H is an amazing pencil. Usually the lightest I go is 2H.
For brands that are super dark, like Prismacolor, I do use 5H, and it is still dark.
Mostly I do not go over 4B (depending on the brands).
Yes, the after 2H, they are too hard. Too much clay in addition to the graphite.
The harder the pencil is, the less graphite particles it lays on the surface, and therefore looks lighter.
Graphite is super soft, so B levels means more graphite, and it covers the surface fast, and looks darker.