I’ve been using the X-H2S for professional and grassroots motorsports photography almost every weekend since April, and after a couple firmware updates it truly started to feel like I can get >95% keepers from the camera regardless of how high I push the frame rate. It’s such a joy to use, not only due to the performance and ergonomics, but also because my whole kit is SO much lighter than all the other serious shooters in the press box. I look forward to every weekend I get to work now. I use my X-H2S with the Fuji XF100-400 mm and the Viltrox 75, 33 and 13mm lenses. Aside from that, I carry a 4lb monopod, some lens cleaning tools, and a water bottle. That’s my entire kit and it truly feels like a generational leap compared to the other folks I see dying in the heat with >50lbs of gear. (Like the Canon guys carrying 2 full frame bodies, one for photo and one for video, and a small fortune in RF glass, or the Sony videographers lugging around a gimbal/screen/mic setup that’s the size of a small child.)
For me, the R7 is a very fine camera. I agree with the “wobble”, but that’s usually only a problem when you put photos side te side. I can’t shake the feeling that your dislike of the R7 has more to do with the different button layout, than the quality of the camera itself. Combined with my EF100-400, and the RF800 (crazy reach!), it serves me well. And it’s so much cheaper😉 Cheers!
For the warbler migration, the extra reach of the R7 has been invaluable. Last year, with the R5 I constantly had to use Topaz Gigapixel on warbler photos after cropping in. If you use the electronic shutter with high speed fps, you may get one wobble in the bunch.
"I agree with the “wobble”, but that’s usually only a problem when you put photos side te side". MrBrabo1,the R5 does exactly the same. But I have learned to ignore the wobble and just look at each image as a stand alone. I love some of the images I get with the R5.
Jan, a big fan of your works.Yes the OM system OM-1 and it’s 150-400 f4.5 pro and that 300 f4 are the perfect hiking and walk around combo. I have taken beautiful images with that setup and I hope you can give it a try. I think Olympus or Now OM system is often being overlooked since it’s camera division was being sold and people are not very confident that they will continue to make good camera gears anymore.
Took the words out of my mouth, I have the OM-1 and 150-400 f4.5 and it runs circles around the R7 I had, I also have the R3 and prefer to use the OM-1. The OM-1 was built for wildlife photography period, it even picks up swallows faster than my R3.
I had Olympus with 300 and teleconverters. Where overall very happy but wanted longer reach and din’t dear to invest in 150-400. My M1-III also missed bird AI. I ended up moving to Canon R5 with 100-500. Love the AF system but miss some of the functionallity of OM!
As someone who was looking for a birding camera for use twice a day while walking our dogs, I chose a used Olympus E-M1 II back in 2020 then upgraded to the OM-1 in 2022. Very versatile with the 100-400 lens and incredible for birds-in-flight with the 40-150 and teleconverters.
+1 from me for the Olympus OM-1 with a 300F4 + TC1.4, or if you have the money, with a 150-400 F4.5 with built-in TC1.25. The OM-1 is a 2x crop sensor (M43) camera, so you get 840mm field of view with the first combo, and 1000mm with the second. I also shoot Canon (R, R6, and R7), but the the AF and tracking of the OM-1 is superior.
That Fuji kit looks great. I'm good with my R5 for now but nice to know what's out there. One thing I'd like to mention is that not everyone is comfortable brushing out a brighter spot or twig/branch etc. Sometimes there's a line I won't cross when it comes to faithfully representing a scene. That's a personal call and know that everyone's opinion on this is valid.
I love watching Jan and Glenn talking about photography equipment . What I can't stand is when they're trying to shove this photo editing stuff down our throat , it was Arthur Morris that said if you take a photo right out in the field you don't have to spend hundreds of hours manipulating the photos and I agree with him . a million percent .
I was looking at the OM-1 + 150-400 Pro lens for this exact purpose, the built in TC is really appealing, but it's quite expensive for just a casual walk-around setup, not to mention the lens is really hard to come by. At that price point, I'd have to completely switch systems to justify it, which I'm nowhere near ready to do.
I agree, I'm still using OM-1 300 f4 and teleconverters since any other alternative seems not valid in my eyes. I've read the Olympus 100-400 is too soft in the 300-400 range so for me it's a no. While the zuiko 150-400 4.5 is almost big as the Sony 200-600 and costs waaaay too much. So for me the real alternatives are based on a aps-c and a 150-600 zoom (or 200-600) this combo is more or less similar to my 300mm + mc14 but still shorter than 300mm + mc20. That leads to Fuji or Sony aps-c models. But I'd like to wait if Canon have some aps-c for wildlife in the next future.
Glen, I would not mind seeing a show about what you pack on your travels abroad, and how it is packed. For myself I want to take some holidays abroad with kit, however am not sure what is required with the airlines.
It's funny. I had an X-T5 and 100-400. I love the X-T5 but the AF for birds just didn't cut it. Sooo I went for the R5 and 100-500. Superior AF made life easier. But that said, with the 1.4xTC F10 is tough, and still only 700mm.
Thanks for sharing I own XT-4 and H2S and gave up using Fuji for wildlife. Its a no go. UNFORTUNATELY Currently searching for the right brand to switch to ... Also thinking about R5 and 100-500mm as a starter combo
Guys, SO glad to hear yourselves delving into that Fuji combo option. You've summed up my gear sentiments perfectly (Don't ever expect going to the cost and weight of a 600 prime). I'd hope you'd reconsider and spend more time with it to see if you might find ways to make it work better. I'd also welcome hearing more of your impression of both the quality of the raw files, and image quality of the lens. Like many, I went ahead and got an R7 and am pretty UNimpressed with it. Am using it with the 100-400 L IS v2. I know that I need a lens that'll go to at least 600 (800-900 FF equivalent) for the small bird photography here in the eastern U.S. So given I'm not jazzed with the R7, I've held off buying the very pricey RF 100-500. So, please keep these inquiries into lighter options coming! Thanks
Love the way how you discuss about interesting topics and your advice related to composition and editing. As a former Nikon enthusiast and now X-H2S hobbyist owning the 150 -600mm since eight months, I fully agree to your observations and judgment. In my opinion, that combo does not have a serious competitor considering its performance, price point and weight. Hopefully, Fujifilm will be able to enhance AF with firmware-updates further. I am looking forward to your future videos dealing with your photographic journey and comments on photography in general.
Glenn, hasn't it occurred to you that the reason why some of us don't use big primes isn't really that we wouldn't enjoy it? Or that we're not "that type of person"? There IS something called budget, you know, and many of us simply can't afford that type of equipment! A 500mm f4 is a lot more expensive than my current car was when I bought it.
The Sigma 150-600 contemporary is also very handholdable and with an Aps-c csmera it gives you 900mm. I use it with a Nikon Z6ii and even at 24mp full frame I can crop images and still get good quality photos.
Posting this BEFORE watching the full video. For size, weight, reach, NO COMBO beats the OM1 + 150-400mm 4.5 TC pro - up to 1000mm ffe reach, best IS in the industry and AF as good as the Sony A1. Plus pro-capture at up to 50 fps raw with full AF. I have this combo - as well as the Z8 with the 500mm 5.6 pf that I can shoot in DX mode. The Nikon combo is slightly lighter - the 150-400 is heavier than the 500 - but not as versatile and fast as the Oly gear. The alternative is the OM1 + 300mm f/4 pro with a TC. Not quite the reach you might want BUT incredibly lightweight and sharp. Now I’ll watch the video and see if you guys got it right.
Interesting that this topic comes up while I'm staring at a new Olympus OM-1 and 300/4 in my B&H cart. The A1 and 200-600 I have produce great photos, but take up a lot of room in my carry on and the 200-600 is a little front heavy. There's 3-4 YTers that have selected the OM-1 w/150-400 over the A1 & 200-600, trading FF IQ for 50FPS, ProCapture and easier handholding. Apparently the 150-400 is backweighted and easer to support. The combined IS of the Oly combo is supposedly very good also. And I see Duade Paton has been playing around with and OM-1.
@@josephnaranjo8286 I cannot recommend H2S due to AF issues mentioned, had simular experience. As well as you should just use mechanical shutter for moving objects acc. to German Fujifilm Support -- limits to 15fps. In addition, OVERHEATING is a big problem at H2S.
@@Jana-BrandenburgerPflanze never had that happen to me - new fw fixes some af issues. I shoot most of the time ES 20fps and 4k60 200mbps simultaneously.
I've been using a Canon r5 with the Sigma 150-600 for wildlife photography. I love the results, but not the weight of the kit. I have the Fuji X-t5 for everything else I photograph. I recently bought the Fuji 150-600 lens. I really like this combination. The X-t5 has 40 megapixels, the lens is light weight and zooms internally. It feels surprisingly well balanced on this small camera. The R5 performs better without question. But I still find myself taking the Fuji out much more often .
OM1 combined with the 100-400 here. For hires I use a Z7II with Sigma 150-600c and APO 1.4 TC. The OM1 is my always take it camera, for all that opportunities you engage each day, for birds in flight the Z7 is no match compared to the OM1 (bird detection works really well on the OM1)
I thought the choice would have been the OM1 until you revealed it. I will not switch from Canon but the OM1 with the 300 f4 would be my lightweight travel kit. As for the bluethroat the white version is common in the netherlands but Scandinavia has the red star variant. Thanks for another great video guys👍
Nice work again guys. The Fuji kit was new to me and an interesting effort by the company to move further in the direction of making gear for bird/wildlife photography. Now as Glenn well knows, because of my advancing years I converted to Olympus/OM-1 and have not been at all disappointed. I believe that the current gold standard light-weight bird photography kit is the OM-1 with the 150-400m internal zooming lens with a constant f/4.5 all the way to an effective 800mm. With the built-in 1.25x, the lens reaches an effective 1000mm f/5.6. It is of course very weather proofed, and the len’s stabilization synced with the OM-1 body’s IBIS to give at least 7 stops of stabilization. In my opinion, there is excellent micro contrast and sharpness of the lens wide open. A really useful feature of the lens is that it’s close forcing point is an amazing 1.3 meter. The stacked sensor gives no worries about rolling shutter. One can employ the much improved Bird AI and shoot with continuous AF up to 50 fps (I prefer to shoot with a lower fps.) . The Pro-capture feature is great to start temporarily buffering shots before the bird jumps into action. I find the continuous AF works very well for video, and one shoot stills or video in full manual with or without Auto ISO. I also find very useful that the hugely customizable button and lever functions are now much more intuitively set with the new menu system. Some full frame fan boys may say that low light noise is the killer for m43 kit. I say not any more when I have an incredibly stabilized and sharp 300-800mm lens that I can shoot at f/4.5 and use excellent noise reduction post production software when needed. A final point is that the m43 kit I have been discussing is a breeze to pack as carry-on for air travel in even small planes.
Great show guys, love taking my R6 markII with the RF 100-400 most of the stuff I shoot is close enough for this combo, if I need more I pull out the R7 with the EF 100-400 II with a 1.4 TC but it’s pretty heavy to just walk around with. 👀👀
As someone who like to travel light I find your pursuit of a walk-around kit interesting. I shoot the Lumix G9 with the 100-400 (200-800 in FF speak) and, with software upgrades, have found it underrated by most channels. Duade Paton seems to be enjoying experimenting with the OM-1. I had high hopes for the Canon R7 and the 100-500mm lens but I think Canon underestimated what birders would have been willing to pay for a more refined camera. I'm hoping Lumix will try to match the OM-1 AF upgrades and Canon will cure all complaints about the R7 with a Mark 2 upgrade.
I have dual EM1Xs, 300 f4 pro, and the 40-150 f2.8, I get some amazing photos with the pro capture. With the 1.4xTC on the 300, I get 840 f5.6 equivalent. I use the spider holster system and have a cam on the left hip and a cam on the right hip. Back up cams are the D500, and the D4s coupled to 500 PF, and the 300 PF. Cheers!
Hi,I use a R10 with the 100-400 RF lens it I believe the lightest mirror lens combo and performs well until the light gets dark. Add in the 1.4 converter your reach is just short of 900mm 35 mm equivalent. Finally it comes in at just over£2000.
I am mainly an aviation/airshow photographer, just beginning to dabble in bird photography, and I'm currently using the Fuji X-H2S and the 150-600 as my main kit. The review here is pretty much in line with the results I'm getting. The weight and ergonomics are fantastic, the images I get are very good, and the high ISO noise is well controlled making the f/8 at the long end not a huge hinderance. The autofocus is mostly reliable but, even at firmware 5.00, needs more improvement to get to the level of the Big Three. There is some fine tuning in the settings which does make some improvements. For in-flight aircraft and birds, I use a zone box and don't bother with subject detection, as I find subject detection to be less reliable as of the current firmware version.
I have the OM-1 with a 100-400mm Olympis F 5-6.3 lens, did know about the f4 pro lens but quite pricey to get into anything else that is a modern mirrorless setup
Had something to do with my neck and the issues that I have had, weight and size was a factor plus the whole kit without some of the extras I got would have been less than Rf 100-500mm lens, still if I want I can shoot at up 50 frames per second (the buffer is not good, so have chosen a slower setting) and is so transportable.
I have the Panasonic 100-400 and the 300mm F4. There's really no advantage in the 300mm f4 unless you are pixel peeping or selling large prints. If you just work on Instagram or post online it's difficult to justify the extra expense. Yes the 300mm is better in poor conditions - but in good light the 100-400 is very much in the same ballpark - and so much easier to carry for a 8 hr hike in rough terrain.
My main camera is Sony a1 with Sony 600mm f4 gm, but when I don’t want to carry a FF combo I am using OM-1 with Olympus 150-400 with built in TC which gives me 1000mm FF equivalent.Try you will enjoy it works much better than Fuji.
The X-H2S in the video is a different model and received similar AF improvements months ago. I'm assuming it would've had the latest firmware, considering Fujifilm sent it over for testing, but you never know. I have an X-H2S and the 150-600 and I agree that the AF and subject detection/tracking is definitely usable and a big improvement over previous Fuji cameras, but it still has some issues. I sometimes get false positive focus locks, where the camera has a green box around the subject, but when you review the photo, it's out of focus or really soft. But I love that Fuji and some of the other brands are getting some coverage on this channel!
@@aj-zk1wx same experience here, green box telling moving object being in focus but in the end its not sharp or completely out of focus. In the end not reliable at all.
Great to see crop formats get more attention! For those interested in the OM-1 mentioned several times in the comments, Duade Paton recently reviewed it for wildlife in the outback. And Richard Cook in Japan shoots amazing birds in flight with the OM-1, all handheld
Thanks so much for this video and information! I was a Fuji shooter until about 2 years ago and VERY happy with my xt4 and zoom lenses and such. Loved the weight, prices, captures, etc. when I occasionally dabbled in street photograph, it was so unobtrusive and quality was great. Until…. many 40 mpixels started coming out AND rave reviews on AF for Sony and Canon. I switched to Canon R5 and 100-500. I basically gave up thinking that fuji would ever invest and compete in AF. I’ve enjoyed my canon immensely. I do wish the zoom could compete w Sony and Nikon on size, quality and price. But, I’m pretty happy. That being said I REALLY miss the size, weight, tactile feel, analog dials, etc. basically I miss everything except the megapixels and AF. maybe, I’ll go back someday but, as we all know, a system switch is costly in terms of $, terminology, UI, muscle memory. I appreciate getting an update from you, Glenn, who is looking for the same perfection (nirvana?) that I am.😊
Hi Jan & Glenn, thanks once more for the inspiring comments on #birdphotoshow, always interesting to get your pro angle on details which do make a difference ! And Jan's outback birds are awesome, so I was happy to see now a few more of them after the earlier episodes !! The review of the Fuji was very interesting and slightly out of the Canon-Comfort zone so this was certainly a welcome angle ! If only the R7 had a stacked sensor and an ISO wheel .. Anyway, one aspect of the aperture seems to have escaped you: yes, I can image the f7.1 will probably feel slow compared to your mighty 600/4 glass .. but on a crop sensor you'd need to multiply the f value with the crop rate to compare the bokeh-feeling of the taken images. When comparing like this, I see 3 combo's with nearly same equivalent resolution at 800mm: * X-H2S + 150-600 -> 32.9mp & f12 * R7 + 100+500 -> 32.5mp & f11 * R5 + 100-500 + 1.4x -> 34.4mp & f10 From these the 1.4x makes the last combo slightly heavier, but this gets compensated by more consistent AF and a 1 or 2 stops better bokeh for the same amount of pixels on the bird .. so I guess I'll stick to my hiking combo for while longer ;-)
My R7 and rf100-400mm are giving me 640mm field-of-view with pre-capture mode and focus bracketing in an incredibly lightweight and quality combo that weighs just over 1400 grams. I carry it with me daily and I'm very happy with the performance and image quality. It's incredibly affordable also! I enjoy your videos and thanks for all of the useful information guys! Best of luck to you!
@@moritzkirchner3370 Crop factor is not a tele-converter, it's still an f8 lens at 400mm (eg a physical 50mm aperture), and will have the same light gathering ability and exposure regardless of what camera you put it on. It just looks like a fictional 640mm f11 full frame equivalent because of the crop cutout.
@@peterlof physically you are right, of course. But what matters is the functional view, and it makes no sense to mention the equivalent focal length without mentioning the equivalent aperture, though that is a very popular strategy that mft fanboys use. But it shouldn't be a surprise that it's always a tradeoff.
The new Olympus kit may be the perfect walk-around combo or the best combo period for birds. The pro lens with the built-in teleconverter is truly awesome. I shoot with a friend who made the jump to Oly. It makes my R5 with a 600 F4 seem a bit prehistoric.
For me, it's the R7 with the Sigma 150-600 mm lens giving me a reach of 960mm due to the crop factor. Although I hate the issue with the focus breathing with this combo, it's something that I could afford and will continue for the time being. I shoot with 1st curtain electronic shutter which gives me 15 frames and I'm more than happy with that instead of curing the wobble with the 30 frames. I have also setup the custom button 3 to be able to shoot in fully electronic so if need be, I will be able to switch easily. The most useful thing on the R7 is the video switch as we don't need to struggle unlike some other models. Lastly, for birding, I only need 2 values to change, the front wheel for shutter and the control wheel for the ISO. Anyway, I'm shooting at f/6.3 so changing aperture is not a case.
Interesting topic, thanks for sharing your thoughts and preferences. In regards to Glenn's comment on the Canon RF 800mm f11. If that Fuji lens is f8 zoomed in at 600mm on a 1.5 crop camera, isn't that equivalent to a 900mm f12 lens on a full frame camera? If so, how would that be much different than a Canon R5 with the RF 800mm f11 lens? An academic question for me though-- the RF 800mm f11 lens is very light but I prefer a zoom over a prime, and I find the AF motors on that lens to be too slow for fast birds in flight action (particularly small to medium size birds that are relatively close). But I have found the IQ on the RF 800mm f11 lens to be slightly better than the RF 100-500mm + 1.4x converter (anyone else noticed this??).
I have a Olympus OM-D E-M1 MkII and a Panasonic 100-400mm and a Olympus 300mm F4, and DXO PL 6.6.1. The only downside is that I have to use mechanical shutter for birds in flight pics. For everything else the electronic shutter works fine. I think all the major brands have cameras and lenses that will work for bird photography and it's really just a case of learning a camera and lens and simply getting out there as often as possible and taking photos.
If I need extra reach and there is enough light, I love the R7 with the RF100-500 as a walk around combo, - sometimes combined with a 1.4x extender. Coming from the 80d, the R7 is a great step forward. For me, it's the ideal second body to my R5.
I used the XH2s with the 150-600 and it is a dog of a lens. the F8 is very restrictive for working in low light. The XH2s also overheated with still photography is warm conditions. The AF is unreliable with subject detection. I used the Fuji system with a Fringer adaptor with the Nikon 300 f4 pf and 500 f5.6 pf lenses.
Nikkor 500mm PF f/5.6 prime lens. Not so expensive, super light weigth, super small, super VR and AF and really sharp wide open. That with a D500 or now Z8 is really the killer. Best autofocus combo. I hiked so much miles with both combos through mountains and seasides...just perfect.
I'm shooting the Olympus om-d mark 111 With a Lumix 100-400 and I'm enjoying it! I don't have the eye detect but area at 9 points, single point, and 25 points on my preset channels and I'm doing really well at least for me. With micro 4/3 you can get some grainy crops and yes some of them you can bring back in post, but at 66years old and carrying this around it's no bother. I'm very happy. Elements 2023 doesn't recognize the file and won't even accept the DNG but my old elements 11 will the DNG.I was shooting nikon D7100 so the up grade is amazing! Big fan watch you guys every chance.
As always, a very good and interesting video, with some amazing photos from both you guys, and from the subscribers. Looked like a very interesting setup from the Fuji system. Keep up your great work guys, and looking forward to the next video. Cheers, Bjoern
My G9 and Panasonic Leica 100-400 (EFL 200-800) gives me absolutely everything I need. The ibis and lens stabilisation is insane. Easily handhold at 1/30 sec, and weighs 1.8 kg total.
Hi. Thanks for your videos. The new Fuji 6.00 firmware for the xh2s brings big improvements when you shoot birds in flight with busy backgrounds. In clean backgrounds as sky or with static birds, the focus was very good even before (after the 3.00 firmware). I suggest to shoot in zone focus with bird detection instead of track mode, and to work a little bit on the custom focus mode to find the perfect setup. I don’t suggest to use following focus mode (the one with cheetah) for birds in flight. I’m very happy with my xh2s with 150 600 combo that is better for wildlife than the 100 400 in my opinion. I just hope that finally Fuji produces a fast f4 400 or 500mm lens for low light situations.
I mainly photograph what I find during morning trips :-) in the zoo, in the Polish mountains, by lakes, on the Polish Baltic Sea. You have a fantastic profile! I envy you places, passion and work! I am happy with every material! I use Canon. My favorite setup is Canon R5 and 800mm RF F11, also 100-500 RF. I also use teleconverters. Nevertheless, I try to photograph with an electronic shutter. For some time I have been trying to convince myself of the Sony A7RV. Unfortunately with 200-600 it's a very bulky and heavy tool. In addition, the Sony camera is very slow and the rolling shutter is astronomically great. I spent 20 years with Nikon. Unfortunately I was disappointed. There was a time when this company seemed to have no future. Now Nikon has a lot of telephoto lenses. However, 800 PF is not at the peak of sharpness at all. Reviews are mixed. It is always comparable to the most expensive counterparts as less sharp. In addition, however, it is not very flexible for mountain travel. It is also very expensive. To be honest: I prefer to have a darker lens, cheaper, always prepared for photos. If it gets dirty, it will destroy less waste. I take care of the equipment. However, I take more photos with cheaper equipment. Example: I had a Mavic 3. However, I always have a Mavic mini with me and I fly even in tedious conditions. Let's appeal to Canon, Sony and Nikon for relatively dark lenses in the 400-900 mm range. Eg zoom 400-800 F 7.1. I hope you're fully recovered now! He heals a lot! Greetings from Poland!
This is basically the best half hour any bird photographer can spend learning and enjoying the craft! Love the critiques, always great tips and the images are always stellar. For a decent size and smaller walk around, I use an R7 and an adapted EF 400 DO II. You can get the lens used with a new R7 for about $3600US . It is an effective 640mm and if you add a 1.4TC you have an effective almost 900mm f5.6. Its a good combination and good value and performance for the price. What I would find interesting in future shows are some personal stories about how you developed a passion for bird photography and what are some of your target species that you would love to see and photograph and havent yet. Also, maybe take a viewers mediocre image and bring it to the level of a keeper (of course realizing that it isnt always posible but these days you can sometimes take a seemingly average image and elevate it). Maybe discuss some pet peeves that you have when it comes to bird images (we know Jan doesnt like stray twigs or distracting contrasts in the background). Just my two cents.... Great content as always!
I had oly m1-3 with oly 100-400, af was not great. Now I have r7 with rf 100-400 + rf 800/f11. Ultimate budget combo. For portraits I have a9 with 1.4 primes - no mft or crop can beat 3d pop effect of ff portraits
I use a X-H2s for wildlife and sports and there’s a firmware update that’s come out in the last few days that looks promising, but I liked your review and thought it was a fair assessment of the camera and lens combo. If FujiFilm continues to improve I’ll stick with them, if not I’ll probably go back to Canon.
15:40 Thanks for this video. I switched to Fuji from Canon for this exact reason (weight) but as I shoot mostly in raw, I had a big bad surprise with high iso: noise in the shape of « worms » that no program could improve. Did you have the same problem?
Thanks for this video which hits on exactly a question I've been contemplating for several months. I am in the camp that likes a walk around and for in a kayak set up, the lighter the better. I'm new to bird photography and currently have a Fuji xT4 and use the70 - 300. I have been considering upgrading to Canon with a 100-500. This may push me to stick with the Fuji body and try the longer Fuji lens and avoid having to make a wholesale upgrade to a new Canon body and lens.
Did the Fuji have the latest firmware? They released an update a couple weeks ago (May 26) which greatly improved the autofocus! It’s a must-update in my opinion. Granted I’ve not shot Canon/Nikon/Sony so I can’t compare, but I bet it’s much closer in capability now.
Lots of great options! But honestly, if the idea is to reconcile photography with any other demanding outdoor activity, such as mountaineering, long distance cycling, climbing, etc., no combo reaches the versatility and quality of the OM System/MFT! I can carry my OM1 + 9mm + 12-100mm + 100-400mm + 90mm Macro in a small compartment in my mountaineering backpack and I'm ready for everything! It's liberating! No tripods and giant lenses! And in my opinion the results are great! Nothing like being able to use the right tool according to the desired activity!
Hi, my favorite lightweight wildlife combo is the A1 with the Sony 100-400 and the 1,4 TC. I like the performance of this small package and the build and the image quality is absolute fantastic. I'm very happy with this lightweight combo and sold my 200-600 and my 600/4. Great combo for film, BIF, wildlife, insects and all other fast action. Best wishes !! Dirk
@@jan_wegenerI’m thinking of swapping my 100-400 for a 200-600. Weight and size isn’t an issue for me. Have you noticed much of a difference in AF and IQ?
A very enjoyable show again guys. Thanks Glenn for featuring my Red-winged Parrot photo, so glad you liked it. Thanks Jan for the constructive comments, I'll do a re-edit with them in mind. You touched on a topic I would find interesting and that is 'set ups'. What about some tips on perch positioning and bird behavior?
Glenn talks so much sense. The Fuji is awesome and is the camera that the R7 should have been. Stacked sensor, properly weather sealed, 40 fps and you don't have to buy RF extortionate glass. On top of that I can use it with my existing EF100-400 Mk2 and 1.4TC Mk3. The autofocus is not as good as the Canon but at 40 fps, you don't have worry. The thing that no-one talks about is the X-trans sensor. Without the Bayer filter, the initial RAWs are way sharper than CR2 and CR3s. If you are waiting for Canon to compete, you'll be waiting a long time. We waited 9 years for the R7 and look what they came up with. I'd recommend the X-H2S to anyone, just make sure you set it up properly in the beginning.
40fps cannot be used at H2S for moving objects as you should use mechanical shutter (as German Fuji support does recommend) , with this you are limited to 15fps
Canon let it's users down. Everyone was waiting so long for a 7D mkii replacement and the R7 is not it. We just want an R5 or R6 with a decent crop sensor - is that too much to ask? I have the R5 and the R7 and I love them both. I just don't trust the R7 - yet. Maybe, one day, the R7 mkii will be what we want... (by the way Canon - most of us would be happy with a few less pixels if we can have a better sensor)
Interesting video guys! I am always so jealous for the wildlife, diversity and conditions that you have there... if I would stand behind a camera on a tripod like you showed in this video, not a single bird will show :/
I'm shooting mostly wildlife using an OM-1 with the 300mm F4 prime lens, plus of minus the x1.4 teleconverter. In a perfect world I would use a zoom, but the 100-400mm option is not sharp and the 150-400 is just too expensive. Recently I have been thinking about a larger sensor option, but the OM-1 has a lot of features that are already optimum (crop sensor, AF, tracking, ProCap, in-camera focus stacking etc). So I'd love to see a back-to-back real-world comparison between that Fuji X-H2s kit and the Olympus/OM system kit, using a lens that many people can afford. .
Great job again guys,jan,my brother in law lives just north of cairns am visiting him in late august hoping to see some great birds while I’m there,my wife and I will try to get to Cooktown and Daintree,cheers.
I’ve been using the X-H2S for professional and grassroots motorsports photography almost every weekend since April, and after a couple firmware updates it truly started to feel like I can get >95% keepers from the camera regardless of how high I push the frame rate. It’s such a joy to use, not only due to the performance and ergonomics, but also because my whole kit is SO much lighter than all the other serious shooters in the press box. I look forward to every weekend I get to work now.
And I haven’t seen any other Fuji users out doing paid work at the track, but every weekend I have the Canon/Nikon/Sony guys coming up to me to ask about the X-H2S. They all say the same thing after they hold my setup, “It’s so lightweight and comfortable! I’m really tired of all this heavy gear.” Hopefully they put their money where their mouth is and switch brands eventually. I want Fuji to take Sports photography more seriously and give us some better long range glass. F8 at 600mm just doesn’t cut it.
If you want to spend some extra money and carry roughly 2 more lbs, the Nikon z8 with the 800 pf would be a great option. 800mm @ 45mpx is hard to beat! Worth a try at least.
@@Mr09260 plastic on the outside, magnesium chassis on the inside, this makes my r5 strong and light weight, and i use a cage, means that my r5 looks brand new after 2 years of being thrashed. 'Colour science' what ? Shoot raw mate.
Olympus is a go to system for macro photography and when I tire of my R5 I will change to Olympus for weight reasons as I’m now closer to 70 than 60. I would expect their long lenses to perform well too. I have half a dozen Fuji lenses for my old X-H1. I bought that and the 100-400mm but the AF then was simply not good enough for BIF. But I kept the kit and would love Fuji to produce a body that will match the R5’s AF. Maybe I’d trade the 100-400 for the longer 150-600mm.
Hey guys, thanks for the interesting content. For future video suggestions, take us behind the scenes on a field shoot. I would love to see your creative process in the field with a mid range walk around set up. (Not a 500 mm). How you deal with morning light, gear limits or distracting background. How you chose exposure with conditions. I would love to be a “bird” on you shoulder in the field! Thanks!
Thank you for your great video! Coming from the Canon 90d, the R7 was a big disappointment and last fall I made the switch to Fuji. I really enjoy the XH-2s, the weight-to-success ratio is great, even though I sometimes struggle with the f8 aperture on the 150-600. I never regretted the change, Fuji has a really great APSC lineup and the stacked sensor ist marvellous.
And here I thought Glenn was going to sing the praises of the Om1 with the Olympus 150-400 (500) zoom. F4.5-5.6, Superb optics, easily hand holdable. A bit expensive for the lens, but it definitely "ticks all the boxes."
Coming to Sony from Olympus 4 years back I did that move for the amazing AF of Sony. However I miss daily the form factor of Olympus and friends now tell me the OM1 is far far better on AF for Birds. I hope Jan you can get the Olympus system for testing along with the 300mm or the new mega zoom as I read it sounds a real game changer. I thought for a moment Glen was going to say Olympus.
It seems like the Fuji kit is on par with the R7 in terms of AF. I assume now that Nikon released the 180-600 and Canon the 200-800mm you guys would have some different opinions making this video today. I pre-ordered the Canon R5 Mark II to replace my R7 but I am having second thoughts about it and waiting for an R7 Mark II later this year or next.
Would be great to see a video looking at the OM-1 and either the 300mm pro and/or 150-400mm pro lens set up. Having owned the OM-1, I can't think of an easier kit to walk about with if you really don't want the weight of full frame gear.
Hope you can get your hands on the Olympus/OM-1 with the (hard to get) 150-400mm f4.5 (with the integral 1.25 TC) Pro lens as it should impress you with it capability & lightness. Still, I love your photos though. 😊
Very interesting having the Fuii H2S been discussed !!! In addition to the AF problems mentioned I'd like to report the following: wrt Fuji H2S and 40fps : here is what I have been told just yesterday by Fujifilm "Grundsätzlich raten wir dazu bei bewegt Aufnahmen den Mechanischen Verschluss einzusetzen. " ==> saying use mechanical shutter for moving subjects, which means 15fps in the end. I was struggling so hard in the field with the H2S as I was not aware at all of this limitation. Other big hurdle: you simply can't use H2S in warm conditions like in Africa or at the Pantanal I was at in October. The H2S has a big big problem with overheating even taking just short clips of less than 5min with 24fps!!! Cannot recommend Fujis H2S for wildlife at all
I’ve been using the X-H2S for professional and grassroots motorsports photography almost every weekend since April,
and after a couple firmware updates it truly started to feel like I can get >95% keepers from the camera regardless of how high I push the frame rate. It’s such a joy to use, not only due to the performance and ergonomics, but also because my whole kit is SO much lighter than all the other serious shooters in the press box. I look forward to every weekend I get to work now.
I use my X-H2S with the Fuji XF100-400 mm and the Viltrox 75, 33 and 13mm lenses. Aside from that, I carry a 4lb monopod, some lens cleaning tools, and a water bottle. That’s my entire kit and it truly feels like a generational leap compared to the other folks I see dying in the heat with >50lbs of gear. (Like the Canon guys carrying 2 full frame bodies, one for photo and one for video, and a small fortune in RF glass, or the Sony videographers lugging around a gimbal/screen/mic setup that’s the size of a small child.)
For me, the R7 is a very fine camera. I agree with the “wobble”, but that’s usually only a problem when you put photos side te side. I can’t shake the feeling that your dislike of the R7 has more to do with the different button layout, than the quality of the camera itself. Combined with my EF100-400, and the RF800 (crazy reach!), it serves me well. And it’s so much cheaper😉
Cheers!
Yes, I think it's definitely what we are used to as well. I still keep mine around, tat reach is great :)
For the warbler migration, the extra reach of the R7 has been invaluable. Last year, with the R5 I constantly had to use Topaz Gigapixel on warbler photos after cropping in. If you use the electronic shutter with high speed fps, you may get one wobble in the bunch.
"I agree with the “wobble”, but that’s usually only a problem when you put photos side te side".
MrBrabo1,the R5 does exactly the same. But I have learned to ignore the wobble and just look at each image as a stand alone.
I love some of the images I get with the R5.
Does the r7 have eye focus like the r5 ? I want to upgrade to a mirror less camera . I like to hand hold more
@@russpettit1697 yes
Jan, a big fan of your works.Yes the OM system OM-1 and it’s 150-400 f4.5 pro and that 300 f4 are the perfect hiking and walk around combo. I have taken beautiful images with that setup and I hope you can give it a try. I think Olympus or Now OM system is often being overlooked since it’s camera division was being sold and people are not very confident that they will continue to make good camera gears anymore.
I agree! I have an OM-1 with a panasonic 100-400 f4.0-6.3 lens and have managed to capture some great image of Birds in flight.
Took the words out of my mouth, I have the OM-1 and 150-400 f4.5 and it runs circles around the R7 I had, I also have the R3 and prefer to use the OM-1. The OM-1 was built for wildlife photography period, it even picks up swallows faster than my R3.
I had Olympus with 300 and teleconverters. Where overall very happy but wanted longer reach and din’t dear to invest in 150-400. My M1-III also missed bird AI. I ended up moving to Canon R5 with 100-500. Love the AF system but miss some of the functionallity of OM!
As someone who was looking for a birding camera for use twice a day while walking our dogs, I chose a used Olympus E-M1 II back in 2020 then upgraded to the OM-1 in 2022. Very versatile with the 100-400 lens and incredible for birds-in-flight with the 40-150 and teleconverters.
Yes but these guys never talk about OM Systems! Its just as good if not better than the Fuji!
+1 from me for the Olympus OM-1 with a 300F4 + TC1.4, or if you have the money, with a 150-400 F4.5 with built-in TC1.25. The OM-1 is a 2x crop sensor (M43) camera, so you get 840mm field of view with the first combo, and 1000mm with the second. I also shoot Canon (R, R6, and R7), but the the AF and tracking of the OM-1 is superior.
That Fuji kit looks great. I'm good with my R5 for now but nice to know what's out there.
One thing I'd like to mention is that not everyone is comfortable brushing out a brighter spot or twig/branch etc. Sometimes there's a line I won't cross when it comes to faithfully representing a scene. That's a personal call and know that everyone's opinion on this is valid.
For sure. There is definitely a spectrum of post processing. Up to the photographer. We just like to say what we would do 🙂
I love watching Jan and Glenn talking about photography equipment .
What I can't stand is when they're trying to shove this photo editing stuff down our throat , it was Arthur Morris that said if you take a photo right out in the field you don't have to spend hundreds of hours manipulating the photos and I agree with him . a million percent .
I was looking at the OM-1 + 150-400 Pro lens for this exact purpose, the built in TC is really appealing, but it's quite expensive for just a casual walk-around setup, not to mention the lens is really hard to come by. At that price point, I'd have to completely switch systems to justify it, which I'm nowhere near ready to do.
I agree, I'm still using OM-1 300 f4 and teleconverters since any other alternative seems not valid in my eyes. I've read the Olympus 100-400 is too soft in the 300-400 range so for me it's a no. While the zuiko 150-400 4.5 is almost big as the Sony 200-600 and costs waaaay too much. So for me the real alternatives are based on a aps-c and a 150-600 zoom (or 200-600) this combo is more or less similar to my 300mm + mc14 but still shorter than 300mm + mc20. That leads to Fuji or Sony aps-c models. But I'd like to wait if Canon have some aps-c for wildlife in the next future.
just get the 300mm f4 and you're pretty much set. I don't miss the zoom at all.
Love my Fujifilm X-H2S and love your show.
Cheers!
I use the r10 with the 600 f11, weighs just under 3 pounds, under $1600, and has 960mm equiv. fov. Gives me satisfactory results.
A great value!
Yes the 800 is a bit too much for BiF at least
We hope you all enjoy the show! Let us know here in the comments and also what topics you'd love to see us cover in the future.
Cheers!
Glenn
Glen, I would not mind seeing a show about what you pack on your travels abroad, and how it is packed. For myself I want to take some holidays abroad with kit, however am not sure what is required with the airlines.
How about a wildlife test of Olympus OM-1 with 300mm F4 + 1.4x TC and 150-400mm F4.5
It's funny. I had an X-T5 and 100-400. I love the X-T5 but the AF for birds just didn't cut it. Sooo I went for the R5 and 100-500. Superior AF made life easier. But that said, with the 1.4xTC F10 is tough, and still only 700mm.
This is indeed the Canon dilemma...
@@GlennBartley Agreed. The no third party lens ban stinks. And using EF lenses with an adapter is no fun either.
Thanks for sharing
I own XT-4 and H2S and gave up using Fuji for wildlife. Its a no go. UNFORTUNATELY
Currently searching for the right brand to switch to ... Also thinking about R5 and 100-500mm as a starter combo
Guys, SO glad to hear yourselves delving into that Fuji combo option. You've summed up my gear sentiments perfectly (Don't ever expect going to the cost and weight of a 600 prime). I'd hope you'd reconsider and spend more time with it to see if you might find ways to make it work better. I'd also welcome hearing more of your impression of both the quality of the raw files, and image quality of the lens. Like many, I went ahead and got an R7 and am pretty UNimpressed with it. Am using it with the 100-400 L IS v2. I know that I need a lens that'll go to at least 600 (800-900 FF equivalent) for the small bird photography here in the eastern U.S. So given I'm not jazzed with the R7, I've held off buying the very pricey RF 100-500. So, please keep these inquiries into lighter options coming! Thanks
Cheers Craig. We'll try.
Thanks guys! that Fuji combo is what I use it’s a great walk around kit I recommend it👍
Thanks for sharing!
Love the way how you discuss about interesting topics and your advice related to composition and editing. As a former Nikon enthusiast and now X-H2S hobbyist owning the 150 -600mm since eight months, I fully agree to your observations and judgment. In my opinion, that combo does not have a serious competitor considering its performance, price point and weight. Hopefully, Fujifilm will be able to enhance AF with firmware-updates further. I am looking forward to your future videos dealing with your photographic journey and comments on photography in general.
Thanks so much for your feedback.
Glenn, hasn't it occurred to you that the reason why some of us don't use big primes isn't really that we wouldn't enjoy it? Or that we're not "that type of person"? There IS something called budget, you know, and many of us simply can't afford that type of equipment! A 500mm f4 is a lot more expensive than my current car was when I bought it.
Yes we discuss budgetary limitations all the time.
I would love to try Olympos OM with the 150-400mm with built in tc. The British guy Mike Lane use that combo and really like it.
Check out the incredible work of Petr Bambousek. Mike lane does some excellent work with the system.
And Daniel J Cox
The Sigma 150-600 contemporary is also very handholdable and with an Aps-c csmera it gives you 900mm. I use it with a Nikon Z6ii and even at 24mp full frame I can crop images and still get good quality photos.
Yes its always been the best budget lens that gets you out to 600mm
Posting this BEFORE watching the full video. For size, weight, reach, NO COMBO beats the OM1 + 150-400mm 4.5 TC pro - up to 1000mm ffe reach, best IS in the industry and AF as good as the Sony A1. Plus pro-capture at up to 50 fps raw with full AF.
I have this combo - as well as the Z8 with the 500mm 5.6 pf that I can shoot in DX mode. The Nikon combo is slightly lighter - the 150-400 is heavier than the 500 - but not as versatile and fast as the Oly gear.
The alternative is the OM1 + 300mm f/4 pro with a TC. Not quite the reach you might want BUT incredibly lightweight and sharp.
Now I’ll watch the video and see if you guys got it right.
I came her for the Fuji system... That's what I want to get: great size; great price... And great video! Thanks
Cheers!
Interesting that this topic comes up while I'm staring at a new Olympus OM-1 and 300/4 in my B&H cart. The A1 and 200-600 I have produce great photos, but take up a lot of room in my carry on and the 200-600 is a little front heavy. There's 3-4 YTers that have selected the OM-1 w/150-400 over the A1 & 200-600, trading FF IQ for 50FPS, ProCapture and easier handholding. Apparently the 150-400 is backweighted and easer to support. The combined IS of the Oly combo is supposedly very good also.
And I see Duade Paton has been playing around with and OM-1.
I am realy happy with my r10 and Canon rf11 800 mm combined with DXO Photolab to make the high ISO photo's sharp and clean.
XH2s: the firmware version used should be mentioned in the description, as there was a significant improvement with the 3.xx version.
Thanks for letting us know.
I'd like to know how does it work right now with the final firmware?
I'm really interested to get that combo for bird.
Thx
@@josephnaranjo8286 I cannot recommend H2S due to AF issues mentioned, had simular experience. As well as you should just use mechanical shutter for moving objects acc. to German Fujifilm Support -- limits to 15fps. In addition, OVERHEATING is a big problem at H2S.
@@Jana-BrandenburgerPflanze never had that happen to me - new fw fixes some af issues. I shoot most of the time ES 20fps and 4k60 200mbps simultaneously.
nikon 400mm f4.5 with the 1.4x TC maybee? it would give you 540mm f6.3, with a z50 or z8 in DX mode (20mp) it would sit around 810mm.
You guys are such a great combo!
I've been using a Canon r5 with the Sigma 150-600 for wildlife photography. I love the results, but not the weight of the kit. I have the Fuji X-t5 for everything else I photograph. I recently bought the Fuji 150-600 lens. I really like this combination. The X-t5 has 40 megapixels, the lens is light weight and zooms internally. It feels surprisingly well balanced on this small camera. The R5 performs better without question. But I still find myself taking the Fuji out much more often .
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with everyone!
OM1 combined with the 100-400 here. For hires I use a Z7II with Sigma 150-600c and APO 1.4 TC. The OM1 is my always take it camera, for all that opportunities you engage each day, for birds in flight the Z7 is no match compared to the OM1 (bird detection works really well on the OM1)
Hi guys, my travel and walkaround kit: OM-1 for birding with the 300mm f4 & 1.4 or 2.0 teleconverter if needed. For macro the new 90mm f3.5.
A fine kit!
I am invested in Fujifilm and have been very happy with the XH2S and the 150-600.
I thought the choice would have been the OM1 until you revealed it. I will not switch from Canon but the OM1 with the 300 f4 would be my lightweight travel kit.
As for the bluethroat the white version is common in the netherlands but Scandinavia has the red star variant.
Thanks for another great video guys👍
Thanks for your input!
Nice work again guys. The Fuji kit was new to me and an interesting effort by the company to move further in the direction of making gear for bird/wildlife photography. Now as Glenn well knows, because of my advancing years I converted to Olympus/OM-1 and have not been at all disappointed. I believe that the current gold standard light-weight bird photography kit is the OM-1 with the 150-400m internal zooming lens with a constant f/4.5 all the way to an effective 800mm. With the built-in 1.25x, the lens reaches an effective 1000mm f/5.6. It is of course very weather proofed, and the len’s stabilization synced with the OM-1 body’s IBIS to give at least 7 stops of stabilization. In my opinion, there is excellent micro contrast and sharpness of the lens wide open. A really useful feature of the lens is that it’s close forcing point is an amazing 1.3 meter. The stacked sensor gives no worries about rolling shutter. One can employ the much improved Bird AI and shoot with continuous AF up to 50 fps (I prefer to shoot with a lower fps.) . The Pro-capture feature is great to start temporarily buffering shots before the bird jumps into action. I find the continuous AF works very well for video, and one shoot stills or video in full manual with or without Auto ISO. I also find very useful that the hugely customizable button and lever functions are now much more intuitively set with the new menu system. Some full frame fan boys may say that low light noise is the killer for m43 kit. I say not any more when I have an incredibly stabilized and sharp 300-800mm lens that I can shoot at f/4.5 and use excellent noise reduction post production software when needed. A final point is that the m43 kit I have been discussing is a breeze to pack as carry-on for air travel in even small planes.
I definitely need to give this kit a try. I'll see if I can get my hands on one soon.
Hope you are doing well amigo!
sadly wayyy more expensive than even my R6/RF 100-500 combo.. would love to go Olympus otherwise..
If i could have a chance, Z8+400mm F4.5/800mm F6.3 will be my choice.
Yes, that's an awesome combo, the 800 is definitely on the bigger side :)
Great show guys, love taking my R6 markII with the RF 100-400 most of the stuff I shoot is close enough for this combo, if I need more I pull out the R7 with the EF 100-400 II with a 1.4 TC but it’s pretty heavy to just walk around with. 👀👀
Definitely be looking at the OM1 and 300 f4. One of the sharpest lenses I’ve ever used when I had one
Let us know how you go!
As someone who like to travel light I find your pursuit of a walk-around kit interesting. I shoot the Lumix G9 with the 100-400 (200-800 in FF speak) and, with software upgrades, have found it underrated by most channels. Duade Paton seems to be enjoying experimenting with the OM-1. I had high hopes for the Canon R7 and the 100-500mm lens but I think Canon underestimated what birders would have been willing to pay for a more refined camera. I'm hoping Lumix will try to match the OM-1 AF upgrades and Canon will cure all complaints about the R7 with a Mark 2 upgrade.
Great thoughts Bruce. I agree!
I have dual EM1Xs, 300 f4 pro, and the 40-150 f2.8, I get some amazing photos with the pro capture. With the 1.4xTC on the 300, I get 840 f5.6 equivalent. I use the spider holster system and have a cam on the left hip and a cam on the right hip. Back up cams are the D500, and the D4s coupled to 500 PF, and the 300 PF. Cheers!
Hi,I use a R10 with the 100-400 RF lens it I believe the lightest mirror lens combo and performs well until the light gets dark. Add in the 1.4 converter your reach is just short of 900mm 35 mm equivalent. Finally it comes in at just over£2000.
Yes very lightweight
Thanks so much for sharing another wonderful video like always, I really enjoy the bird show, keep up with the awesome content 🐦👍🤗
Cheers Miguel!
Thanks so much
My walking kit is OM-1 300 f4 plus teleconverters mc14 or mc20. I walk 10-12km with that kit.
Nice. Good to be mobile!
@USERNAME.Jan_Wegener that seems a scam isn't it?
I am mainly an aviation/airshow photographer, just beginning to dabble in bird photography, and I'm currently using the Fuji X-H2S and the 150-600 as my main kit. The review here is pretty much in line with the results I'm getting. The weight and ergonomics are fantastic, the images I get are very good, and the high ISO noise is well controlled making the f/8 at the long end not a huge hinderance. The autofocus is mostly reliable but, even at firmware 5.00, needs more improvement to get to the level of the Big Three. There is some fine tuning in the settings which does make some improvements. For in-flight aircraft and birds, I use a zone box and don't bother with subject detection, as I find subject detection to be less reliable as of the current firmware version.
Thanks so much for sharing your findings with us all
I have the OM-1 with a 100-400mm Olympis F 5-6.3 lens, did know about the f4 pro lens but quite pricey to get into anything else that is a modern mirrorless setup
Ya not too many options available for Olympus unfortunately.
Had something to do with my neck and the issues that I have had, weight and size was a factor plus the whole kit without some of the extras I got would have been less than Rf 100-500mm lens, still if I want I can shoot at up 50 frames per second (the buffer is not good, so have chosen a slower setting) and is so transportable.
I have the Panasonic 100-400 and the 300mm F4. There's really no advantage in the 300mm f4 unless you are pixel peeping or selling large prints. If you just work on Instagram or post online it's difficult to justify the extra expense. Yes the 300mm is better in poor conditions - but in good light the 100-400 is very much in the same ballpark - and so much easier to carry for a 8 hr hike in rough terrain.
My main camera is Sony a1 with Sony 600mm f4 gm, but when I don’t want to carry a FF combo I am using OM-1 with Olympus 150-400 with built in TC which gives me 1000mm FF equivalent.Try you will enjoy it works much better than Fuji.
We'll see if we can get one.
I use the Fuji XH2 and the firmware updates of two weeks ago have really improved the autofocus greatly.
That's great to hear! Thanks for sharing
Great to hear!
The X-H2S in the video is a different model and received similar AF improvements months ago. I'm assuming it would've had the latest firmware, considering Fujifilm sent it over for testing, but you never know.
I have an X-H2S and the 150-600 and I agree that the AF and subject detection/tracking is definitely usable and a big improvement over previous Fuji cameras, but it still has some issues. I sometimes get false positive focus locks, where the camera has a green box around the subject, but when you review the photo, it's out of focus or really soft.
But I love that Fuji and some of the other brands are getting some coverage on this channel!
@@aj-zk1wx same experience here, green box telling moving object being in focus but in the end its not sharp or completely out of focus. In the end not reliable at all.
Thanks for sharing another wonderful video like always 🐦👍🤗
Thank you
Great to see crop formats get more attention! For those interested in the OM-1 mentioned several times in the comments, Duade Paton recently reviewed it for wildlife in the outback. And Richard Cook in Japan shoots amazing birds in flight with the OM-1, all handheld
Thanks so much for this video and information! I was a Fuji shooter until about 2 years ago and VERY happy with my xt4 and zoom lenses and such. Loved the weight, prices, captures, etc. when I occasionally dabbled in street photograph, it was so unobtrusive and quality was great. Until…. many 40 mpixels started coming out AND rave reviews on AF for Sony and Canon. I switched to Canon R5 and 100-500. I basically gave up thinking that fuji would ever invest and compete in AF. I’ve enjoyed my canon immensely. I do wish the zoom could compete w Sony and Nikon on size, quality and price. But, I’m pretty happy. That being said I REALLY miss the size, weight, tactile feel, analog dials, etc. basically I miss everything except the megapixels and AF. maybe, I’ll go back someday but, as we all know, a system switch is costly in terms of $, terminology, UI, muscle memory. I appreciate getting an update from you, Glenn, who is looking for the same perfection (nirvana?) that I am.😊
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Jan & Glenn, thanks once more for the inspiring comments on #birdphotoshow, always interesting to get your pro angle on details which do make a difference ! And Jan's outback birds are awesome, so I was happy to see now a few more of them after the earlier episodes !!
The review of the Fuji was very interesting and slightly out of the Canon-Comfort zone so this was certainly a welcome angle !
If only the R7 had a stacked sensor and an ISO wheel ..
Anyway, one aspect of the aperture seems to have escaped you: yes, I can image the f7.1 will probably feel slow compared to your mighty 600/4 glass .. but on a crop sensor you'd need to multiply the f value with the crop rate to compare the bokeh-feeling of the taken images. When comparing like this, I see 3 combo's with nearly same equivalent resolution at 800mm:
* X-H2S + 150-600 -> 32.9mp & f12
* R7 + 100+500 -> 32.5mp & f11
* R5 + 100-500 + 1.4x -> 34.4mp & f10
From these the 1.4x makes the last combo slightly heavier, but this gets compensated by more consistent AF and a 1 or 2 stops better bokeh for the same amount of pixels on the bird .. so I guess I'll stick to my hiking combo for while longer ;-)
Thanks as always for your thoughts Werner!
My R7 and rf100-400mm are giving me 640mm field-of-view with pre-capture mode and focus bracketing in an incredibly lightweight and quality combo that weighs just over 1400 grams. I carry it with me daily and I'm very happy with the performance and image quality. It's incredibly affordable also! I enjoy your videos and thanks for all of the useful information guys! Best of luck to you!
Yes that’s a great combo for sure!
Yeah, but it's f11 full-frame equivalent only, so you can basically forget about low-light shooting or action shots with short shutter speeds...
Same here 🎉
@@moritzkirchner3370 Crop factor is not a tele-converter, it's still an f8 lens at 400mm (eg a physical 50mm aperture), and will have the same light gathering ability and exposure regardless of what camera you put it on. It just looks like a fictional 640mm f11 full frame equivalent because of the crop cutout.
@@peterlof physically you are right, of course. But what matters is the functional view, and it makes no sense to mention the equivalent focal length without mentioning the equivalent aperture, though that is a very popular strategy that mft fanboys use. But it shouldn't be a surprise that it's always a tradeoff.
The new Olympus kit may be the perfect walk-around combo or the best combo period for birds. The pro lens with the built-in teleconverter is truly awesome.
I shoot with a friend who made the jump to Oly. It makes my R5 with a 600 F4 seem a bit prehistoric.
For me, it's the R7 with the Sigma 150-600 mm lens giving me a reach of 960mm due to the crop factor. Although I hate the issue with the focus breathing with this combo, it's something that I could afford and will continue for the time being. I shoot with 1st curtain electronic shutter which gives me 15 frames and I'm more than happy with that instead of curing the wobble with the 30 frames. I have also setup the custom button 3 to be able to shoot in fully electronic so if need be, I will be able to switch easily. The most useful thing on the R7 is the video switch as we don't need to struggle unlike some other models. Lastly, for birding, I only need 2 values to change, the front wheel for shutter and the control wheel for the ISO. Anyway, I'm shooting at f/6.3 so changing aperture is not a case.
Thanks for sharing your setup!
Interesting topic, thanks for sharing your thoughts and preferences. In regards to Glenn's comment on the Canon RF 800mm f11. If that Fuji lens is f8 zoomed in at 600mm on a 1.5 crop camera, isn't that equivalent to a 900mm f12 lens on a full frame camera? If so, how would that be much different than a Canon R5 with the RF 800mm f11 lens? An academic question for me though-- the RF 800mm f11 lens is very light but I prefer a zoom over a prime, and I find the AF motors on that lens to be too slow for fast birds in flight action (particularly small to medium size birds that are relatively close). But I have found the IQ on the RF 800mm f11 lens to be slightly better than the RF 100-500mm + 1.4x converter (anyone else noticed this??).
Some good thoughts and questions!
I have a Olympus OM-D E-M1 MkII and a Panasonic 100-400mm and a Olympus 300mm F4, and DXO PL 6.6.1. The only downside is that I have to use mechanical shutter for birds in flight pics. For everything else the electronic shutter works fine. I think all the major brands have cameras and lenses that will work for bird photography and it's really just a case of learning a camera and lens and simply getting out there as often as possible and taking photos.
If I need extra reach and there is enough light, I love the R7 with the RF100-500 as a walk around combo, - sometimes combined with a 1.4x extender. Coming from the 80d, the R7 is a great step forward. For me, it's the ideal second body to my R5.
I used the XH2s with the 150-600 and it is a dog of a lens. the F8 is very restrictive for working in low light. The XH2s also overheated with still photography is warm conditions. The AF is unreliable with subject detection. I used the Fuji system with a Fringer adaptor with the Nikon 300 f4 pf and 500 f5.6 pf lenses.
Yeah, I can confirm the overheating issue. Cannot take H2S to warm regions at all !
Nikkor 500mm PF f/5.6 prime lens. Not so expensive, super light weigth, super small, super VR and AF and really sharp wide open. That with a D500 or now Z8 is really the killer. Best autofocus combo.
I hiked so much miles with both combos through mountains and seasides...just perfect.
I'm shooting the Olympus om-d mark 111 With a Lumix 100-400 and I'm enjoying it! I don't have the eye detect but area at 9 points, single point, and 25 points on my preset channels and I'm doing really well at least for me. With micro 4/3 you can get some grainy crops and yes some of them you can bring back in post, but at 66years old and carrying this around it's no bother. I'm very happy. Elements 2023 doesn't recognize the file and won't even accept the DNG but my old elements 11 will the DNG.I was shooting nikon D7100 so the up grade is amazing! Big fan watch you guys every chance.
Thanks Mike!
As always, a very good and interesting video, with some amazing photos from both you guys, and from the subscribers. Looked like a very interesting setup from the Fuji system.
Keep up your great work guys, and looking forward to the next video.
Cheers, Bjoern
Thanks so much Bjoern!
I love my R7 along with the RF 100-500 mm zoom (160-800 mm effective field of view), which is a great combination for birding
My G9 and Panasonic Leica 100-400 (EFL 200-800) gives me absolutely everything I need. The ibis and lens stabilisation is insane. Easily handhold at 1/30 sec, and weighs 1.8 kg total.
Nice
Hi. Thanks for your videos. The new Fuji 6.00 firmware for the xh2s brings big improvements when you shoot birds in flight with busy backgrounds. In clean backgrounds as sky or with static birds, the focus was very good even before (after the 3.00 firmware). I suggest to shoot in zone focus with bird detection instead of track mode, and to work a little bit on the custom focus mode to find the perfect setup. I don’t suggest to use following focus mode (the one with cheetah) for birds in flight. I’m very happy with my xh2s with 150 600 combo that is better for wildlife than the 100 400 in my opinion. I just hope that finally Fuji produces a fast f4 400 or 500mm lens for low light situations.
I would be really interested to hear your thoughts on the OM1 with the lower cost and smaller 100-400mm
We'll try
I mainly photograph what I find during morning trips :-) in the zoo, in the Polish mountains, by lakes, on the Polish Baltic Sea. You have a fantastic profile! I envy you places, passion and work! I am happy with every material! I use Canon. My favorite setup is Canon R5 and 800mm RF F11, also 100-500 RF. I also use teleconverters. Nevertheless, I try to photograph with an electronic shutter. For some time I have been trying to convince myself of the Sony A7RV. Unfortunately with 200-600 it's a very bulky and heavy tool. In addition, the Sony camera is very slow and the rolling shutter is astronomically great. I spent 20 years with Nikon. Unfortunately I was disappointed. There was a time when this company seemed to have no future. Now Nikon has a lot of telephoto lenses. However, 800 PF is not at the peak of sharpness at all. Reviews are mixed. It is always comparable to the most expensive counterparts as less sharp. In addition, however, it is not very flexible for mountain travel. It is also very expensive. To be honest: I prefer to have a darker lens, cheaper, always prepared for photos. If it gets dirty, it will destroy less waste. I take care of the equipment. However, I take more photos with cheaper equipment. Example: I had a Mavic 3. However, I always have a Mavic mini with me and I fly even in tedious conditions. Let's appeal to Canon, Sony and Nikon for relatively dark lenses in the 400-900 mm range. Eg zoom 400-800 F 7.1. I hope you're fully recovered now! He heals a lot! Greetings from Poland!
Thanks so much for sharing!
This is basically the best half hour any bird photographer can spend learning and enjoying the craft! Love the critiques, always great tips and the images are always stellar. For a decent size and smaller walk around, I use an R7 and an adapted EF 400 DO II. You can get the lens used with a new R7 for about $3600US . It is an effective 640mm and if you add a 1.4TC you have an effective almost 900mm f5.6. Its a good combination and good value and performance for the price. What I would find interesting in future shows are some personal stories about how you developed a passion for bird photography and what are some of your target species that you would love to see and photograph and havent yet. Also, maybe take a viewers mediocre image and bring it to the level of a keeper (of course realizing that it isnt always posible but these days you can sometimes take a seemingly average image and elevate it). Maybe discuss some pet peeves that you have when it comes to bird images (we know Jan doesnt like stray twigs or distracting contrasts in the background). Just my two cents....
Great content as always!
The new software just out further improves focussing on the Fuji set up.
I had oly m1-3 with oly 100-400, af was not great. Now I have r7 with rf 100-400 + rf 800/f11. Ultimate budget combo.
For portraits I have a9 with 1.4 primes - no mft or crop can beat 3d pop effect of ff portraits
I use a X-H2s for wildlife and sports and there’s a firmware update that’s come out in the last few days that looks promising, but I liked your review and thought it was a fair assessment of the camera and lens combo.
If FujiFilm continues to improve I’ll stick with them, if not I’ll probably go back to Canon.
15:40 Thanks for this video. I switched to Fuji from Canon for this exact reason (weight) but as I shoot mostly in raw, I had a big bad surprise with high iso: noise in the shape of « worms » that no program could improve. Did you have the same problem?
Personally I have not worked on enough Fuji files to comment on that. The few files I did seemed fine, but I also didn't look for issues.
Sony A1 with 200-600 in crop mode. 21MP at 900mm effective focal length. Works like magic.
True 😀 bit more pricy but great combo
Thanks for this video which hits on exactly a question I've been contemplating for several months. I am in the camp that likes a walk around and for in a kayak set up, the lighter the better. I'm new to bird photography and currently have a Fuji xT4 and use the70 - 300. I have been considering upgrading to Canon with a 100-500. This may push me to stick with the Fuji body and try the longer Fuji lens and avoid having to make a wholesale upgrade to a new Canon body and lens.
Glad you found it useful!
My kit is a Canon 90D sigma 150-600 contemporary lens
Did the Fuji have the latest firmware? They released an update a couple weeks ago (May 26) which greatly improved the autofocus! It’s a must-update in my opinion. Granted I’ve not shot Canon/Nikon/Sony so I can’t compare, but I bet it’s much closer in capability now.
Unfortunately I was testing it before then.
H2S AF is not working reliable even with latest firmware
Lots of great options! But honestly, if the idea is to reconcile photography with any other demanding outdoor activity, such as mountaineering, long distance cycling, climbing, etc., no combo reaches the versatility and quality of the OM System/MFT! I can carry my OM1 + 9mm + 12-100mm + 100-400mm + 90mm Macro in a small compartment in my mountaineering backpack and I'm ready for everything! It's liberating! No tripods and giant lenses! And in my opinion the results are great! Nothing like being able to use the right tool according to the desired activity!
Hi, my favorite lightweight wildlife combo is the A1 with the Sony 100-400 and the 1,4 TC. I like the performance of this small package and the build and the image quality is absolute fantastic. I'm very happy with this lightweight combo and sold my 200-600 and my 600/4. Great combo for film, BIF, wildlife, insects and all other fast action. Best wishes !! Dirk
Thanks for sharing!
@@jan_wegenerI’m thinking of swapping my 100-400 for a 200-600. Weight and size isn’t an issue for me. Have you noticed much of a difference in AF and IQ?
Om1 and the 300mm F4. Good value if you can pick up the lens at sensible price.
You'll probably have to spend double to match or beat it.
A very enjoyable show again guys. Thanks Glenn for featuring my Red-winged Parrot photo, so glad you liked it. Thanks Jan for the constructive comments, I'll do a re-edit with them in mind. You touched on a topic I would find interesting and that is 'set ups'. What about some tips on perch positioning and bird behavior?
I think I made a video many years ago about that
Glenn talks so much sense. The Fuji is awesome and is the camera that the R7 should have been. Stacked sensor, properly weather sealed, 40 fps and you don't have to buy RF extortionate glass. On top of that I can use it with my existing EF100-400 Mk2 and 1.4TC Mk3. The autofocus is not as good as the Canon but at 40 fps, you don't have worry. The thing that no-one talks about is the X-trans sensor. Without the Bayer filter, the initial RAWs are way sharper than CR2 and CR3s.
If you are waiting for Canon to compete, you'll be waiting a long time. We waited 9 years for the R7 and look what they came up with. I'd recommend the X-H2S to anyone, just make sure you set it up properly in the beginning.
40fps cannot be used at H2S for moving objects as you should use mechanical shutter (as German Fuji support does recommend) , with this you are limited to 15fps
Canon let it's users down. Everyone was waiting so long for a 7D mkii replacement and the R7 is not it. We just want an R5 or R6 with a decent crop sensor - is that too much to ask? I have the R5 and the R7 and I love them both. I just don't trust the R7 - yet. Maybe, one day, the R7 mkii will be what we want... (by the way Canon - most of us would be happy with a few less pixels if we can have a better sensor)
Agree 100%
Interesting video guys! I am always so jealous for the wildlife, diversity and conditions that you have there... if I would stand behind a camera on a tripod like you showed in this video, not a single bird will show :/
I'm shooting mostly wildlife using an OM-1 with the 300mm F4 prime lens, plus of minus the x1.4 teleconverter. In a perfect world I would use a zoom, but the 100-400mm option is not sharp and the 150-400 is just too expensive. Recently I have been thinking about a larger sensor option, but the OM-1 has a lot of features that are already optimum (crop sensor, AF, tracking, ProCap, in-camera focus stacking etc). So I'd love to see a back-to-back real-world comparison between that Fuji X-H2s kit and the Olympus/OM system kit, using a lens that many people can afford. .
I'm happy with my sony rx10 1v. Still lots to learn.
Great job again guys,jan,my brother in law lives just north of cairns am visiting him in late august hoping to see some great birds while I’m there,my wife and I will try to get to Cooktown and Daintree,cheers.
Have fun!
I've heard and read that the X-H2S is becoming popular with sports photographers for the same reasons they look appealing to wildlife shooters.
I’ve been using the X-H2S for professional and grassroots motorsports photography almost every weekend since April, and after a couple firmware updates it truly started to feel like I can get >95% keepers from the camera regardless of how high I push the frame rate. It’s such a joy to use, not only due to the performance and ergonomics, but also because my whole kit is SO much lighter than all the other serious shooters in the press box. I look forward to every weekend I get to work now.
And I haven’t seen any other Fuji users out doing paid work at the track, but every weekend I have the Canon/Nikon/Sony guys coming up to me to ask about the X-H2S. They all say the same thing after they hold my setup, “It’s so lightweight and comfortable! I’m really tired of all this heavy gear.”
Hopefully they put their money where their mouth is and switch brands eventually. I want Fuji to take Sports photography more seriously and give us some better long range glass. F8 at 600mm just doesn’t cut it.
Canon R5 + EF 400mm f5.6L (small, Light and inexpensive, and the semi-bright aprerture is ok)
A nice kit
Canon R5 and RF 600mm f/4, that’s my walk around kit. And it’s light enough that I don’t need a tripod!! 😎💪🏻
Hehe
If you want to spend some extra money and carry roughly 2 more lbs, the Nikon z8 with the 800 pf would be a great option. 800mm @ 45mpx is hard to beat! Worth a try at least.
Definitely a nice combo for the Nikon guys!
Thanks for a lot of info. Could you please include some guidance on which IS mode on the lenses to use for different type of bird photos?
Canon's 100-500 is only about 1.3kg. That's one of the nice features of it.
yes, and it has an awesome mfd!
But that lens can only go on a Plasticky R5 and zero colour Science >> Nice lens on any Nikon Z camera though I guess
@@Mr09260 plastic on the outside, magnesium chassis on the inside, this makes my r5 strong and light weight, and i use a cage, means that my r5 looks brand new after 2 years of being thrashed.
'Colour science' what ? Shoot raw mate.
Jan, thanks for featuring my image
No problem, well done!
Olympus is a go to system for macro photography and when I tire of my R5 I will change to Olympus for weight reasons as I’m now closer to 70 than 60. I would expect their long lenses to perform well too. I have half a dozen Fuji lenses for my old X-H1. I bought that and the 100-400mm but the AF then was simply not good enough for BIF. But I kept the kit and would love Fuji to produce a body that will match the R5’s AF. Maybe I’d trade the 100-400 for the longer 150-600mm.
My winning combo : R5 + RF 100-500. Lightweight, sharp, powerhouse.
An amazing combo
Hey guys, thanks for the interesting content. For future video suggestions, take us behind the scenes on a field shoot. I would love to see your creative process in the field with a mid range walk around set up. (Not a 500 mm). How you deal with morning light, gear limits or distracting background. How you chose exposure with conditions. I would love to be a “bird” on you shoulder in the field! Thanks!
Great video Guys. So much great lightweight gear around at the moment...we are all really lucky?👍
Absolutely
Thank you for your great video! Coming from the Canon 90d, the R7 was a big disappointment and last fall I made the switch to Fuji. I really enjoy the XH-2s, the weight-to-success ratio is great, even though I sometimes struggle with the f8 aperture on the 150-600. I never regretted the change, Fuji has a really great APSC lineup and the stacked sensor ist marvellous.
Amazing guys
And here I thought Glenn was going to sing the praises of the Om1 with the Olympus 150-400 (500) zoom. F4.5-5.6, Superb optics, easily hand holdable. A bit expensive for the lens, but it definitely "ticks all the boxes."
Coming to Sony from Olympus 4 years back I did that move for the amazing AF of Sony. However I miss daily the form factor of Olympus and friends now tell me the OM1 is far far better on AF for Birds. I hope Jan you can get the Olympus system for testing along with the 300mm or the new mega zoom as I read it sounds a real game changer. I thought for a moment Glen was going to say Olympus.
The fuji xh2-s new firmware update is available, and its eye detection works faster than my eos r6 mark ii.
It seems like the Fuji kit is on par with the R7 in terms of AF. I assume now that Nikon released the 180-600 and Canon the 200-800mm you guys would have some different opinions making this video today. I pre-ordered the Canon R5 Mark II to replace my R7 but I am having second thoughts about it and waiting for an R7 Mark II later this year or next.
Would be great to see a video looking at the OM-1 and either the 300mm pro and/or 150-400mm pro lens set up. Having owned the OM-1, I can't think of an easier kit to walk about with if you really don't want the weight of full frame gear.
Can yer review this combo?
Big fan of your reviews and pics
Hope you can get your hands on the Olympus/OM-1 with the (hard to get) 150-400mm f4.5 (with the integral 1.25 TC) Pro lens as it should impress you with it capability & lightness.
Still, I love your photos though. 😊
Very interesting having the Fuii H2S been discussed !!! In addition to the AF problems mentioned I'd like to report the following:
wrt Fuji H2S and 40fps : here is what I have been told just yesterday by Fujifilm "Grundsätzlich raten wir dazu bei bewegt Aufnahmen den Mechanischen Verschluss einzusetzen. " ==> saying use mechanical shutter for moving subjects, which means 15fps in the end.
I was struggling so hard in the field with the H2S as I was not aware at all of this limitation.
Other big hurdle: you simply can't use H2S in warm conditions like in Africa or at the Pantanal I was at in October. The H2S has a big big problem with overheating even taking just short clips of less than 5min with 24fps!!!
Cannot recommend Fujis H2S for wildlife at all
Thanks for sharing!