Fuji Tips and suggestions for club/bar shots with X-E1?

battleaxe

Regular
Location
California
I have an X-E1 right now with the 27mm lens and extra grip that fits well in my purse(coincidently a Fuji bowling looking bag) along with other things. I've noticed that with some of my shots I think I need to turn on macro mode(which I forget to), because I maybe too close(?), and try to bounce the flash a bit(& it works well). But, what other things are there I can do to improve shots in such situations and get a even higher rate of in focus keepers?

On a side note, how can I get the EV dial from moving so easily? Thank you!
 
Well, the 27 isn't the fastest lens of the bunch, and it doesn't have stabilization, so here's what I'd probably try if I were going to a club to get pictures...

1. In situations where you can't really use a flash, maybe crank the ISO to 6400, and shoot RAW+JPG in Black and White, so the noise looks a little more "charming." In that mode, I would be dictating 6400 and f2.8, and then letting the camera speed up the shutter as much as possible, because people have a habit of moving around at bars and clubs. I'd also be bracing that camera on something as much as possible - I've used the top of my pint glass countless times, for example.
2. Flash or no flash, if you find yourself in a situation where you're going to shoot someone who isn't moving around from one spot (a singer in a band, someone standing at the bar waiting, etc), then make sure you lock that focus down and then just WATCH, waiting with the shutter already half pressed down, watching for good facial expressions to hit the shutter button. Take the focus part out of the equation for the camera. I sometimes forget to, and then the camera has to hunt again for each shutter press, inevitably missing a few.
3. With Flash... I haven't used flash a ton in those situations, because I don't want to stick out or be noticed. I see you can sync it up to 1/180, just like the XT1, so I would have the camera in full manual and be making little adjustments as I went to account for subject distance. if, say, 1/60 and f2.8 and ISO 3200 was working well, and then things got darker or the subject got farther from the flash, I'd use the shutter speed dial up top to slow the shutter down. See, you're getting punished a little here by not having the XT's ISO dial up top, AND by using the only lens in the whole XF lineup that doesn't have an aperture ring, so adjustments on the fly aren't going to be as easy for you.


I'm not much help. Use black & white, crank the ISO, and let it hunt up the shutter speed scale as far as it can. Oh and don't be afraid to drop the EV comp a little, to help your capture a little, and then boost mids a little in post to make up for it?
 
IMHO, the biggest problem of the X-E1 here is the slow EVF that doesn't perform well in low light. X-E2 (and later cameras) perform much better here. Using a slow lens also means less light on the sensor and hence for the EVF. So part of mitigating the issue is using a very fast lens (doesn't matter if the actual shot is stopped down). A 35mmF1.4 would be preferable to a 27mmF2.8. Of course, a 35mmF1.4 on a X-E2 would be the best solution for such a shooting scenario.
 
35mm would be excellent, but the price is a bit up there for me. I may go for the 18mm as I like the size, and just crop with it. I also did a search and it says to turn off AF assist light as that could confuse things?
 
I never use the AF Assist light. I assume that it's supposed to help in the dark, but... if I'm having trouble with AF I just click it to manual, or use the AF Lock a lot. So forget buying a 35 for now, what about renting it to see if you like it? Looks like it's $34 for 4 days on lensrentals.com. Lensrentals.com - Rent a Fuji XF 35mm f/1.4 R

If you were local I'd just let you borrow it. Make some Fuji friends in your town!

As for the 18, you do get 3 advantages there - a stop more light, an ap ring, and the natural focus advantage of a wider lens (infinity focus comes at a much closer distance). It's the "worst" lens in Fuji's lineup, optically, from what I've seen, though, so I'd be hesitant to actually buy it.
 
If you're flicking the camera off between groups of shots, then when it comes back on (and you hand it to someone), the AF isn't locked anymore and it's going to do whatever it's going to do when they mash the shutter button. Play with that button today, try it out for a bit, locking and unlocking focus. I literally never used it on the X100, and now on the XT1 I use it a LOT. I get it now.
 
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