The Best Fujifilm XH2s Video Settings
I’ve been using the Fuji XH2s for all my video work for some time and having gone through many different set ups along with a ton of mistakes, I’m now in a position where I can share what settings I use for video, be it YouTube or IG reels. Please keep in mind I’m a photographer not a videographer. For me video goes as far as YouTube and social media only. Finally although this blog is aimed at the XH2s, many of these will carry over to other Fuji cameras.
Mode Dial
I only use 3 of the available mode dial memory banks.
C1 - this is quick video and is mapped to one of the physical buttons. This is a point and shoot mode that’s designed for fast access. It’s Aperture priority so I have some quick control over light coming in but shutter and ISO are in auto. It won’t give you the best image due to the shutter speed but better than nothing. It’s set to 25fps (24 for America & Japan)
C6 - this is my go to video setting. It shoots in 25fps and has a 1/50 shutter speed locked in. ISO is set to base but can be increased if needed. Aperture control remains on the lens. (24fps for America & Japan)
C7 - This is my 50fps setting and I can use it for either slow motion or super smooth video. Although this camera does 120fps, I find 50 to be more useful as it records sound and can be used in normal speed as well as slow. Shutter speed is set to 1/100 and ISO remains at base but can be increased. (60fps for America & Japan)
Key Buttons
There are some key buttons I reprogrammed in order to get the most out of the camera.
REC - set to recall C1 as mentioned earlier
WB - I set it to WBL in order to lock the white balance. This helps in scenarios where WB can jump around.
Fn4 - AF Mode
Fn5 - AE Mode
Fn6 - Focus Mode
Fn7 - Face Detect
AF-ON - AEL / AFL
Resolution, Codecs & Frame Rates
My main go to frame rate is 25fps. In America, Japan and a few other places you would need 24fps in order to avoid flickering. However with that said I find that no matter what frame rate you use, there is always a risk of lights flickering so just see what works in your country. You can also play with the shutter speed to avoid flickering. For example changing from 1/48 to 1/50 or vice versa.
Sometimes I also shoot in 50fps if I want to slow things down or have a super smooth video for some social media applications. I generally don’t shoot in 120fps because I can’t connect with super slow motion footage. Also 120fps doesn’t record audio.
As for resolution I shoot everything in 4K. This camera does 6.2K but I never felt the need for it. For YouTube and social media, 4k is plenty good enough. This camera can also shoot in open gate which allows you to use the entire sensor and get a 3:2 aspect file instead of 16:9. I would love to use that however that forces you to also shoot in 6.2K and have enormous files. Because of that I don’t use that option.
As for codec I shoot everything in regular ProRes. I edit in Final Cut and ProRes gives the smoothest performance. Some say ProRes is also a higher quality file with more data but I can’t really tell because I don’t colour grade that heavily. You pay the price in terms of file size but the footage is just so much easier and smoother to work with.
Picture Profile & Exposure
I shoot everything in FLOG2 as it gives me the most dynamic range. As for exposure I try to match it to what I see. To help with that I enable FLOG assist which adds some contrast to the preview. However I have found that sometimes overexposing by 0.6 to even 1 stop gives nice and clean results. With that said I try to always keep it as close to what my eyes see as possible.
Audio
For built in mics I set the audio gain to auto and find it’s good enough. For external mics, this depends however on average I try to keep it at around -18 and adjust the gain on the mic to make sure that the audio peaks in the orange areas of the meters on the screen.
Full Setup
This was just a highlight of the video settings I use. For detailed set up, please see the full guide below.
This Fujifilm XH2s set-up guide is designed to save you time and get your camera set up and working just like I do. You will learn what the major features do and why I chose to set them in a certain way. I will show you how to assign the buttons and custom menus in order to have the most important features at your fingertips. Finally, I will walk you through how I expose and focus.
This guide is not a replacement for your user manual and does not cover 100% of the features. It covers the features that, in my experience, 90% of the people use 90% of the time. This is based on years of personal experience.
This guide is best suited for those who want to be up and running quickly with a tried-and-tested set-up.
This is a digital download and not a physical product. The download is around 33mb.
Please note that due to the nature of digital products, refunds are generally not accepted. However, if you experience any issues, feel free to contact me and I’ll review your situation individually. You are welcome to use this product for personal or commercial projects, but you may not copy, distribute, or resell the files in their original or modified form.
Finally, I want to say a massive thank you for supporting me. Buying this guide is the most direct way you can support my work, thus allowing me to make more videos, photos, and tutorials for you.
Thank you for your support!
Instead of telling you how these will change your life, I would rather be practical and answer the most common questions that people tend to have when buying presets.
What are presets?
They are editing settings that are saved in a file and can be applied to any image.
Why do people buy presets?
Sometimes because they like the work of the photographer and want that style for their own photos. Mostly because they would like to see how other people edit and learn by reverse engineering the presets. Other times it’s just to support their favourite photographers, thank you!
What’s the overall style of these presets?
- Filmic
- Warm
- Soft
- Bright
What are these presets suitable for?
Street & Travel Photography
Some Nature (with further editing)
Some Portraits (with extensive editing)
Do I actually use these?
Yes. This is the same pack I use right now for all my editing. This isn’t a pack made just to sell.
Do these presets get updated?
Yes, as my style changes, these presets will also be updated. Any time a new update is available, you will get a free update via email. Of course you also keep all the old presets in case you prefer the older looks. Only presets purchased from 2025 onwards will receive the updates.
What file types are these presets for?
- All RAW files
- JPEGs & TIFFs (not recommended)
What camera brands are these presets for?
These were designed around Fujifilm, Sony, and Leica sensors. With that said, they will work with all camera brands. While there might be differences due to individual camera colour science, the overall feel of the preset will carry over.
Will these work with JPEG files?
Yes, but you will need to reduce the intensity and make further edits. I strongly recommend editing RAW files.
Are these one click edits?
95% No. You would need to do some basic adjustments as each image is different. These adjustments can include exposure, colour balance etc. In 5% of cases you can just apply and leave it alone.
Do I need to know how to edit?
You need to have a basic understanding of adjusting exposure, highlights, shadows, etc. A more comprehensive editing skillset will let you get the most out of them.
How many presets are included?
10 in the main pack and 24 in the extras pack
Why two packs?
The main pack is what I use for 99% of my edits and is kept small to reduce wasted time scrolling through presets. The extras pack is everything I don’t use often.
What software do I need?
These presets will work with any of the following:
- Photoshop (adobe camera raw)
- Lightroom Classic
- Lightroom Desktop
- Lightroom Mobile
Will these presets work with free versions of the above software?
You need to research and double check before buying. These presets were designed for the full paid versions.
Will these presets work with very old versions of the above software?
You need to research and double check before buying. These presets were designed on and for the latest software.
What file type do I get?
XMP
What else do I get?
- Comprehensive PDF guide
Can I modify these and turn them into my own?
Yes! In fact I encourage you to modify them and play around. Use these to help you get your own style.
I have more questions…. What do I do?
Make a cup of tea and drop me an email on hello@snapsbyfox.com
Please note that due to the nature of digital products, refunds are generally not accepted. However, if you experience any issues, feel free to contact me and I’ll review your situation individually. You are welcome to use this product for personal or commercial projects, but you may not copy, distribute, or resell the files in their original or modified form.
Finally I want to say a massive thank you for supporting me. Buying these presets is the most direct way you can support my work.
Thank you!