Bill Pierce
Well-known
Several folks, knowing that among the cameras I use are Fujis, asked what I thought of the new Fuji X H-1. My first thought was “Do you really need a new camera?” My second thought was I’ve never used one, but that doesn’t seem to stop dozens and dozens of people from writing “reviews” of the camera; so, why not?
The new features, and there are quite a few, are directed towards moving images, movies. IBIS, a higher fps and faster response in the viewfinder, cinema 4K/24fps and 4K/30fps, F-Log recorded directly at 4K to an SD card in the camera, video bit rate up to 200 and an improved built in microphone.
What about IBIS? Shouldn’t still photographers love a 5 axis, 5 stop shake correction? A few of the long or relatively slow Fuji lenses that would benefit from a shake control in stills have built in stabilization features already. Beyond that, we get into opinion. Mine is that IBIS doesn’t slow down moving subjects at slow shutter speeds, it can slightly lower edge resolution and (I’m told) it can mess up if you use it with a camera on a tripod. I don’t miss it on the current Fujis, and as someone who took pictures in the pre IBIS world, I own a table top tripod for my 1/2 second exposures.
Am I against IBIS? Absolutely not. There was a time early in my film days when I shot as much motion picture film as still film and would have loved to have something like IBIS. I think when they can, most cinematographers prefer the steadiness and smooth movement they get with a tripod mounted camera, but that’s not always possible. IBIS is a godsend for the cinematographer. It’s also the foremost reason the H-1 is bigger. Wiggling sensors take up more space.
In addition to the more established venues, the web has added to the outlets for moving images for everybody from journalists and commercial shooters to the family snap shooter. There are a lot of photographers that are neither still or motion photographers; they’re just photographers or both or whatever you want to call it. And in the case of professional photographers that’s keeping a lot of them alive (and killing off quit a few who say, “I only do stills.”). So, if you are a Fuji user interested in motion, the H-1 is an important and useful addition to the line. If you’re working for yourself, amateur or artist, and want to concentrate on stills, I don’t think the H-1 offers any advantages to someone who is already using Fuji’s X T-2.
Your thoughts? And that includes thoughts about new cameras in general which may be even more important.
The new features, and there are quite a few, are directed towards moving images, movies. IBIS, a higher fps and faster response in the viewfinder, cinema 4K/24fps and 4K/30fps, F-Log recorded directly at 4K to an SD card in the camera, video bit rate up to 200 and an improved built in microphone.
What about IBIS? Shouldn’t still photographers love a 5 axis, 5 stop shake correction? A few of the long or relatively slow Fuji lenses that would benefit from a shake control in stills have built in stabilization features already. Beyond that, we get into opinion. Mine is that IBIS doesn’t slow down moving subjects at slow shutter speeds, it can slightly lower edge resolution and (I’m told) it can mess up if you use it with a camera on a tripod. I don’t miss it on the current Fujis, and as someone who took pictures in the pre IBIS world, I own a table top tripod for my 1/2 second exposures.
Am I against IBIS? Absolutely not. There was a time early in my film days when I shot as much motion picture film as still film and would have loved to have something like IBIS. I think when they can, most cinematographers prefer the steadiness and smooth movement they get with a tripod mounted camera, but that’s not always possible. IBIS is a godsend for the cinematographer. It’s also the foremost reason the H-1 is bigger. Wiggling sensors take up more space.
In addition to the more established venues, the web has added to the outlets for moving images for everybody from journalists and commercial shooters to the family snap shooter. There are a lot of photographers that are neither still or motion photographers; they’re just photographers or both or whatever you want to call it. And in the case of professional photographers that’s keeping a lot of them alive (and killing off quit a few who say, “I only do stills.”). So, if you are a Fuji user interested in motion, the H-1 is an important and useful addition to the line. If you’re working for yourself, amateur or artist, and want to concentrate on stills, I don’t think the H-1 offers any advantages to someone who is already using Fuji’s X T-2.
Your thoughts? And that includes thoughts about new cameras in general which may be even more important.
