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.

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 KZfaq. Thank you and congratulations !

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

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

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!

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!😊🙏

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

Excellent content, as always.

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

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.👍

Such a usefull comparison !! merci

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

Another honest review! Great!!!

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

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.

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.

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.

great analysis ...thanks

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.

fentastic review bro

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.

Great work!!!

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.

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

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

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?

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 : 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.

simply perfect

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

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.

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.

they are great cameras best aps-c

What about AF in videos comparing both cameras?

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?

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

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...

Would there be a comparison between om1 and xh2s ?

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.

Any update here based on firmware updates? Thanks.

Plug metabones + EF lense c any different.

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

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

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

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

Extra good video :)

The 40 megapixels version !!!

>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!

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

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

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.

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%.

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

Pre-Shot ES is a game-changing feature, but I hope Fuji finds a way to increase the FPS to more than ~10 while half-pressing the shutter button. Having 20, 30, 40 FPS after full-press is not all that useful when the moment you're likely using the feature for to begin with happened while you were half-pressing.

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.

Fuji lacks real birding telephoto lens.

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?

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.

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.

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

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.

Neither! Birds can't hold cameras.