Here are the latest updates from Fujifilm recapped by FujiAddict:
Fujifilm X-H2S Interview: New Fujifilm App in September, AF Algorithm Explained, PSAM, and More
- X-H2S will launch in the beginning of July
- The grip and shoulder display have been continued from the X-H1
- X-H2S went PSAM because GFX users liked it and getting to user-defined settings quickly
- It’s mentioned that some will miss the classic controls and the Fujifilm rep promises to pass that along
- 1/15th a second is still the slowest you can use with Auto ISO and this can’t be changed at this time
- If you quickly use the viewfinder the image is guaranteed to be perfectly sharp
- The viewfinder refresh speed has increased from 100fps to 120fps and for really fast movement there is a 240fps mode with reduced resolution
- Fujifilm continued with X-Trans because they continue to have very good sharpness and noise performance with X-Trans
- Lightroom, Photoshop, and Capture one just about get everything out of X-Trans RAW files now
- The Fujifilm X-H2S sensor improves read-out time by 4x which helps mitigate rolling shutter
- Electronic shutter flash is only possible with the fast read-out time of the sensor in the X-H2S because the sensor has to finish reading in the time that the flash is active.
- IBIS uses a lot of processing power due to all the calculations being done
- The X-T4 processor was about 600Mhz but the X-H2S processor is about 1 Ghz
- The X-T4 and X-H2S use the same IBIS system and the improved performance is coming from the additional processing power and algorithm improvements
- HEIF was added to provide more compression and some ability to edit without needing a lot of storage since it uses about 70% of the size without a loss of quality at 10-bit while JPEG captures 30% of the quality with 8-bit color depth
- Fujifilm helps every RAW decoder work with its files by turning over the info they need before launch to provide support, but they have no ability to get a company like Apple to provide compressed RAW support
- The 4x sampling rate of the Fujifilm X-H2S helps its AF performance tracking accurately across the frame
- Fujifilm added object detection to the X-H2S and it can make adjustments between every shot even at 40fps while the previous generation had limited adjustments due to a lack of read-out speed and processing power
- Fujifilm also improved the algorithm in the X-H2S so that the camera isn’t as easy to trick, which is helped by the speed of the sensor and processor so when something interferes with what you are tracking the camera will hold the focus point until the new objects moves out of the way
- Of course, you can decide to let the camera move to the object that interferes by adjusting the AF-C settings in the camera if you want
- The camera uses AI based on a large image library that was fed to it so that it could recognize select objects
- Fujifilm has to train the camera to handle all kinds of lighting conditions too so that a well-lit face and low-light face are equally recognized
- Fujifilm will continue to improve AF via firmware updates
- The new sensor and processor are what make the X-H2S able to focus as well as it can, but some of the algorithm improvements could come to X-T4 and X-T3
- You can cycle through faces that are recognized with the joystick
- Fujifilm X-H2S is appropriate for amateurs to professionals for video
- There is no time limit on recording and Black Magic RAW and ProRes are supported with additional color depth and Log2
- The fan accessory can be set to run always at a low speed or to only turn on when necessary
- The magnesium body is one big heat sink and video can make it a little hotter than photos so they made the accessory to address the possibility of overheating
- The fan won’t help cool the sensor for astrophotography only shooting dark frames to remove noise will help and you need to shoot those in conjunction with your photos
- The file transfer grip adds two batteries and the ability to upload photos to a FTP server
- You can also use the ethernet to control the camera or multiple cameras at longer distances than USB would work
- The wifi in the file transfer grip adds MIMO antennas that allow for faster transfer speeds over longer distances
- You can use the iPad to control the X-H2S, but there might be more features coming in September for the file transfer grip
Fujifilm X-H2, X-H2S, X-Pro4, and X-T5
- First Fujicast in person in 878 days
- Fujifilm PSAM cameras are to make people coming to Fujifilm comfortable
- Fujifilm X-S10 and X-H2S were designed to draw people into Fujifilm
- More traditional dial cameras are coming
- The Fujifilm X-H2 will be the first camera to get the 40MP sensor but there won’t be any surprises from the X-H2S design
- Fujifilm believes X-H1 failed because it launched at the end of a tech cycle instead of the beginning
- Fujifilm X-H1 was the most advanced camera physically at the time, but the internals were not
- Fujifilm used to release new cameras with the same sensor and processor every 6 months, but then people expected the new features from the new cameras to be added to the older cameras
- Its easier to sell someone a new sensor than new features
- It’s unlikely they will do any other cameras with both the high-speed 26MP sensor and 40MP sensor due to the confusion it would cause among most consumers and instead, Fujifilm will cherry-pick which to use
- Fujifilm isn’t working on any flashes that they are aware of and Godox offers a good enough system
- Fujifilm doesn’t have the resources to do a full flash lineup and others are covering that now
- Not sure if we will see an X-Pro4 over the next 12 months, but they are going to make one
- Fujifilm X-Pro has been coming every 4 years so maybe Nov/Dec 2023/2024 based on the launch schedule
- We will hear about more at the X-Summit in Dec so maybe X-T5, X-E5 or X-Pro4 will be discussed then
Fujifilm X-H2S/X-H2 AF Performance
- Fujifilm X-H2S AF performance with the stacked sensor won’t perform like the 40MP sensor
The AF speed is based on the Processor, Sensor, and AF algorithm - Then Fujifilm X-H2S will be faster to focus due to checking all 3 boxes but the X-H2 will only have two
- The Fujifilm X-H2 AF will be faster and better than current X cameras though
Firmware Updates
- When Fujifilm started there was a lot more to get out of the camera processor and sensor because they were learning
- Firmware updates have decreased because they know how to get more out of the processor and sensor from the start now
- Fujifilm wants to get away from having people hooked on firmware updates now because they got stuck in a cycle of having to add features
Fujifilm X-H2S Interview: New Fujifilm App in September, AF Algorithm Explained, PSAM, and More
Atomos NINJA V/V+ Added Fujifilm X-H2S Support in AtomOS 10.77 and V/V+ Discounted
