Fujifilm X-H2 vs X-H2S - Which one for Bird Photography?

[@blakerichards8369]

I own the Fujifilm X-H2s. I've been a pro photographer my whole life, 66 years. I would not trade this camera for any other camera in the world. I had a Fujifilm XT4 and Canon R7, and sold them both, after testing the 3 in open shade, sun light, and low light. Fujifilm X-H2s was the best of all in all situations. I like it so much; I bought a second one.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Glad it works so well for you.

[@rvpcqp]

For humans or for wildlife?

[@Mat-hr1dg]

​​@@rvpcqp Most likely wildlife. I see your comments everywhere, proclaiming the zf to be so much better in af but no, the zf is certainly NOT a better wildlife camera. It's better in anything but that, ergonomics and video though.

[@menkassio]

I have an X-T2 and my frustration has always been the issue of autofocus for people in motion and birds in flight. I was somewhat discouraged from buying another Fujifilm camera after the brand's former representative in my country was blunt in advising me to go for Canon...😔I have several Fujifilm lenses and changing brands would be quite a disadvantage. What I like about the X-T2 is that it has so many controls at hand - I don't know if those models like the X-H2s and other brands that are menu-based are less practical, I'd even like your opinions on the matter. Do you feel any limitations with that system? I know that the articulated LCD model of the X-T5 is much more interesting for photography (which is what I'm interested in), but I'm afraid its performance isn't comparable to that of the X-H2s... I've heard that there's been a firmware update for this one, and I'd like to know what Mathieu thinks. Has it improved performance for birds and people on the move??? Thanks in advance!

[@nickcrispe1321]

This is a very helpful review. One issue you raise is that subject detection in fact harms performance, and I have seen the same with an OM Systems OM-1. The bottom line seems to be that it can see a bird when it's easy to pick up on standard AF, but if the bird is distant or hard to see, then it's just another layer of computation in the way.

[@sabergo1]

Exceptionally well done review. Context, strengths and weaknesses. No senseless hype. Thank You.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@maddindscheidschei3830]

Matthieu - once again, you are the best. Of all the great number of camera and lens testers, you at least try to be fair and neutral. Your tests are comparable and - big advantage - you do not try to making money with your videos, no advertising interrupt and much easier to follow for that reason. I enjoy your videos and watch them all. I am a Olympus/OM user and also appreciate to seeing M43 videos

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Thank you very much for the kind comment, really appreciate it!

[@electricworldSchon]

Thank you for this excellent video, as always. Special mention for the passage to end with your favorite settings : it's very helpful. I think your videos are the most professional of all the gear test videos on KZbin. Thank you and congratulations !

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Thank you very much, really appreciate it!

[@offshore1947]

I own the X-H2s and have the same issues with BIF and oddly the best keeper rate is when the bird is not in the center of the frame but off to either side or top or bottom of the frame.

[@sigurdrille9693]

Thank you for that thorough review and test! I have the X-H2s and found the firmware update helpful… but of course we all want to believe that🙂. Seriously, I have the feeling it did improve. I did not change any of my settings. It does lose focus regularly , but then again finds it quickly after a few shots. I found the 40fps to be too fast for me, the number of images overwhelming, and use 20 or 30. Love the pre shot feature🤩, love the missing rolling shutter! I am not so happy with the 150-600 lens, though, getting the feeling I got better image quality out of my Sigma/Canon 90d combination. The Fuji lens does have a disadvantage in aperture I feel I notice (higher ISO)… or maybe it’s just the fewer pixels (32MP vs 26MP now)? On the upside, the Fuji lens is significantly lighter. The weight of the X-H2s camera/lens combination was the deciding factor for switching from Canon to Fuji. Overall I am very satisfied with the results I get, I shoot birds and other animals, but also street photography and architecture, a bit landscape and just now some portraits. Thanks again, love your channel!

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Thanks for the feedback. I enjoyed using the 150-600mm a second time. Like you said, it’s light, and the zoom range is very useful.

[@ridgefield]

The best review as always. Thank you for revisiting these cameras.

[@fredericbonet9073]

Merci pour cette vidéo. J'ai un XH2s et maintenant je comprends certains résultats parfois décevants mais rien de grave. Vos réglages préconisés vont m'aider pour les oiseaux en vol. merci et bravo.👍

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Merci, vous me ferez savoir si les réglages marchent bien pour vous.

[@RVNmedic]

Thanks Mathieu. Another fine comparison. I got my R5 and RF 100-500 and can't wait to test them out. I still have my X-T5 which the most fun to shoot with. I let you know how it works out. Again, thanks.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Looking forward to read your thoughts 👍

[@hpBarbossa]

Hi Mathieu - that's a very greatful overview about the two cameras and much work and persistence are in here. Cordial thanks ! It's possible that Fuji has also seen your presentation, then it has given 9 updates after (!) and now we have version 7.00 ! Did you photograph with the newest firmware and are you happy now ?

[@enigmabletchley6936]

Another great video, Matthieu. Without sounding ingratiating the effort you put into these videos is very much appreciated. In a comment on your initial X-H2S video I did express disappointment with the X-H2S I own. Firmware 3.0 has been a definite improvement, in fact I would say a quantum improvement. Now, I feel it is my technique which limits wildlife (esp. birds) results, rather than the camera. I agree that BIF is still not the greatest but I could show you a lot of very nice, in fact fantastic, images I have captured of birds in various types of movement. I live by the axiom that on a day's shooting I expect to get a handful of 'hero' shots and not 3,000! In fact, I rarely use 40fps because of that point so I don't have to wade through 120 or more frames in a 3 second burst just to discover none are particularly good (I stay at 20fps). The most immediate improvement with X-H2S/firmware 3.0 is as you have shown bird portraits against background. In one early experience, Lightroom masking could not isolate the RAW image of a bird against a busy background but the X-H2S had taken an image focussed on the bird. Finally, I watched this video because I would like to get either the X-H2 or the X-T5 and I really cannot make up my mind. I think I am leaning in favour of the X-T5 (for all my non-wildlife work) as it seems to me that it might be occasionally fun to have 40mpx sensor for wildlife but in performance terms neither 40mpx model is really going to equal that of the X-H2S for fast moving subjects. I'd even go further and say that in terms of price and performance, and features the X-H2S is a better buy than the Z9 or the R3 for wildlife and offers some features, e.g. pre-shot in electronic mode that these larger, heavier and more expensive cameras do not. If only(!) Fuji would watch your videos, take note and give us at least one decent long telephoto prime my envy of the Canon system would disappear. Apologies for the long response!

[@MrBthames2000]

I have the xf200 f2 and with a 2x converter it’s the equivalent of a 600mm lens. Honestly, it’s pretty amazing even with a 2x converter

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

The X-H2S has some amazing features, and if I look back on the photos I took with it, there are many shots I really like. There are other people saying they're happy with the results they get with the S model, and that's important feedback, just like yours. I'm sure I'll test the camera again in the future, maybe I'll rent the XF 200mm F2 and see what happens!

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

I've tested the 200mm but only with the 1.4x TC, nice to read it's working well with the 2x. I might rent it again at some point.

[@enigmabletchley6936]

@@MrBthames2000 I sold my XF200f2 as I was slightly disappointed with it on the X-T4 (this was some time before the X-H2S was available) - think it was let down by the limitations of the camera. Now with firmware 3.0 I feel it is a lens the X-H2S is worthy of.

[@enigmabletchley6936]

@@MrBthames2000 I tried mine when I had it with the 2x converter but I had to really stop down to get sharpness, e.g. f5.6 or above, which rather defeated the object vs my 100-400. It could have been my copy.

[@frankiacone6642]

I have bth cameras . I use the HS2 for events and the hS2S for sports especially baseball. I will rock and roll soon outdoors with both these cameras. I also shoot Sony A7RV and doe with the FX30. I am more into stills shooting.

[@Hugmir]

So, if you could keep only one of the x-h2 cameras, which one would you go with?

[@mahdimanesh4221]

Any experience after this time with both? Which one would you take to a wedding?

[@SkylarkFields]

Super review, many thanks for sharing it. I've got the X-T5 and was wondering about changing to one of these two - however, I have also thought a lot about the Canon R6Mk2 - so am off to see if you have a review on that!

[@absolu222]

I must say that I really love the how the noise looks on the X-H2 as compared to my X-T4. It's a sharp and detailed grains kind of noise that give characters. I also used to really like using the Topaz DeNoise on X-T4 images and I found that I really dislike how much details and micro-contrast is lost on the X-H2 files. I rather use a tiny bit of denoise within Capture One.

[@Vikingdescendent]

Nice work and samples...we've come a long way since film cameras. 19:10 Great shot! The FUJI colours are stunning!

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Thank you!

[@frankwieczorek5112]

Thank you for the honest review, I've now canceled my previous plan to sell my A9 for the H2s, at least for now. Maybe I'll wait for the A9III

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Very curious about the A9 III myself. Will certainly be much more expensive though.

[@TheSnub]

Any plans on testing the new firmware updates? Several of the X-Trans 5 processor cameras have got updates to subject detection, and it would be interesting to see if it has noticably improved.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

I'll try, but I need to catch up with other things first.

[@JeffreyHauser]

Thank you for your review Mathieu. You always put a lot of time & effort into your testing of equipment. You reviews are quite detailed and I trust the information that you provide to your viewers. One question- for birds in flight do you turn off both the lens stabilisation & in body stabilisation? Best wishes!😊🙏

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

They are linked, you can’t separate one from the other. I usually turn it off.

[@thrallingFRglory]

Will you be doing a comparison of the XH2S with the OM1? It’d be interesting see that! Also, look forward to your thoughts on the XS20 for wildlife

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

To be honest, I don't know if I will find the time because there are new cameras I need to test now. But I'll keep your suggestion in mind. Thanks!

[@cy9nvs]

Thinking about replacing my X-S10 with one of those. I'm just kind of unsure about how well the object recognition will work for wildlife (mainly birds) as I heard a lot of mixed things about it. Edit: Went for the X-H2. Autofocus performance of both is almost identical, and I think getting the 40 MP sensor outweighs the benefits of the stacked sensor, for my needs.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

There are a lot of samples and a long explanation about this in the video.

[@cy9nvs]

​@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons yeah I know, I'm happy finally someone made a detailed test with these cameras on the newest firmware. I think I'll get the X-H2. 👀

[@AsuquoTravelsProductions]

@@cy9nvs Go for the xh2s.

[@cy9nvs]

@@AsuquoTravelsProductions I heard the autofocus is a bit better, though still often not focusing right despite the green box confirming focus. Other sources claim they're pretty much the same. Would be interesting to know if my XF 100-400 would even benefit from the new 40MP sensor.

[@Tbonyandsteak]

If you crop alot, dont go to high on ISO though.

[@Pixelpeeps-69]

Fantastic review 👌 I own both these cameras and use them only for weddings and events but for wildlife I use Sony a1 and the results are way better

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

The A1 is amazing, currently the best I ever tested for BIF.

[@fotogmike5887]

Mathieu, thanks for the fantastically useful review! I have a question. You're having trouble seeing the edges of the frame with glasses on, and I find that seeing the whole screen with my glasses on as a Fujifilm strength. Have you adjusted the EVF eye relief while looking through the viewfinder? My X-T4 and X-H2S both allow one to push the whole EVF view back so that more of the frame is visible (it shrinks it down). The instructions for this are under the heading The DISP/BACK Button in the manual. Of course, you may have thicker lenses than I do, and that would make a difference.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Ah good point, I forgot about that option!

[@johnmoffvideos]

thank you Mathieu , been expecting this video from you for quite a while . Very informative, as usual ! The only complaint , I was expecting a more detailed part on camera setup, as (like you correctly said) the AF setup options are quite complicated and extensive ... maybe you release another short video on this topic in future. Anyway, I opted for the X-H2 and been using it for birds for a few weeks. AF leaves much to be desired , but when you nail the focus, the 40mp resolution gives stunning results ! The 150-600mm lens is nice and light (relatively) but so slow at f/8 that sometimes AF doesn't even start in dim conditions ... need to direct the lens to smth contrasty first to just initiate the focusing.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

I explain all the settings in my X-T4 video, they are the same, except for subject detection, but I’ve covered that already in my first X-H2S video.

[@johnmoffvideos]

@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons thank you , will check it out .

[@johnmoffvideos]

@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons would you please explain how do I set the aperture to be controlled by the front dial instead of the lens "silver" ring , I'm shooting in M/autoISO mode , still can't figure it out , thanks.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

If you set the switch on the lens to A while working in M mode, one of the two dials should change the aperture. You can invert the dials’ function in the setup menu / command dial setting.

[@johnmoffvideos]

@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons thank you

[@renealfonso4594]

Wow great review but disappointed that the firmware 3 was not a major improvement. I suspected that based on the marketing effort with very little details from Fuji.

[@ksnmurthy4476]

It’s amazing detailed information on these cameras. As usual your explanation is excellent. The final stop to make decisions. I have a question. Currently I have Fuji XT4 camera. I wanted to upgrade to Fuji XH2s ? Please suggest. Shall I keep XT4 or go for XH2S for hybrid photography?Thanks.

[@andyjones6127]

when will you review and add the X-T5 to your bird ranking list!?

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Not sure at the moment, to be honest. I expect similar performance to the X-H2, but we'll see.

[@andyjones6127]

@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons thanks! So would you say the X-T4 still performs better than the X-T5 then? Also I noticed the X-H2S gets the same hit rate as X-T4, only 1 point better. So is the X-T4 the best value/option?!

[@markcasebeer8273]

I've had the H2s for a few months, and this review is inaccurate to my experiences. Bird detection works well for me. IMO, the S is the best BIF camera Fuji has produced.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Static birds, birds in flight, both?

[@markcasebeer8273]

@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons@ Mathieu Gasquet, It works well in both. BIF tracks the best. I use a custom setting and I experience a series of 20 images that are all sharp.

[@matt88169]

Curious-which lens are you using?

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

That’s nice to hear. Could you share your custom settings, and the lens used? I’m sure there will be more firmwares in the future and I’ll end up testing the camera again.

[@markcasebeer8273]

@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons I use zone focus 90% of the time. My custom settings are tracking sensitivity 3, speed tracking 1, and zone area set to center. I have two primary lenses for wildlife and sports. Nikon 500 PF and Fuji 200 F2. I use extenders on both lenses when needed. I hope this helps.

[@tamj0506]

Thanks for another great video. I was wondering if changing the drive speed would help with the auto focus. 20fps vs 40fps, or mechanical shutter vs electronic shutter. I really want to like this camera, but the autofocus has me worried.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

I've tried 20fps and 40fps but I didn't see any relevant difference. Same with mechanical vs electronic shutter, plus with the mechanical shutter you loose the benefit of a blackout-free live view which is great for errati action.

[@matt88169]

BIF is a good extreme test, and you have shown that it was apparently not Fuji's priority with this generation of camera or its algorithm tweaks (unless, perhaps, there is still not enough processing power in these cameras for the really fast stuff). This is a cure for upgradeitis. Still, given the "controversial" results, I think it may have been prudent for you to seek other subjects - like fast moving cars, planes, or humans. The XH2S will be Fuji's top choice for sports/action/wildlife, and users will want to know if this camera has been optimized for "static" over "dynamic" photography. From this video, it sounds like the former. On a side note, I know this is a choice about speed over resolution. But did you see any real world benefit from the higher resolution pictures taken with the XH2 (perhaps, the cropability)? Is shooting it is a cropped mode a reasonable compromise for higher frame rate shooting?

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

The crop mode gives you 24mp, almost the same as the X-H2S, so I think it’s a reasonable compromise.

[@mariobnc1995]

they are great cameras best aps-c

[@ScottClaudia]

Excellent review!

[@LiquidCylinders]

@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons : Excellent reviews as always. Could you tell me what you would prefer to use to take photos of surf and waves from land? Typically the object, in this case a surfer or a wave, is always about 25-50 meters away. I'm between OM1 with the 100-400 or the H2/H2s with the 150-600. Thank you very much and again I congratulate you for your reviews, the best I have seen by far. Greetings from Uruguay.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Hmm I don’t have experience with this type of shooting but I can imagine both cameras could do well. How important it is for you to have very fast drive speed like 30/40/50 fps?

[@henrylau1643]

Would there be a comparison between om1 and xh2s ?

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

I'm not planning to make one at the moment, but I'm happy to answer any questions about the two cameras.

[@henrylau1643]

@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons In the end After watching both of your vids, i have bought OM-1 + 100-400 over X-H2S with 150-600. Maybe i should type my thought process here for other people that have the same struggle as me. #1 is the higher BIF accuracy that you have showed us. #2 is the lens selection of 200 F2.8, 300 F4 and 150-400 F4.5 as an upgrade path over the budget tele zoom lens. #3 Features like live ND and HHHR makes the OM-1 more useful in landscape photography.

[@thrallingFRglory]

@@henrylau1643 Did you end up buying these new or used? I have used OM1 and 300 f4 in my sights but don’t know if it’s a good bargains

[@Sterminator89]

Another honest review! Great!!!

[@poupou5833]

Such a usefull comparison !! merci

[@ivotouart]

Excellent content, as always.

[@JET-Photo]

I think there are two problems with Fuji. 1) They are trying to do too much with AF. The AF menus are way too much and do not offer better results than competitors with much easier AF menus. Example: Sony. The almost 6 year old A9 is still better than the XH2s and the AF menu is far easier to navigate. And 2) I suspect Fuji will not hire engineers outside of the company to fix their problems with AF. They want to be able to do better, but they just don't have the processing power or programming ability to make the AF on par with Sony and Canon, or even Nikon. Although, the processors should be able to handle the AF better than a 6 year old camera like the A9. Either Sony is so far ahead of the game (and Canon) that Fuji just will never match them, or the pride of the Fuji engineers are preventing them from actually improving the product. Maybe Fuji should have stuck with street photographers and portrait photographers. I have used both cameras to shoot motorsports, college basketball and occasional BIF. I get shots, just not as many good ones as I did with the Sony A9. Fuji needs to simplify the menus and simplify the AF. Work on getting it precise before trying to offer subject detection and a bunch of menu items that essentially do not work as advertised. My best results came using single point, AFC at 20fps. Sometimes zone AF worked well, but any kind of subject detection did not produce good results. The box would expand to cover the cars, but half the car would still be soft or out of focus. I got more of the cars in focus using zone AF. Fuji needs to either hire better engineers, or stop advertising the XH2s as being as good as the competition. It is not. You can make it work, but they are nowhere near pro level, flagship cameras from Sony, Canon and Nikon when it comes to AF.

[@karlbratby4349]

Sadly I agree, sold my A9ll’s to move to Fuji thinking it would be as good but nowhere near, lots to like but AF is very inconsistent

[@rvpcqp]

Agreed. Selling my XT-3 after 5 years and can buy the Zf for less than XH2s along with top quality mid range zoom & telephotos that Fuji can’t match.

[@idahomountainlover754]

I’m assuming you are a pro photographer and have shot extensively with Nikon, Canon, and Sony. Mind sharing some photos of each of those brands so we can decide for ourselves?

[@menkassio]

It should be Fujifilm's priority number 1.

[@avartefilms7346]

What about AF in videos comparing both cameras?

[@T2Drift]

Matiheu, i think about the XH2, i had the XT4 but i saw in your List the XT4 where over in Place. Wourth the change or not? I tought the AF where better on the XH2... so it is an plus or i am stay to the XT4...

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Fujifilm has released a firmware update recently that improves the performance in C-AF on the X-H2 (but I haven't tested that yet). I would say it really depends on what you do. In my experience so far, the improvements with the AF is not night and day, but there are benefits like animals/bird subject detection which works really well with static subjects. Other improvements with the X-H2 are the sensor and the ergonomics.

[@naturealbums]

This is sad XH2s got the spec and hardware I want and the Canon has the AF I want but not the spec especially the Canon R7 was a let down If only Canon could buy the stacked XH2s sensor from Sony. I think I will just wait for the Nikon Z8 and hope for Z9 sensor. Thanks for the hard work you do especially important as we are losing dpreview.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Thank you! Really sad to see DPreview closing down, I've often checked their reviews for reference.

[@seyirvarseyiricinde]

Hello, I am using xt4. Xh2 for the new body attracts my attention in terms of grip and ergonomics. How do you think XH2 is at the end of the new updates? Is it suitable for my macro and bird photos? Also what do you say about ISO performance. Thank you very much with best wishes.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

With long lenses, the ergonomics of the X-H2 makes a big difference. I haven't tested the latest update, but the X-H2 will give you some advantages like bird detection, and the ISO performance is very good considering the higher MP count. I'm not a macro expert however.

[@seyirvarseyiricinde]

@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons Thank you 🙏😊

[@banaz5018]

Plug metabones + EF lense c any different.

[@arulprakash6180]

fentastic review bro

[@mrsamadev]

I own an XT3, and I'm considering upgrading it; I would like to do more bird and wildlife photography now that I bought the 100-400. Any advice on which one to choose from all the models available?

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

I would go with the X-H2 or X-H2S if you have the budget, because I prefer their grip and ergonomics for a lens like the 100-400mm.

[@wasamattayu4144]

great analysis ...thanks

[@wasamattayu4144]

and subscribed

[@AlexKim-po5lx]

please tell me what is better to buy a Sony a7m4 or a7R 5 ?

[@diba4645]

simply perfect

[@71co0k]

Any update here based on firmware updates? Thanks.

[@jeremytheoneofdestiny8691]

What camera was this video recorded on? The rolling shutter is pretty noticeable.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Where exactly? Me talking is with the A7 IV, some shots of the camera were recorded with the OM-1 if I remember correctly.

[@fredericklim5559]

Let me know you suggest me Fujifilm x-h2 or x-h2s which one is better for photography only? No video.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

It depends what genre(s) of photography. If we're talking action (spots, wildlife etc), the faster sensor readout of the X-H2S means you can work at 20/30/40fps with mininal to non-existent rolling shutter. Otherwise, I would say the X-H2: less expensive, and the 40MP sensor is really good.

[@AlexKim-po5lx]

Hi! Please tell me, do I have a Canon 5 d m3? I want to change it to mirrorless. Initially R6m2 or Sony a 7m4. Or should I buy R5 right away? Sony a7mr5

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

If you have a lot of Canon EF lenses, it could be a good idea to go with the R6 II, and use the adapter so you can keep using them with optimal performance.

[@rawalkiran1]

Greetings from India Please make a vedio on Fuji xs20...

[@JEstebanBerrío]

Great work!!!

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Thank you!

[@cameraprepper7938]

The 40 megapixels version !!!

[@os6219]

Cramping too many photosites onto the same surface. Nice video!

[@TomKredo]

Hi Mathieu. Great video. Thanks. How does the Nikon D500 stack up against the Fuji cameras in hit rates?

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

I tested the D500 a long time ago, but if I remember correctly it was around 85%.

[@TomKredo]

@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons So that's 85% sharp, so it's better than the X-H2S?

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Yes, although keep in mind that a difference of 3% is not big, also considering it’s a test done outdoor rather than in a lab. To me it basically means they are on the same level.

[@jakesdewet3567]

The problem Fuji face is the basis from where they developed their focus system. Nikon Canon, Sony OM all started out even DSLR days with strong basis for sport, action and wildlife. The reason focus settings for these systems are so different to obtain best results. You cannot use the Nikon focus system the same as Sony. Fuji’s problem is that they trying to develop a system from a base that was not developed initially for speed and accuracy. For slow moving and stationary subjects it is perfect. Even with FW updates we will never see it at the top level. But it remains a great system with some focus limitations. Just as the OM system is great action system but the sensor has limitations. So if you pick your brand understand the strengths and work around the limitations. Last point, subject detection is not to be used as the solution to all situations. In fact, it is overused and leads to a great deal of frustration. Great work.

[@Jeo-What]

Thank you for this in-depth review on both new X-H cameras which lead me to drop the Fuji X-series fully in favor of Sony FF system. The inconsistent AF has been what I have experienced for yeas since X-T1 which out weights many great designs and philocaly it stands for.

[@Mat-hr1dg]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but good luck finding a Sony in that price range that can land as many keepers in one second.

[@vimbro1]

Extra good video :)

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Thanks!

[@Tbonyandsteak]

Reviewer focus only on negative demanding enviroment. On birds in flight on clear sky background I get a 98% hit rate in focus. 2% a bit off focus.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

I always take sequences with the sky as a background, and sequences with busy background when I do my test. Yes they do very well with a sky background, but so do many other cameras, including the old Lumix G9 with its DfD autofocus for example. The more difficult challenge is with a busy background.

[@71co0k]

I'll hold on to my XT4. Not enough of an improvement.

[@igordmitriev7211]

>Despite the higher megapixel count... (05:35) Why are we comparing 100% crops here? When you compare noise levels between cameras with different megapixel counts, you have to compare images with the same composition. Imagine you had 1 million megapixel camera. Would you compare the pores on the lady's nose to the portrait of the lady? The answer is no. Higher megapixel count does not introduce "extra" or "more" noise - what matters is the signal-to-noise ratio, and, while there would be more pixels that you count as noise, there would also be more pixels that are signal. Anyway, thanks for this review, for the AF information it was very useful indeed!

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Because it doesn’t matter. In the real world, once you enjoy your 40MP camera and forget about the MP of other cameras, you’ll look at your images at 100% when you want to pixel peep. So I think showing 100% crops is more useful for those interested in the X-H2. If I’ll ever compare a 1 million megapixel camera one day, I’ll adapt my tests accordingly. 😉

[@totofboy]

It must be concluded that the smaller the sensor, the more difficult tracking is. Indeed the apsc and m43 do not have a good score compared to the FF. For R7, HX2S, OM1, A6600 the results do not exceed 82%.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

The OM-1 is 89%, so very close to the Canon R5. I don’t think the sensor size is a limiting factor necessarily. I just think Canon and Sony have technology they started to develop earlier, and they maintained their advantage. I’ll be curious to see what happens when (if) Sony designs a high end APS-C model. Or Nikon and Canon.

[@muttishelfer9122]

@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons Yes, it is a bit of a shame that in 2023 the 4 year old, limited A6600 still is Sonys latest "flagship" APS-C camera. Same with Nikon Z50.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

I'm (patiently) waiting for a serious Sony APS-C, as well as a "mirrorless D500" :-)

[@JoseCoheValencia]

Good article, but I would appreciate if it could be redone with the latest firmware updates on the FUJIFILM X-H2, as in the latest version 3.0 they applied many improvements to the autofocus in tracking moving subjects. As of today, they have added a couple of firmware versions with bug fix memo modifications. 3.1 y 3.2 Best regards and thanks.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

It's difficult to chase all the firmware updates, but I will do my best.

[@CaribbeanBacchanal]

Fuji lacks real birding telephoto lens.

[@hughjohns9110]

I have both cameras. I bought the X-H2s first then the X-H2 for the higher resolution to be able to crop more while retaining more sharpness and resolution. However in practice I can see no difference at all when cropping from either camera. It seems I'm not the only one finding this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqmbh5KogMZmfpY&ab_channel=MikeRiley Despite what Fuji claim, I suspect that the lenses just can't resolve the extra MP of the X-H2 (I'm using the xf100-400 and xf70-300 for wildlife).

[@Powerland56]

I‘m a little surprised. Results are completely unexpected. A new FW worse than the old? An old body (T4) as good as a new camera with stacked sensor, new processor and algorithm? I think for you too. Tests for example from AmazingNature Alpha are completely different and there the stacked bodys from all brands all are significantly better than others. As expected. I personally own the H2s and had the T4 and there are big differences in AF-C. I also don‘t agree, that FW 3.0 is worse than 1.03. You mentioned to have tested different AF-C settings. What was the tested setting in this case? Same as at first test or different settings?

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

I am surprised, and even a bit frustrated that I couldn't get a better result. I first tested with the settings that gave me the best score last time, then I started from scratch and tried all sorts of combinations with AF area, AF-C Custom Settings, Drive Speed etc. I do say in the video than firmware 3 brings a nice improvement with static subjects, so it's not all bad, but for BIF, I just couldn't see a relevant difference (and I really spent time with this, I have an excel file with all my results, and the X-H2S sheet is way longer than with any other camera LOL).

[@lumberjack3008]

Comparing the hit rates isn't telling the whole story, as it's impossible to repeat a single flight or situation and the number of shots isn't the same. Fujifilms AF is still quite far behind the competition. In my practise, the hit rate of the XH2s is clearly higher than the hit rate of the XH2, as the 150-600mm compared with the 100-400mm. Better results when shooting speedway too. Almist complete failure: trying to track a player during a soccer/football/rugby game. Very annoying.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

It's impossible to repeat the same single flight but I do all my tests in the same location, and the action is always similar, and there is time to test different things. I think it's a fair balance between accuracy and unpredictability (which is part of wildlife photography anyway).

[@sebastiano6155]

So the H2S in the tests performs like an xt4 and it is better not to upgrade, the H2/XT5 behave at high iso worse than an xt4 and xh2s. great job fuji with this generation of cameras

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

I wouldn't say worse at high ISO, especially for photos. It's a small tradeoff for the higher resolution. As for the tests, it's birds in flight where there are no improvements. With other things, the X-H2S is certainly better than the X-T4. What I'm trying to say is that it's not all bad, but obviously it also depends on one's need and expectation.

[@soundknight]

Neither! Birds can't hold cameras.

[@aurimaspovilionis3304]

Well I get your point about trying not be negative, but we all get the conclusion that this camera is a lie.. until (if) fw updates will fix that. To be honest… you can get, A7IV with lets say Tamron 150-500mm which is cheap but very good option for less than h2s and 100-400 or 150-600 cost and get better results. Fuji sucks balls 🤷🏼‍♂️ and it is how it is.

[@matt88169]

What do you mean by “better results”? More in focus pictures, or more good pictures? Size, weight, cost, and quality. You can slap the Tamron on the Fuji and save money too. Sony has 10fps max, 1/8000 shutter max. It may have better accuracy, but it imposes costs on you in various ways. Fuji is giving you features found in $5,000-$6,000 flagship cameras, and you are whining about a 10% difference in hit rates. Kind of silly. We all want a perfect algorithm and it sounds like, for static or slower action, Fuji is there. For fast bird-in-flight stuff there is room for improvement. Great. Both these cameras are a huge value and will be even better used.

[@Yupthereitism]

The Sony has better autofocus but Fuji has better color and is more lightweight. It’s tough

[@nigeldalton2561]

Have you seen reports of the inaccuracies in autofocus reported since the latest firmware updates Mathieu? I, like many other Fuji X-H2S users that I have read about, am experiencing exactly the same problems as reported by Tom Wright in his video last month and I can’t get any acknowledgement from Fujifilm that they are aware of the problem and whether there is likely to be a firmware update any time soon.