It's been a few years since Fujifilm took the refresh brush to its X Series flagship, but that's now changed with the launch of the X-H2S APS-C mirrorless camera – which boasts a brand new image sensor, improved autofocus, 40 fps continuous shooting and 6.2K video chops.
The new X Series flagship has been built around a newly developed back-illuminated, stacked 26.16-MP X-Trans CMOS 5 HS imaging sensor that's reported to boast a 4x faster signal read speed than its predecessor.
This combines with the X-Processor 5 imaging engine to offer improved low-light performance up to extended sensitivity of ISO51,200 for still images and ISO25,600 for videos and up to 15 frames per second of continuous shooting using the mechanical shutter.
Switch that over to the electronic shutter and the camera is capable of up to 40 fps of blackout-free continuous shooting with AF/AE tracking for bursts of 184 JPEGs or 175 RAW, though the buffer can accommodate more than 1,000 frames at 30 fps for JPEG images or 20 fps for RAW.
The camera employs an AI processor to expand the subject-detection hybrid autofocus prowess to not only keep a human face and eyes in continuous focus, but also animals, birds, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, airplanes and trains.
And the X-H2S comes with a brand new 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization mechanism for up to seven stops of shake compensation.
Movie-makers can now get things rolling with a dedicated video recording button, and the camera is capable of capturing 10-bit 4:2:2 video at up to 6.2K/30p. For slow-motion scenes, up to 4K DCI (4,096 x 2,160) or UHD (3,840 x 2,160) at 120 fps and Full HD at 240 fps are also possible.
Footage can be captured in Apple ProRes HQ, 422 and LT, 10-bit 4:2:2 H.265 or 8-bit H.264 for workflow flexibility, this model is the first X Series camera to sport F-Log2 for over 14 stops of dynamic range, and stereo sound at 24-bit/48-kHz resolution can be captured.
A heat-dissipation design allows for up to 240 minutes of recording at 4K/60p resolution, with an optional cooling fan also available for shoots in high temperature locations.
The X-H2S is wrapped in a durable magnesium-alloy body with 79 weather-sealed points and able to operate in temperatures as low as -10 °C (14 °F). It comes packing a 0.5-inch 5.76-million-dot electronic viewfinder with 0.8x magnification and 120 fps, there's a 3-inch 1.62-million-dot vari-angle LCD touch display panel around back, and a quick-look monochrome sub-LCD panel up top to check key settings.
Rounding out the key specs are Bluetooth 4.2 and 802.11ac Wi-Fi, USB-C and HDMI interfaces (with support for 4K/120p output via the latter), it takes one CFexpress Type B card and one SD card, and Fujifilm says that it's improved the feel and operability of the shutter release button, and the shutter itself is designed to withstand 500,000 presses.
The X-H2S flagship will go on sale in early July for a suggested retail body only price of US$2.499.95.
Product page: X-H2S
