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X-H1, why oh why?

biglouis

Well-known member
I decided to get a second X body for a project I've just been appointed to deliver. It is going to involve a lot of reportage at events which cannot be recreated. Nervous that if I relied on my X-T3 alone I'd be taking a risk I decided to get a second body.

My choice was to go for the X-H1, which arrived yesterday - along with a second hand 16/1.4 and 23/2. I figured as a set-up I'd use the OIS trinity (10-24, 18-55, 55-200) on the X-T3 and the non-stabilised lenses on the X-H1.

Once again (this is the second time I've owned an X-H1, I traded my last one for the GFX50R) I am blown away by this camera. I honestly think I'll use it more on the project than the X-T3. Ergonomics, the quiet shutter, the comfortable grip (less slippery than the X-T3) all make it the camera I most want to pick up. Easily as attractive as the 50R, imho. I'd say the only draw back is the limited AF points (not a problem for the work I am doing but more of a problem for wildlife - where the X-T3 is better) and that the IQ is about one stop noisier than the X-T3 (which I can fix in post with the new Topaz AI if I have to).

Why oh why was this camera less of a success for Fuji than the X-T3? I just do not get it. It is great that the X-T3 has been such a success as I assume it ensures that Fuji will continue to deliver for years but why did the market and the media (represented by YouTubers) give it the boot as soon as the X-T3 appeared?

For me, the X-T3 is an enthusiast camera whereas the X-H1 is much more of a pro-body, in the same league as the D800 or 5DmkX etc. Anyway, I will find it hard to part with this camera body a second time although my intention is use it for the project then sell it.

As enthusiasts it is very easy to get swept up in the latest technology without realising that for all practical purposes all modern digital cameras are sufficient for commercial uses. My client for this work has already been more than pleased with the odd capture I have done with Ricoh GRIII (which can be very handy in reportage situations) so I can't see any reason why they would be displeased with results from the X-H1 over the X-T3 or any other equivalent 'more modern' camera.

The proof of the pudding etc... so here are a few initial captures. I can't wait to test it out on my first assignment which is in March.

X-H1, 5-shots bracketed and merged, 16/1.4 at f16, handheld, the last shot in the sequence was taken at 1/8th second.


X-H1, 23/2 - single shot f8




X-H1, 55-200
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
I actually never understood wha anybody serious in/with photography would prefer the X-T body over an X-H body - never ever!

If the X-H2 (if it materialises) would have the same sensor/processor (technology) inside I would hands down go for the X-H version!

Now I assume the new to be announced camera end of February will actually not be the X-T4 with IBIS and larger battery but rather a new high end camera like the X-H1 was but even better. We will know in a few weeks.

But for repurchasing the X-H1 I only can applaud you - great camera!
 

MGrayson

Subscriber and Workshop Member
NOW you tell me! :banghead:

With all the X-T3 excitement, I went to B&H to play with it. It didn't grab me. Already having TL lenses, I ordered a used Leica CL for my APS-C needs. While the 11-23 is a spectacular lens, the range of lenses in that system is limited (and the FF L-mount lenses too heavy). I could certainly use some OIS or IBIS at the long end.

Well, systems come and go. I went Fuji for my big camera, who knows? :angel:

Matt
 

Elderly

Well-known member
Louis - it appears to me that you took this shot very close to where my son lives.

He lives near the top of Parliament Hill (the street name).

However you seem to have missed my grandson tottering along that felled trunk :grin:.
 

PeterA

Well-known member
The main 'knock' on the XH1 was its lack of certain video capabilities and its price poijt when it originally came out. Fuji were too fast with the XT-3 soon afterwards and the 'better' sesnsor and improved autofocus (FWIW) ....the ergonomics are better with XH1 at the margin and it also comes with IBIS - 'mo not so inspired by my XT3 and was looking forward to the XPro3- I think Fuji have one too many bodies in XPro/XH and Xt series and missing bits of this or that between all three.
 

biglouis

Well-known member
Louis - it appears to me that you took this shot very close to where my son lives.

He lives near the top of Parliament Hill (the street name).

However you seem to have missed my grandson tottering along that felled trunk :grin:.
Ian, A nice spot to live. I live a little further away and my daily stroll takes me either over the top of Primrose Hill or Parliament Hill. And I spend way too much time photographing birds all over the heath.

LouisB
 

biglouis

Well-known member
If it is so great why does B&H show it as discontinued?
...which is why right now you can pick up a bargain if you hunt. Mine is an ex-demo unit, still with the 2 year warranty, plus the grip (which I never use) but because of that 3 batteries. All for less than the cost of a second hand one. The IQ of the X-T3 is better at the pixel level but for all practical purposes not much different and the X-H1 body is way better than the X-T3, imho.

The main 'knock' on the XH1 was its lack of certain video capabilities and its price poijt when it originally came out. Fuji were too fast with the XT-3 soon afterwards and the 'better' sesnsor and improved autofocus (FWIW) ....the ergonomics are better with XH1 at the margin and it also comes with IBIS - 'mo not so inspired by my XT3 and was looking forward to the XPro3- I think Fuji have one too many bodies in XPro/XH and Xt series and missing bits of this or that between all three.
This is where my requirements may differ from a lot of other consumers. I am a stills photographer. All the time I have owned digital cameras with high-end video I have never even used it and often mapped the dedicated video button to something more useful to me. Each to his own.

Too many photographers buy cameras based on the spec sheet.
Some users do need the specs although imho I think it is only videographers. For stills photographers, as soon as sensors got to 10mpx you really had all you need. Now it is the ergonomics and additional features (IBIS, firmware etc) that differentiate cameras, imho.

LouisB
 

PeterA

Well-known member
...which is why right now you can pick up a bargain if you hunt. Mine is an ex-demo unit, still with the 2 year warranty, plus the grip (which I never use) but because of that 3 batteries. All for less than the cost of a second hand one. The IQ of the X-T3 is better at the pixel level but for all practical purposes not much different and the X-H1 body is way better than the X-T3, imho.



This is where my requirements may differ from a lot of other consumers. I am a stills photographer. All the time I have owned digital cameras with high-end video I have never even used it and often mapped the dedicated video button to something more useful to me. Each to his own.



Some users do need the specs although imho I think it is only videographers. For stills photographers, as soon as sensors got to 10mpx you really had all you need. Now it is the ergonomics and additional features (IBIS, firmware etc) that differentiate cameras, imho.

LouisB
Same here - I couldn't care less about video functions and the only time I've used them was by accident when I got my original SL and hit the video button by mistake and then wasted 10 minutes trying to figure out wtf was going on :ROTFL::ROTFL:...I too disable video if it button mapped. I would have bought the XH-1 but I thought the price was too high and then when I bought the XT-3 - the XH1 price was chopped to bargain levels! LOL much better ergonomics ...I think Fuji will go all out to re-establish the XH-2 as top of the pops...and they better do a good job - because the XPro-3 is not selling well...

I disagree about 10MP as being 'enough' though - I think 25ish is 'enough' and 50 ish is better and 100 is even better than that - but I'm now a big fan of small but ergonomically comfortable design....
 

Pelorus

Member
You don't mean that Darr and I are the only 2 users out there do you Pete?:ROTFL:

It seems to be hard to get at the dealers so I expected it was selling OK. Is the word that it's not?

[snip]...and they better do a good job - because the XPro-3 is not selling well...

[snip]
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
The X-Pro3 has several issues - one is that in some samples the EVF is far too bright, another one is that the top plate separates from the main body leaving a relatively big leak - and this in a weather resistant camera that is sold for a premium and is actually the top PRO MODEL FROM Fuji.

All this is not good for sale.

And I guess there is still a shortage overall for this body.
 

pegelli

Well-known member
Same here - I couldn't care less about video functions and the only time I've used them was by accident when I got my original SL and hit the video button by mistake and then wasted 10 minutes trying to figure out wtf was going on :ROTFL::ROTFL:...
Same here, I probably made an order of magnitude more short video's by accident than on-purpose video's. Until I mapped out the video button on my cameras I deleted a lot of 5-10 second movies from the card that all ended with a loud scream: "$hit"!. :LOL:
 

Pelorus

Member
Hello Peter, I was aware of the EVF issue with a small number of the bodies, but not aware of the top plate. Can you point me to a link for that one please?

Regards
Mike

The X-Pro3 has several issues - one is that in some samples the EVF is far too bright, another one is that the top plate separates from the main body leaving a relatively big leak - and this in a weather resistant camera that is sold for a premium and is actually the top PRO MODEL FROM Fuji.

All this is not good for sale.

And I guess there is still a shortage overall for this body.
 

PeterA

Well-known member
You don't mean that Darr and I are the only 2 users out there do you Pete?:ROTFL:

It seems to be hard to get at the dealers so I expected it was selling OK. Is the word that it's not?
hahahah - I'd buy one IF it had an LCD I didn't need to flip down - great camera apart from that - dont worry just use it! My view on sales performance is just the price drop for base models before Christmas- now at 2100 V 2600+ it is almost a bargain and very tempting...there are some problems with certain examples of the camera's skin peeling off at the point of connection with the top plate and some examples of EVF malfunctions- but that wouldn't bother me - cameras are replaced on warranty.
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
If it is so great why does B&H show it as discontinued?
The short answer is a string of bad luck and Fuji mistakes.

The long answer is a combination of factors. The A7III was announced a few weeks after the XH1 for $100 more. There were widespread reports of quality control issues with the most common one being that bodies were dying somewhere between straight out of the box and witching a couple of months of ownership. Someone at Fuji (or the people they work with) either let the cat out of the bag regarding the XT3 to the rumor sites and/or theynwere attempting to save face regarding mixed reception. Many XT and XPro owners believed the XH1 was too large and not worth the $200-600 premium above those bodies. Many Fuji owners didn’t care for the removal of the dials. Many XT owners believed that Fuji was charging more for what essentially was a XT2 with IBIS and Eterna.
 

Pelorus

Member
I was like you Pete when I first saw this camera at Fuji in Tokyo. I never thought I'd own it. Now you'd have to pry it from my cold dead hands!! If it has problems then Fuji can sort them but I just love it. The screen stays folded most of the time and I don't miss it.

hahahah - I'd buy one IF it had an LCD I didn't need to flip down - great camera apart from that - dont worry just use it! My view on sales performance is just the price drop for base models before Christmas- now at 2100 V 2600+ it is almost a bargain and very tempting...there are some problems with certain examples of the camera's skin peeling off at the point of connection with the top plate and some examples of EVF malfunctions- but that wouldn't bother me - cameras are replaced on warranty.
 

Pelorus

Member
Thanks Peter, an interesting perspective. On the price - you'd never buy a Japanese camera in Japan:p they are too expensive. The price fall that he showed represents the street price in Australia roughly so all that fall is about is aligning to the rest of the world.

As for the other issues - the EVF and the top plate...who knows. If I search long enough I can find "lemon" threads on almost every non-trivial item I own. Car - yep, ute - yep, dishwasher - yep...The difficulty is separating the wheat from the chaff. Often those with an axe to grind beat up the very real issues to the point that it appears that the product should simply be trashed. The reality is often very different.

In the description of that video there is a link to something (positive) Jonas Rask apparently said about the top plate...however it's in Facebook of which I'm not a member so I don't know what it is. :p

BTW a nice walk around of a typical chunk of regional Japan :thumbup:

Watch, wait and have fun with the camera is the only thing to do.:thumbup:


Hi Mike,

saw it in this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bp97pUU8g4

I hope not too many cameras are affected by this ....

Best regards

Peter
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Thanks Peter, an interesting perspective. On the price - you'd never buy a Japanese camera in Japan:p they are too expensive. The price fall that he showed represents the street price in Australia roughly so all that fall is about is aligning to the rest of the world.

As for the other issues - the EVF and the top plate...who knows. If I search long enough I can find "lemon" threads on almost every non-trivial item I own. Car - yep, ute - yep, dishwasher - yep...The difficulty is separating the wheat from the chaff. Often those with an axe to grind beat up the very real issues to the point that it appears that the product should simply be trashed. The reality is often very different.

In the description of that video there is a link to something (positive) Jonas Rask apparently said about the top plate...however it's in Facebook of which I'm not a member so I don't know what it is. :p

BTW a nice walk around of a typical chunk of regional Japan :thumbup:

Watch, wait and have fun with the camera is the only thing to do.:thumbup:
I really hope that what he shows is more an exception. Also pretty hard to believe for me that Titanium should be weaker than normal material

Anyway enjoy the camera and I am still tempted to get one. Just in the waiting phase as I want to see what comes from some other brands I am interested in before I decide. So no real hurry .... ;)
 
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