• Fujifilm X-H2: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Moment

Photons to Photos just published its data regarding the sensor performance of the 40 megapixel Fujifilm X-H2.

We see that at base ISO the Fujifilm X-H2 has the best dynamic range of all Fujifilm cameras thanks to its new native ISO125.

Dual conversion gain is at ISO 500.

An astonishing result for a camera with significantly more megapixel than any other X series camera. And remember, the Fujifilm X-T5 will have the same sensor of the Fujifilm X-H2, so the results of the X-T5 will be pretty much identical to the one of the X-H2.

Well done, Fujifilm!

• Fujifilm X-H2 DigitalCamera Review: “Fujifilm just Broke all the Rules for APS-C camera Sensors”

You can check out the results at Photons to Photos here.

• Fujifilm X-H2: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Moment
• Fujifilm X-H2S: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Moment

The web is full of professional reviewers suddenly discovering how amazing the Hasselblad X2D is, how gorgeous its dynamic range, the flexibility of those files. It’s all so amazing. Forget full frame, medium format is the future!

Sadly many of those reviewers have since now totally ignored that the Fujifilm GFX100S exists. And by the way, they also ignore the Fujifilm X-H2 and X-H2S. Fujifilm simply does not exist.

Luckily for us, Bill at Photon to Photos did not forget that Fujifilm makes digital cameras and has them all in his database.

And he also added the Hasselblad X2D now.

How you can see, the Fujifilm GFX100S matches the Hasselblad dynamic range at base ISO, but starting from ISO 400 and beyond there is not competition and the GFX100S beats the X2D in terms of dynamic range.

So Fujifilm is able to take out more of the sensor than Hasselblad.

You can access the data here at Photon to Photos.

UPDATE: Jim Kasson, a very respectable and competent fellow GFX shooter, has a different view on the chart. He writes:

Bill’s PDR tests don’t take sensitivity into account. My tests show that, at base ISO (64 for X2D, 100 for GFX 100S), the two cameras are within 0.2 stops of having the same sensitivity. Once you correct for that, Bill’s curves for the two cameras are nearly on top of each other. So the Fuji Rumors claim is at best misleading, and at worst just plain wrong. C’mon folks, these cameras have the same sensors, albeit operated slightly differently. How far apart can the DR be?

You can read more at blog.kasson here.

• Hasselblad X2D: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama
• Fujifilm GFX100S: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Focuscamera / Moment
• FujifilmGFX50S II: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Focuscamera / Moment

Third party lenses are fantastic!

I have manual focus X and G mount lenses and one day I’ll also get some third party AF lenses (especially this upcoming one sounds sweet to me).

But truth be spoken: I almost exclusively use XF/GF lenses, so much so that one could call me almost an “XF obsessed” or “Fujinon purist” if you want.

And there is one main reason for me using almost exclusively Fujinon lenses.

What I am most addicted to on my Fujifilm systems are:

• retro look/controls (love aperture ring on the lens and dials on the camera)
• Fujifilm colors (the film simulations)

And while I own some wonderfully vintage looking third party glass, what is really hard to emulate and to perfectly match for third party lenses, is the color rendition of my Fujinon lenses!

And as a film simulation lover myself, this is a big deal!

In practical terms this means that for example an image taken in Velvia on my Samyang 12mmF2 just does not look like the Velvia I am used to get with my Fujinon lenses.

But don’t get me wrong.

I like Samyang and shot some of my most loved images with it. And I can always tweak the colors in post to get closer to the look I want.

But in my experience XF/GF lenses are just incredibly consistent in terms of colors and I know they will deliver the best results in terms “film simulation rendering” over any third party lens (this also helps my editing workflow).

With that said, I am also convinced that third party lenses massively enrich the Fujifilm X and GFX system.

And I’d dare to say that third party glass is even vital and essential for the Fujifilm system.

Third party lenses can be much more affordable, offer interesting focal range not covered by Fujifilm glass (like this lens), have different design choices that some might prefer (like clickless aperture ring) and have their own lens character that might appeal to some (like the lovely sunstars of this lens).

And because I am convinced about how important third party lenses are for the Fujifilm X/GFX system, I am going to do two things now:

1. next week I am going to take picture only using my third party X and G mount glass
2. I will share this roundup dedicated only to third party lenses

So let’s rock it now :)

Third Party Lens Roundup