Concert photos of black metal band "Batushka" + support

[BeatX]

Hello everyone!

Below I post couple photos from the last concert I had the opportunity to photograph.
Main star of the evening was: Batushka
Their music is something I would call like hardcore black metal
Not my thing to be honest when it comes to music taste, but their performance on the stage was something I had never experienced before as a photographer.
It was best "rock" music event I've seen so far. Paradise for every shooter.
I took one of my best concert photos during this event.
From obvious reasons, AF face detect didn't work at all for most of the time
Anyway, enjoy!

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--
My gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/maciej_k/

 

[sir_c]

Those are some great captures! Well done

 

[BeatX]

Those are some great captures! Well done

Thank You

 

[Ian J G]

well done, I enjoyed looking at these, you really captured the sort of atmosphere, the audience, the feel – fun stuff

Ian

 

[BeatX]

well done, I enjoyed looking at these, you really captured the sort of atmosphere, the audience, the feel – fun stuff

Ian

 

[Rightsaidfred]

Not sure whether it's my music but really cool images Beat!

Also a good selection of lenses.

I've also done rock gig photography.

BR,

Martin

 

[Artur Darulewski]

Another great concert series - 11 and 12 are my picks!

Cheers,

Artur

 

[BeatX]

Not sure whether it's my music but really cool images Beat!

Also a good selection of lenses.

I've also done rock gig photography.

BR,

Martin

Thx Martin!

Can I take a look at Your concert photos? I'm very curious how You did
I think I've missed them, if You publish this concert set here, on dpreview?

 

[BeatX]

Another great concert series - 11 and 12 are my picks!

Cheers,

Artur

Thank You Artur.
It means a lot to me

 

[Rightsaidfred]

Not sure whether it's my music but really cool images Beat!

Also a good selection of lenses.

I've also done rock gig photography.

BR,

Martin

Thx Martin!
Can I take a look at Your concert photos? I'm very curious how You did
I think I've missed them, if You publish this concert set here, on dpreview?

Sure. Here you go:

Shooting a gig (80s rock band - X-T4, X-T20, Viltrox 85 Mk II)

Munich City Knights

I published only a fraction of my selection. A few are on Insta.

Meanwhile I sold the Viltrox 85 Mk II and replaced it with the XF 90/2. The lens hood of the Viltrox drove me nuts. Optically it is actually really good. The Fujinon is sharper wide open and has significantly snappier AF.

Rock concert photography with fast moving musicians and huge contrast is not that straightforward. It is of course easier to have single musicians in the frame, or maybe two. The whole band on one photo (this is what they wanted me to do last time) is a big challenge. You grow as you try hard

BR,

Martin

--
SmugMug - https://martinlang.smugmug.com
500px - https://500px.com/martinlangphotography
Insta - https://www.instagram.com/martin.lang.photography
Co-author on https://frickelfarm.de/

 

[dccberry]

The 13mm images are with the Viltrox, correct? Those look way better than the Sigma 16mm or the Fuji 14mm if so...

 

[BeatX]

Not sure whether it's my music but really cool images Beat!

Also a good selection of lenses.

I've also done rock gig photography.

BR,

Martin

Thx Martin!
Can I take a look at Your concert photos? I'm very curious how You did
I think I've missed them, if You publish this concert set here, on dpreview?

Sure. Here you go:

Shooting a gig (80s rock band - X-T4, X-T20, Viltrox 85 Mk II)

Munich City Knights

I published only a fraction of my selection. A few are on Insta.

Meanwhile I sold the Viltrox 85 Mk II and replaced it with the XF 90/2. The lens hood of the Viltrox drove me nuts. Optically it is actually really good. The Fujinon is sharper wide open and has significantly snappier AF.

Rock concert photography with fast moving musicians and huge contrast is not that straightforward. It is of course easier to have single musicians in the frame, or maybe two. The whole band on one photo (this is what they wanted me to do last time) is a big challenge. You grow as you try hard

BR,

Martin

Alright, thanks for the link!
I will take a look at Your work and write down what do I think In Your thread

As for XF 90/2 goes.. I have never used this lens, same as Viltrox 85 MkII, so it is hard for me to say anything.
But I can tell You that my XF 56/1.2 R is not best choice when it comes to concerts.
It's subjective, by these are my thoughts: first of all, I find this FL not long enough for my shooting style.
This FL is just too subtle as for my taste, for documenting type of work.
It's great if You want to achieve "beauty/glamour" look (like in weddings or portraits), but for rock festivals it just lacks something I would call "reporter's claw", the look that gives something spicey into the images.

Second thing is sharpness wide open.
If You shooting side by side using ultra sharp lenses (like Viltrox 13/1.4 and Viltrox 27/1.2), then XF 56/1.2 R needs to be stopped down to at least f/1.8 to give same amount of acutance compared to mentioned lenses.
I like soft and glow rendering from XF 56/1.2 R in portraits, but for shooting concerts I would rally like more sharpness

At this moment I can see these options as serious telephoto lenses in Fujifilm X system for shooting concerts:
1) Sigma Art 50-100/1.8 (with adapter)
I have never used this lens, but I saw the results - optically its superb, zero complains.
Perfect zoom range for telephoto work on events, and reasonable aperture (considering DOF You get as for aps-c standards)
Downsides? This zoom is humongous, very heavy - again, as for aps-c standards.
And it's not cheap (plus You need to buy adapter which is not cheap either). Not sure how reliable AF is with this lens when using through adapter with Fujifilm cameras.

2) Viltrox 75/1.2 astonishing IQ corner to corner (even wide open), with super fast aperture and decent AF.
It's FL is more suited for documentary type of shooting, than 56/1.2 imho
Downsides? None
Perhaps so so flare resistance.

3) XF 90/2, very good IQ at any aperture, best AF Fuji has to offer (quad LM), excellent FL for documentary photography.
Downsides? "Only" f/2
As You can probably already tell, for shooting concert shows, fast lens is no#1 priority.
I would always choose faster aperture than faster AF for concerts.
Having such reserve of resolution with Viltrox 75/1.2 You can easly crop to get similar FL as XF 90/2 has.
But You cannot increase shutter speed, by not increasing ISO (which is more degrading to image, than cropping)

Not sure how about XF 50-140/2.8
I think is rather poor choice for concerts.
This zoom has flat rendering, and only f/2.8 aperture so setting like 1/500 shutter speed would require very often shooting on ISO 6400 or more.

My 3 cents

--
My gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/maciej_k/

 

[BeatX]

The 13mm images are with the Viltrox, correct? Those look way better than the Sigma 16mm or the Fuji 14mm if so...

Yes, exactly - it's Viltrox 13/1.4

It was third time I was shooting concert using same setup: X-H2, Viltrox 13/1.4, Viltrox 27/1.2 and XF 56/1.2 R
And I have some my impressions and thoughts from field usage, I would like to share with You guys.

First of all, let me remind You that concert photography is one of the most demanding and challenging photography genre when it comes to autofocus - right behind birds in fly and sport photography.
So I'm very happy to report, that autofocus in X-H2 is very very good for this job.
With lenses like Viltrox 13/1.4 and Viltrox 27/1.2 I have almost zero missed shots, due to AF errors.
With dinosaur lens like XF 56/1.2 R I have like 7/10 shots in focus, either using AF-S, or AF-C.
Not bad Fuji, not bad at all
Dunno if Sony or Canon users has better AF results in such scenarios like very darkly lit concerts.
Even if they do, I think that in this regards X-H2 autofocus is nothing to complain, rally.

Second thing is X-Trans IV and V sensors.
With denoising software like DXO PureRAW 3, You can easly shoot up to ISO 3200 and final results are just jaw dropping (if You consider it's aps-c sensor).
Such IQ in final result was unthinkable couple years ago
Seriously, just keep ISO up to 3200 and I hardly believe, that there is one who will complain for amount of details or noise levels (when publishing on 4k screens or even A3 prints)

Viltrox 13/1.4 <- this lens is my biggest surprise for concert photography.
I bought it mainly as a UWA option for my lame landscape shooting during holidays, and It turns out, that I use it for about 50% of whole images I shoot on event.
Combination of f/1.4 and such wide FOV is rally something what got me hooked, as I was used to shoot with 24mm primes (in FF terms) for wide angle shots.
I rally do think, that Viltrox 13/1,4 is best UWA lens in Fujifilm X system for concert photography.
Not sure how about XF 16/1.4, but I get feeling that Viltrox 13/1.4 FOV is more useful, and You can always crop a little in post.

Viltrox 27/1.2 <- I prise this lens in high heavens, best standard lens I've ever had but.. I find its FL somewhat boring in concerts, it didn't fit my shooting style for such job, so in practice I almost never use it.

XF 56/1.2 R <- not great, not terrible. Not best choice for concerts to be honest.
Needs to be stopped down to f/1.8 to match acutance of both 13/1.4 and 27/1.2 Viltrox lenses.
Focal length.. well, not exactly what I'm looking for documentary photography (subjective)
XF 56/1.2 R autofocus is also well known for being sluggish and unreliable, although I've got quite decent AF results when using XF 56/1.2 R with X-H2.
I love old XF 56/1.2 R rendering in portraits.. "look" I can have from this lens, was main reason to buy it, as Im shooting mostly portraits.
But if I would aim more in concerts and less in portraits, I would choose Viltrox 75/1.2 over both old and new XF 56/1.2 and never looked back

--
My gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/maciej_k/

 

[Rightsaidfred]

The 13mm images are with the Viltrox, correct? Those look way better than the Sigma 16mm or the Fuji 14mm if so...

Yes, exactly - it's Viltrox 13/1.4

It was third time I was shooting concert using same setup: X-H2, Viltrox 13/1.4, Viltrox 27/1.2 and XF 56/1.2 R
And I have some my impressions and thoughts from field usage, I would like to share with You guys.

First of all, let me remind You that concert photography is one of the most demanding and challenging photography genre when it comes to autofocus - right behind birds in fly and sport photography.

Confirm.

So I'm very happy to report, that autofocus in X-H2 is very very good for this job.
With lenses like Viltrox 13/1.4 and Viltrox 27/1.2 I have almost zero missed shots, due to AF errors.
With dinosaur lens like XF 56/1.2 R I have like 7/10 shots in focus, either using AF-S, or AF-C.
Not bad Fuji, not bad at all
Dunno if Sony or Canon users has better AF results in such scenarios like very darkly lit concerts.
Even if they do, I think that in this regards X-H2 autofocus is nothing to complain, rally.

Don't own the latest cameras, but I am happy with the AF capabilities of my X-T4. I confirm the Viltrox 13 and 27 experience.

Second thing is X-Trans IV and V sensors.
With denoising software like DXO PureRAW 3, You can easly shoot up to ISO 3200 and final results are just jaw dropping (if You consider it's aps-c sensor).
Such IQ in final result was unthinkable couple years ago
Seriously, just keep ISO up to 3200 and I hardly believe, that there is one who will complain for amount of details or noise levels (when publishing on 4k screens or even A3 prints)

Confirm.

Viltrox 13/1.4 <- this lens is my biggest surprise for concert photography.
I bought it mainly as a UWA option for my lame landscape shooting during holidays, and It turns out, that I use it for about 50% of whole images I shoot on event.
Combination of f/1.4 and such wide FOV is rally something what got me hooked, as I was used to shoot with 24mm primes (in FF terms) for wide angle shots.
I rally do think, that Viltrox 13/1,4 is best UWA lens in Fujifilm X system for concert photography.

Confirm the great IQ.

Not sure how about XF 16/1.4, but I get feeling that Viltrox 13/1.4 FOV is more useful, and You can always crop a little in post.

Viltrox 27/1.2 <- I prise this lens in high heavens, best standard lens I've ever had but.. I find its FL somewhat boring in concerts, it didn't fit my shooting style for such job, so in practice I almost never use it.

FoV is subjective; the IQ of the 27/1.2 is outstanding; I went for it 2 weeks ago.

XF 56/1.2 R <- not great, not terrible. Not best choice for concerts to be honest.
Needs to be stopped down to f/1.8 to match acutance of both 13/1.4 and 27/1.2 Viltrox lenses.

Based upon own experience, I think the 56/1.2 WR (the 56/1.2 Mk II so to say) is sharper (especially at close distances). The AF speed is a tad better. No complaints about AF accuracy.

Focal length.. well, not exactly what I'm looking for documentary photography (subjective)
XF 56/1.2 R autofocus is also well known for being sluggish and unreliable, although I've got quite decent AF results when using XF 56/1.2 R with X-H2.
I love old XF 56/1.2 R rendering in portraits.. "look" I can have from this lens, was main reason to buy it, as Im shooting mostly portraits.

Yes this it where the old 56/1.2 shines.

But if I would aim more in concerts and less in portraits, I would choose Viltrox 75/1.2 over both old and new XF 56/1.2 and never looked back

Understand.

The new Viltrox generation, 13, 27, & 75, gets a lot of praise here in the forum. This plus Opticallimits reports (27 and 75) sounded attractive to me. I finally went for the 13 and 27, and I am very happy.

Don't forget the new Fujinons with optics that leverage the full potential of the new 40 MPx sensors, the XF 23 and 33/1.4 WR. The 56/1.2 WR also belongs to this new generation but cannot compete in terms of AF speed.

Overall, the lens lineup is now excellent, and with the AI denoise in LR, and with a bit of practice, everyone can now produce excellent concert shots.

BR,

Martin

--
SmugMug - https://martinlang.smugmug.com
500px - https://500px.com/martinlangphotography
Insta - https://www.instagram.com/martin.lang.photography
Co-author on https://frickelfarm.de/

 

[BeatX]

The concert organizer finally published all the (selected) photos I took that evening. It's a pity that the photos are displayed in reverse order (from the end)

Anyway, for those who are interested, here is the link for the gallery (files should have exif data)

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