The Fujifilm X-H1 is probably one of my all-time favourite cameras (up there with the Nikon FM2n and the Nikon D50) and I absolutely adore this thing. I love the way it handles, the ergonomics and feel of the thing, it’s heft and, most of all, the images it produces. I can’t ever envisage getting rid of this beast.
A little while ago I purchased a Fuji X-T2, mainly because I started off with Fuji using the X-Pro1 and the X-T1 and I love the retro feel of those cameras. I also wanted a sensor and processor that duplicated the images that came out of the X-H1. And finally I wanted a camera that I could scoot about with, as a sort of everyday carry.
Only that didn’t happen. I hardly used the thing and it just sat on my shelf looking on forlornly as I picked up the X-H1 and took it on all the adventures instead (not that there were many of those last year).
The other factor was the purchase of the Sigma 100mm-400mm Contemporary to enable the recent goal to ‘get gud’ at wildlife photography in 2024. That, with a battery grip, L-bracket and the X-H1 itself have proven to form a formidable and usable package, at least for me at my current level of skill and experience. However it isn’t light, weighing in at a respectable 2.8kg. Over the course of a day that can become quite tiresome, especially if you factor in lengthy walks, a rucksack full of stuff, including other photographic gear, not to mention friends along for the walk having to put up with you struggling with it all. It is a lot.
One of the cameras that I had been eyeing up over the last year or so, and this was accentuated by my recent focus on wildlife photography, was the Panasonic Lumix G9. I briefly owned the Panasonic G80, which I didn’t really get on with and which got swapped out for the aforementioned X-T2. So I traded in the latter, plus some other unused hardware and bought a G9, a Lumix G 12-60mm f3.5-5.6 and a Lumix G II 100-300mm f4-6.3, effectively replicating the Fuji equipment I would normally carry (including the Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f2.8, one of my favourite lenses of all time). It isn’t quite apples to apples, but the weight and size saving is significant and the smaller kit gives me the same full frame reach as the X-H1, which is what I am after.
The cameras and lenses aren’t wonky, it is just the joys of taking the photo rather too closely with the iPhone.
Whilst the G9 may supplement the X-H1 on serious excursions, for impromptu walkabouts on my own or for walks with friends the G9 allows me to be more flexible and less encumbered with only a marginal hit in terms of image quality and megapixels. I already know that I love this thing. The camera is intuitive to use, the ergonomics are great (it is soooo comfortable in the hand) and the images that come out of it are, thus far, more than acceptable.
I’ll report back once I have taken it out properly on its own in the field, but so far it has been a pleasurable camera to use.