X Series · 2018

Fujifilm X-H1

Name: FUJIFILM X-H1
Brand: Fujifilm
Availability: Discontinued

The first Fujifilm with IBIS, and the home of ETERNA.

Short answer

The X-H1 was Fujifilm’s first camera with in-body stabilisation and the camera ETERNA debuted on. It has a 24.3MP X-Trans III sensor, a top LCD, a huge grip and 16 film simulations. It sold poorly and is now very cheap used.

The X-H1 was ahead of its time and mistimed. It brought stabilisation, a professional body and ETERNA to Fujifilm months before the X-T3 arrived with a much newer sensor, and buyers went to the X-T3 instead.

Key specs

Sensor: 24.3 MP X-Trans CMOS III
Processor: X-Processor Pro
In-body stabilisation: Yes · 5.5 EV
Viewfinder: 3.69M-dot OLED, 0.75× magnification
Video: 4K/30p, 1080/120p, F-Log internal
Weight: 673 g
Battery life: 310 shots
Launch price: $1,899

Specifications

Released: March 2018
Sensor: APS-C · 23.6 × 15.6 mm
ISO range: ISO 200–12800 (100–51200 extended)
Burst: 14 fps with booster grip, 8 fps standard
Screen: 3.0-inch vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04M dots, plus top LCD
Lens mount: Fujifilm X
Card slots: 2× SD UHS-II
Dimensions: 139.8 × 97.3 × 85.5 mm

Dimensions

139.8 mm wide
97.3 mm tall
85.5 mm deep

Body drawn to scale from the dimensions Fujifilm publishes. Depth is listed, not drawn.

What it brought first

In-body stabilisation, rated at 5.5 stops. A top-plate LCD. A flicker-reduction mode for indoor sport. A feathered shutter release that fires with almost no pressure, which people either love or hate.

ETERNA debuted here too, which made the X-H1 the first Fujifilm anyone took seriously for video.

Why it is cheap now

The X-T3 launched six months later with the newer 26MP X-Trans 4 sensor, better autofocus and better video, in a smaller body, for less money. The X-H1 never recovered.

What that means today is a stabilised, weather-sealed, professionally built body with dual UHS-II slots at a price that undercuts much lesser cameras. Battery life at 310 frames is the main weakness.

What is good

5.5 stops of IBIS on a used-price body
ETERNA and ACROS on the X-Trans III sensor
Top LCD, dual UHS-II slots, full sealing
The best-built Fujifilm of its generation

What is not

Battery life of 310 frames
673g and physically large
Older sensor and autofocus than the X-T3

Verdict

The X-H1 is the biggest bargain in the used Fujifilm market if you can live with the battery. Buy spares and enjoy a professional body for entry-level money.