- Location
- Jersey Shore
- Name
- Steve
I have to kick myself because it's my own fault and I should have known this would happen (blame it on a couple of glasses of Glenfiddich). I was out with some friends at dinner last Saturday night. I had my Fuji XF1 with me - currently my preferred pocketable camera. But it had been a while since I used it in very low light. Know also that the people I was with are notoriously impatient when it comes to having their pictures taken. No waiting for manual focus or a second try with different settings. So I had the XF1 in EXR mode. And nearly every shot came out with motion blur (because the shutter speed was too low) or out of focus (because the camera's autofocus struggled in low light). Of course, I should have used shutter priority and let the ISO go to 1600 or 3200 and dealt with either the grain or underexposure in post. For the record, I didn't want to use flash. I also have to wonder if the autofocus would have done better without the focus-assist light (as the Sony RX100 III reportedly does).
So I have to ask... are any there any current or former XF1 users who have any thoughts on how they use the camera in such low-light situations (and with such impatient people)? I wonder if any other truly pocketable (as in the pocket of a blazer or shirt) cameras do much better in low light. Reviews of the RX100 III indicate image quality is very good in low light... but that autofocus speed and accuracy isn't so fabulous in the same situation. And I'm not sure the Ricoh GR was the camera for this situation. I have enough cameras overall. But this is one specific use for which I may consider trading the XF1 for something better. I'm not expecting DSLR performance, mind you. But something that's reasonably reliable in terms of autofocus speed and accuracy in low light.
So I have to ask... are any there any current or former XF1 users who have any thoughts on how they use the camera in such low-light situations (and with such impatient people)? I wonder if any other truly pocketable (as in the pocket of a blazer or shirt) cameras do much better in low light. Reviews of the RX100 III indicate image quality is very good in low light... but that autofocus speed and accuracy isn't so fabulous in the same situation. And I'm not sure the Ricoh GR was the camera for this situation. I have enough cameras overall. But this is one specific use for which I may consider trading the XF1 for something better. I'm not expecting DSLR performance, mind you. But something that's reasonably reliable in terms of autofocus speed and accuracy in low light.
