Which P&S for low light subway shooting?

P

psychokiller

Member
Local time
8:38 AM
Joined
Jan 5, 2008
Messages
49
Hi all,

I'm seeking a pocket film camera for low light shooting in subway/ metro/ train stations?

Here in Australia, photos in and around train stations are not usually permitted (not in Sydney anyway) and my Leica M7 is too conspicuous for this task.

I was thinking of a Contax T3. How accurate can you focus this camera in low light? Manual focus accurate?

Any other options?

Thanks in advance.
 
Thardy said:
Hehe, I had an answer but then noticed you were talking about FILM cameras.

Nevermind.
Click to expand...

I'm open to digital options!

I just didn't think there was a P&S digital with manual focus capability that could deal with low light...

I was thinking of using Neopan 1600. If there is a digital option that can give similar grain option, let me know.

I
 
People have mentioned some older fujifilm cameras, f30 i believe. I have also heard that the Canon G series (G7, G9) might be pretty good. There are some threads on photo.net discussing these very topic.

Good Luck
 
I once did a candid subway photo series with a Hexar AF & Neopan 1600. Worked great with my home-made cable release, hidden by some piece of clothing, going through a hole in the pocket of my jacket. :)

For the past 1½ year, however, I've used a Ricoh GR Digital and I like the results: http://2038.cc/

The DOF with such small sensors is massive, so focus is not really an issue. I always shoot at ISO 800, no noise reduction at all - I (and many others) like the GRD noise. And the 28/2.4 lens is excellent.
 
How about a Minox 35 GTE? It's small, rates up to asa 1600, features scale focusing, is very quiet, and has an excellent lens. And it's black, hardly noticeable.
 
It may not fit, but load an Olympus Stylus Infinity (fixed prime lens) with TriX, and you can shoot from the hip. Just like this: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=66557&ppuser=8685

This is the camera:

1661186883_46488629f0.jpg
 
Look at steves-digicams.com review of fuji f30.....

Look at steves-digicams.com review of fuji f30.....

Thardy said:
People have mentioned some older fujifilm cameras, f30 i believe. I have also heard that the Canon G series (G7, G9) might be pretty good. There are some threads on photo.net discussing these very topic.

Good Luck
Click to expand...

Also, the Canon G5 had a 2.0 lens which is one of the fastest I have seen on a compact digital. I think it also has RAW capability. Again, you can check on either:

www.steves-digicams.com

or:

www.dpreview.com

The fuji f30 and fuji f31fd are virtually identical and usable up to 1600 asa according to the reviews.
 
I've occasionally shot in subway stations since I was 16-17 or so.

What I might recommend is that you (re)consider a RF for subway shots, particularly one with a leaf shutter. What brought me back to the RF was a session shooting in Chicago subways with the Pentax and wishing I had that extra f-stop that the vibration of the mirror and focal plane shutter were taking away from me.

Some of those shots are here:

http://omababe.blogspot.com/2008/02/beneath-windy-city.html

Here in the States, anyway, you really need a fast film, a steady hand, a quiet and vibration-free shutter, and a fast lens to do justice to subway photos. Most of those on the page above were done with a Pentax K1000, Fuji 800 or 1600 film, standard lens at f2.8 to f4 or so, 1/30 or so shutter speed.

No P&S that I know of will come close, and I'm a fan of the Olympus Stylus P&S for a lot of general photo taking.

If you're concerned about being spotted, practice shooting from the hip.

Hope this helps ya! :)
 
Last edited:
It's no longer made & was never officially sold outside of Japan, but if you poke around eBay or get in touch w/some of the forum members who live in Japan, there's always the original Fuji Natura S, which came w/an incredible, especially for a point & shoot, 24/1.9 lens.
 
Many of the older fixed lens rangefinders, like my Yashica Electro GX, have a very fast lens and very quiet shutter. Most of these cameras can use film speeds up to 800 asa... which is fine with the fast lens and the low vibration shutter. Another camera I had good success with was the wonderfully quiet Konica Hexar AF. It also had a very fast lens.
 
andersju said:
I once did a candid subway photo series with a Hexar AF & Neopan 1600. Worked great with my home-made cable release, hidden by some piece of clothing, going through a hole in the pocket of my jacket. :)
Click to expand...

I was thinking of doing something similar but some idiot was recently arrested in Sydney for strapping a camera around their ankle/foot and taking photos up women's skirts! Stunts like this won't help my cause and generally make people a lot more paranoid, even for general street shooting.

andersju said:
For the past 1½ year, however, I've used a Ricoh GR Digital and I like the results: http://2038.cc/
Click to expand...

Nice shot...the noise is very acceptable (onscreen anyway). Is this taken with the original GRD? I believe the GRD II has less acceptable noise. True?
 
Up womens' skirts? Sounds like the Japanese w/ their cell phone cameras!




psychokiller said:
I was thinking of doing something similar but some idiot was recently arrested in Sydney for strapping a camera around their ankle/foot and taking photos up women's skirts! Stunts like this won't help my cause and generally make people a lot more paranoid, even for general street shooting.



Nice shot...the noise is very acceptable (onscreen anyway). Is this taken with the original GRD? I believe the GRD II has less acceptable noise. True?
Click to expand...
 
I'd suggest a GRD with OVF and focus set to snap. Can't get much quicker to shot with.

All at 1600 iso - The railway ones are Strathfield NSW after last years Easter show.

John
 

Attachments

  • R0011250zen.jpg
    R0011250zen.jpg
    129.7 KB · Views: 0
  • R0011245zen.jpg
    R0011245zen.jpg
    173.1 KB · Views: 0
  • R0011262zen.jpg
    R0011262zen.jpg
    167.8 KB · Views: 0
andersju-
Nice series, and yes the noise looks great here... not unlike 35mm Tri-x!

dmr-
Color?!?!? Must've been tricky. Good results.
 
Digital nothing beats the Fuji'ss Finepix F11 or F30 .
Low noise at 800 /1600 and 2.8 lens at 35.
They focus without the iluminator light and can be silence and multiple shots.
They have A and S modes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom