Cut to the chase: This is one of the best camera ever made.

Get it here! It’s $400 off!

See my hands-on review here.

Disclaimer: All of my reviews come from real world testing – paid by no one other than me. My opinions are mine and I spare no one (see how I go off against Olympus here). If I sound optimistic when I talk about Fuji, it’s only because I’ve shot some of my best work with this brand. They make great products.

Fuji X-H1 with the fantastic 35mm f/1.4 XF (reviewed here)

Fuji X-H1 review

There are no other ways to put it… it’s every thing a photographer would ever want, and then some.

It has a wonderful 24mp sensor that I came to love (most pictures taken in the last year were with the X-Pro2 that has the same sensor). It has an image stabilization that is better or equal than to Olympus (Why would this guy says : “We also get the 5-Axis IS in the Fuji, which is good to see (though no one does it better than Olympus”: maybe paid by Olympus?). It has two memory cards slots (SD-USH II). It’s made out of magnesium alloy. It’s hefty and feels like a pro body (well, it is). The grip is comfortable. This is way more comfortable than the X-T2/X-T3 series for me, no comparison.

The shutter sound is the quietest on the market. It’s so soft… it just makes me want to shoot!

There is a famous internet article written by Chris on the X-H1 saying that it is a great camera with a big problem (I will quote: “The biggest problem has more to do with the ergonomics: they just don’t feel right and you need a massive hand to even make sense of it otherwise. Fujifilm is taking what’s so great about them (their retro ergonomics) and trying to get rid of them at least with this camera. And I feel like that’s wrong.”) and I can only left but wonder… does the writer of that article even used it?

The ergonomics are fantastic! Only the Q button is misplaced, but every DSLRs ever made had some quirks that you just have to get used to it. The X-H1 is a marvel of ergonomics. But what do you know! I’ve only shot with 20 differents DSLRs and mirroless in my life – most of the time for professional use, so maybe I am not qualified.

For anyone to write this: “It has all of the absolute best features that Fujifilm has packed into it, but the ergonomics are just so much of a let down.” only means that he never shot with this camera extensively, or does not know how camera works, or his biased and paid by Fuji to get the X-T3. Enough for the rent.

Anyone can pick-up a X-H1 and realizing how much Fuji nailed the ergonomics. The only other body that does it for me is the Nikon D3s (no, I never grew accustomed to the D4/D4s layout… that ISO button is awkward).

It has a touch-screen that rotates up and down and right. I cannot find ONE bad thing about this camera… The files are nice up to 12 800 ISO (comparable to a Nikon D3s almost!), way better than the X-Pro2 and Xt2 (of course, nobody on the interwebs will tell you that!)

It shoots up to 11 FPS with the mechanical shutter or 14 fps with the electronic shutter (but without tracking this time). It’s all weather sealed and has tons of external controls.

The autofocus is quick! It’s on par with any APS-C cameras in good light. In less than good light, it still kicks ass. I was fine with autofocus of the X-Pro2 for weddings, most of the time. The X-H1 is an improvement, so nothing to complain about!

Maybe the biggest plus for professional is the top screen: you can have a quick glance at your settings and just start shooting, without going in the menu. You can have the option to select black on white or white on black text, it’s truly brilliant. Even the Nikon D5 isn’t that smart.

ISO 4000: You can start seeing the noise on the black shirt.

Close-up: lots of noise reduction, but overly still great!

Great dynamic range! ISO 400, JPG, 200% DR mode on.

Pushing the limits! ISO 51 200, f/2.8, hand-held. Click to enlarge.

Great colors… Picture taken with the great –excellent– 16-55mm f/2.8

ISO 1600: You can see the noise in the 85mm f/1.2 (click to enlarge).

Is the Fuji X-H1 that much better than the X-Pro2? Hell yeah – image quality is an improvement! Autofocus is quicker, snappier, the video quality is so much better, the sensor as an image stabilization system and the EVF is the best –the best– in the industry.

Will I keep my X-Pro2? Yes. There’s nothing like a small discreet body to walk-around town when touring. It’s also a sexy body, and paid for, so what the hell. There’s not such a thing as too many Fujis ;).

Okay, one negative thing to say: The buttons are too small on the grip!. What the hell were they thinking?

My recommendation: stay clear of the X-T2 or X-T3: The X-Pro2 is still an awesome body. Doing weddings with both of these bodies will be nothing short of perfect! The battery life is great: One can easily do 5000 shots with the three batteries, if you use the EVF and the IBIS (ON). I did many times over 2000 shots with the X-Pro2 on one battery: the X-H1 can have three batteries inside. You can also charge the battery via USB cable or the 120V charger that connects directly to the grip: this is such a great idea. It means that, if you ever need a quick boost of juice at a ceremony, you can set up your X-H1 to charge for half an hour while you shoot with your other space body. Carrying extra batteries is annoying.

Bottom line: Get it if you need one of the best camera ever made in the last decade. Ken Rockwell was right on his review… The X-H1 is for the artist. There was never so much packed into a camera for so little (only $1k USD). We live in the best time indeed.

If you are hesitating between the X-T3 and the X-H1, the X-H1 wins… better grip, better price, best look, best EVF, better construction, better sensor (yes, many believe the X-Trans sensor from the X-t2, Xpro2 and Xh1 is actually better than the new from the X-Pro3 and X-T3).

If you wonder which one you should pick between a X-Pro2 and a X-H1, I would say try both. One is smaller, and maybe even sexier (the look of the X-Pro2 is hard to beat! Plus it has the OVF…), but the X-H1 without the grip feels small too.

That’s it. If you are a professional or an artist or someone that likes object made with great care, the X-H1 is your dream come true.

EDIT: The X-Pro3 just got released! I can already see people googling: X-Pro3 vs X-H1 vs X-T3: The answer is simple. It’s X-H1 every single time. X-Pro3 is a niche product that 99% of the shooters wouldn’t not enjoy (compare to, say, a X-H1 or X-Pro2). The real kicker here comes to video: Only the X-H1 has the image stabilization built-in. It means that you can shoot with the 56mm f/1.2 at 1/15 at ISO 1600 rather than 1/100 at ISO 12 800, which is a game-changer.

Fuji X-H1 with a Nikon Sb-900 flash. It works well (non-ttl)

True bottom line: Does it camera make you wanna go shoot? YES. YES over and over!

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