something else.

I have used 7 different Nikon bodies and each one has done well enough to get me good good shots. As I used them, I found AF modes that made them work. As my photography skills improved and new cameras came out I was able to upgrade and get bodies and lenses that made the work easier and better. From going from a D750 to a D500 or from a Sigma EX 70-200 F2.8 to a Nikon 70-200 f 2.8 G each step has taken me to another level.

One of the most difficult moves was to go from the D500 to the Z6II and eventually the Z9. The focus modes were the toughest but the user button programming on the D500 were better than the Z6II. I don't know how many times I hit the FN 1 button to get single point AF on the Z6II but it did not have it. The D500 and the D850 both had it and I became very accustomed to it. I kept the D500 and D850 while I kept using and becoming accustomed to the Z6II. When I finally got used to it, I found I liked it better and got more keepers and with better IQ and I think better AF with the Z6II.

Now with the Z9, it is an entire new system that works better than any body I have ever used for both sports and wildlife photography.

Jan 22, 2023 at 10:35 PM

JRobertson
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

Neither of those bodies are "sports" cameras. Can they take a photo of an athlete, yes, but neither truly capable sports cameras. Take a look at the two images posted in this thread as evidence. The first is blurry, exceedingly soft, and beyond noisy. The second completely missed focus (seems more on the ball than the player's head/eye. It's not my intention to rip the poster of the images, but it's a very poor representation of a camera body's capability in photographing action.

Now the Z9 is a game changer, I totally agree. If your options are the two initial camera's mentioned and you're wanting to shoot action, my advice would be to sell them both and pick up a Z9. The AF on the Nikon Z6/Z7 bodies is notoriously bad, and Fuji just doesn't have the eco system to support sports photography, at this time, and I doubt they will. Fuji seems to be on another track and in other markets that it tends to accel at (real estate is nuts for Fuji right now).

Jan 23, 2023 at 11:58 AM

Dbltfarmer
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

JRobertson wrote:
Neither of those bodies are "sports" cameras. Can they take a photo of an athlete, yes, but neither truly capable sports cameras. Take a look at the two images posted in this thread as evidence. The first is blurry, exceedingly soft, and beyond noisy. The second completely missed focus (seems more on the ball than the player's head/eye. It's not my intention to rip the poster of the images, but it's a very poor representation of a camera body's capability in photographing action.

Now the Z9 is a game changer, I totally agree. If your options are the two initial...Show more →

Yes, neither of those cameras are true sports cameras. Like many of the folks who shoot sports, many cannot afford a true "sports" cameras. Lets see there is the Canon 1Dx II and III, Sony A1 and the Nikon Z9 plus the D5 and Z6. What are all these cameras going to cost? At least $5,500 or more. Now there are very few of the photographers on the field or court that can afford these bodies themselve. Only the AP, Getty, USA Today, bigger local news papers and the schools themselves. However, there are a lot more photographers on the field than the pros. These photographers shoot for the likes of fan sites, radio and TV stations and some internet/print media.

Now with that said, I presented the previous two photos at lower resolutions because that is how I have to post to the media format used by the company I shoot for. There is a limit on how many MB I can post and they generally want those pics quickly. Workflow speed is huge for me and I don't am not able to use tools like photo mechanic to do the work. This sites software doesn't use photo mechanic. At least not that I am aware of. So I basically have to keep my photos at 1 mb or less for posting. Most of my pictures are displayed on about half or less of the screen unless it is a special story.

I also use High ISO noise reduction in camera and have to shoot in JPG to use that. While it is not the best in the world it works for me on these dark nights where I really have to push the ISO. The Z6II is better than the D500 or D850 that I have used in the past. However it is not as good as shooting RAW and then using post noise reduction. However it works for me and my situation and allows me to do post much faster. Believe me, I don't do this for the money but for the desire and experience of shooting pics for my alma mater.

The photos posted previously were 459 k for the football shot and 512 k for the basketball shot. I am reposting at 1200x1600 size. If I could use the 7.7 mp for the basketball and the 1.6 mp for the football shot you would see that the images are much better than what I posted at the lower resolution.

NIKON Z 6_2 NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S lens 200mm f/2.8 1/800s 1600 ISO 0.0 EV

NIKON Z 6_2 NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S lens 400mm f/8.0 1/640s 8000 ISO 0.0 EV

Edited on Jan 23, 2023 at 07:23 PM · View previous versions

Jan 23, 2023 at 06:02 PM

henry albert
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

Jan 23, 2023 at 06:33 PM

armstrong.photos
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

I went from a Z6 to a D4. The Z6 wasn't bad for autofocus - but it wasn't better than the D4, and the D4 was half the price. Now I shoot on a D4 and D4S quite happily, and will be picking up a Z6ii soon to be used solely for events work.

Jan 24, 2023 at 03:08 AM

henry albert
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

armstrong.photos wrote:
I went from a Z6 to a D4. The Z6 wasn't bad for autofocus - but it wasn't better than the D4, and the D4 was half the price. Now I shoot on a D4 and D4S quite happily, and will be picking up a Z6ii soon to be used solely for events work.

And no EVF lag hassles, either! The D4 has been my main body for years, only recently replaced by a D6.

Jan 24, 2023 at 09:55 AM

JRobertson
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

henry albert wrote:
The AF on the Z6 isn't notoriously bad. The skills of some of the people trying to use it are.

You may be the only person out there that believes that..

Jan 24, 2023 at 01:12 PM

JRobertson
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

Dbltfarmer wrote:
Yes, neither of those cameras are true sports cameras. Like many of the folks who shoot sports, many cannot afford a true "sports" cameras. Lets see there is the Canon 1Dx II and III, Sony A1 and the Nikon Z9 plus the D5 and Z6. What are all these cameras going to cost? At least $5,500 or more. Now there are very few of the photographers on the field or court that can afford these bodies themselve. Only the AP, Getty, USA Today, bigger local news papers and the schools themselves. However, there are a lot more photographers on the...Show more →

This has nothing to do with resolution, it has to do with missed focus...in the basketball photo, the basketball is in focus and the player's face is not. In the football photo, the two defensive players on the same plane are in focus and the running back is not. Resolution doesn't fix that.

Lets see there is the Canon 1Dx II and III, Sony A1 and the Nikon Z9 plus the D5 and Z6. What are all these cameras going to cost? At least $5,500 or more.

Not sure where you're getting your numbers from...
Canon 1Dx ($800-1200)
Canon 1Dx2 ($1800-2200)
etc...

"Like many of the folks who shoot sports, many cannot afford a true "sports" cameras."....... "However, there are a lot more photographers on the field than the pros. These photographers shoot for the likes of fan sites, radio and TV stations and some internet/print media."

Yes and this leads to a whole different topic that's worth an honest discussion, but that's not for this thread.

Jan 24, 2023 at 01:21 PM

Dbltfarmer
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

If I could show you the higher resolution images which this forum limits you would see the focus on the Jersey of the basketball player.

Also you mentioned in another thread that the R3 produces weird things in jpg with noise reduction turned on. I see some softening in photos where I use this for workflow in the Z6II the D500 and the D850 when shooting at high ISO with noise reduction. These things don’t show up on small low res photos on the net.

Maybe it’s not worth posting that image to show what the Z6II will do. It wasn’t made for sports it was made for an all around camera and maybe that is what the OP wants. He already has the Z6II and a 70-200 and is very capable for sports. I’m not trying to tell the the poster what to do but trying to show what the camera will do in extreme and very capable for use in sports. He didn’t say anything about buying another camera. He says he loves to shoot his Nikon Z6II and the Fuji.

Jan 24, 2023 at 03:47 PM

SFIND
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

I liked the Z6ii so much, I sold my D5 (and similarly, I liked the Z50 so much, I sold the D500). There is no real-world difference in AF speed, and I find AF slightly more accurate on the 6ii.

I use either single-point or small area AF. "Use it like a DSLR" is perfectly put. @Fivesense, I would not bother trying to use the yellow box method and having it track the subject; it's not fast enough for sports.

@JRobertson, I've had a 6ii since late October. Want to see what this body has done for me in a little over three months (in high school lighting)?


	© Bryant Billing, Sidney Daily News

NIKON Z 6_2 VR 70-200mm f/2.8E lens 110mm f/2.8 1/1600s 3200 ISO 0.0 EV

NIKON Z 6_2 VR 70-200mm f/2.8E lens 170mm f/2.8 1/1000s 5000 ISO 0.0 EV

NIKON Z 6_2 VR 70-200mm f/2.8E lens 200mm f/2.8 1/800s 6400 ISO 0.0 EV

NIKON Z 6_2 VR 70-200mm f/2.8E lens 140mm f/2.8 1/1000s 5000 ISO 0.0 EV

NIKON Z 50 300.0 mm f/2.8 lens 300mm f/2.8 1/800s 6400 ISO 0.0 EV

NIKON Z 6_2 VR 70-200mm f/2.8E lens 70mm f/2.8 1/1000s 6400 ISO 0.0 EV

NIKON Z 6_2 VR 70-200mm f/2.8E lens 75mm f/2.8 1/1000s 6400 ISO 0.0 EV

NIKON Z 6_2 VR 70-200mm f/2.8E lens 70mm f/2.8 1/1000s 5000 ISO 0.0 EV

NIKON Z 6_2 VR 70-200mm f/2.8E lens 105mm f/2.8 1/1000s 5000 ISO 0.0 EV

NIKON Z 6_2 VR 70-200mm f/2.8E lens 200mm f/2.8 1/1000s 4000 ISO 0.0 EV

NIKON Z 6_2 VR 70-200mm f/2.8E lens 78mm f/2.8 1/1000s 12800 ISO 0.0 EV

NIKON Z 6_2 VR 70-200mm f/2.8E lens 150mm f/2.8 1/800s 6400 ISO 0.0 EV

Edited on Jan 27, 2023 at 05:00 PM · View previous versions

Jan 27, 2023 at 01:15 PM

JRobertson
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

SFIND wrote:
@JRobertson@, I've had a 6ii since late October. Want to see what this body has done for me in a little over three months (in high school lighting)?

Forgive me, but none of the images are particularly sharp and I can point to missed focus on the majority of them. Conversely, I've seen the Z6II's competitor and have used it professionally. The images the R6, and R6II produce are substantially better. I'm not saying that Z6 and Z6II is a bad camera, it's not. I'm saying it's a poor camera for sports. It's AF and AF drive is just not fast enough for action.

Jan 27, 2023 at 03:36 PM

osv2
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Fuji XH2S vs. Nikon Z6II for sports

JRobertson wrote:
This has nothing to do with resolution, it has to do with missed focus...in the basketball photo, the basketball is in focus and the player's face is not.

the letters on the front of his shirt are also in sharp focus, so the af isn't far off... rather than argue about it, i imagine that nikon lists the focus point location in the exif, the o.p. should look it up.

given that it's only 1/800th, motion blur with his head is probably part of the problem.

JRobertson wrote:
In the football photo, the two defensive players on the same plane are in focus and the running back is not.

he stopped a slow f/5.6 lens down to f/8 and shot at 1/640th, of course the af is going to be weak and there will be excessive motion blur.

JRobertson wrote:
Not sure where you're getting your numbers from...
Canon 1Dx ($800-1200)
Canon 1Dx2 ($1800-2200)
etc...

a used a9 for $2k or even less has better af than either of those cameras, by a large margin, and it's 20fps.

JRobertson wrote:
Yes and this leads to a whole different topic that's worth an honest discussion, but that's not for this thread.

the o.p. asked about a z6ii and a fuji xh2s, he never said anything about using a dslr.

Jan 27, 2023 at 04:07 PM

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