Best kit for shooting nightlife?

[chut]

I spend a few nights a week going out and have yet to get into the habit of regularly taking a camera with me to shoot nightlife.

For those of you that do, what do you prefer to use when shooting (available light) at restaurants, bars and clubs?

Do share your choice of camera, lens, film combinations and perhaps an example photo if you like.

I don't have one yet, but I'd imagine a Leica CL with a Nokton 40/1.4 and Delta 3200 would be great for this.

 

[Krosya]

whatever camera with M mount and CV Nokton 35/1.2

 

[FrankS]

I would much prefer the 40f1.4 for its smaller size (and price), over the 35f1.2, or the Leica Noctilux.

 

[brachal]

Jupiter-3 50/1.5, Bessa-R and 1600 speed color or 3200 B+W.

 

[payasam]

I'd agree with Bill, for reasons of economy, because night life can sometimes get rough.

 

[sevo]

Yashica GSN/GTN... Fast, pretty good wide open, almost disposable, and with AE into tens of seconds.

 

[furcafe]

For personal stuff, I'll use anything w/a good VF/RF, usually Leica M, & a fast (meaning @ least f/1.4) in the 35-50mm range + Fuji Neopan 1600 for B&W, Pro 800Z (or leftover NPZ) @ 640 (sometimes Natura 1600 or pushed Provia @ 1250) for color. A lot depends on how dark the venue is. E.g., some places are bright enough to use a Nikon RF or even medium format comfortably, some places are so dark that only a Leica w/Noctilux are going to work (especially for moving subjects). For assignments, typically M8 & 35/1.4.

 

[NickTrop]

Yashica GSN/GTN... Fast, pretty good wide open, almost disposable, and with AE into tens of seconds.

Agree... Electro = low light. Use black and white film, the color stuff will have too much of a cast and the filters to compensate for indoor lighting have too high a filter factor and defeat the purpose. Rate it at 1000 - it's highest speed setting. Most films aren't really any faster even if it says so on the box and the stop or so differential wont matter much anyway. It also has a much more sensitive meter that its peers - -1 at 100 iso I think, a fact often overlooked.

The best low-light set-up imo, without blowing a wad, is a Lynx 14 with its f1.4 lens + a Gossen or other good light meter capable of accurate reads in low light. This is my new "low light" kit of choice. I use a Gossen Luna Lux and the Lynx. Both the meter and the camera are large, however. With this set-up you can put that "3200" speed black and white speed or rate it faster... You have a good 1.4 lens, a leaf shutter, and an accurate meter. Can't ask for more than that.
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