X-H2S: Railway Photography x Makoto Mori

Impression on X-H2S

I usually use a full-size mirrorless camera. As my style of railway photography often involves snapshots and images, I enjoyed shooting with X-H2S because it was very conformable and let me operate very smoothly.

The Film Simulation “Velvia” describes the atmosphere of morning well.

I was surprised to find that the X-H2S, despite its compact system size, is fully equipped with the high performance essential for railroad photography.

First of all, the operability. It is very important to be able to perform most operations with the right hand only for intuitive and creative shooting.

I feel that this is indispensable for a flagship model, as you can use your left hand to follow the approaching train while changing the zoom range of the lens, and your right hand to change the focus point and exposure.

I shot the train approaching with flowers and blue sky.

In the morning mist, I was able to capture a fantastic scene of a train quietly approaching.

I used the “Train” mode of “Subject Detection AF,” a new autofocus function that uses deep learning technology to detect and follow the subject. The AF kept on detecting the train until it was out of sight, allowing me to concentrate on composition.

The X-H2S can shoot at up to 40 fps with the electronic shutter, which gave me a sense of security. I can have a large number of frames to choose and it is an advantage when shooting artwork.

I was able to compose by positioning train using bokeh.

Also, it sometimes rained during the shooting, but thanks to the weather resistant structure, I was able to handle the sudden rain just before the train arrived.

The combination of the X-H2S and the new XF150-600mm lens can be the strongest in railroad photography.

The first thing you will find is the weight. It’s so light. I was a little concerned about its size since it is a super-telephoto zoom, but it is exceptionally well-balanced when you hold it in your hands. I was also pleased that the lens has an inner zoom and inner focus that do not change the length of the lens.

I was also impressed by its image stabilization performance. In railroad photography, there are many obstacles such as overhead rail poles, and being able to aim at a subject through a small gap and shoot a super-telephoto equivalent to about 900mm in 35mm format is a very important factor. In addition, the battery grip provided a stable grip and allowed me to compose my shots better.

For railroad photography, AF performance, continuous shooting performance, EVF performance, telephoto lens, image stabilization, and cost performance as a total system are important. The X-H2S is a wonderful camera that delivers performance and functions that will satisfy professional users.

While inheriting the features of the X-H1, it has evolved into a completely new camera. In addition, as a flagship model, it is wonderfully comfortable to hold in the hand, and I am convinced that this will lead to the power to create works of art.

Special thanks to Wakayama Electric Railway