Fujifilm X-H2S vs X-Pro3

The Fujifilm X-H2S and the Fujifilm X-Pro3 are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in May 2022 and October 2019. Both the X-H2S and the X-Pro3 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 26 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Fujifilm X-H2S		Fujifilm X-Pro3
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Fujifilm X mount lenses		Fujifilm X mount lenses
26 MP – APS-C sensor		26 MP – APS-C sensor
6.2k/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 160-12,800 (80 - 51,200)		ISO 160-12,800 (80 - 51,200)
Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1620k dots		3.0" LCD – 1620k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
15 shutter flaps per second		8 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
580 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
136 x 93 x 85 mm, 660 g		141 x 83 x 46 mm, 497 g

Check X-H2S price at
amazon.com
Check X-Pro3 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Fujifilm X-H2S and the Fujifilm X-Pro3? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Fujifilm X-H2S and the Fujifilm X-Pro3 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The X-Pro3 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the X-H2S is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Fujifilm X-Pro3 is notably smaller (7 percent) than the Fujifilm X-H2S. Moreover, the X-Pro3 is markedly lighter (25 percent) than the X-H2S. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Fujinon X Lens Catalog. Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

Concerning battery life, the X-H2S gets 580 shots out of its Fujifilm NP-W235 battery, while the X-Pro3 can take 440 images on a single charge of its Fujifilm NP-W126S power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm X-H2S	136 mm	93 mm	85 mm	660 g	580	Y	May 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
2.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	497 g	440	Y	Oct 2019	US$ 1 799	amazon.com
3.		Canon R6 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	670 g	450	Y	Nov 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
4.		Fujifilm X-H1	140 mm	97 mm	86 mm	673 g	310	Y	Feb 2018	US$ 1 899	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-H2	136 mm	93 mm	85 mm	660 g	680	Y	Sep 2022	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
6.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	495 g	350	Y	Jan 2016	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X-S20	128 mm	85 mm	65 mm	491 g	750	n	May 2023	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
8.		Fujifilm X-T2	133 mm	92 mm	49 mm	507 g	340	Y	Jul 2016	US$ 1 599	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X-T3	133 mm	93 mm	59 mm	539 g	390	Y	Sep 2018	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X-T4	135 mm	93 mm	64 mm	607 g	500	Y	Feb 2020	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-T5	130 mm	91 mm	64 mm	557 g	580	Y	Nov 2022	US$ 1 699	amazon.com
12.		OM System OM-1	135 mm	92 mm	73 mm	599 g	520	Y	Feb 2022	US$ 2 199	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GH6	138 mm	100 mm	100 mm	823 g	360	Y	Feb 2022	US$ 2 199	amazon.com
14.		Panasonic S5 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	740 g	370	Y	Jan 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7 IV	131 mm	96 mm	80 mm	659 g	580	Y	Oct 2021	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The X-Pro3 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 28 percent) than the X-H2S, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 26 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the X-H2S and the X-Pro3 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the X-H2S is much more recent (by 2 years and 7 months) than the X-Pro3, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The Fujifilm X-H2S has a native sensitivity range from ISO 160 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 80-51200. The Fujifilm X-Pro3 offers exactly the same ISO settings.

In terms of underlying technology, the X-H2S is build around a Stacked BSI-CMOS sensor, while the X-Pro3 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use the X-Trans layout of photosites, which according to Fujifilm helps to minimize moiré.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Fujifilm X-H2S	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	6.2k/30p	24.3	13.9	2224	86
2.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1968	84
3.		Canon R6 Mark II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	25.4	14.6	3154	96
4.		Fujifilm X-H1	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.3	1806	82
5.		Fujifilm X-H2	APS-C	39.8	7728	5152	8k/30p	24.3	13.9	2249	86
6.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
7.		Fujifilm X-S20	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.3	14.0	2315	86
8.		Fujifilm X-T2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.8	13.1	1653	81
9.		Fujifilm X-T3	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.0	13.4	1853	83
10.		Fujifilm X-T4	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.1	13.6	1995	84
11.		Fujifilm X-T5	APS-C	39.8	7728	5152	6.2k/30p	24.3	13.9	2264	86
12.		OM System OM-1	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.4	13.4	1553	77
13.		Panasonic GH6	Four Thirds	25.0	5776	4336	5.7K/60p	23.4	13.4	1555	77
14.		Panasonic S5 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.6	3158	96
15.		Sony A7 IV	Full Frame	32.7	7008	4672	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3379	97
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the X-H2S provides a higher video resolution than the X-Pro3. It can shoot video footage at 6.2k/30p, while the X-Pro3 is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the X-H2S offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the X-Pro3 (5760k vs 3690k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Fujifilm X-H2S and Fujifilm X-Pro3 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Fujifilm X-H2S	5760	Y	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	n	Y
2.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon R6 Mark II	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
4.		Fujifilm X-H1	3690	Y	3.0 / 1040	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
5.		Fujifilm X-H2	5760	Y	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	n	Y
6.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
7.		Fujifilm X-S20	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Fujifilm X-T2	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	full-flex	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
9.		Fujifilm X-T3	3690	n	3.0 / 1040	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
10.		Fujifilm X-T4	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	n	Y
11.		Fujifilm X-T5	3690	n	3.0 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	n	Y
12.		OM System OM-1	5760	n	3.0 / 1640	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic GH6	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic S5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7 IV	3686	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the X-H2S, but is missing on the X-Pro3 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Fujifilm X-H2S and the Fujifilm X-Pro3 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The X-H2S writes its imaging data to CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards, while the X-Pro3 uses SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Moreover, both cameras support UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Fujifilm X-H2S and Fujifilm X-Pro3 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Fujifilm X-H2S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	-	3.1	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Fujifilm X-H1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
5.		Fujifilm X-H2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Fujifilm X-S20	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Fujifilm X-T2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
9.		Fujifilm X-T3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
10.		Fujifilm X-T4	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Fujifilm X-T5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		OM System OM-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic GH6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic S5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony A7 IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the X-H2S has a headphone jack, which is not present on the X-Pro3 This port makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process.

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Both the X-H2S and the X-Pro3 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The X-Pro3 replaced the earlier Fujifilm X-Pro2, while the X-H2S followed on from the Fujifilm X-H1. Further information on the features and operation of the X-H2S and X-Pro3 can be found, respectively, in the Fujifilm X-H2S Manual (free pdf) or the online Fujifilm X-Pro3 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Fujifilm X-H2S better than the Fujifilm X-Pro3 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Fujifilm X-H2S:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (6.2k/30p vs 4K/30p).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (5760k vs 3690k dots).
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.8x vs 0.52x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (15 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (580 versus 440) on a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 7 months of technical progress since the X-Pro3 launch.

Advantages of the Fujifilm X-Pro3:

• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 163g or 25 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (28 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in October 2019).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the X-H2S is the clear winner of the match-up (13 : 3 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Fujifilm X-H2S and the Fujifilm X-Pro3 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the X-H2S or the X-Pro3. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm X-H2S	5/5	+	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	May 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
2.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4/5	..	Oct 2019	US$ 1 799	amazon.com
3.		Canon R6 Mark II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
4.		Fujifilm X-H1	..	+	5/5	86/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 1 899	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-H2	5/5	+ +	5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2022	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
6.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X-S20	5/5	+ +	5/5	86/100	..	4.5/5	May 2023	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
8.		Fujifilm X-T2	5/5	+ +	..	86/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2016	US$ 1 599	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X-T3	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2018	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X-T4	5/5	+ +	5/5	88/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2020	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-T5	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	90/100	4.5/5	..	Nov 2022	US$ 1 699	amazon.com
12.		OM System OM-1	5/5	..	..	87/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2022	US$ 2 199	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GH6	5/5	+ +	5/5	87/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2022	US$ 2 199	amazon.com
14.		Panasonic S5 II	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7 IV	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2021	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Check X-H2S price at
amazon.com
Check X-Pro3 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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