The
rumors about the Fujifilm X-H2 they've started piling up again recently, after a year in which Fujifilm focused its efforts on other mirrorless cameras like the Fujifilm X-T4 and Fujifilm X-S10. So,
Why have rumors about the X-H2 persisted and why is this such a long-awaited camera? The Fujifilm X-H1, which arrived in February 2018, was considered the flagship camera in Fujifilm's X-series range and an ideal choice for professionals who wanted a combination of DSLR-style handling with the latest mirrorless performance. But it also put the X-H1 in a bit of an odd position: as our review pointed out at the time, much of Fuji's allure rests in cameras that are smaller and cheaper than their full-frame counterparts, and the X-H1 it lacked both. of these things. The X-H1 was and still is an excellent all-rounder for photos and videos, but it can no longer be considered the flagship of the X series given the power of the Fujifilm X-T4. If the rumors are correct, that could be about to change with the Fujifilm X-H2, a new flagship that will put the XH line back at the top of Fuji's excellent line of mirrorless cameras. So,
what features are we waiting for and when could the X-H2 arrive? We've rounded up all the latest rumors and combined them with our analysis of their likelihood and the X-H2's place in the increasingly competitive world of the best mirrorless cameras.
Fujifilm X-H2 launch date and price
The latest rumors suggest that
the Fujifilm X-H2 will be released in 2022. This speculation stems from reliable Fuji rumors, which say the information comes from "multiple reliable sources."
(Image credit: Fujifilm) On one hand, it's good to hear that the Fujifilm X-H2 is almost certainly on the way, although Fujifilm constantly says that the XH series has a future, doubts have been raised due to the considerable hybrid power of Fujifilm. X-T4. But that also seems a long way off, considering that it would then be a span of four years since the arrival of the X-H1. However, according to Fuji Rumors, a "reliable Japanese source" has also claimed that the new mirrorless camera is "well worth the wait." And as we'll see below, there's good reason to believe it will. Since the X-H2 isn't expected to arrive until 2022, there have been no leaks or pricing rumors yet. The Fujifilm X-H1 came in at €1,899 / €1,699 / €2,700AU (body only) in 2018, and assuming its successor inherits the flagship status of the X-T4 again, we can expect its price to be a bit more. higher than that. It'd probably take some daylight between the X-T1,699's €1,549 / €2,999 / AU€4 price for the X-T4 and X-H2, though Fuji probably can't afford the price as high as the best devices. full-frame photo like the Nikon Z6 II (which costs €2000 / €1999 / €3399AU, body only). Therefore, a price between these two brands seems the most likely.
Fujifilm X-H2 Rumors and Leaks
While
Fujifilm X-H2 rumors are still relatively early, the picture emerging from various leaks and rumors is that the X-H2 is likely to be a landmark camera that will take the X-series to the next level. The reason is the possibility that the X-H2 may bring a new sensor with a stacked CMOS design. As we've seen in cameras like the Sony A1, this new ``stacked'' design (allowing the sensor to have multiple layers of circuitry behind the photodiodes or pixels) can provide great potential benefits in areas like burst shooting, autofocus and video. .
(Image credit: Future) Although that's just speculation for now, there's good reason to believe that the X-H2 could be the first Fujifilm camera to feature a new stacked APS-C sensor. First, the company's latest 4 MP BSI X-Trans CMOS 26.1 sensor, which we first saw in the Fujifilm X-T3 back in 2018, has probably reached its limits in cameras like the X-T4. It's time to take another leap forward if Fuji's premium offerings are going to compete with full-frame cameras from Sony, Canon, and Nikon. Also, in an Imaging Resource interview in 2020, Shin Udono (Senior Director of Sales and Marketing at Fujifim) said that "we need some kind of breakthrough, probably" to separate the XT line from the XH series. He also backed a statement that the XH series is where "new technology enters the product line." While this could also refer to other features, such as the introduction of Integrated Image Stabilization (IBIS) for the first time on Fujifilm cameras in the X-H1, it most likely refers to a new sensor. Another reason to believe this is the apparent leak, spotted by EOSHD, of a new stacked Sony APS-C sensor that has a 43MP resolution and can record 8K video with 12-bit color depth. We're firmly in the realm of rumors here, and while this Sony sensor leak is true, it's not certain that Fujifilm could use it in the X-H2 or other X-series cameras. As FujiAddict noted at the time of the leak , Sony could use this chip exclusively in its own APS-C Alpha cameras, which also need to be updated. Still, the rumors that the X-H2 will introduce a new sensor, whatever that may be, seem very likely. Fujifilm admitted on its Fujicast podcast that the current 26MP sensor seen in the recent Fujifilm X-E4 will likely reach the end of its life, so we can expect to see a new chip in the X-H2. But what other features would we like to see brought to the camera?
Fujifilm X-H2: what we want to see
1. A high resolution electronic viewfinder
(Image credit: Future) One of the Fujifilm X-H1's strong points at launch was its "brilliant viewfinder," as our reviewer called its 3,69 million-dot OLED EVF. That said, as an expected flagship from Fuji, we expect the X-H2 to take the EVF up a notch again. Viewfinders have now moved on to incredible 9,44 million-dot monitors at 0,90x magnification, like the one on the Sony A1. But perhaps more realistically, we'd like to see the Fujifilm X-H2 with a viewfinder like the one seen on the Sony A7R IV, which is a 5.76 million-dot affair with a 120fps refresh rate, which It is useful to get a fluent overview. of fast moving scenes.
2. A new battery
An almost guaranteed feature of the Fujifilm X-H2 is the new battery holder introduced by Fuji in the Fujifilm X-T4.
(Image credit: Future) The Fujifilm NP-W235 is a higher capacity battery than the older NP-W126S and in the X-T4 we found this to be a significant advance, at around 600 shots per charge. Good battery performance is especially important on mirrorless cameras shooting a mix of video and stills, which is what we've come to expect from the X-H2, and it's likely to keep a check on battery life too, either under form. of
compatibility with the VPB-XH1 or a new handle that can accommodate two additional batteries.
3. Powerful 6K video skills
The Fujifilm X-T4 is already a pretty powerful video camera capable of shooting 4K/60p video, so here's hoping the X-H2 takes it to the next level.
(Image credit: Future) If that means 8K video remains to be seen, one rumor stems from this potentially leaked 43MP Sony sensor, but we'd definitely like to see 6K video mode. This would help provide some handy extra leeway, for example giving you the option to stabilize shaky video in post-production or create upsampled 4K images that get more detail and sharpness. But perhaps even more important and useful than an increase in resolution would be the removal of video recording limits. The Fujifilm X-H1 could only record continuously for 30 minutes at a time, so we'd like to see the X-H2 redesigned to better manage heat and allow the camera to match the devices impressive extended recording powers. Photo like the Sony A7S III. .
4. Better ports
(Image credit: Future) A few minor gripes we had with the Fujifilm X-H1 were its micro HDMI port, which tends to be less reliable than the full-size HDMI ones you see on cameras like the Panasonic GH5, and the fact that its headphone jack was not available. only on its battery grip. We'd love to see both of those things fixed in the X-H2, along with support for USB-C charging on the go and maybe even a CFexpress card slot, as previous rumors have hinted at.
5. Next-generation autofocus
(Image credit: Future) Fujifilm's autofocus has been greatly improved in recent cameras like the Fujifilm X-T4, which has doubled its predecessor's tracking success rate and fine-tuned its face/eye AF performance. But it still lags behind the best AF performance we've seen from rivals like the Sony A6400 and Canon EOS R6 - Sony, in particular, has really nailed autofocus performance on mid-range cameras, with incredibly tracking. sticky '' and an advanced Animal Eye autofocus, a real boon for snappers. We'd love to see the Fujifilm X-H2 show off next-gen AF performance that at least helps it get closer to its similarly priced rivals, as that would be a real boon for everything from portrait shooting to video.