Fujifilm x100f for street photography at night.

[darya151]

Delta 3200 and the recently released Tmax 3200 are still great options for film street at night.

I've shot a ton of delta 3200 at night and can fully recommend it.

I did shoot a fair bit of low light with the X100t when I had it and I can say that at 3200 the files are fairly workable.

phone edit*

wonderful image, really beautiful! Shot with 3200?
darya

 

[Kupepe]

Delta 3200 and the recently released Tmax 3200 are still great options for film street at night.

I've shot a ton of delta 3200 at night and can fully recommend it.

I did shoot a fair bit of low light with the X100t when I had it and I can say that at 3200 the files are fairly workable.

phone edit*

This is a X100F or a film photo ? Great colours and the feel I am looking for during the night shoots.

 

[Kupepe]

Thank you all for the replies.

My issue with the GRD2 that I have now, is that without flash I get blurry images. I shoot in P mode with snap focus to make things simple and fast but there is not enough light without a flash so the camera takes looong exposure times to compensate. It has a CCD sensor, which is supposed to have certain advantages in low light conditions to CMOS, but that applies after the photo being taken I guess. Besides AF, I thought that the faster lens of Fuji would help me get more light and thus not need flash.

 

[Archiver]

Having shot a bit of night street with the GRD III, I can say that the f1.9 lens and reasonable ISO 1600 make it quite acceptable in this regard. The small sensor means that you don't have the depth of field focus issues of an aps-c sensor, and Snap focus is fast as usual.

I know you're keen on the X100F, but maybe look at a secondhand GRD III or IV. The X100 series is great, but there's nothing like a tiny camera that you can palm or pocket in an instant.

 

[Archlich]

Thank you all for the replies.

My issue with the GRD2 that I have now, is that without flash I get blurry images. I shoot in P mode with snap focus to make things simple and fast but there is not enough light without a flash so the camera takes looong exposure times to compensate. It has a CCD sensor, which is supposed to have certain advantages in low light conditions to CMOS, but that applies after the photo being taken I guess. Besides AF, I thought that the faster lens of Fuji would help me get more light and thus not need flash.

Whatever little difference the CCD makes over a CMOS is neglected by the 1.7'' sensor size. Meanwhile I find the current generation of Fuji sensor to be technically better than the full frame one in my Leica M Typ 262.

I had GRD II, III, the GR, the original X100 and the X100F. The X100F's native autofocus capability in low light is light years beyond the X100 & GR (even with their AF assit beams ON), which again are a tad better than the old GRDs.

Go to a camera store, try one, and get ready to be amazed by what a modern camera can do. Technology advancement does make a difference in this case.

 

[jsrockit]

You are talking about me having low standards? Owning camera in question doesn't mean using it to prove something. Your image proves nothing about fast AF in -2EV.

Ko.Fe... you do not even use your digital M on raw or at full file resolution. That is what I meant about lower standards. It's ok. It is your choice, but someone else may expect more.

Regarding my image, this is true... sorry, to have offended you with my horrible example image. But I actually came upon the scene, brought the camera to my eye quickly, and made the image before the man moved. It does not have to be sports action for a moment to disappear quickly. He only stopped for that second. I photograph while constantly walking as well. However, I never said it was an indication of what the AF can do... I was just showing an image I liked that I took at night with the X100F. Before you decided to come in here and crap on the thread, I was trying to help the OP with real information, not information I gathered from the internet.

Here is 2005 5D at night.
https://photos.google.com/album/AF1...o/AF1QipPB4ejxuTk6Y_v8ifE-pmg5aRsAJOWmCRFRt2A
And 500D from 2008, at night.
https://photos.google.com/album/AF1...o/AF1QipN9kk6q-_A6WQ8bxRJalNB7GCHcnem9UQiL6cU

Links are dead...

Yes, where are MFT with fine IS0 6400 and 5-axis image stabilization. Since 2016. What tripod has to do with street photography? Handheld with 1/15 and IS does. And modern cameras with IS will recognize which axis to stabilize once camera in the pan mode. Do you know what pan mode is in street photogaphy?

I can tell by this you have not used the MFT camera you are talking about or a camera with IS. It does not work this way at all. It mostly works in situations WHERE a tripod or monopod would work. That is what I meant... it does not stabilize situations where you are quickly bringing the camera to your eye to catch a moment like in street photography. It may work in a panning situation, but it is not necessary for panning at all and I bet that will be very hit or miss just like any other panning situation.

And CoolPic A is not slow camera for the street. My buddy in Moscow does it with this camera and does it great, not just like you show us here.

OK, your friend has used it... but so have I... I know that its AF is on the slower side. Again, I've used it, you haven't. Can it be used? Yes. Is it ideal? No. Can someone adapt to it? Yes. Is it faster than the GR the OP is already using? NO! That is the point...

He even does it with some old MFT and MF Oly 15mm pancake. Boris Kireev. I suggest to learn about him, before lecturing here about Coolpix A AF and street photography.
We just had GRII, CoolPix A talk about street photography with him and other good folks I know. Here is one who used old Ricoh camera for trip to India. In the real night:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/115439373@N02/31573929834/in/dateposted/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/115439373@N02/32345182446/in/dateposted/

BTW, OP has 50 1.4 lens, with films BLKRCAT has mentioned and with Kodak Ultramax 400 @800, he'll be just fine 🙂

I've never said they cannot be used... of course old cameras can be used. They have been forever. THAT IS NOT THE POINT OF THIS THREAD. So, I said the X100F will be easier to use for night street photography at this point. It is more versatile. I'm not sure why you needed to come into this thread and get on your high horse. Especially since you are not talking about the two cameras the OP asked about. You have not used either camera, and you have not used some of the cameras you are suggesting either.

 

[faris]

The post above by jsrockit is pretty accurate.

When I am unsure, I ask others more knowledgable than me. I learn from their experience and advice.
I progress my photography that way.

Here are some from the Fuji X100...

In-camera or lens stabilization would not have frozen the child's movement.
Only shutter speed determines that.

Here are 2 more...

I have not spent time to perform noise reduction on these raw images. I shoot raw, specially at night!

 

[BLKRCAT]

wonderful image, really beautiful! Shot with 3200?
darya

1600!

This is a X100F or a film photo ? Great colours and the feel I am looking for during the night shoots.

This is from an X100T

 

[BLKRCAT]

@jsrockit & ko.fe

I think that looking from some of the OP's posts, "blurry photos in P mode", lead me to believe that he isn't a very advanced user. No need busting chops and duking it out over info that i'm not even sure that the OP would understand.

@OP Bottom line is the X100F is a very capable night camera, if you want to save some money and pick up a second hand X100T I would say that it's a good alternative.

If you want to bang out a couple rolls and try night shooting on film before they invest in a fuji then there are some great film stocks listed. (I would also add fuji superia 800 or portra 800 to that list as well)

And if you pick up a fuji and have any further questions you know that there is a wealth of first hand knowledge with very passionate members on RFF.

 

[stompyq]

I own both a GR and a X100F. The GR is blind at night. Unless you jack up the ISO and use snap focus don't bother. The X100F is usable. Nothing crazy but if you have a decent light source (street lamp) lighting the subject then its perfectly fine. It struggles when the elements in the frame are moving. Don't expect a Nikon D5 and you should be fine.

 

[stompyq]

I find the X100F better for low light street than the EM10 MK2 with 20mm 1.8

 

[willie_901]

Thank you all for the replies.

...It has a CCD sensor, which is supposed to have certain advantages in low light conditions to CMOS, but that applies after the photo being taken I guess. ...

Actually, in low-light a CCD sensor technology has serious disadvantages compared to CMOS.

• CMOS analog S/N ratios are superior for a number of technical factors. For instance, input-referred read noise levels are lower because all of the logic, analog signal amplification and analog-to-digital convert circuitry is on a single chip.
• Compared to CMOS, CCD technology is highly susceptible to blooming artifacts caused by charge overflow between adjacent pixel sites. In night scenes this can be an issue with bright, point-source lights.
• Practically all recent technological advances in sensor performance are limited to CMOS. This is primarily due to fabrication advantages and their lower operational power consumption

 

[willie_901]

...

Here are some from the Fuji X100...

I think these are perfectly exposed and rendered. Kudos!

 

[Kupepe]

Is the tech of X100F close to X100T, as far as how the camera performs at night ?

I can have a X100T to shoot for a couple of days. Will it be close on x100F, if i used the X100T as a judgement call if to buy the x100f?

 

[BLKRCAT]

the sensor between the T and the F is completely different. I believe that the F has much better high iso performance.

 

[willie_901]

Is the tech of X100F close to X100T, as far as how the camera performs at night ?
...

No.

The 100F is much better in terms of dynamic range in bright light and S/N in low ambient-light situations.

The X-Trans III sensors use Aptina's dual conversion-gain technology. Below ISO 800 the sensor electronics are optimized for dynamic range. At ISO 800 and above, the sensor circuitry switches to mode that increases sensitivity.

The X100F also offers significant improvements in AF technology as well.

I think the lenses are essentially identical.

 

[SJACPHOTO]

As a Street Photographer myself, I am now almost exclusively using the X100F among my Ricoh GR.

At night, the X100F does work well without a flash, but You need some very bright light sources. Just shooting at the dark won't yield a very good result, although the f/2.0 does give some space for night photography, You should look for bright light, like street lamps or storefronts.