35mm F2 or Fuji x-100? 'social photography'

[Peter Blake]

I've been asked to photograph an event in a posh restaurant. The atmosphere is quite 'delicate' as regards the interior decor etc, subdued lighting etc; and I thought I would try to replicate that by partly shooting available light. I don't have a 35 F2 at the moment but thought that would be around the right lens to use for small groups - twos threes and fours. And then I thought of the X100 or perhaps the newer version.

I also want to shoot diffused fill flash i.e. at 800/1600 to gather some of the available light; with a bounced or diffused (maybe small soft box?) flash on a bracket.

What works for you?

 

[Brian Moore]

I don't know anything about flash photography because its never something I do so I can't comment on that. However, I imagine the X-100 would be a quieter camera. (When you say "35mm F2" I am thinking you mean to put a 35mm f2 lens on a DSLR. Is that right?) A Ninja-like presence would seem to me an advantagious approach for a "delicate" atmosphere.

 

[Peter Blake]

Yes. I have a D700 so the 35 F2 would sit on that. The other lenses I could use are a 17-50 2.8 (equivalent 24-70 but only works in crop mode on D700) or a 24mm F1.4. I'm cautious about that zoom because it hasn't been wonderful wide open, which is how I plan to shoot (getting as much available light as possible but filling the front with diffused flash). The 24 is a manual focus lens and I struggle to focus it accurately even in good light so god only knows what would happen in a 'moody' restaurant….plus 24 is a little too wide even stepping back a bit.

Reports I have read say the focusing in poor light (which this will be) on the X100, is slow. Will just be shooting around 5-7 feet I guess - is presetting the focus distance (but still allowing the camera to change that) an option?

 

[Hamish Gill]

The later x100's focus fine, the first one, not so well. They are very good at direct flash using the built in one... It always seem to use the least amount of flash as possible giving results that would look natural.
That said, I wouldn't use flash in the circumstances you are talking about.

In the sorts of circumstances you are talking about I tend to use a 28 1.8 and a 50 1.4. More 50. A 50 allows you to be that little bit further away, without being an actual tele. I find this gives the most natural results in terms of people's reactions, or lack thereof, to you.

 

[Peter Blake]

The later x100's focus fine, the first one, not so well. They are very good at direct flash using the built in one... It always seem to use the least amount of flash as possible giving results that would look natural.
That said, I wouldn't use flash in the circumstances you are talking about.

In the sorts of circumstances you are talking about I tend to use a 28 1.8 and a 50 1.4. More 50. A 50 allows you to be that little bit further away, without being an actual tele. I find this gives the most natural results in terms of people's reactions, or lack thereof, to you.

Hamish, I've had a think about this and decided that I'll shoot a few rolls of fast b/w 35mm, in a 'classic' rangefinder. Today I saw a Minolta V2 for ¥9000 (about sixty quid) or a QL17 for ¥5000 (almost 30 quid). The Minolta has some nice curves going on but I suspect the Canon is a bit more usable being metered. The client won't need the images immediately so this will give a little bit of time to do the scanning etc.

I've adapted an old beauty dish to 'giant flash diffuser' and this will sit on my D700. I may still go for the 35mm F2. So will be able to shoot traditional 'flashy' snaps and 'covert' b/w

 

[Hamish Gill]

The plan for film seems an excellent one! Just beware of the lower limit of the light meter, it's probably only 4ev or around there so could fool you in lower light, or just not work at all!

 

[Peter Blake]

The plan for film seems an excellent one! Just beware of the lower limit of the light meter, it's probably only 4ev or around there so could fool you in lower light, or just not work at all!

Is the camera mechanical shutter? I may just take a reading with the D700 so as to know roughly where we are

 

[Hamish Gill]

Think so

https://www.cameraquest.com/canql17.htm

 

[Peter Blake]

Well, I put a test roll thru, of Fuji CH colour neg, that I found in my fridge…..negs were a little on the thin side for the shots where I used the shutter priority setting, but my 'wet finger in the wind' manual shots turned out fine. but no light leaks that I can see. which was my main worry.

perhaps after a few more rolls I'll write a blog post on it. biggest issue at the moment seems to be the non availability of a fast b/w film. looks like I'll be sticking to XP2 or the Kodak version for the moment - at least for versatility and ease of processing

 

[Hamish Gill]

See other thread on film comments ... Though it's worth noting that Kodak bw400cn has been discontinued now. Xp2 is the only chromogenic B&W now

 

[Hamish Gill]

Good new about the camera .. How contrasty is the lens? Good lens contrast is useful for lower light film work imo