• Fujifilm X-T5 square
    ​​​​​​​Fujifilm X-T5
    Best for street photography

    The Fujifilm X-T5 takes a photography-first approach, opting for a tilting screen and vintage dials that seasoned Fujifilm shooters will be very familiar with. It has the same sensor at its core and comes at a more affordable price.

    Pros
    • Charming vintage design
    • Lower MSRP
    • 3 way-tilting screen
    Cons
    • Less ideal for video shooting
  • Fujifilm X-H2 square
    Fujifilm X-H2
    Best for video shooting

    The X-H2 offers more of a hybrid design, with controls that are more suited to video shooting, and beefed-up specs in that area, too. If you want internal ProRes recording, 8K video and a big buffer for burst shooting, it's the one for you.

    Pros
    • Larger image buffer
    • Internal ProRes recording
    • Familiar hybrid design
    Cons
    • More expensive

These two Fujifilm APS-C bodies share the same sensor at their core, so you'd think that they'd be pretty similar cameras.

However, in practice, they feel very different to use and are clearly designed for different audiences. With similar specs and pricing, though, many buyers will be weighing up the pros and cons of each.

So, which should you go for? Well, as usual, that depends on how and what you like to shoot. Let's take a look at the benefits and drawbacks of each..

Specs, price and availability

The Fujifilm X-H2 was released in September 2022 and has been available to purchase ever since. It carries an MSRP of $1999 as a body only, although it can often be found selling for slightly lower prices.

The Fujifilm X-T5 was released later, in November 2022 and is available to purchase from camera retailers everywhere. It comes in at a price of $1699.

Here's how the cameras compare, at a glance:


  • ​​​​​​​Fujifilm X-T5Fujifilm X-H2
    Sensor SizeAPS-CAPS-C
    Video Resolution6.2K30 / 4K608K30 / 4K60
    Photo Resolution40.2MP40.2MP
    BatteryNP-W235NP-W235
    Size129.5x91x63.8 mm136.3x92.9x84.6 mm
    Weight557g660g
    LensX-mountX-mount

Design

Comparing the two cameras side-by-side, the differences are immediately apparent. The X-T5 is a touch smaller, and significantly lighter, but it's in the control scheme that the real difference is made.

X-T5 dials-3

The X-T5 features Fujifilm's signature dials, which have been present throughout the T-series history, giving the camera a distinctive retro look. The X-H2, on the other hand, has a more conventional layout for a hybrid camera. It features a mode selection dial, as you'd find on the majority of options from Sony, Canon and Panasonic.

The X-H2 also has a sizable settings display on top, which will show you everything that you could need to know at a glance, including your shutter speed, ISO, remaining shots and battery life.

Being hybrid shooters ourselves, we felt much more at home with the X-H2 layout, owing to its familiarity. Meanwhile, the X-T5 took some time to adjust to.

Fujifilm X-H2 top

That said, there's a definite charm to the X-T5's dials, and using it feels like using an analogue SLR from the old days. We think with more use it'd be just as quick, if not quicker, than using the front and rear wheels that we're accustomed to.

By the way, if you prefer, you can use the X-T5 in this way, and ignore the top dials entirely - but we think the majority of people would enjoy the retro twiddling.

Connectivity and displays

When it comes to connectivity, the X-H2 is the outright winner, at least if you're a video shooter. The X-T5 opts for a flimsy micro HDMI connector, which has proven to be damage-prone for anyone frequently using external monitors or working in live broadcast. The X-H2, meanwhile, squeezes in a full-size HDMI connector.

X-T5 ports-2

There are also separate headphone and microphone sockets on the X-H2, whereas the X-T5 only has a microphone input. In fairness, you can monitor the audio with a USB-C to headphone adapter on the X-T5, and one comes included in the box, but it's another weak point that most would prefer to avoid.

Another difference is the fact that the X-H2 supports CFexpress, whereas the X-T5 only has SD card slots. This is a bit of a double-edged sword, as CFexpress cards are very costly, but they also enable the extremely high bitrates and sustained burst shooting that the X-H2 is capable of.

Fujifilm X-H2 HDMI

Turning to displays, the most immediately noticeable difference is that the X-H2 has a full flip-out screen, whereas the X-T5 uses a three-way tilting mechanism. Each option has its own benefits and shortcomings.

We love the X-T5's tilting screen for stealthy street photography, but if you need to film yourself, you'll certainly have a hard time. Generally speaking, the X-H2's flip-out screen makes the most sense for video, but the tilting display has some die-hard fans of its own, particularly in photographic circles. It's just a matter of preference.

X-T5 tilt screen 3-2

Finally, the X-H2 has a higher resolution EVF, whereas the X-T5 inherits the X-T4's EVF, albeit with a higher magnification. They're both perfectly usable, but it's safe to say that the X-H2's viewfinder houses the superior display.

Photo and video performance

Since both cameras share the same sensor and lens mount, they are capable of producing essentially identical stills. The differentiation comes in the form of endurance.

Fujifilm X-H2 sensor

Both models can shoot bursts at up to 15fps with the mechanical shutter, but the X-T5 will slow down after just 19 uncompressed RAW frames, meanwhile, the X-H2 can endure 400 frames before slowing. With JPEGs, the X-T5 can handle 119 frames before slowing, while the X-H2 jumps up to 1000+.

Otherwise, the stills features are essentially identical. Both cameras can create 160MP pixel shift multi-shot images, have built-in film simulations, blazing-fast 1/180,000 electronic shutters, excellent IBIS and reliable autofocus.

Video features are another key differentiator, with X-H2 being much better suited for professional video work. It offers internal ProRes recording, as well as the ability to output up to 12-bit RAW video over HDMI.

X-T5 no lens

The X-T5 misses out on these professional codecs, and it also maxes out a 6.2k resolution, while the X-H2 can capture 8K video at 30fps.

Verdict

Both the X-T5 and X-H2 are excellent choices, but which one to go for all depends on your needs. On paper, the X-H2 is the superior camera, with its larger image buffer, better connectivity and displays, as well as more robust video features.

fuji x-t5 hardware photo 2
​​​​​​​Fujifilm X-T5

However, that only tells half the story, the X-T5 is a delight to use with its vintage control scheme and excellent tilting screen, it also comes in at a lower MSRP.

When it comes to photography, both can produce essentially identical images, so it just comes down to the design you prefer - unless you're shooting long bursts, where the X-H2 is the obvious choice.

For video, we'd go with the X-H2 every time. The controls make more sense, as do the connectivity and the flip-out display. Not to mention the ProRes codecs and higher resolution. It's well worth the extra outlay.