A controversial matter that always comes up with regard to deciding on the appropriate digital camera in your manufacturing is, “Why can we nonetheless shoot on larger cameras when the iPhone footage appears so, so good now?”
For one factor, larger cinematic cameras combine into our general manufacturing system significantly better. Resembling timecode and audio indicators to make synching simpler, or having exterior monitor assist for shopper assessment, for instance. They’re usually constructed higher for sturdy group manufacturing.
Fujifilm is cracking the walled backyard with the X-H2S platform. It is a digital camera at a client worth level that feels completely at dwelling in professionally built-in productions.
First Issues First
Why precisely is Fujifilm related after they don’t have a full-frame digital camera?
Nicely, it’s as a result of the X-H2S is simply that good. It features nice and not using a full-frame sensor.
The colour replica is astoundingly pleasing, correct however flattering, with none notoriously “tough colours” that some opponents might endure from. To make it even higher, it has built-in inner movie simulation modes which can be fairly darn good. You do not use them a lot, however they’re useful each every so often on a good turnaround challenge.
Fujifilm X-H2s
Fujifilm
To proceed, the X-H2S has autofocus to compete with just about everyone else. It is even ok to make Fujifilm’s “video-focused” lenses really feel virtually parfocal whenever you zoom.
In case you’re capturing a doc challenge, or actually something the place you’re shifting quick, the additional depth of subject you get out of the smaller sensor will repay in spades. And, frankly, the low gentle and high-quality element rise up properly versus its full body competitors. Watching the little eye tracker pop up and hold your topics sharp as they bounce round feels “magical” (to borrow a advertising and marketing blurb from Apple).
Fujifilm makes a transparent dedication to this sensor dimension, in addition to medium format with the GFX line, and it really works.
As well as, the physique and lenses are a little bit smaller than most different cameras that may make photos this good, which is nice for solo shooters and run-and-gun tasks.
Exterior RAW
Exterior RAW was a boon for smaller cameras over the previous few years, and the Fujifilm X-H2S actually shines with this mixture.
The primary exterior RAW recorder to deal with is the Blackmagic Video Assists. The Video Help 12G HDR enables you to get 6.2k uncooked from the digital camera through HDMI. You simply set it up in-camera, push it out to the Video Help, and hit report.
The advantages of this have been superb. First off, it dramatically will increase the pliability you’ve got in publish. The X-H2S can shoot straight to ProRes, which is all you want in case your white stability and ISO are excellent in-camera.
However when your white stability, ISO, or tint is off barely (which nearly by no means occurs however generally does), the pliability of RAW is a big perk. The additional push and pull you get when colour grading can also be a boon.
The X-H2s used with an exterior RAW recorder/monitor
Fujifilm
But it surely’s greater than that. Blackmagic RAW recordsdata are bit smaller than ProRes recordsdata. Over 5 days of capturing, we shot greater than 30 separate multi-camera interviews, capturing hours and hours of footage. This all match inside a single 4TB Samsung T7 drive that we plugged straight into the Blackmagic Video Help.
We use Blackmagic RAW as a result of it is appropriate irrespective of the place we edit (Premiere, FCPX, or Avid). However ultimately, we’re nonetheless going to paint in Resolve. Additional nonetheless, Blackmagic RAW and DaVinci Resolve are built-in so tightly collectively that, for now, it makes essentially the most sense to make use of Resolve in your complete pipeline. The variable compression choices alone make it a lovely RAW competitor.
If Blackmagic RAW is not part of your workflow, you possibly can at all times go for an Atomos recorder and get ProRes RAW as an alternative.
Media is inexpensive (the costs on T7 drives are ridiculous today), the recordsdata are small, and but we received the advantages of publish flexibility, superb colour science, and excellent autofocus.
RAW footage is only a complete totally different beast in publish.
Bitrate and Timecode
One of many nicest options of Blackmagic RAW is which you can select fixed bitrate or fixed high quality. We caught with fixed bitrate since we had the arduous drive house, however we did some testing in interview setups of fixed high quality, and also you get astounding photos with smaller file sizes there.
If you end up operating low on disk house or making an attempt to maintain prices down, it’s a usable possibility for static digital camera interviews, the place a lot of the shot (besides a head or mouth) stays the identical body to border. In fact, if you’re shifting the digital camera in any respect, you wish to stick to fixed bitrate. Even at a comparatively excessive bit charge, the recordsdata have been an inexpensive dimension in comparison with capturing ProRes.
Video Help 7″ and 5″
Blackmagic Design
The opposite massive perk with the Video Help is Timecode enter. One main frustration with the X-H2S is that you simply don’t get actual Timecode enter. Fujifilm is conscious of us actually need this, and whereas we don’t know if we’ll get it in an replace, this can be a workable answer in the event you’re capturing to a Video Help. Blackmagic is sweet with Timecode, and you’ll enter it over mini-XLR to maintain your multi-camera setups in good sync.
Nevertheless, our testing discovered that the Timecode was three frames out of sync when capturing 6.2k RAW to a T7 SSD with Video Help. Your setup would possibly fluctuate, so you need to take a look at as properly, both capturing a timecode slate or, wanting that, not less than grabbing a shot of the Timecode show on the field. Throughout modifying, Resolve makes it very straightforward to shift the Timecode a couple of frames to create the proper sync. The necessary factor is that timecode would not drift.
Timecode feeds into that mini XLR at prime. It is a barely much less widespread Timecode cable however a really inexpensive buy.
Blackmagic Design
Community Grip
The network-attached grip on the X-H2S is an exterior battery grip that comes with each an Ethernet port and a WiFi antenna to hook up with a community.
A typical false impression is you want this unit for community entry, however you don’t. There is a WiFi antenna within the regular physique. But it surely’s a lot, significantly better with the exterior grip because it has a extra sturdy WiFi antenna that gives a extra secure connection. In fact, essentially the most stability comes from the Ethernet connection, however that tethers you to a cable.
Ethernet port on the X-H2s Community Grip
Fujifilm
As of proper now, the digital camera solely lets you log in to a WiFi system that has a single password, and it isn’t arrange for a company login/password situation. This implies you in all probability can’t log in to your lodge’s WiFi by means of the unit.
The workaround for this can be a devoted WiFi router which you can arrange with only a single password. Then, you should use this in occasion areas in bridge mode to share the WiFi from the occasion or conference corridor, utilizing the router to log in. Whether or not you prefer it or not, realizing some fundamental networking is a part of filmmaking today.
The Community Grip additionally contains further batteries.
Fujifilm
Native Digicam to Cloud (C2C)
The most effective a part of this community system is that with its launch accomplice Body.io, the Fujifilm X-H2S is likely one of the first cameras to get devoted Digicam to Cloud, or C2C.
Setup could be very straightforward, and as soon as you’re up and operating, it simply works.
The NFS protection of NAB 2023 was recorded with this method, and after a couple of first-day jitters, our group in LA was actively modifying footage that our digital camera operator had simply shot in Las Vegas.
Body.io has a useful tutorial to stroll you thru it. You pair your digital camera with a challenge, and as you shoot, your footage uploads nearly.
It is a characteristic the place Fujifilm is clearly forward of the curve in comparison with the competitors. RED can also be pushing arduous on C2C, however RED would not have something practically as inexpensive because the X-H2s. The imagery coming from Fujifilm is very aggressive at an inexpensive worth level.
To be sincere, the largest hurdle proper now could be that manufacturing is not conserving tempo.
During the last two years, I’ve used some type of C2C on varied jobs, both utilizing exterior models from Teradek and Hollyland. A serious advantage of the Fujifilm X-H2S is that it is constructed in-camera, which you should use it with out the community grip (though it is stronger with the community grip).
Digicam to Cloud has fully modified our workflow, however it has but to catch on with smaller funds productions. Body.io
I’ve but to work on a manufacturing that makes use of C2C correctly. The being mentioned, the shift of RAW supply to publish appears imminent and may very well be large for faster ship and ingest for publish manufacturing.
Conclusion
We have been already followers of the Fujifilm X-H2S, and the persevering with assist for exterior workflows strengthens our attachment to this platform. Fujifilm can declare quite a lot of delight for creating the primary digital camera to have C2C totally built-in in a “native” style, and it really works properly. Getting your manufacturing able to reap the benefits of the advantages is one other matter.
We want you possibly can ship Timecode straight into the physique by means of the microphone port, however the Blackmagic Video Help setup works properly. Our hope is that we’ll see extra C2C integrations (Blackmagic Cloud?) within the close to time period. However even wanting these options dropping, it is nonetheless essentially the most aggressive digital camera in its house proper now, and was a go-to staple for autofocus wants this previous yr. Which, to be sincere, it an increasing number of usually is.
