FUJIFILM X-H1 - 9 PROs and 2 CONs

[@cameraexplorations]

I'd love to hear your opinion on the Fujifilm X-H1. What do you think?

[@sebastianrich9711]

One of the very best Fuji workhorse cameras very reliable indeed with great image quality

[@cameraexplorations]

@@sebastianrich9711 Glad you're enjoying it! Thank you for the the feedback!

[@agylub]

The top deck of the XH1 is the best most ergonomic of all camera brands. I shoot daytime harness racing with the 75-300 and auto focus works with no problem. A solid performer. A proper fully articulating screen would have made this camera a legend.

[@jean-paulescalera2571]

After watching countless, boring, long videos on the Fujifilm X-H1, and debating whether I should buy one, I just found your short, informative, but concise video which helped me to push the button this evening and ordered one in mint condition from Ebay. I am a 78 year young amateur photographer and after a couple of years of inactivity, I am excited about receiving my X-H1. I also purchased this evening a Fujifilm 18-55 kit lens in like-new condition. Looking forward to getting back into making photos. Thank you for taking the time to make this helpful video!

[@blaugrungelbroot5366]

I did. the Same just yesterday ❤

[@iandisney4872]

I have the XH1 also XS10 and XT1. Love the XH1, don't recall having any focusing issues (usually use spot) and just love the feel. If I had to put a negative vs the XS10 then it would be that it's heavier. But of the 3 mentioned it's the only weather sealed one and the evf is so much nicer. It also has two card slots, one for Jpegs and one for RAW (in my case) also very useful. Have never regretted purchasing it (2nd hand). (first purchase was the XS10).

[@cameraexplorations]

It's always a pleasure to hear when someone appreciates their camera. Glad to see you're enjoying your X-H1!

[@muloers2773]

i have an xs10 also, im considering buying a 2nd hand xh1 in the future. i want those weather sealing and screen on the top of the camera coz im used to take photos using dslr 2nd screen is a plus.

[@rolandsiegers8187]

I have one and I'm so happy to have it; but I'm a Fuji fan; I have also the X-E1 and the X-T2

[@cameraexplorations]

It's impressive how Fuji has built such a devoted following. From what I've noticed, Fuji owners truly savor the art of photography and, perhaps, find themselves venturing outdoors more often. Fujifilm instills a heightened sense of engagement. Intrigued by this, I decided to give this camera brand a try, leading me to purchase an X-H1. It's great to know that you're finding enjoyment in yours!

[@BlaxkNobility]

Luckily you

[@rgr837]

Can I ask you to help me too choose between xt2 and xh1? Find them quite the same price on second hand cameras. Is xt2 really that good?

[@rolandsiegers8187]

@@rgr837 the x-h1 is my favorite. The only problem ... this camera is heavier than the x-t2

[@davidfromborneo259]

I use the Tamron 18 - 300 on my XH1 and no focussing issues. It can be the lens being the weakpoint, the other lense I use is the 16 - 55 2.8 which is made for it, again no issues. I love my XH1 because of the silent mechanical shutter. Had it since 2018 and bought with the battery pack for ........£1200! Just after they launched the XT3!

[@mannyquinn5841]

First of all let me congratulate you on this HONEST video. Also, I must add, you are a great facilitator. Yes, the errant auto focus is a deal breaker for me. I can't come to terms with the ratio between the price and the auto focus anomaly on Fuji cameras. Then again, there's a little detail that escapes from the mind: Fuji & Olympus cameras are not dedicated for action shooting. They are most dedicated for the artisan of the image. It means for the guy who stops, values the view, takes some readings with a light meter and decides about the composition and the best angle. No rush. There are Canon & Nikon who are made for that, ever from the negative era. Keep on sharing!!

[@cameraexplorations]

Thank you very much for your encouragement and input! I completely agree.

[@Nookbart]

My X-H1 is still a beast after 5 years of usage. You can truly feel the 2000€ price tag. I am happy with AF-S but not with AF-C, what is no problem for me. And with the incredible EVF it is also a beast with MF lenses, what makes it even more fun shooting with.

[@cameraexplorations]

Nice to hear that you acknowledge the X-H1's limitations, but also appreciate its good performance and premium feel. It's always refreshing to find a balance between recognizing a product's flaws and celebrating its strengths.

[@jacquesmathurin8389]

I have owned a Fuji X-H1 for 4 years and it is my favourite camera. I also own a Fuji X-pro1, a Lumix S1 and a Leica M240.

[@UKMike2009]

I have had many Fuji cameras and from the X series I have owned (or still own) Xe1, XT100, XT1, XT2, XT20 and now use two XH1s. I don't seem to have experienced any focussing issues, but I never have the need to use tracking. I also have two battery grips, so if battery life will be an issue I fix one on the camera. Made in Japan, the cameras in 2024 are still giving amazing results at less cost than the XH2 etc. Both bodies cost me less than one secondhand X100V. For sure there will be better, more modern cameras, with more bells and whistles - but not at the price of a good XH1

[@Jason1fromNYC]

Where do you find good secondhand XH1s complete with battery grip kits? Any secret sources? MPB has several bodies in "excellent" for USD$700

[@twaksak69]

I ❤ my XH1 still today .

[@cameraexplorations]

That's great! It's always a pleasure to hear about someone enjoying their camera.

[@carmelofiorilla868]

Hi! Thanks for sharing! I’m pulling the trigger on the x-h1, i will use only for photo, old school spot and af-L. I own an x-t10, for my needs his focus capabilities are enough. Do you think the x-h1 could be not as good as x-t10 from an af point o view?

[@cameraexplorations]

Hi! I never touched a X-T10, so I can not make a comparison. For sure, as long as your not shooting sports, both of them are good enough on focusing.

[@alexd5188]

Did you update to the latest firmware,?

[@cameraexplorations]

Will that make a difference on focus speed/accuracy? I believe I checked when I bought it and it was up to date.

[@Canoneosmiami]

Is X-h2 much better at focusing on?

[@cameraexplorations]

I haven't laid a hand on an X-H2 to see if there are differences in focusing, so I can't speak from experience. However, from what I've heard, there is a slight improvement. I believe there are videos out there that show tests comparing the autofocus differences between these two cameras.

[@TheParadoxDestroyer]

Pro #10: There has not been ridiculous price gouging on the XH-1 as other used Fuji cameras. And one of the con's, focusing, can mostly be fixed by your camera settings and how you use the camera.

[@cameraexplorations]

Good observation! Thank you for your input!

[@richardomar6820]

Wow awesome presentation 🎉

[@cameraexplorations]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@maryl1833]

I bought an x-S10 because of all the great reviews. However, I didn’t realize the blank dials change depending on which mode you are in! This is crazy to my 81-year old brain. So I am looking for the ‘good old days’ where you knew where the heck you were without fiddling with everything, and just take the darned pic! The focusing problem is something I don’t like however. I will have to research this further.

[@cameraexplorations]

Digital camera menus can be a hassle for everyone, regardless of age. While Canon cameras might have the simplest menus, even those are not a walk in the park. The X-S10 is a great camera, and you made a good choice. Although not excellent, its focusing capabilities are very good compared to older models like the X-H1. We don't need to know everything about a camera (I certainly don't); we just need to be proficient enough and enjoy photography. All the best to you!

[@maryl1833]

@@cameraexplorations Thank you for the encouragement!

[@kennethbehrens8874]

The dials change depending on PASM selection. The X-M1 had the same concept. If you're in A, the dial adjusts aperture. No use having the dial, in this case, adjusting shutter speed, as it's automatically selected.The muscle-memory of the brain adjusts quickly, as long as you're taking pic's regularly ..... even old brains.

[@headder7802]

Strange... I have X-H1, went to a car show last month and about 500 photos. Any of then was out of focus. Ps. I used medium focus point in a single focus mode and it was raining and was a little bit dark. But got everything top notch using the 16-80 f/4 lens.

[@cameraexplorations]

Good to hear that, congrats! I'm glad you were efficient and didn't got out of focus photos. I am not the only one one KZbin stating that the X-H1 AF is not great, there are others too. The AF bothered me, but it didn't bother you and that's good.

[@Kliffot]

I've a XH1 and a XE3. Indeed too many bad surprise in AFC or face track, I almost only shoot in AFS or MF. Even in AFS there are sometimes some slightly out of focus shots with wide zone AF, with spot AF it's alright. Otherwise I often use the MF+Af On, works great that way ! The battery grip is useful or long shot videos. Also Boost mode help with AF accuracy.

[@kenwalker4386]

Good, useful information on the X-H1, thanks. I keep thinking about buying that camera but I'm now worried if you say there are focusing issues with it. I don't do video and I'm not really interested in firing in bursts for multiple photos either. Is the focusing really an issue for single shot photos. The battery aspect is not too much of a problem, as I usually recharge overnight and probably only get about 100 pics a day. I'm an old amateur but with very steady hands. Do you think the X-T3 is a better bet for single shot still photos, or maybe the X-T4 better still. I won't be able to afford the X-T5 and it would probably be wasted on me and my ageing computer anyway. Thanks again and regards.

[@cameraexplorations]

It's nice to hear that my video was helpful! Thanks for sharing this! Regarding autofocus, Fujifilm has significantly improved their autofocus on newer models. The X-H1 and X-T3 were both released in 2018, and there's not much of a difference between the two in this aspect. However, the X-T4, released in 2020, is definitely the best of the three.

[@PluPerfective]

can i handle live streams for a long time?

[@cameraexplorations]

Have you seen the First CON I mention at 4:21? The X-H1 has poor battery life. I wouldn't recommend it for long live streams. For live streams, you'll either need the grip attached (with the 3 batteries in it), that will last (I haven't measured) - probably 1h and 30mins or a dummy battery (if that exists for a X-H1).

[@PluPerfective]

@@cameraexplorations it has a dummy battery , and regardless of the camera , a dummy battery is needed for long streams - so let me rephrase the question, can it be used to live stream if battery isn’t an issue ?

[@cameraexplorations]

@@PluPerfective I had to do a Google search, since I am not interested in using the X-H1 for live streams and don't know everything about this camera. I recommend Google searches whenever there are questions. The good news is that the X-H1 for sure cand do live streams - there's a YT video called "How to Live Stream using any Fujifilm Camera as webcam" on how to achieve that. Regarding Long live streams, overheating is not desirable - here, again, on Google I found a Reddit post with the title "Fujifilm x-h1 overheat?" and the one who responded said that he didn't had issues. More investigation is needed on the topic "does fujifilm x-h1 have overheating issues" , on Google. Finding the concrete answer takes time/effort. If I were in doubt, and didn't (yet) bought a X-H1, I would go for a newer model, like the X-S10, just to be sure everything is fine. On top of that, looking at what other streamers use is a good option. Hope this was helpful!

[@Nookbart]

@@PluPerfective The X-H1 battery grip also works as a dummy battery and with a HDMI cable and a capture card you can easily stream live for a couple of hours. Tested mine for 3h without issues.

[@ThangLe-ic7vs]

My XH1 shutter button cant be used while tethering in Capture One, have you even encounter this issue? Could you help me out please?

[@cameraexplorations]

To not keep you waiting, I responded as soon as I saw the comment: I don't know the solution, unfortunately. I never encountered this issue/didn't had the need to use Capture One. Maybe someone else, reading the comments, can give an answer; also ask on other YT channels or in forums. Hope you'll find the solution soon!

[@ThangLe-ic7vs]

@@cameraexplorations thank you for the fast respond

[@iam.neekeeteen]

continuous auto-focus turned me off from fuji, i started my fuji's fanboy path with XH1, then quickly switched to XPro3 (then i bought and sell both multiple time with all the X100 and XE series in between), i loved XPro3 a lot, and it was okay while i shoot in single AF or in manual modes, but once i become a father of toddler it showed it flaws... unfortunately... so i tried leica SL2S and even it was almost destroyed by every single photographer because its AF - i switched to it, because even this' camera AF was waaaaaaay ahead of any fuji's camera i used prior, but i miss fuji's SOOC jpegs a lot

[@cameraexplorations]

Thanks for the comment! Maybe the new Fuji models will get better continuous AF. Even if it remains 2 years behind Sony's and Canon's AF, it will still be good.

[@kenwalker4386]

I'm considering buying a used X-H1 at the moment and I did wondered about battery life, so guess it's a spare battery. I generally only use single shot not continuous so that shouldn't be a problem I guess. The other pros' make it seem worth going ahead.

[@cameraexplorations]

Its main downsides are its large size (if you want high portability), slow focusing (not good for tracking/sports photography), and high energy consumption (you definitely need at least three batteries for a four-hour photowalk). Other than these issues, it is a great camera.

[@UKMike2009]

@@cameraexplorations My battery consumption is MUCH less than yours. I carry a spare but rarely use it

[@joopspijker57]

Yes deal break , i am shot most birds. And flying birds. I need good focus

[@cameraexplorations]

Its main downside is quite a major one, indeed.

[@UKMike2009]

@@cameraexplorations I come from the days when you had to focus manually - and possibly pre-focus on a spot before shooting. People are thoroughly spoiled with modern cameras and the need for wide apertures and paper-thin depth of focus. If you can't take good wildlife pictures with the XH1 it is the photographer and not the camera.

[@cameraexplorations]

@@UKMike2009 Yes, we are quite spoiled nowadays with modern cameras, and yes, the photographer definitely matters and contributes more to the end result than the camera.

[@EDHBlvd]

The XH1 was the last of the OG Fujis. The brand has since gone downhill a ton.

[@cameraexplorations]

Yes, the X-H1 was an Fuji OG.

[@marcelfraij]

what is OG?

[@Princeton_James]

The battery life is atrocious. That one of the only things that keeps me away from it. I also dont want to walk around with a large battery grip all the time.

[@cameraexplorations]

Yes, there's nothing else I can add. Regarding its battery life and walking around with a large battery grip, I share the same opinion.

You can actually use it for video shooting with a cage a dummy battery and a vlock so you have a greater battery life, it's at the cost of mobility but sometimes a bigger camera is more stable for video shooting so it might not be a problem ( that's my actual setup so you know )

[@sebastianrich9711]

Instead of complaining about auto focus learn about photography !

[@cameraexplorations]

I picked up my first dslr in 2008, won 2 contests, also did a lot of wedding photography. I know an issue when I see one and I am not the only one on YT talking about X-H1's focus issues. It is a great camera - it only has troubles with focusing. Fujifilm is a great brand and their latest cameras are excellent.

[@LightSkinJedi1920]

I've been using back button focus for my whole career. Even when my xt3. I don't rely on autofocus at all. But the complaints are valid especially when these Fuji cameras are starting to cost the same as fullframe cameras promising this as a feature. If they were honest with the quality of autofocus and the price reflected that they weren't focused on their AF capabilities, then we would have no reason to complain.

[@minimumapature3361]

Very good constrictive criticism. Your comment has solved every problem I have with my XH1! You must be a very insightful person to comeup with this amazing solution!

[@ChuckMarteau]

Great camera. hideous battery life.

[@cameraexplorations]

I agree.

[@Jason1fromNYC]

Poor continuous auto focus. If you need that you should get a Sony.

[@cameraexplorations]

Yes, this 2018 camera is not great when it comes to continuous autofocus. There are better ones out there.