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Fuji X-H1

iiiNelson

Well-known member
Big and bigger bodies, huge files, comparatively big lenses, small sensor, small battery....:confused:
Maybe it’s me but I never found battery life to actually be a problem in real world shooting with any mirrorless camera but I also tend to not do rapid fire shooting so maybe that’s why it works for me. Sure more battery life can be better (and maybe they should’ve used the GFX battery which would probably give them something 5-700 shot range) but it’s not hard to slip an extra battery or two into a forgotten pocket or the corner of your camera bag/pants.
 
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jonoslack

Active member
Big and bigger bodies, huge files, comparatively big lenses, small sensor, small battery....:confused:
All fine by me . . Except the. Big Lenses.
I’ve been shooting with the G9 a lot recently and really liking the chunky body - the G9 is a tiny bit smaller than the new Fuji (and a bit heavier too).

For me the difference of a couple of hundred grams is really insignificant, but it’s nice to have something to get hold of!.

As for battery life . . Again, don’t see the problem.

I think this looks like a great camera - and I’m glad to see they’ve removed the unneccessary compensation dial and put a useful LCD there instead!

I hope they fixed the screen flicker in Aperture priority that the X-T2 had.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Maybe it’s me but I never found battery life to actually be a problem in real world shooting with any mirrorless camera but I also tend to not do rapid fire shooting so maybe that’s why it works for me. Sure more battery life can be better (and maybe they should’ve used the GFX battery which would probably give them something 5-700 shot range but it’s not hard to slip an extra battery or two into a forgotten pocket or the corner of your camera bag/pants.
It all depends on what you use the camera for. For big sports events, air shows and other situations where I take thousands of photos per day, the problem is real, and I always take a Nikon DSLR while the mirrorless cameras become secondary cameras. A couple of extra batteries is fine, but the 10-12 or more I would need per day for a car race would be annoying. For 4K video, it's a problem for many too, since the high bit rates needed eat batteries. There is a reason why professional video cameras have huge batteries.

The biggest headache for me though is when I travel for days to remote locations, often returning to the hotel late in the evening and leaving at 5 or 6 the next morning. I use two chargers now, but with 2 camera with 3 batteries each and at least 4 empty ones every night, I rarely leave in the morning with all batteries charged. I can of course buy more chargers, and a multi-socket thing (hotel rooms rarely have enough sockets), but then I'm carrying so much stuff that the whole point of a compact camera system becomes a big question mark. When I used the D810, I mostly got around 2,000 clicks per battery, more at sports events where I shot bursts. The D610 that I use now gives me less, but with 3 batteries I would mostly be able to leave the charger in the bag or at home if I used this camera for travel.

Luckily, the newer high end Panasonic bodies are better than most mirrorless cameras when it comes to battery life. The GH3/4/5 and the G9 have big batteries and the G85 and GX9 (apparently) have very good battery saving modes. Why this new Fuji doesn't have a much larger battery is difficult to understand. They made it bigger to improve ergonomics for professional users but forgot about battery life?

I tried to use the GX8 at Singapore Airshow recently, and to save battery, I set the viewfinder to sleep after 30 seconds. What I found was that, even if I started touching the shutter release while the camera was on the way up to my eye, I often found myself staring into a black wall for a fraction of a second. That may sound like a bagatel, but for that short period of time, the following happens:

- The eye tries to adjust to the darkness, only to adjust back again when the viewfinder returns to life.
- I get confused, and since whatever I'm supposed to take photos of moves with several hundred kph, it's suddenly in a totally other location than where I'm pointing the camera.
- I miss the shot.

With a DSLR, I mostly don't bother about the sleep mode, since the camera consumes so little energy anyway and the viewfinder nothing, and even if it's sleeping or even completely switched off, the viewfinder is alive and well. Glass behaves like that.

Yes, the battery life of mirrorless cameras is a problem for me.
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
It all depends on what you use the camera for. For big sports events, air shows and other situations where I take thousands of photos per day, the problem is real, and I always take a Nikon DSLR while the mirrorless cameras become secondary cameras. A couple of extra batteries is fine, but the 10-12 or more I would need per day for a car race would be annoying. For 4K video, it's a problem for many too, since the high bit rates needed eat batteries. There is a reason why professional video cameras have huge batteries.

The biggest headache for me though is when I travel for days to remote locations, often returning to the hotel late in the evening and leaving at 5 or 6 the next morning. I use two chargers now, but with 2 camera with 3 batteries each and at least 4 empty ones every night, I rarely leave in the morning with all batteries charged. I can of course buy more chargers, and a multi-socket thing (hotel rooms rarely have enough sockets), but then I'm carrying so much stuff that the whole point of a compact camera system becomes a big question mark. When I used the D810, I mostly got around 2,000 clicks per battery, more at sports events where I shot bursts. The D610 that I use now gives me less, but with 3 batteries I would mostly be able to leave the charger in the bag or at home if I used this camera for travel.

Luckily, the newer high end Panasonic bodies are better than most mirrorless cameras when it comes to battery life. The GH3/4/5 and the G9 have big batteries and the G85 and GX9 (apparently) have very good battery saving modes. Why this new Fuji doesn't have a much larger battery is difficult to understand. They made it bigger to improve ergonomics for professional users but forgot about battery life?

I tried to use the GX8 at Singapore Airshow recently, and to save battery, I set the viewfinder to sleep after 30 seconds. What I found was that, even if I started touching the shutter release while the camera was on the way up to my eye, I often found myself staring into a black wall for a fraction of a second. That may sound like a bagatel, but for that short period of time, the following happens:

- The eye tries to adjust to the darkness, only to adjust back again when the viewfinder returns to life.
- I get confused, and since whatever I'm supposed to take photos of moves with several hundred kph, it's suddenly in a totally other location than where I'm pointing the camera.
- I miss the shot.

With a DSLR, I mostly don't bother about the sleep mode, since the camera consumes so little energy anyway and the viewfinder nothing, and even if it's sleeping or even completely switched off, the viewfinder is alive and well. Glass behaves like that.

Yes, the battery life of mirrorless cameras is a problem for me.
All of that is possible and i understand.

I’ve shot Safari’s with older Sony Full Frame camera’s. Just wasn’t a real world issue for me. You essentially have 2 options - a few batteries or use a battery grip and get upwards of 1000+ shot per charge. Also CIPA ratings don’t take into account electronic shutters. Many of the A9 users were getting 1500-2000 (and many were getting over 2000) shots with an electronic shutter though the battery is rated for 5-600 shots.

My advice is to just try the camera out of it potentially interests you. There are things you just don’t capture from a spec sheet though specs can/do matter as well. I’d never suggest that they don’t.

On a side note I find it enlightening that Fujifilm split the video features and was forced to add about 4-5 video centric sub menus to this camera for functionality. For all the people that want a more simple camera but also one that will do everything - this may not be the one for you. I think it’s a great option for hybrid shooters that are used to this sort of camera and one that users of other mirrorless cameras will find to be a natural transition camera to. Also I love that they made the grip larger/deeper for those with big hands like myself... and yes I’m an ergonomic freak when it comes to that sort of thing.
 

jdphoto

Well-known member
Personally, I'm not too excited about this camera. This camera is to compete with other video cameras and not so much to stills. Yes, IBIS is nice to have, but it generates heat and more battery draw. The prolonged use as a video camera should have warranted a bigger battery. The Xt3 will get a new sensor and probably be geared towards more traditional photography.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
All of that is possible and i understand.

I’ve shot Safari’s with older Sony Full Frame camera’s. Just wasn’t a real world issue for me. You essentially have 2 options - a few batteries or use a battery grip and get upwards of 1000+ shot per charge. Also CIPA ratings don’t take into account electronic shutters. Many of the A9 users were getting 1500-2000 (and many were getting over 2000) shots with an electronic shutter though the battery is rated for 5-600 shots.

My advice is to just try the camera out of it potentially interests you. There are things you just don’t capture from a spec sheet though specs can/do matter as well. I’d never suggest that they don’t.

On a side note I find it enlightening that Fujifilm split the video features and was forced to add about 4-5 video centric sub menus to this camera for functionality. For all the people that want a more simple camera but also one that will do everything - this may not be the one for you. I think it’s a great option for hybrid shooters that are used to this sort of camera and one that users of other mirrorless cameras will find to be a natural transition camera to. Also I love that they made the grip larger/deeper for those with big hands like myself... and yes I’m an ergonomic freak when it comes to that sort of thing.
The A9 with grip and a couple of batteries is $5,000. I paid $800 for a more or less mint D610 with battery grip and two batteries. You can always claim that they are not comparable, but for my use they are. My local camera store has the following used mirrorless bodies for sale: A9 (2), A7 II, X-T2, X-T1, X-E1 (2), E-M1 II, E-M5, GX85.

Mint or "as new" bodies go for 20-30% under new price. E-M5 and X-E1 go for as low as $200, and these are low mileage bodies that look close to mint. The X-T2 and A7 II are both mint or as new and priced at $12-1300.

This is what these cameras are worth to buyers, those who don't get high on specs and the smell of new electronics.

He has no used DSLR bodies for sale. They fly out as soon as he gets them in.

--

As for the X-H1 as a hybrid camera... they said that about the X-T2 also and many were disappointed. It will have a very hard time competing with the GH5. The Panasonic is so well established with video shooters, and since the basic shape and ergonomics have been more or less unchanged since the GH3, there's a ton of accessories available, new and used. And the battery is bigger. It's like a Nikon F for video. Solid, versatile, boring and reliable.

I believe in the Fuji for stills, maybe more than with any other mirrorless camera, but I doubt that I will switch.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
As a long tim XT2 shooter the only thing I hated about it was the battery life and the additional grip, as when screwed in it occasionally lost contact with the camera, also it was fixed tightly and that caused a lot of malfunction - including empty batteries in the grip, although they had not been used.

Also using this equipment on safari in remote lodges where you have only limited time electricity for loading batteries during night etc. made it pretty difficult to recharge my battery arsenal. So this is why I am still reluctant about these small batteries and had hoped for larger ones - just so simple :loco:

Everything else in the XH1 I just find perfect and will definitely try one as soon as available. With the 2.8/16-55 and my trusted 100-400 and the 1.2/56 that would just make up for a pretty perfect kit. And adding a used 1.4/35 and 1.4/23 is easy today and would keep kost down.

GAS is something pretty bad - isn't it?
 
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tcdeveau

Well-known member
I'm pretty interested in the camera. I may be looking this fall to upgrade my wife's X-T1 to something I can do portraits with in addition to short (few minutes here, few minutes there) non-professional video clips with decent video AF (face-detect AF in video a plus). The X-H1 could fit my needs better than the X-T2 but I'll have to test them both out when the time comes.
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
As a long tim XT2 shooter the only thing I hated about it was the battery life and the additional grip, as when screwed in it occasionally lost contact with the camera, also it was fixed tightly and that caused a lot of malfunction - including empty batteries in the grip, although they had not been used.

Also the using this equipment on safari in remote lodges where you have only limited tim current during night etc. made it pretty difficult to recharge my battery arsenal. So this is why I am still reluctant about these small batteries and had hoped for larger ones - just so simple :loco:

Everything else in the XH1 I just find perfect and will definitely try one as soon as available. With the 2.8/16-55 and my trusted 100-400 and the 1.2/56 that would just make up for a pretty perfect kit. And adding a used 1.4/35 and 1.4/23 is easy today and would keep kost down.

GAS is something pretty bad - isn't it?
For me about the only thing they could really use improvement is ironically the video performance as it pertains to including the additional frame rates (4k60) that the competition offers like the GH5 and what’s likely to come in the next round of Sony cameras and potentially the next high end Olympus camera. The bit rate is nice. The color space is adequate for most uses in reality as long as you aren’t expecting to do any heavy grading. I half way expect Sony and Panasonic to offer 6k24/30 in the A7SIII/A9S and in the GH5 successor if it comes along with super sampled 4k60 or maybe higher frame rates for slow motion effects but it’s all speculation on my part in reality. An anamorphic mode would be nice for Fuji to include as well.

Other than the video shortcomings (that may very well be solved through firmware) XH1 solves the few “issues” I had (and my personal list of wishes) with the XT2. If I do jump into the Fujifilm system this will be the X camera I purchase hands down. Still want to see if there’s any truth to the rumored GFX 50R and of so it’s imperative that it has an articulating screen of some sort for me.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
For me about the only thing they could really use improvement is ironically the video performance as it pertains to including the additional frame rates (4k60) that the competition offers like the GH5 and what’s likely to come in the next round of Sony cameras and potentially the next high end Olympus camera. The bit rate is nice. The color space is adequate for most uses in reality as long as you aren’t expecting to do any heavy grading. I half way expect Sony and Panasonic to offer 6k24/30 in the A7SIII/A9S and in the GH5 successor if it comes along with super sampled 4k60 or maybe higher frame rates for slow motion effects but it’s all speculation on my part in reality. An anamorphic mode would be nice for Fuji to include as well.

Other than the video shortcomings (that may very well be solved through firmware) XH1 solves the few “issues” I had (and my personal list of wishes) with the XT2. If I do jump into the Fujifilm system this will be the X camera I purchase hands down. Still want to see if there’s any truth to the rumored GFX 50R and of so it’s imperative that it has an articulating screen of some sort for me.
The X-H1 uses the same processor as the X-T2, and therein lies a limitation compared to the GH5 which apparently has more prosessing power. When that is said, the X-H1 also has a processing advantage compared to the GH5: Because the DFD focusing that the Panasonic uses requires much more processing power than the dual AF of the Fuji, Olympus and Sony cameras, AF capabilities slow down considerably when shooting 4K or high frame rate video with the GH5. For those who use manual focus, and that includes most professional users, this is not a big deal, but for many amateurs the Fuji might actually be a better alternative than the GH5 in spite of inferior video specifications.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
The X-H1 uses the same processor as the X-T2, and therein lies a limitation compared to the GH5 which apparently has more prosessing power. When that is said, the X-H1 also has a processing advantage compared to the GH5: Because the DFD focusing that the Panasonic uses requires much more processing power than the dual AF of the Fuji, Olympus and Sony cameras, AF capabilities slow down considerably when shooting 4K or high frame rate video with the GH5. For those who use manual focus, and that includes most professional users, this is not a big deal, but for many amateurs the Fuji might actually be a better alternative than the GH5 in spite of inferior video specifications.
The XH1 uses two of these processors of the XT2, that is double the performance!
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
All the better. Still, it offers only half the bit rate of the GH5 and no 10 bit video. There must be som magic going on in the GH5.
I think Panasonic has a lot functionality integrated in additional custom ASICS, which supports the CPU(s).

Anyway I am a bit upset that the XH1 comes again with that 1.17 crop in 4k video, that seems to be a sensor limitation. The GH5, G9 and EM1.2 all have full sensor readout in 4k. Interesting also that this fact gets never mentioned in any of the Fuji videos or advertisements - just as if this fact would not matter. For me it matters indeed!
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
I think Panasonic has a lot functionality integrated in additional custom ASICS, which supports the CPU(s).

Anyway I am a bit upset that the XH1 comes again with that 1.17 crop in 4k video, that seems to be a sensor limitation. The GH5, G9 and EM1.2 all have full sensor readout in 4k. Interesting also that this fact gets never mentioned in any of the Fuji videos or advertisements - just as if this fact would not matter. For me it matters indeed!
It does matter. Again: There are many good reasons why m4/3 has become so popular among video shooters. The GH5s actually has a negative crop when shooting Cine 4K due to the oversized sensor.
 
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