Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsMy favorite Fujifilm camera, great deep grip, soft shutter release, and IBIS
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2019
I have been a fan of Fujifilm cameras and lenses, and moved from the Sony A7 cameras to the X-T10 (mainly due to lens cost and size of full frame vs. crop). Since then I have owned the X100, X100T, X-T20, X-T3, and now the X-H1. At its current pricing, the X-H1 is an absolute bargain. Some thoughts:
1) This camera is BIG. Especially after using the tiny X-T20 for quite some time. This might be a negative to some, especially if you have smaller hands, but I actually quite like the size, especially when pairing this camera with larger lenses like the XF 50-140, or even the Viltrox 85mm. But know that this is a big camera, with a nice deep grip (much larger grip than any of their other cameras).
2) IBIS is excellent. I have gotten usable handheld footage from this camera with the XF 50-140, and sharp low-light pictures handheld with slow shutter speeds (with still subjects, of course). Low light images of moving subjects will still be blurry, obviously.
3) I have read many complaints about the missing exposure compensation dial, but that is a silly complaint. With the latest firmware, you can set one of the back dials to adjust the exposure (without holding any additional buttons). This really shouldn't stop you from buying this camera.
4) Autofocus is generally good, but definitely NOT on the level of the X-T3. If you have used the X-T20 or the X-T2, the autofocus performs more or less the same. The X-T3 (and I assume the newer cameras like the X-T30 or X-pro3) have superior autofocus speed, and much better face/eye detect. So if autofocus is your priority over IBIS, I would recommend the X-T3 or newer. However, the autofocus of the X-H1 (and X-T20) has always been good enough for me.
5) Yes, the battery life is terrible. If you are using this without the grip, make sure you have a few spare batteries on hand. Not really a big deal to me, as I always carry a few spares but I know it is important to many. Although I will say it was nice to be able to use all of my old batteries from the previous cameras.
6) Eterna is awesome. I shoot with the default Provia film simulation most of the time for stills, with occasional Classic Chrome, but Eterna is amazing for video, especially if you need/want to save time. Videos look great straight out of the camera without much need for tweaking. LOVE IT.
7) The shutter release is polarizing, and I can see how many people hate it, but I love it. It has a really, REALLY soft touch and is amazingly quiet. It did take some getting used to coming from the X-T20 and the X-T3, but now I really love it.
For what this camera can do, and the fact that it includes the battery grip, it is a crazy good deal. I have the X-T3 as well, and I usually end up carrying the X-H1 with me (although both cameras are exceptional). I avoided this camera for the longest time because of many negative reviews, but I couldn't pass up trying it out when the price dropped a second time. I'm glad I did, because I really love it.