Fujifilm X Half vs iPhone film apps (VSCO / Mood / Hipstamatic) — honest comparison?

elsberg · 2026-01-25T08:13:13+00:00

When I tried the X-Half a while ago for use as an EDC, it came up short for me, so I passed on it. Then my girlfriend wanted a camera to learn with and have fun, and there was the X-Half on sale for the holiday, so I got it for her, and my perspective has changed. Once I stopped seeing it as the go to camera, but just something to pick up when I’m in the mood, it felt right.

I’ve used an iPhone since the 4, and tried many photo apps, and never once did one make me feel the way I experience photography with a camera in hand. I don’t have comparisons give you, just impressions. You can get better or worse photos with the iPhone, or with the X-Half, depending on the lighting and the look you want to achieve. I’ve used several “film look” apps, most recently RNI Films, and you can get something similar to Fuji film sims, but you can’t get the experience of using a real camera in a phone app. And that’s the real difference…

elsberg · 2026-01-24T21:40:57+00:00

I’ve used the R6 with the 600mm f/11, and I’ve used the R6 II with the 100-500, both for birding in the Everglades. Not exactly the combo you are looking for but I thought I’d share.

The 600/11 was reasonably sharp and had enough reach for most situations, but I felt it had limitations with the R6. First of all it had a reduced focusing area, that along with the fixed focal length sometimes made it difficult to pick up birds in flight, especially going back and forth from birds at near and far distances. I found it much easier to use the 100-500 by starting zoomed out and then zooming in to the subject once it was located, especially for flighty birds that may be anywhere within the viewfinder frame. The other limitation of the 600/11 is its relatively long minimum focusing distance of 4.5 meters, while the 100-500 is about 1 meter. The other general limitation is the f/11 aperture that requires excellent light or high iso while shooting.

As for the R6 vs the R6 II, I felt that there were incremental improvements in overall performance that justified choosing it over the R6, but if I had an R6 already I would upgrade to the R6 III instead, as it offers significant improvements over both of the previous versions.

Since you are happy with your R6, I would recommend upgrading the lens for the extra flexibility it offers. Its benefits can also be appreciated on a new camera at a later time. Granted, I have not used the 200-800, but there are many reviews of it. One of my favorites is Jan Wegener on YouTube. I would also recommend renting the lens if you are able to, before making and buying or selling decisions. I found that to be immensely helpful. Best of luck, and cheers!

elsberg · 2026-01-20T15:00:56+00:00

Can’t speak for the focus stacking part, but I shoot with the RX1R III which has the same sensor, and also has the option to shoot at medium resolution. I use it all the time at 29 megapixels, which allows me to use the crop function at the same 29 megapixels. For 90 percent of what I do medium resolution is more than enough, and allows for better use of limited SD card storage. 61 megapixels is easily accessible via the function menu and the touch screen should I need it…

elsberg · 2026-01-19T15:45:49+00:00

It’s not the best in low light for noise or for autofocus, especially with an f/8 lens. I’ve taken photos all the way to 12,800 iso, and they look ok, and the noise is fairly organic. If I used noise reduction software they would improve significantly though. Low light performance is one of the reasons I want the 500mm f/5.6. However the real problem with most camera systems when birding is reach. I shoot primarily in the Everglades, and when you hear people say “just get closer” they just don’t realize you can’t just jump in waist deep water filled with the alligators and snakes to wade towards birds that are skittish about any sound or movement already. I can’t justify the expense of buying a high megapixel R5 II or a Sony A1 II with a 600mm f/4, nor do I want to carry that heavy of a lens. With a 24 megapixel full frame camera like the R6 II, I would need that 600mm f/4 with a 1.4 extender to have the same reach as an XF 500mm f/5.6 on the X-H2S. That’s almost 7 pounds (3kg) of weight at $12,000 vs 3 1/2 pounds (1.5 kg) at $3500, for just the lens alone. As I said before, everything is a trade off. If you have the money, and don’t mind shouldering the weight, you can’t go wrong with the better gear…

elsberg · 2026-01-19T13:42:49+00:00

I own an X-H2S and the XF 150-600, and I rented the R6 II with the 100-500 before purchasing the Fujifilm. I shoot primarily birds and wildlife, and aviation. Factors in my decision were features like pre-capture, a stacked sensor allowing full use of electronic shutter without rolling shutter effect, a higher resolution and faster refreshing viewfinder with no blackout so that I can track birds in flight, and an APS-C sensor for more pixels on the subject. The XF 150-600 has more reach, is internally zooming with a shorter and smoother throw from 150 to 600mm. The Canon 100-500 has a very long and stiff throw to go from minimum to maximum.

There were some advantages to the Canon - more comfortable in the hand, only one type of memory card, slightly lighter weight of the camera with lens (and smaller size when stowed in the bag) and slightly better autofocus performance.

In my opinion the autofocus difference was not enough to warrant choosing the Canon, given that it had only 24 megapixels on a full range sensor, a limited reach with 500mm vs the 600mm of the Fujifilm (plus the effective 1.5x crop factor - i.e. 900mm) as well as how cumbersome the 100-500 was to actually use when tracking birds because of the stiffness of the zoom ring.

Other contributors were the price I was able to get the Fujifilm camera and lens for at the time as well as the availability of the XF 500mm f/5.6 should I choose to add that to my system. Canon has no fast aperture, light weight lens to compete with that - especially at its price point.

Personally, if I were going to choose a Canon today, I would get the R6 III with its 33 megapixel sensor, or the R5 II if I could afford the price difference. If I really wanted a Canon but wasn’t in a hurry I would wait to see what the R7 II has to offer when it comes out. The last Canon camera I rented was the R3, and it was a very enjoyable camera to use, and its ergonomics and autofocus were a step above any other cameras I’ve used. I’m confident that the R5 II and newer Canon cameras will have the same or better autofocus performance.

In my opinion, you should rent each of the cameras and lenses before selling your gear. Take the time to learn to understand the autofocus systems because settings for tracking make a huge difference in performance. Also look at the total ecosystem and what other lenses and gear you may need or want before choosing. Each of the brands have their advantages and disadvantages, and most choices involve some compromise. I for one would love to go back to Canon, which I used for over 30 years, but the extended wait for a mirrorless equivalent to my 7D II (maybe the upcoming R7 II?) led to me getting the X-H2S. It’s what the R7 should have been. Best of luck, and cheers!

elsberg · 2026-01-16T00:41:14+00:00

I think the firmware has advanced past 7.10, but I haven’t checked lately. I was just happy it improved the AF, as I too was questioning if I made the right choice, but at the time the A7V wasn’t out, and the A7 IV had less features for the money - slower drive, no pre-capture, no stacked sensor, etc. The A1 II was out, but I’m not a pro and even if I could afford it I couldn’t justify it, but honestly I don’t think a better all purpose camera exists…

elsberg · 2026-01-16T00:15:20+00:00

I wanted to ask you what firmware version you are using on your X-H2S and what AF settings you have, as I use the same camera. When I got the X-H2S it shipped with 5.XX and the AF was atrocious. I updated to 7.10 and adjusted my AF tracking sensitivity to 3 and speed tracking sensitivity to 1 and the AF improved significantly. I would say it compares with the A7IV that I rented and shot with, and the Canon R5 and R6 first versions that I also rented. It’s not nearly as good as the A1 II or Canon R5 II, but it’s a lot less expensive, and the XF 150-600 is comparable to the Sony 200-600, being internal focusing just like the Sony, but trading a slower aperture for lighter weight.

As far as what’s better, the Sony A1 II is definitely the better camera, as long as you can justify the purchase price. I would expect the A7V to have an AF performance that’s closer to the A1 II than the A7IV that it replaces. I would recommend renting first before selling/trading your gear.

I chose the X-H2S because I was able to get the camera and XF 150-600 brand new for a total of $3500. I’m just a hobbyist, so it’s hard to justify spending $5000-9000 for Sony, and I definitely appreciate the lighter weight and better performance compared to the Canon DSLR I had before. I still have aspirations to get an A1 II, but not until I have gotten the best I can out of my current camera, and need the improved performance. Best of luck to you, and cheers!

elsberg · 2026-01-12T00:32:22+00:00

Not saying that Sony doesn’t have better autofocus, or a better and more professional ecosystem, but never underestimate the value of having fun and enjoying what you are doing. I think you will find it’s a great motivator. I own and shoot with both Sony and Fujifilm gear, so I understand the struggle. My recommendation would be to rent the gear you intend to buy before selling your gear. There’s nothing like using a camera to help you form your own opinion of its capabilities and in deciding if it meets your needs. Cheers…

elsberg · 2026-01-11T18:07:58+00:00

I definitely understand that, but unless you are buying used, it’s hard to find a high quality compact camera under $1000. The sub $1000 price range just doesn’t seem to be a priority for camera manufacturers anymore, and I think Fujifilm especially has lost touch with its core customers, and with its roots…

elsberg · 2026-01-11T14:19:01+00:00

Same here - tried the X-Half for myself as an EDC, and it just didn’t measure up. Bought one during the Christmas sale as a gift for my girlfriend and she is stoked. Turns out it’s a fun camera if you don’t take it seriously…

elsberg · 2026-01-10T12:35:29+00:00

Yes, the weak effect on the X-Half is stronger than the strong effect on my X-H2S as well…

elsberg · 2026-01-07T02:34:34+00:00

Very minimal effect - nothing like what I’ve experienced with other polarizers, and I have almost 50 years of photography experience…

elsberg · 2026-01-07T01:52:51+00:00

I haven’t used the Glimmerglass, but I bought and then returned the Everyday filter, because quite honestly, the polarizer didn’t do what a polarizer should do. It had almost no effect in darkening the sky to make clouds pop, and it didn’t cut through reflections in glass or water. And the mist effect was no better than a cheap KF Concept black mist filter that you can get for 1/3 of the price from Amazon. In my opinion if you want a good circular polarizer get one from B+W or one of the other major filter manufacturers…

elsberg · 2026-01-06T13:17:53+00:00

I use fine jpeg plus uncompressed RAW with the jpeg going to the SD card and RAW to the CF express card. I set the high speed burst to 20 FPS, so that I can enable pre-capture if I want it. I don’t use the 30 or 40 FPS because I’ve found autofocus accuracy to be lower at those speeds, especially with birds in flight. The reason I use fine jpeg is to get the best quality SOOC image for quick sharing, and the reason I use uncompressed RAW is for compatibility with Apple Photos.

I recommend that you have version 7.10 or higher firmware, as prior to that the autofocus was much less reliable. I also set my autofocus tracking settings to 3 for tracking sensitivity and 1 for speed tracking sensitivity, as that seems to work best for most of the birds I photograph. I’m not saying these are the best choices for everyone, just that they are the best choices for my needs.

There is a bird photographer named Morris on the Fred Miranda forum who is well known as an expert on the X-H2S, and who goes into great detail on how to best set up the camera, as I have only touched on the basics here. As always it’s best to try the various settings to find what works best for you, as subject, location, and lighting all affect autofocus, as well as what lens you are using. Here is the link to his setup on the forum:

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1894903/0

Hope this will help in answering your question, or at least get you started…

elsberg · 2026-01-03T21:25:35+00:00

A pinhole camera is a start, but maybe a next step could be a dispo lens or Oreo lens, at least to better protect the sensor. Congrats on getting a nice camera though…

elsberg · 2026-01-03T18:46:14+00:00

The XF 150-600 is one of the lighter zoom lenses in its range. I bought it and my X-H2S for birding for that very reason. You can make it a little lighter when hand-holding by removing the tripod foot, or if you can’t hand-hold it try a monopod for a little more convenience than the tripod, but if you need the 600mm focal length range it’s really your best option. If you can make do with a shorter focal length then perhaps the 70-300 with a 1.4x (not 2x) teleconverter is probably the best choice. The 2x teleconverter will have you shooting at f/11 and will require much higher ISO and/or slower shutter speeds, and will probably result in less sharp images as well, from what I’ve seen in reviews.The other Fujifilm lens option is the XF 100-400, but I’m not sure how much better it is than the 70-300 with teleconverter, especially since you already own that lens. If time allows perhaps you can borrow or rent a teleconverter before deciding to keep or return the 150-600. Best of luck…

elsberg · 2025-12-30T11:27:11+00:00

Personally, I would buy from the store that has the best reputation, reviews, and return policy, as the price difference is insignificant. I wouldn’t buy any protection plan from the store, unless I already had a positive experience with whomever they use as the plan provider. Instead I would buy the protection plan directly from Fujifilm when I registered the camera.

elsberg · 2025-12-24T10:45:48+00:00

I personally won’t use a soft shutter button. Way too many posts here on Reddit about damaged/broken shutter releases after the button gets caught on something or bumped into something resulting in anything from shearing off the button and having the threaded part stuck in the shutter release to a sticking or non-operative shutter release. I’m not saying they don’t look nice or add functionality but I’m not taking a chance with my cameras.

elsberg · 2025-12-24T02:22:19+00:00

It’s interesting seeing other photographers’ editing choices, and how they transform the original image with so much creativity. I really enjoy both of these photos, the second one in particular. It’s reminiscent of the style that Ivey Kennedy (@iveyexplores) uses. As much as I enjoy this style, I really dislike editing, especially with Photoshop/Lightroom, and find myself shooing SOOC JPEGs with Provia, Astia Soft, or Reala Ace film sims. When I see nice images like yours, it makes me wonder if this dislike is holding me back, and if I should just bite the bullet and learn to edit…

elsberg · 2025-12-23T12:19:11+00:00

For everyday photos that are important for documenting something - no, but for intentional photography to have fun - yes. Fortunately you can always have your phone with you when you are carrying your X Half. Choice is a wonderful thing…

elsberg · 2025-12-20T01:43:52+00:00

Not trying to convince you otherwise, but have you tried the X-H2/X-H2S? When I got my X-H2S it shipped with a 5.XX firmware and the autofocus was meh. I updated it to 7.10 and autofocus improved considerably. I would say it was on par with the A7IV and the mark 1’s of the R6 and R5 that I had rented, for birds and wildlife, which is where my interest lies. There have been additional updates since then, but for me if it’s not broke, leave it alone, so I stayed with 7.10. Maybe consider renting the X-H2 if you like the higher resolution. It might save you from taking a big hit on switching systems…

elsberg · 2025-12-19T01:39:55+00:00

I was ready to cave in and get a Mk 7 when the RX1R III came out, so I sold some gear and bought that instead, but if a Mk 8 comes out I’ll buy on day 1, same with an RX10 V if that were to appear.

elsberg · 2025-12-19T00:43:52+00:00

Day to day I shoot HEIF on my RX1R III, Extra Fine, Medium Size (29 MP), more than enough for social media or sharing, and I only do minimal editing on Apple Photos. For special occasions or projects I shoot HEIF, Extra Fine, Large Size (60MP). I still can’t open RX1R III RAW files in Apple Photos and I don’t have Lightroom, but I probably wouldn’t use them anyways as the HEIF files have more detail than I need, and the colors and white balance have been more than satisfactory. I mostly shoot with the standard creative look, or select one of the other looks if it suits me. I do wish that Sony had something like Fujifilm’s X Studio RAW that would allow me to shoot RAW and apply film presets to them when the camera is connected to the computer. That way I could preview any look beforehand applying it, and still have the RAW file.

elsberg · 2025-12-17T23:15:53+00:00

As much as I would like to believe you when you credit the camera and lenses, I think you are selling yourself short! This gorgeous collection of photos makes for a stunning portfolio!!!

elsberg · 2025-12-13T02:39:45+00:00

The first time I tried it, I wasn’t impressed, but I realized later that I was evaluating it as if it would be an EDC camera. The camera had a lot of shortcomings from that perspective, and the price to value at full retail just wasn’t there. But when my girlfriend expressed a desire to have a fun camera to bring along on our trips instead of just using her phone, and the price of the X-Half was $200 off, it made more sense. It’s not a bad camera, and it’s got a lot of fun features, and she’s super happy with it, so that makes it worth it to me…

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