Let me start by saying I have never owned a X-T2. So if you are looking for advice on whether or not you should upgrade to the X-H1 from the X-T2 keep on Googling.  In the last 6 years, I have used most of the major brands: Sony, Canon, Nikon, and now Fuji so I do feel comfortable picking up almost any camera to learn how to use it.  This post will mostly be about whether or not I feel like the Fuji X-H1 can replace my Nikon D750 for client work because a Fuji x100 series camera (F and previously T) have been my main cameras for personal work for over 3 years.

Currently, in my work bag, I have: D750 (2), Sigma 24, 35, 50 Art lenses, Nikon 85mm 1.8, and Sigma 15mm fisheye. There is absolutely nothing my D750 lacks in image quality.  I am just considering whether the smaller footprint of the X-H1 and additional features will make my job easier.

I am coming off a weekend where I documented 3 families in their homes so these are my first impressions after some real use. Disclaimer – I shot all three sessions with both the X-H1 and a D750 but did not take many pictures that could actually be “compared” for review purposes.

Size

On paper, their weight difference seems minor. Despite only a reduction of less than 100 grams, the Fuji feels like a much smaller footprint, particularly when paired with the 18mm f/2 lens. I am not sure I will feel the same after my next lens purchase, but I am considering the 23 f/2 or 16-55mm 2.8.  The latter would add considerable heft to the camera. The grip on the X-H1 is comfortable to hold and while I have to hold a D750 + Sigma Art lens with two hands I seem to be able to shoot the X-H1 with one hand.

My advice when you are buying any camera is you must visit a store or rent it to see how you like holding it.

LCD screen

The Fuji has a major boost here with touch capability.  Once you get used to it the tap to focus or tap to focus/shoot is AMAZING, but a little bit of a learning curve!  If you have it on continuous focus/continuous shutter when you tap the screen without picking your finger up it will fire away until you pick your finger up.  Super helpful on wiggly babies or when there is a lot of action happening between a few subjects.  It might seem contrary to wanting a smaller camera, but I do wish the screen was just a tad bit bigger.

So why do you love the touch screen Colie?  Have you ever tried to get a picture of a baby in a crib and couldn’t manage to get a good angle and focus at the same time?  Or tried to use BBF in live view on a moving subject?  Yeah, the touch screen helps with all that. And while I love to brag about the amazingness of the flip screen on my D750 at a 90-degree angle over a crib, being able to touch the screen to focus is better than trying to focus with a button in this situation.

Image Quality

This seems to be the biggest concern for those considering a switch from Canon/Nikon to a mirrorless system, are the images comparable? I am going to talk about the two three most important factors of image quality for myself: color, noise, and sharpness.

Color – I am still learning my editing preferences for the Fuji.  I have also found it tends to shoot cooler and with more magenta than my Nikons.  Not really an issue, just an adjustment.

Low-light/Noise – Here is where I just don’t think a camera exists that will beat the D750 in low-light situations.  I think my keeper rate will improve once I get the hang of what this camera is capable of, but in low light, my D750 images seem cleaner even if the difference is marginal at a glance.

Sharpness – I am adding this in here because I am not sure the X-H1 + 18mm f/2 combination produces the same level of sharpness as my current combo of D750 + any of my Sigma Art lenses.  This may be due to the aperture setting + crop vs full frame sensor.  With a different depth of field perhaps I need to adjust my choice of aperture to achieve the same level of sharpness across subjects or for both eyes on a single subject.  Definitely, something to test further before deciding how these two cameras compare with each other.

I think the X-H1 craves light just like FujiFilm.  In a well-lit situation the clarity, color, and auto-focus on the xH1 are definitely on par with the D750, maybe even better, but in the absence of light the jury is still out. Maybe I should even clarify and say if there is moderate light but I need a faster shutter speed or smaller aperture, the image quality seems to suffer at a higher ISO. But in these situations it hard for me to declare at the moment that the D750 would be better without having a photograph to compare.

I am planning to do a more controlled test, shooting these cameras side by side in the next week.  I will update this when it is complete so we can pixel peep images taken at the same time with the same settings. The images below were not taken with the exact same settings or edited in the exact same way, but at a glance are similar in IQ.  In full-resolution, at 100% I do give Nikon the advantage.

 

Focus

Auto-focus is another big concern for those thinking of making the switch to mirrorless, particularly Fuji because they have a reputation for not being as responsive as the DSLRs. I have used a Sigma 35 Art as my main lens for the last 4+ years and it is incredibly quick and accurate for auto-focus. There have been several complaints and videos detailing issues with the X-H1’s continuous auto-focus in video (see HERE for sample video).  I have not been able to replicate this in the videos I have shot, but I can say I have been a tad disappointed in the AF-C in stills. I can’t yet say there is a problem or that it comes up short compared to the D750 until I take the time to test out all the settings and compare results with face/eye detection on and off. But the first time I used it on the default settings I would have preferred better results.  I should also test it in different lighting situations to see if that has an effect on nailing focus and freezing motion.  Last, the only lens I own is the 18mm f/2 which is not a newer lens.  I am told nearly all Fuji lenses focus faster than this one so while I love the focal length it might not be the best option for my genre. I am constantly chasing kids or photographing their parents chasing them like the mama below, so it’s really important my camera be able to keep up with the motion.

Video

So this is the main selling part of the X-H1, but I will admit I haven’t been able to fully test it.  The Eterna preset is a great base for editing but in my sessions this weekend I didn’t capture as much video as I normally would.  Part of this is because of the ease of switching between video and stills which I will address in the next section.  As I touched on earlier I love the touch screen for setting my initial focus or refocusing between subjects during a clip.  More on the video features in a THIS post.

Ease of Use

The best thing about my D750 is the ease of shooting both photos + video, with the flip of a button.  I am going to admit it here this is where the Fuji has failed me.  It does NOT save video settings separate from still exposure settings so I get tired just thinking of going back and forth.  There are a few workarounds.

Method #1 – Dialing in SS under T

I tested saving my 1/120 shutter speed (for 60p) under T. But then at a bare minimum, I have to turn the drive dial to Movie and the shutter speed dial over to T before adjusting the aperture/ISO as needed. After all that I can hit record.

Method #2 – Silent Movie Mode

You can dial in your optimal shutter speed while in Silent Movie Mode and it will remember your settings (similar to my D750). However, if you accidentally turn silent movie mode off it forgets the previous settings and refreshes to whatever the current settings are. While in silent mode all dials are disabled and all exposure settings must be adjusted using the touchscreen.

I just don’t understand why Nikon is the only one to have video and still settings saved separately by default. It is not a deal breaker because obviously there are hybrid (video + stills) photographers that are able to get the job done with other brands, but it will require me to make some adjustments in my shooting habits. I worry there might be moments I miss while I am trying to get the camera changed over from stills to video.

Because of the eye-sensor mode, I feel like I can grab the Fuji and take a picture much faster than the D750.  I don’t have to hit a Live View button because if my eye is not on the viewfinder the LCD screen is automatically on and ready for use. I have set up my command wheels in the same manner as my x100F, so I am not really using the dials at the top of the camera and it is pretty similar to my D750.

So there was that one time I accidentally put the Fuji in Silent Movie Mode and thought the camera was broken.  None of the dials worked and I couldn’t see on the LCD that it was in silent mode. I am really just adding this in here in case this happens to anyone reading this review.

Last it has the same amazing app as my X100F, which is WORLDS above the Nikon version.  The ability to change the exposure settings, record video, and download images from the app is A+. I take full advantage to get our monthly family selfies on the couch.

Final Impressions

So am I ready to sell all the Nikon? Not yet, but I am trying to go all in.  I sold off my Sigma 24 & 35 Art lenses so that I could push myself to not backtrack but for the foreseeable future I will have a D750 in the bag and my Sigma 50 Art and Nikon 24G just in case I need them.  This weekend I shot two of my sessions about 75% with the Fuji and 25% with Nikon. While I am happy with the results, there is still a voice in the back of my head. ‘If I had used a D750 for that shot would I have nailed it?’ Until that type of thinking is gone there will always be room for at least one D750 in the camera bag, she just might not be able to come out and play as often.

As I continue to play with the camera and blog the three sessions I photographed with this camera over the next few weeks I will update this blog post with additional thoughts, images, and links to relevant content.  Thanks!